The use of vegetable oils and oily macerates is common in skincare. However, their application can sometimes lead to confusion in certain instances. To understand the nature of each, here is a comparative study of these two skincare products, which are not as similar as they may seem.
The Debate: Macerate or Vegetable Oil?
Summary
Published on October 4, 2024, by Stéphanie, PhD, Doctorate in Life and Health Sciences — 3 min of reading
Themes:
The difference between an oil macerate and a vegetable oil.
Both of these compositions originate from plant extracts. What differentiates them? They are obtained through different processes:
Extracted directly from a fruit or a seed, a vegetable oil is rich in fatty acids. It is declared "pure", as it contains no other oils than that of the plant. Olive, avocado, jojoba, rosehip oils, etc... are examples. The extraction of a vegetable oil is done cold using a hydraulic press, known as first cold pressing, by mechanical press where the seeds are slightly heated by centrifugation or by solvent extraction.
An oil macerate is the result of an extraction technique (maceration) of plants or certain parts of plants (leaves, roots, flowers...) in a vegetable oil. Indeed, the plants infuse in the chosen oil, where it becomes a carrier of the active properties of the plant, its fragrance and taste. This process allows the virtues of these to be released so that their molecules can strengthen the active principles already present in the oil. The oil macerate thus obtained is a more concentrated and more effective mixture than an ordinary oil. To obtain this mixture, there are two extraction methods: the hot one, where the mixture is brought to a low boil to accelerate the dissolution process of the actives, and the cold one, where the plants are left to macerate at room temperature for 4 to 6 weeks.
How to recognise a quality oil macerate?
In order to obtain a high-quality oil macerate, the cold extraction method is more recommended: at room temperature, the active substances are hardly altered. However, note that the maceration period can be quite long (several days at minimum). Examples of macerates include: the carrot, arnica or even calendula.
