Although both originate from a natural physical extraction process, vegetable oils and essential oils have totally different characteristics, uses, and benefits. This is why it is important to know how to differentiate between them and to learn how to use each one in order to select the right oil for making your cosmetic products.

A vegetable oil is a fatty substance obtained by cold pressing of an oleaginous plant (whose seeds, fruits, or nuts contain lipids). First cold pressed vegetable oils have an emollient function in cosmetics. Check out our article on vegetable oils, and the differences between virgin and refined oils.

Used in pure form directly on the skin, or incorporated into your preparations to make creams, milks, balms or soaps, they promote cell metabolism and protect the skin from aging. They offer variable benefits: visible reduction of wrinkles, spots and scars, and are nourishing, toning, calming, thanks to the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids they provide.

It must be obtained from first cold pressing, in order to preserve the full content of essential fatty acids and natural antioxidants. It should also be clarified only by physical or mechanical means, and should not be chemically refined. 

An essential oil is the volatile essence obtained by the steam distillation of an aromatic plant or parts of this plant: leaf, root, fruit, wood, flower, etc. It is therefore an oily liquid, a concentrated and complex aromatic plant extract.

Citrus essential oils are produced differently by expressing the pericarp (rind) of the fruit.

It is strongly recommended to dilute essential oils in vegetable oils for the best results; the two combine wonderfully, it is still necessary to know how to respect the doses. It is also possible to use bases other than vegetable oils to dilute essential oils, for example: day, night, body cream, gel, shampoo, honey, talc, etc. We also recommend them to perfume 100% natural products, for example white clay masks. However, it should be noted that essential oils require a minimum of knowledge in their handling. They can indeed be very potent: sometimes neurotoxic, sometimes abortive, and are generally not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, for children under 6 years old, or for people suffering from epilepsy or hormone-dependent cancers. It should also be noted that essential oils are not miscible with water, so they cannot be used as a base to dilute them.

It must come from a specific plant organ (flower, leaf, stem, root, etc.), and it must be botanically defined (Latin names designating the genus and species). It must also be chemotyped (knowledge of its biochemically active molecules classified into chemical families: terpineols, phenols, sesquiterpenes), and must also be 100% pure and natural (no mixing with synthetic molecules). We recommend that you choose an essential oil from a supplier that would certify that it is organically grown.

To sum up, essential oils are very aromatic, whereas vegetable oils are fatty substances, generally with little or no odor. Whether you are looking for essential or vegetable oils, discover the large catalogs that Prodigia offers: Vegetable Oils, Essential Oils & Hydrosols. Our bestsellers are: Virgin Argan Oil, Virgin Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Tea Tree Essential Oil, and Medicinal Lavender Oil.