When you see "cold-pressed" on a bottle of facial oil, it's more than marketing language. The extraction method dramatically affects the oil's composition, potency, and effect on your skin. Here's what cold-pressed really means - and why it matters.
How Cold-Pressed Oils Are Made
Cold-pressing is a mechanical extraction process where seeds, nuts, or kernels are pressed under high pressure at low temperatures - typically below 49°C (120°F). No solvents are used, and the oil is minimally processed after extraction. The result retains the full complement of fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, polyphenols, and bioactives essentially as nature intended.
How Refined Oils Are Made
Refined oils are processed using solvent extraction (often hexane), degumming, bleaching, and/or deodorization. These processes produce a neutral, shelf-stable, consistent-looking oil. They are standard in food oil production and used in some cosmetic ingredients. The downside is that refining removes or degrades many of the most skin-beneficial components.
What Gets Lost in Refining
- Tocopherols (Vitamin E): Significantly reduced by refining and especially by deodorization, which uses high heat.
- Polyphenols and flavonoids: Plant-specific antioxidants are largely heat- and solvent-sensitive.
- Carotenoids: The natural orange-red pigments (like in rosehip oil) are removed during bleaching.
- Phytosterols: Plant sterols that support barrier function are partially removed.
Does Refining Change the Fatty Acid Profile?
The core fatty acid ratios are largely preserved through refining. This is why refined oils still moisturize. But the supporting cast of antioxidants, vitamins, and polyphenols is significantly diminished. A refined Kalahari melon seed oil will still deliver linoleic acid; it just won't deliver the full spectrum of cold-pressed benefits.
Our Commitment to Cold-Pressed
All Kalahari Rose Naturals plant oils are cold-pressed and unrefined. We source directly from producers in southern Africa who use traditional small-batch pressing methods that preserve full nutritional integrity. Explore our face oil collection to experience that difference.
