This document outlines 7 key factors to consider when choosing botanical oils for macerating plant extracts to use in organic cosmetics: 1) shelf life, 2) thermal stability, 3) fragrance, 4) color, 5) viscosity and skin feel, 6) availability and price, and 7) unsaponifiables. It emphasizes the importance of choosing oils that will maintain the quality of extracts over time and produce finished products with desirable sensory qualities, therapeutic properties, and affordable production costs.

1. 7 Steps to consider when choosing
a Botanical Oil for Macerations
JUNE 2016 ACCREDITED ORGANIC COSMETIC SCIENCE SCHOOL

2. Macerating Oils
• Some of the most important ingredients in
organic cosmetics are plant extracts and
infusions
• Lipophilic plant extracts for cosmetics are
often prepared through maceration – the
process of infusing plant components in oil
• Plant macerates are then applied in a range of
different skincare and cosmetics
• But what factors should you consider when
choosing your plant oils for maceration?

3. 1. Shelf Life
Consider the shelf life of the oil you
choose and make sure it has a
reasonable shelf life.
• Preparing lipophilicplant extracts
and macerations takes time
• You don’t want to spend weeks
preparing an extract for it to then be
discarded after a few months
• High iodine oils (for instance, borage
oil) will shorten the shelf life of your
maceration

4. 2. Thermal stability
Consider the thermal stability of your oil – it
may oxidise when exposed to heat
• Botanical oil macerations can be prepared
using the ‘hot process’ method
• Additionally, you may use your oil maceration
in balms, butters or hot process emulsions
• Certain oils have poor thermal stability and will
oxidize when exposed to heat.

5. 3. Fragrance
Consider the inherent scent of your oils – they
may affect your final cosmetic product
• Certain oils such as neem oil or perilla seed oil
will have a strong inherent scent
• You may not wish to have a strong scented oil
in your finished product, or you may be
making an infusion based on scent alone (e.g.
vanilla pods in jojoba oil)

6. 4. Colour
Consider the inherent colour of
your oils – they may affect your
final cosmetic product
• Certain oils such as acai oil or
avocado oil will have a strong
inherent colour
• You may not wish to have a
strongly coloured oil in your
finished product, or you may be
making an infusion based on
colour alone (e.g. Calendula
petals in almond oil)

7. 5. Viscosity & Skin Feel
Consider the skin feel you
want to achieve with your
finished product
• Certain oils such as wheat
germ oil may have a high
viscosity and leave a sticky
or heavy feel on the skin
• High viscosity oils may
also be difficult to filter at
the end of the maceration
process

8. 6. Availability & Price
Consider the availability and price of your
ingredients – your oils might be expensive
• Certain exotic oils can be very expensive and
you may not wish to use them for maceration
• Certain exotic oils may also be difficult to
obtain in steady large quantities for
maceration
• Expensive oils usually also have a shorter
shelf life

9. 7. Unsaponifiables
Consider the unsaponifiables of your oil and
their skin beneficial properties
• Unsaponifiables are components in your oil
which cannot form soaps. Examples include
tocopherol, lecithin, phytosterols, etc.
• Unrefined oils will generally contain more
unsaponifiables than refined oils.
• These unsaponifiables can add skin
therapeutic and beneficial properties.

10. Read more?
Visit the Formula Botanica blog at:
http://www.formulabotanica.com/blog

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