At Cult of Bees, we believe in the beauty of exploration - of experience, scent, process, and the raw materials that shape our creations. Every ingredient we use has a story, and part of our mission is to invite you to discover these stories with us.

An often overlooked aspect of natural skincare is understanding the different types of natural botanical extracts. Here, we explore three: essential oils, CO₂ extracts, and absolutes. Each has unique qualities that influence scent, texture, and how they interact with the skin.

Let’s dive in.

Essential Oils: Distilled Essence

Essential oils are perhaps the most well-known type of botanical extract, obtained through steam or water distillation of plant material. This process captures the most volatile aromatic compounds, resulting in bright, fresh, and often sharp scent profiles. However, distillation leaves behind heavier molecules, meaning the final oil may not fully replicate the complexity of the raw plant.

These oils are clean and concentrated, making them ideal for aromatherapy, therapeutic applications, and fresh, crisp scent compositions. Their stability also makes them a preferred choice in many of our formulations.

For example, Rough Patch, one of our skincare formulations, features a blend of Peppermint and Cedarwood Essential Oils, providing a subtle, invigorating scent. This demonstrates how essential oils deliver a refreshing experience without overwhelming depth—perfect for light, energizing fragrance applications.

CO₂ Extracts: Precision and Purity

CO₂ extracts are obtained through supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, a method that uses pressurized CO₂ to extract aromatic compounds, resins, and other valuable plant components. This process occurs at controlled temperatures, preserving delicate compounds that might be altered or lost through heat-based extractions.

The resulting extracts vary in texture and viscosity, ranging from thin liquids to thick, resinous concentrations, depending on the plant material. CO₂ extraction captures a broad range of plant compounds, including heavier molecules that contribute to scent complexity and therapeutic properties.

This method allows for a versatile and effective way to work with botanical ingredients, offering distinct characteristics that integrate beautifully into our different formulations.

Absolutes: Depth and Complexity

Absolutes are highly concentrated aromatic extracts obtained through solvent extraction, a method used for delicate flowers and resins that cannot tolerate the high temperatures of distillation. This process involves dissolving the plant’s aromatic compounds in a solvent, which is later removed to yield a rich, full-bodied extract.

The resulting absolutes often have intense, complex scent profiles, capturing nuances that may be lost in other extraction methods. They tend to be more viscous than essential oils and are primarily used in applications where depth and longevity are key.

Why We Use Them All

At Cult of Bees, we choose our extracts based on the experience we want to create. Some scents demand the crisp clarity of an essential oil, others the richness of a CO₂ extract, and some call for the depth and complexity of an absolute. Understanding these differences allows us to craft fragrances and formulations that bring out the best in nature’s raw materials - offering a sensory experience that is both intentional and immersive.

This is just the beginning of our journey together - a world of scent, process, and discovery.

Come explore with us.