Regular vs. Cold-Pressed Castor Oil
Jump to:
- What is Castor Oil?
- What is the Difference Between Chemical Extraction and Pressed Castor Oil?
- Expeller-Pressed vs. Cold-Pressed Castor Oil
- Pales-Pressed vs. Cold-Pressed Castor Oil
- What Are the Benefits of Castor Oil?
- Choose Acme-Hardesty for Your Castor Oil Needs
When you’re looking for the right castor oil for your needs, you’ll likely run into a few different options. Alongside the regular, expeller-pressed castor oil, you can also find castor oils that come from pale-pressed, cold-pressed and chemical extraction methods. One of the best-known alternatives to standard castor oil is cold-pressed castor oil, so you must know the differences between them before making your choice.
Learn more about what castor oil is, how chemical and pressed castor oil extraction methods differ and why there’s a distinction between regular and cold-pressed castor oil. You might also be interested in learning more about pale-pressed castor oil and some of the overall benefits of using castor oil.
What is Castor Oil?
Castor oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of the castor plant (Ricinus communis). Known for its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, it is regularly used in hair and skincare products, pharmaceuticals, lubricants and for digestion. Since there are various extraction methods for the oil, you can find a few types of castor oil on the market today.
What is the Difference Between Chemical Extraction and Pressed Castor Oil?
You can find several different methods for extracting castor oil available today, but they mostly fall into two categories — chemical extraction and pressed extraction. The pressing method for extracting castor oil comes in various forms, but it will incorporate a device that crushes seeds to remove the oil. The pressing process may involve low or high temperatures, depending on the type of castor oil a company wants to make.
While pressing castor seeds can result in significant oil yields, it will generally leave some oil behind. After a company crushes the seeds, these seeds will form into a brick or cake-like substance. A company can then extract more oil from the castor cake using a chemical solvent. Some of the most popular solvents include petroleum, hexane and heptane. The chemical extraction method allows companies to remove most of the remaining oil in the cake, giving them the chance to derive maximum value from their castor seeds.
The Difference Between Expeller-Pressed and Cold-Pressed Castor Oil
Expeller-pressed castor oil is extracted using mechanical pressure and friction, generating heat between 140-210°F, which can degrade the oil’s nutrients. Cold-pressed castor oil is extracted at temperatures below 122°F, enabling it to preserve its nutrients and antioxidants which makes it ideal for skin care and hair care products.
One of the common types of castor oil is expeller-pressed oil. Since expeller-pressed oil is so popular, you might hear people call it regular castor oil.
Once the pressing process is completed, a company will remove the oil, resulting in expeller-pressed castor oil. The seeds’ remains will form into a hard, brick-like substance that makes excellent animal feed. While much of the seed gets used in expeller pressing, this process leaves a significant amount of oil behind, leading to higher costs for expeller-pressed castor oil products.
What is cold-pressed castor oil? Cold-pressed castor oil is another popular type of castor oil. It comes from using a press to extract oil from castor seeds at a temperature under 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold-pressed castor oil manufacturers can’t use heat later in the refining process.
Since the cold-pressed process retains the castor oil’s aroma, flavor and natural antioxidants, cold-pressed castor oil is excellent for skin and hair care products. Due to the lack of heat, the oil tends to retain more nutrients and antioxidants, providing additional health benefits.
As you decide between expeller-pressed and cold-pressed castor oil, it’s essential to note that both are useful for different applications. For example, cold-pressed oils usually provide more health benefits, making them an excellent choice if you’re creating oils for consumption. However, it’s possible to produce expeller-pressed oils faster, since they don’t need extra equipment and processes to keep the heat low. Expeller-pressed oils are often ideal for soaps, lubricants and metal workings.
What’s The Difference Between Pale-Pressed and Cold-Pressed Castor Oil?
Pale-pressed castor oil is obtained from the initial pressing of castor seeds, resulting in a lighter, clearer oil with lower acidity and fewer impurities. In contrast, cold-pressed castor oil is extracted at temperatures below 122°F, allowing it to retain the nutrients needed for skin and hair care products.
Compared to cold-pressed castor oil, pale-pressed castor oil is much thinner. Since this oil has a transparent appearance, it’s ideal for products such as printer inks and lubricants for specialized machinery. These qualities also make it a popular oil for beauty and cosmetic products.
What Are the Benefits of Castor Oil?
No matter the type of castor oil you choose, you can receive several benefits from using it. Since castor oil has ricinoleic acid, it assists with skin moisturizing, making it an excellent choice for skincare products. It also features anti-inflammatory and moisturizing characteristics ideal for hair care products that promote scalp and hair health. Many companies use castor oil in their ointments and creams, as it has healing properties.
Another remarkable benefit of castor oil is its ability to help reduce pain and inflammation from conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Some companies use castor oil in their laxatives to provide constipation relief. Due to castor oil’s antimicrobial properties, it also can help alleviate acne symptoms.
Choose Acme-Hardesty for Your Castor Oil Needs
Acme-Hardesty is an excellent alternative to buying castor oil in bulk, as we sell the oil in smaller quantities. Some of our bestselling castor oil products include No.1 Castor Oil, Jamaican Black Castor Oil and Hydrogenated Castor Oil. When you need castor oils in the quantities and sizes you require for your manufacturing operation, we can get them to you quickly and affordably.
Review our selection of castor oil today. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.