Why we'd never cold-press Rosehip Oil

‘Cold-pressed’ has become a buzzword over the last decade for everything from juices to olive oil.

It’s also one of the most common ways to extract organic oils for skincare, such as our cult Rosehip Oil. You’ll often hear brands singing its praises – but it’s not necessarily the best extraction method.

What is cold-pressed oil?

Cold-pressed oil is obtained through pressing and grinding fruit or seeds with the use of stainless steel presses.

The raw plant material is placed between horizontal plates which are drawn together by a rotating screw (the ‘expeller’), and the oil is squeezed out.

Despite the name, a certain amount of heat is produced during the process due to friction, averaging at about 40˚C. To be marketed as cold-pressed, the temperature must stay below a rather toasty 49˚C.

Just like if we were subjected to these temperatures, delicate ingredients can end up less than ‘fresh’ and many of their therapeutic properties are lost.

There’s also oxygen present during cold-pressing. This causes oils to oxidise immediately, making them more likely to become rancid before you’ve had a chance to use them up.

What is CO2 extraction?

At Pai, we use Super Critical CO2 Extraction wherever more delicate ingredients are involved.

This extraction method uses volcanically-sourced CO2 in its supercritical (fluid) state. It’s passed through the raw plant material, extracting all biologically ‘active’ components as it goes.

This process takes place at 30°C without any thermal stress and without using organic solvents.

Because CO2 is chemically inert, the extraction is done in a virtual vacuum, with no oxygen present.

CO2 extraction vs cold-pressed

CO2 extraction is best – because oxygen-free environments and low temperatures are particularly important, especially for fragile ingredients such as Rosehip.

Here’s why we swear by it for our iconic Rosehip Bioregenerate face oil…

It maximises the ingredient benefits

By keeping temperatures low and extracting all the ‘active’ components, we’re able to preserve and protect the complete botanical, skin-loving properties of the Rosehip.

And we know, because we've tested it. Our Rosehip Bioregenerate delivers 700% more antioxidants, 65% more regenerative sterols and 20% more fatty acids than your average Rosehip Seed Oil*.

And that higher potency means a little goes a long way – which means it’ll last longer in your bathroom cabinet.

It creates a purer product

CO2 extraction also leaves absolutely no solvent residues, so the final oil is impeccably pure. This includes the incredible natural colour and smell. You only have to see how orange, concentrated and herbaceously-scented Rosehip Bioregenerate is to witness CO2 extracts at their best.

It’s better for the environment

Last but by no means least, the low temperature and lack of waste streams/emissions make it an extremely environmentally-friendly process, too – which makes it a certified winner in our book. We wouldn’t extract our Rosehip Oil any other way.

Shop our highly potent Rosehip Oil today to see the difference it can make to your skin

*Independently tested by a third party laboratory. Data verification available on request. Tested against similar, market leading, rosehip oils available in Europe.