At Leonica Cosmetics, the ingredients we choose are part of our story. So is the way those ingredients are processed before they reach your skin.
Here at Leonica Cosmetics, we only use unrefined oils in our formulations. If you have ever wondered what makes an oil unrefined, or how it differs from a refined oil, it starts with what happens after extraction.
What is an unrefined plant oil?
An unrefined oil has not undergone the refining stages used to change characteristics such as its colour and scent. Depending on the plant and extraction method, it can retain a more distinct botanical aroma, a richer natural colour and more of certain naturally occurring minor components.
These qualities are part of an oil’s individual character. Different plants produce different oils, so there is no single colour, scent or texture that all unrefined oils share.
Are raw, unrefined and cold pressed the same thing?
You will often see these words together, but they describe different aspects of an ingredient.
- Unrefined describes an oil that has not undergone refining.
- Cold pressed describes how an oil is extracted. It refers to mechanical pressing without applied heat.
- Raw needs a little more explanation from the brand or supplier, because the word alone does not tell you the exact extraction and processing methods used.
For example, Codex standards for edible vegetable oils distinguish cold pressing from other extraction methods and allow cleaning steps such as filtration. This helps explain why an oil can be filtered and still be described as cold pressed.
At LC, our commitment is specific: the oils we use in our formulations are unrefined.
What changes when an oil is refined?
Refining adjusts an oil’s characteristics and removes unwanted components. Depending on the process, it can reduce natural pigments, odour compounds, gums and free fatty acids. The result may be an oil with a lighter colour and a more neutral scent.
As the American Oil Chemists’ Society explains, the process aims to remove unwanted minor components while limiting changes to the oil itself. Some naturally occurring minor components can also be reduced along the way.
Two terms you might come across are bleaching and deodorization. Bleaching commonly involves adsorbent materials such as clay, which are then filtered out. Deodorization uses steam under reduced pressure to remove volatile compounds, including those associated with unwanted smells.
How unrefined oils fit into our body care
Our Holistic Body Butter brings together unrefined sweet almond, grape seed, castor, pomegranate seed and tamanu oils. They form part of a creamy formula that also includes aloe leaf juice, glycerine, shea butter, cocoa butter and mango butter.
Each ingredient contributes to the complete formula. The oils are blended with the other ingredients to create the texture you experience when you smooth the butter over your skin. Choosing unrefined oils is one part of how we formulate; bringing the ingredients together is another.
That is why we enjoy sharing more than the ingredient names on a label. We want you to understand what goes into your body care, including our choice to use unrefined oils throughout our formulations.
Get to know what is in your jar
Understanding how plant oils are processed gives you a closer connection to the products you use every day. With Leonica Cosmetics, our approach is clear: unrefined oils, thoughtfully brought together in our formulations.
Explore our Holistic Body Butter and discover the ingredients behind its creamy texture. For a closer look at how those ingredients work together in a formula, read why ingredient balance shapes how body care feels.
Holistically Yours,
Leonica Cosmetics
