Cold-Pressed vs Refined Oil: What's the Difference for Skin Care?

Shop for any plant oil and you'll see words like cold-pressed, virgin, unrefined, refined and 'kachi ghani'. They describe how the oil was made, and they affect its colour, scent, feel and shelf life. Here's what each one means, and what actually matters when you're choosing an oil for your skin and hair.

How kernel oils are made

Kernels are cleaned, sometimes dried or lightly crushed, and then pressed, squeezing out the oil. The oil is left to settle and then filtered. It may stop there, or go on to be refined further. The choices made at each step shape the final oil.

Cold-pressed

Cold-pressed oils are pressed mechanically without adding external heat. (Some friction heat is unavoidable.) The aim is to keep the oil as close to its natural state as possible, with its natural colour and a light scent of the kernel. In South Asia, the traditional wooden or stone press, known as a kohlu or ghani, works on the same principle.

Expeller-pressed

Expeller pressing uses a screw press that squeezes kernels under high pressure. It generates more heat than cold pressing, but it's still a mechanical process without chemical solvents.

Unrefined (virgin)

Unrefined oils are pressed and filtered, but not further processed. They tend to have more colour and a more noticeable natural scent, and they can vary slightly from batch to batch.

Refined

Refined oils go through additional steps to remove colour, scent and impurities. The result is paler and more neutral, with a longer shelf life and a very consistent feel. Refined oils are widely used in cosmetics where a neutral base is needed.

Solvent-extracted

Some industrial oils are extracted using solvents to get the maximum yield, then refined to remove them. This is common for cooking oils produced at scale. If this matters to you, look for oils that state they're mechanically pressed.

Which is better for skin?

Both pressed and refined oils can be good. Many people prefer minimally processed oils for their natural character; others prefer refined oils for a neutral scent. What matters most is:

• A clear ingredient list. Ideally one ingredient, with nothing undeclared.
• Freshness. An oil that has gone rancid isn't good for skin, however it was made. See how to store natural oils.
• Protective packaging. Dark glass helps protect oils from light.
• Honesty. Be wary of labels that use 'cold-pressed' or 'organic' as marketing without any detail.

Reading an oil label

• INCI name: the botanical name, e.g. Prunus armeniaca kernel oil for apricot.
• Pressing method: cold-pressed, expeller-pressed or not stated.
• Refined or unrefined.
• Batch number and dates.
• Period after opening: the open-jar symbol with a number of months.

Our approach

Each Hunzapure oil is a single ingredient, pressed from the kernel and checked batch by batch for colour, clarity, scent and texture before bottling in amber glass. Read more about how we choose our oils.