Is CO2 Extracts natural or synthetic?

A fantasy or concept note, not a single material.

CO2 Extracts

POPULAR & WEIRDwoody · earthy · fresh

HeartPyramid

3/5Strength

—Tenacity

·Origins

Editorial noteWe own no rights to this material, its name or its trademark. This entry is independent editorial journalism, published under freedom of expression.

Specimen

N/A (extraction technology category)

Definition

Not an ingredient but a method. Supercritical CO2 extraction produces cleaner, truer-to-nature extracts than steam distillation or solvent extraction.

WOODY FLORAL GREEN EARTHY FRESH

carbon dioxide extracts

Instruments

Pyramid

TTop

HHeart

BBase

3/5Strength

Medium

odour strength

Producing countries

N/A (technology used globally; leading producers: Germany, India, France)

Scent

CO2 extracts vary entirely by source material. The general quality is 'truer to nature' — less cooked, less artifact-laden than distilled oils. Rose CO2 is richer and more complete than rose otto; vanilla CO2 is deeper and more complex than vanilla absolute. The method preserves compounds that heat and solvents destroy or alter.

The Full Story

CO2 extraction (supercritical fluid extraction) is a method, not a fragrance note. It uses carbon dioxide at high pressure (above 73 atm) and moderate temperature (31+ degrees C), where CO2 enters a supercritical state — neither gas nor liquid — becoming an excellent solvent for volatile organic compounds.

The advantage over steam distillation is that CO2 extraction operates at lower temperatures, preserving heat-sensitive compounds that distillation destroys. The advantage over solvent extraction (hexane, ethanol) is that CO2 leaves no solvent residue — when pressure is released, CO2 simply evaporates as gas.

CO2 extracts often smell more 'true to nature' than distilled oils because they retain compounds lost during heating. Rose CO2, for example, preserves phenylethyl alcohol (the dominant molecule in rose scent) that is largely lost during steam distillation. Ginger CO2 retains more of the fresh, zingy character of raw ginger than the cooked-smelling distilled oil.

Explore all seven extraits in the Discovery Set.

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Extraction & Chemistry

Extraction method

Supercritical CO2 extraction uses carbon dioxide above its critical point (31.1 degrees C, 73.8 atm) as a solvent. The raw material is loaded into a pressure vessel, supercritical CO2 is pumped through, dissolving volatile and semi-volatile compounds. Pressure is then released, CO2 evaporates, and the extract remains. Two main types: 'select' extracts (lower pressure, more volatile compounds) and 'total' extracts (higher pressure, including waxes and heavier compounds).

Formula: N/A (extraction method)
CAS: N/A (extraction method, not single material)
Botanical: N/A (extraction technology category)
Appearance: Colorless to pale yellow clear liquid
Odour strength: Medium
Synonyms: carbon dioxide extracts

IFRA status

See note

Not applicable: accord or concept, not a single material

Physical properties

Note: Supercritical CO₂ extraction produces highly faithful aromatic extracts at low temperatures (31°C), preserving heat-sensitive compounds. CO₂ used as solvent: CAS 124-38-9.

In Perfumery

CO2 extraction is a technology, not a fragrance building block. It produces extracts (called 'CO2 selects' or 'CO2 totals' depending on pressure) that are used alongside traditional essential oils and absolutes. Particularly valuable for spice materials (black pepper, ginger, cardamom CO2), where the method preserves fresh-spicy top notes lost in distillation. Also used for delicate florals, vanilla, and coffee.

Role in the formula

01fixative

02signature note

03lifting agent

04blender

05naturalizer

06volume builder

Available as

fragrance accord

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