Distillation

During the steam distillation process, the material is heated until it produces steam. The steam will be cooled down and will result in a liquid form. In water distillation, the botanical material is completely immersed in water and then is boiled in an airtight vessel. This method protects the oil to be extracted till a certain degree. The water distillation takes more time and is inferior to steam distillation because not all components of the oil stay intact. The more efficient steam distillation results in essential oil due to the combination of heated steam and gentle pressure.