What Is RBD Oil?

RBD or RBDW is “Refined, bleached and deodorized” and the “W” is “winterized”. Is that allowed for “organic” certified? Let’s look at the process of how we get oil from a seed.

Vegetable seeds, all seeds in fact, contain some oil. Nuts have as high an oil content as 74% (macadamias - no wonder they taste so good). Other sources of commercial oils are sunflower seeds, soy beans (beans are seeds . . .), or the seeds from coconuts and palms. We are also familiar with peanut oil, canola oil, and flax seed oil.

Conventionally, all of these oils are extracted from seeds via some combo of heat, pressure and solvents. “Organic” or natural oils are “expeller pressed” - the seeds are mechanically pressed to squeeze out the oil. In commercial, conventional manufacturing plants, the seeds are also treated with hexane, a petrochemical solvent, to get the last little bit of oil out of the seed. In organic operations the use of hexane or other petrochemical solvents is prohibited.

The product of any of these processes is called crude oil. In some cases it is simply filtered and then sold. “Virgin” oils, like “virgin coconut” are crude oils that have been filtered to remove the non-oil remnants from the extraction. Castor is filtered and then boiled to volatilize off any moisture. Unfiltered oils may also be sold - this should be somewhere in the product description. I sell an unfiltered avocado oil that is so dark green it is almost black and it smells just like avocados. RBD avo oil is pale yellow-green and has no distinguishable smell.

Refined oils may go through a number of treatments. In the organic world this may include filtration through diatomaceous earth or fining clay which reduces the color and smell of the oil and a treatment with less than 1/2 % of citric acid. The citric acid binds to metal molecules and allows the refiner to make sure that there are no heavy metals floating around your oil. Finally, winterizing, is a chilling process that brings any waxes to the top and allows them to be removed to ensure that the oil stays as clear as possible.

Personally I recommend refined oils for personal care: they have less of an aroma to conflict with essential oils or other aromatics, they have no heavy metal risk (remember - plants grow in dirt, dirt has all sorts of molecules so heavy metals naturally occur in plant derived products), and they tend to have a better shelf life.

There are different processing details that apply to each of the different types of oils but this is the basic thing that happens to make an RBD or RBDW oil. These letters should appear on the Specification or Certificate of Analysis that should accompany any oil you buy.

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What is a “Safe” Cosmetic?

In 2000 (OMG, the Dark Ages!) I first started to participate in various industry discussions hoping to define “organic cosmetics”. What I heard was apples and oranges: one set of people who talked about product “safety” in terms of chemical exposures and the other set who said - “organic” ingredients were “safe” because they were food. I repeat - what is a “safe” cosmetic?

We all know about “food safety”. When that phrase is used most people think about control of bacteria and other contaminants. We want food that is free of salmonella, listeria, e-coli, insect parts, etc. Other than that, we generally seem to believe that there is enough information on food packages to allow us to make an informed decision - so long as we don’t get food poisoning.

Cosmetic “safety” has a broader and less clear meaning. “Safe Cosmetics” to some means that individual ingredients are somehow perceived of as “safe”, as we see on packages that state they are free of parabens, sulfates, etc. Additionally “safe cosmetics” includes protection from bacteria exposure or other adulterations (just like in food safety). To others the broader issue of environmental persistence from cosmetic waste moving downstream is a concern when assessing these products.

I point this out for a reason - do buyers have enough info on a package label to make an informed decision about cosmetics? Here are at least three areas of concern: individual ingredient safety, protection from contamination or adulteration, and downstream pollutants. Do you think about all three when you shop for your personal care regimen?

As a world of consumers we are using more of these products than ever. Mintel has reported that 93% of adults shampoo “almost daily”. That is a lot of downstream waste!

Pre-internet most cosmetics were made by large companies that had staff who understood the need to test for bacterial safety. Now I speak with small internet companies and learn that they are not testing the cosmetics for bacterial safety prior to selling over the internet. Scary!

The whole issue of the safety of individual ingredients is an on-going challenge and question. What , exactly, is wrong with sulfates? (There will be a blog). Is the Safe Cosmetics Database always right? (No, not always).

What is the “big picture” effect of cosmetics on us and our world and what should we buy? We need to identify the problems so that we can address them. We need sensible solutions, even if those solutions take time. Consumers need to know what questions to ask of their retailers.

For the short term, look at the big picture and make sure the products you buy have been made by companies that are consistently improving and sold by retailers who can answer these concerns. Ask the questions above, was this product tested? What do you know about the downstream effects of this product?

The stores are the gate keepers, you vote with your dollars. Good luck out there!