Apricot extract or apricot kernel oil is obtained from the inside of dried apricot kernels. Because the kernels are cold-pressed, high proportions of the natural ingredients remain in the oil, which can then be found in a wide variety of products and applications. Refined oil, on the other hand, loses valuable active ingredients, but can thus be stored longer.
Basically, there are two types of apricots. Wild and cultivated apricots. The kernels of the two varieties differ greatly. The kernels of the wild apricots are smaller and stouter than those of the cultivated apricots. They also differ in taste. The wild varieties taste bitter and the domesticated varieties are sweet.
The seeds contain the active ingredient amygdalin and small amounts of hydrogen cyanide (HCN). As in apricot kernel oil and other stone fruit kernels. The amounts of amygdalin (prussic acid) and cyanide in cosmetics are vanishingly small, so there is no need to fear any health risks.
The oil contains various health-promoting active ingredients that are not only found in beauty products, but are also used in naturopathy and cooking.
Besides traces of vitamins A and B, niacin (a vitamin from the B-complex) is also present. Triglycerides and residues of fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and palmitoleic acid are also found in the oil.
The oil content of apricot extract is crucial for beauty products such as ointments, creams and shampoos. They nourish and regenerate the skin, slowing down the effects of skin ageing.