Natural absolutes oils are highly concentrated, oily mixtures extracted from plants. These are aromatic liquids that, unlike essential oils (which are produced via steam distillation process), are extracted with the help of a complex process, called solvent extraction, which involves the use of a chemical solvent. This chemical solvent is later removed during the final stages of production. For instance, an organic solvent such as hexane is added to the plant material, to help extract the hydrophobic compounds. Absolutes are always more concentrated than essential oils. They last for a longer time, as compared to essential oils, since they are highly concentrated and even a little serves the purpose.