Description
There are many forms of orange oil on the market, often using the name D-Limonene. Some of these orange oils actually have additives such as mineral spirits, or they may contain “nature identical” synthetic oils. We tested a group of five of the best pure orange oils, and sent out samples to several artists, asking their opinions on the oil for use in painting. The responses were very positive, even for use in plein air painting. One of the five oils stood out as superior for working with paint, and for general aroma. This particular orange oil is steam distilled in the U.S. from Valencia oranges, and goes through an additional process of purification after extraction.
The orange oil we chose is rated as both Food Grade and Kosher. Of all five of the orange oils we tested, it has the lightest aroma, reminiscent of fresh squeezed orange juice. It is extremely clear (not yellow in color) with a refractive index of 1.47241, and it evaporates quickly. (The glass used in optical instruments has a refractive index of 1.52.) It conforms to the very highest standards for orange oil extracts as confirmed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS).
In other words, this is not just another D-Limonene – it is a clear oil with a light aroma, and will offer artists a great option for thinning paints and cleaning brushes.
