Surprise! Essential oils and fragrance oils are not the same things. They sound alike but there are distinct reasons why they are so different. Why is does this matter? For some, there could be an allergy to chemicals or a preference for using all-natural products. Either way, you should understand what the differences are to determine which you prefer.
Scents are important to many. It's why we choose our soaps or perfumes. Scent is what masks other not-so-great scents and some scents help medicinally. Scents can be seasonal and they can sometimes be unpleasant. Scent possibilities are endless but using essential oils vs fragrance oils can be the determining factor in how or why a scent is chosen as well.
Essential oils are 100% natural. They are properties extracted from plants, herbs, and flowers. Most essential oils are obtained by steam distillation. Steam distillation is a separation process to isolate essential oils from plant material. Steam is passed through the plant materials containing the desired oil. This process ensures that the important components of the oil compound do not break down. We use these compounds for more than just scents!
I discussed essential oils in more detail in an earlier blog post. You can read that blog post here.
However, we know that not every plan gives us the scent we are looking for. So, some oils, fragrance oils to be specific, are synthetic. This means that these oils are made in a laboratory. Synthetic fragrance oils are artificially created to mimic scents like coffee or strawberry. The scent possibilities are endless!
You can find some really great fragrance oils from Bramble Berry. We use their fragrance oils in some of our bath and body products. Our customers like scents like peach, vanilla, and mimicked perfumes. My favorites are Bewitched Orchid, Pineapple Mango, and Rose Quartz. You can find these and others on their website.
Here are some other differences between essential oils and fragrance oils to keep in mind:
- Price - fragrance oils are usually less expensive to manufacture. Quality essential oils are plant-derived and cost much more. Some plants are more expensive than others, or the essential oil is better aged.
- Storage - essential oils should be stored in amber or dark-glassed bottles to ensure the scent and compound do not go bad. Fragrance oils do not have the same requirements however it doesn't hurt to maintain the same storage guidelines.
- Use - Some essential oils do well in soap making, candle making, or in other projects. However, their scent can sometimes evaporate. Fragrance oils do pretty well in just about everything. They hold a much stronger, longer scent. You just want to make sure that if you use fragrance oils you understand the synthetic compound and that they are phthalate-free.
For more information on essential oils or fragrance oils you can check out some of these websites:
If you have any questions about the products we promote or sell on our website please reach out to Luckythecham@gmail.com. We're no scientists, just people who like making sure we know what we are using on or in our bodies. We review each ingredient and purchase wholesale ingredients from reputable vendors/partners.
As a customer, it is important that you know the difference between essential oils and fragrance oils. We encourage you to review each compound. Essential oils and fragrance oils are not the same and can produce different scents and results. The options are limitless!
Have a safe and happy new year! We can't wait for 2022!