Fragrance Oils and Essential Oils: The Differences Explained
Essential oils and fragrance oil both add fragrance to products. Today, we’re going to talk about the difference between fragrance oils and essential oils. At Seed, we only use 100% pure essential oils to give our body care products a unique scent. Let’s see how the two differ.
What are Essential Oils? The term "essential oil" is a bit misleading, truth be told. An essential oil is actually a concentrated compound and not an oil at all. These compounds come from various parts of plants. They can be extracted from flowers, bark, resin, leaves, roots, and peels. They are typically extracted through a method called distillation. Distillation can occur chemically or through steam and you really want them to be steam distilled. It is not always an easy process, as it is sometimes much more difficult to extract these natural compounds. You can tell how easily an essential oil is distilled by the cost. The more expensive the essential oil, the more difficult it was to extract the natural compounds from the plant.
Essential Oils are very concentrated and need to be diluted prior to usage in almost every instance. The most common method is by adding Essential Oils to what is known as a Carrier Oil. Adding the concentrated Essential Oils to Grape seed Oil, Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Safflower Oil, Avocado Oil, etc. makes it easy to reap the benefits of Aromatherapy because you can apply the oil right to your body.
It's important to keep in mind that a major difference in essential oils vs synthetic fragrance is the experience you have in applying. Essential oils are activated on your skin with heat and friction (you will smell it more when you rub it in, for example). The aroma may come as a "burst," but it dissipates - some quickly, others last a bit longer. Fragrance Oils have synthetic preservatives and alcohol to maintain the "smell" longer.
Essential Oils are the backbone of a practice known as Aromatherapy.
Quite simply, Aromatherapy is the practice of using Essential Oils in order to promote wellness and good health. Aromatherapy used one of our key senses, that of smell. Your nerve receptors, once hit with a fragrance, send a message right up to something called the Limbic System. This is within the brain and it essentially processes a scent and gives you a certain reaction. This is the system that triggers emotional responses to fragrance. Many people associate a certain scent with a person or memory.
Whenever I smell a certain department store perfume, I am reminded of my late grandmother. She always wore it when I was a child and even though she is gone, I instantly think of her when I smell it. When I smell tulips, I am always reminded of the garden I played in at my childhood home. The salty scent of ocean air reminds me of the summer we lived in Coastal Georgia planning our wedding.
Clearing up confusion when it comes to oils
A common misconception is that popular Fragrance Oils are basically the same as Essential Oils. This could not be more false. Well over 95% of an actual finished Fragrance Oil comes from petrochemicals (crude oil) and are hazardous to your health. These oils are created in a lab and are made to mimic a particular scent. You can buy bottles of synthetic fragrance oil in every type of scent these days--from rose to chocolate chip cookies to pumpkin to the scent of pizza and popcorn. It is important to remember that these highly scented oils serve no benefit, are completely synthetic, and may be very harmful. Even though much has been done to raise awareness of certain toxins, synthetic fragrance oils often contain a harmful range of toxins known as phthalates.
And, this is why we at Seed believe essential oils are best -- if you are used to synthetic fragrance, it may be an adjustment. But we are committed to offering you the healthiest options, and believe essential oil options are just that.
2 Responses
June
Thank you for your article. It has been an eye opening experience for me. After looking at a few videos on essential oils on the Internet I decided to order one bottle of almond and one bottle of lavender essential oils from a person who sells hand made lotions and soaps in a small kiosk in a mall. What he provided to me a week after the order was two 15ml sized bottles with only a piece of sticker tape and handwriting showing one was lavender essential oil and the other was almond oil..that was it. No product identification or instructions other than verbal. I paid Cdn $15.00 for the lavender and Cdn $10.00 for the almond fragrance. After reading many articles including yours on line I feel cheated by the seller. I am going to return it and ask for a refund or an exchange for some lotion or soap.
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Also in Lately I've been paying more attention
5 Skin Care Benefits of Black Cumin Seed Oil
Black Cumin Seed Oil is an ingredient used in skin care that is unfamiliar to many. We like to think of it as an unsung hero. Just what is Black Cumin Seed Oil and why is it so beneficial for the skin?
Let's learn more:
Black Cumin Seed Oil, or Nigella sativa, is rich in history. Used in skin care for thousands of years, it is believed that both Cleopatra and Nefertiti used the seeds in their bath water. In fact, it is said that this ingredient has been used by royalty as a natural skin care remedy for over 4000 years!
Black Cumin Seed Oil is an elixir for red and irritated skin. Known for its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits, Black Cumin Seed Oil is a magical skin care oil that can be used on every skin type.
5 Back to School Skin Care Tips for College Students
College students, let us help you establish a healthy skin care and wellness routine.
....
We've all heard about the "Freshman 15." I gained about 7 pounds freshman year. I can tell you that I had many choices in the dining hall, but my mom wasn't there to make sure I ate my fruits and veggies. I loaded up on macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes. I drank soda pop instead of water. I made Pop Tarts in my dorm room and ordered pizza regularly. Eat as many fresh, whole foods as you can and drink lots of water. Your skin will benefit from this. I recommend eating lots of
10 Skin Care Benefits of Niacinamide
If you are on the quest for healthy looking skin, this ingredient needs to be in your skin care arsenal.
Niacinamide, or Vitamin B3 (also called Nicotinic Acid) offers multiple benefits to the skin. It can help to visibly diminish the appearance of large pores, fine lines, skin dullness, and also helps to even out skin tone.
There is solid research supporting the benefits of Niacinamide.This skin vitamin is one that truly benefits nearly every skin type. Other recent research published by the editors of the Melanoma Letter suggests that niacinamide "can significantly reduce recurrences of actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma in patients with a history of these lesions."
June
March 08, 2018
Do you sell to Canadian customers? Thank you.
June