Fragrance Oils Vs. Essential Oils - A Never Ending
Debate
By Lisa
Chambers
Fragrance verses essentials oils.... Natural verses synthetic...
Differences in opinions on these subjects often lead to debates
ranging from intriguing to downright brutal. So in the end, which
is really the best for soapmaking and other bath &
body products? Here are some common points and considerations you
may not of thought of.
Fragrance Oils
- In general, fragrance oils tend to be more affordable than
essential oils.
- There are famous and much beloved scents that can only be found
in a fragrance oil. Some fragrances simply cannot be mimicked
through essential oils.
- Fragrance oils fall into the FDA's jurisdiction and their
"trade secret" law. This means That the manufacturer of the
fragrance oil does not have to disclose the ingredients
used in making their fragrances. Basically you may never know what
in the world is really in a fragrance oil, but they do have
guidelines in place to ensure the general safety of the product.
(Though one could argue that this guideline may be questionable due
to the fact there are many items that are approved by the
FDA that create debates in the issue of it's safety- from the
arguments over Sodium Laurel Sulfate all the way down to artificial
sweeteners!) The ingredients used may range from debates as far as
safety is concerned to an outright environmental hazard.
- For soapmakers, especially one that may not have a lot of
experience, sometimes fragrance oils can be a bit more aggravating
than an essential oil during the soapmaking process. Certain
fragrances can cause what soapmakers know as "seizing". Most
soapmakers know this term, and we all know this problem can lead to
a potential bad day for us! The good news is many experienced
soapmakers know tricks of the trade to save our soap batches when
this happens, or sometimes prevent it entirely. (Remember that a
fragrance from one supplier may behave better than another- it all
depends on the source and what they used to create the scent.)
- There are people that are particularly sensitive to fragrance
oils and even sometimes just plain allergic to them. However, in
fairness, you have to keep in mind that over a hundred different
ingredients could be used to create just one fragrance!
The truth is that if a product is carefully made and the fragrance
oils are carefully measured and added in the recommended amounts,
the amount of fragrance actually used is generally unlikely to
cause a reaction. I'm not sure it would be fair be to ban all
fragrances if you have bad luck with one particular scent or
product. Now that does not mean there aren't people out there that
are genuinely that sensitive- it does happen. I'm
just saying that it actually happens very rarely.
Essential Oils
- In general, essential oils tend to put a dent in your wallet
compared to fragrance oils. There are in fact different grades of
essential oils, and as with all the things, the better ones tend to
be more expensive. If you find one that is significantly cheaper,
chance are it may not be as pure as you think and may be any better
than a fragrance oil. Now I am once again speaking in general and
am not stating this is always the case. The reasoning is
that there are many manufacturers that sell essential oils that do
in fact contain a small percentage of synthetic materials as
well.
- Even if an essential oil is natural, it doesn't not mean that
the means from which it was extracted was. There are several
methods for extracting essentials oils, and some choose using
chemical solvents in the process for certain essential oils. Many
people may not be aware of this, yet they should be. Many oils made
in this fashion are still labeled "natural or "pure", but I suppose
it all comes down to what you personally define "pure" as.
- As far as being environmentally friendly, many don't realize
that majority of the essentials oils sold in the US, or the
materials to make them, come from overseas. In a heated debate I
once witnessed, one intuitive person brought up a new point that is
absolutely worth considering. The fuel used either by flight or by
sea alone very well could very well make up for any advantage that
essentials oil have over fragrance oils in terms of being
environmentally friendly. Now bear in mind that where ever we buy
our essential oils from, more than likely bought it from a larger
supplier or wholesale distributor. The product may in fact change
hands many times so it's not always possible to know the
source.
- Another blow to the theory that going natural is more
environmentally friendly, is that hundreds of pounds of plant
matter could be used to make a single ounce of essential oil!
Certain plants used to create essential oils such as certain types
of sandalwood, cedarwood, and rosewood oil are now endangered from
the over-harvesting. Such heavy usage of natural resources can
create an imbalance in the environment for types of essential oils
that are extracted from "non-renewable" resources.
- Essential oils undeniably have been found to carry positive
properties from the plant materials they were extracted from.
Wisely chosen quality essential oils can greatly increase the
desired effects in a topical application such as creams or lotions.
However, many debate on this when it comes to the topic of
soapmaking. Unless a soap is "rebatched" or "milled", including
through "met and pour" methods, or cooked through a "hot process"
method, some believe that the high alkali needed during the
soapmaking process actually kills at least a vast majority of any
of the positive properties that may have come have from the plant
matter the essential oil was extracted from. Then again, the heat
from the methods could tear down beneficial antioxidants, vitamins,
or essential fatty acids that the base oils in the soapmaking
process has brought to the table. Some don't believe either of
these to be true and can intelligently argue both of these points
to the death.
- There are those that are particularly sensitive to fragrance
oils, yet there are people that are sensitive to essential oils as
well- often time people that are sensitive to one may be sensitive
to another. This does not make either one "bad". You can't place
blame any more than you could place blame due to any other allergy.
If you're allergic to cats, you can't blame the cat and certainly
you can blame yourself. It just happens. "Leave-on" products that
aren't rinsed away, such as lotions and creams, need to be treated
especially carefully in terms of essential oils. Too much of a
particular oil can have far more irritating results than benefits.
For an example, if you make a lotion with large amounts of
grapefruit, orange, or any other citrus in the summertime, these
citrus oils may enhance your chances of getting scorched by the sun
or possibly an even worse reaction from sun exposure. Large amounts
of rosemary essential oil or extract in a "leave on" product could
cause massive irritation. Some essential oils are even toxic if
ingested! You have to get to know your oils- which means lots of
homework before welcoming a new ingredient.
Conclusion
There are even many more valid points to each side than I have
listed here- there are new ones all the time and the cycle of this
debate doesn't look like it's going to end any time soon. It's
important to openly review both ends of the spectrum and establish
you own opinion by the weight of the importance each point of view
carries and not just the simple number of listed pros and cons of
each.
Some people simply refuse to use anything with fragrance oils,
and some people find products with essential oils to be an
overpriced ploy for profit gain. Some recognize the benefits of
essential oils and commonly use them in topical leave-on
applications, but find them to be a waste when it comes to
soapmaking. Then there are some that feel strongly enough that they
avoid either one, sometimes simply leaving their products entirely
unscented.
As for me , personally, I think everyone is right. I see both
ends to this debate as valid, and in a sense I beleive the
difference in opinions is a great thing. My theory is this- there
are obvious faults to both fragrance and essential oils. If only
fragrance oils were used, I think pollution to the environment and
our bodies would skyrocket to an all time high and it would be a
total shame to cast out the magical scents with countless benefits
given to us by mother earth, herself. Yet, at the same time, if
only essential oils were used there could be devastating results to
the planet from over-harvesting. I also think this would bring a
sense of boredom to the bath and body industry as a whole. Even if
it is sometimes overlooked because of it's common over-use, certain
scents and fragrances really touch people. I think they would miss
many of their favorite scents that simply cannot be imitated with
all natural essentials oils. Whether it's to enhance a certain
mood, is a treat to indulge in and brings a sense of pampering in
our hectic lives, or someone just plain likes it, I truly think
people actually connect with certain scents. I beleive aromatherapy
goes far beyond just premium grade natural essential oils. As a
soapmaker, I embrace both at this point, and make my soaps as my
passion drives me- without prejudice.
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