Essential Oils vs Fragrance
Oils
Essential oils are different from
fragrance oils. The quality of the essential oil is what makes the difference
between being therapeutic and just smelling nice. There are about 150
different essential oils all with unique chemical compositions.
Essential oils are extracted from
the seeds, roots, bark and berry of plants and are carefully refined to preserve
the very thing that makes them "essential". They contain the
vitamins and nutrients that keep the plant alive - the essential constituents
that keep it free from disease and growing strongly. These parts of the
plants are highly sensitive and can be damaged if not properly processed.
The effect of the oil also depends
on the species of plant used and how it was processed. Different varieties of
the same oil can have different qualities and be used for different
things. One essentially needs to be a chemist to really understand them
all!
Essential oils are usually more
expensive. It takes about 30 petals of a rose to make a single drop of
rose oil. They are usually processed through steam or water
distillation. Oils produced from citrus plants are called essences and are
usually made through cold pressing the rinds.
Most candles are often scented with
fragrance oils. There really isn't any cranberry essential oil.
Fragrance Oils have usually been
mixed with other synthetic oils or substances. Fragrance oils are usually
cheaper.
Some oils can have adverse affects
such as headaches and dizziness. This is due to them being impure or
possibly synthetic.
It is important to know the source
and quality of your oils for proper usage and application.
