subject: The Difference Between Fragrance Oils And Essential Oils [print this page] Both of these products are good in that they both produce fragrance. There may be small differences in their composition and the way that they are produced which are noteworthy.
The term fragrance oil normally applies to the oils which are used to provide aroma for our sensual pleasure. Essential oils will do the same in many circumstances but this is not their primary intended purpose. Fragrance oils may be perfumes or cologne oils, or they may be potpourri oils. They can be either natural or synthetically produced. They will more often than not have some synthetic ingredients added to them to enhance their natural essence. Sometimes compounds are added which will greatly enhance the aroma. These chemical compounds often work wonders for the product itself and greatly increase its marketability. Fragrance oils may have colorants or thickeners added to them to give them customer appeal also. They may even have a small amount of solvent such as alcohol added to magnify the natural essence. Because of all of the things which are done to fragrance oils to enhance their aroma there is a much wider range of different aromas available for the customers use.
Essential oils are naturally produced so their aroma will not be as pronounced as that of the fragrance oils. When you small an essential oil you are getting the true essence of the natural fragrance. There are no synthetic ingredients added. Essential oils can be used to provide fragrance but they have a much wider variety of other uses. They are used cosmetically, for internal and external healing and moisturizing, and a long list of other purposes. The type of oil that you choose depends on the way that you intend to use it. Essential oils are primarily colorless because there are no added color enhancers and may not feel oily. The essential oil is composed of the actual base material of the object which it is derived from, whereas the purpose of fragrance oil is to extract aroma from the product. Essential oils are extracted from natural substances such as leaves, stems, roots, bark, etc. Now in the case of fragrance oils this may be true but then again their may be other synthetic substances added.
When essential oils are used for their fragrance it is normally because the fragrance has an intended effect such as calming, or clearing the airways. Their use is medicinal ninety percent of the time. The term Essential refers to the fact that the fragrance is the essence of the actual substance itself.
There are various methods of extracting fragrance or essence from natural materials. The first is known as Cold Press Extraction. In this method the essence is pressed from the skin, stems, or leaves of the material. This method is preferred because it does not alter the natural essence of the material.
In Steam Distillation steam is used to pull the essence out of the material. This is the most widely used method and I am sure that you can see the advantages of using it. However the heat of the steam can destroy or alter the natural essence of the product.
When Chemical Solvent Extraction is used a solvent is used to leech the aroma from the material. This method works fine but it is least preferred because of the fact that the solvent which is totally foreign is introduced and may change the aroma of the substance used.
The last method used to extract fragrance is called Effleurage. In this technique odorless fats or oils absorb the fragrance from the material in question. This is the way that I extract the essence from healing plants when I want to use it for my personal health. When you use this method a very small amount of heat is acceptable to help speed up the process but it still takes time. Fragrance Oil Express
