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The Difference Between Essential Oils & Fragrance Oils

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Flower Oils

Knowing the difference between Essential Oils and Fragrance Oils can be confusing. The primary factor that makes the difference between them is how they are created. Essential oils are collected through an intensive distilling process gathering the extracts from flowers, fruits, herbs, and other natural ingredients. Here we are going to explore their differences and why does it matter.

ESSENTIAL OILS
If you prefer natural scents, Essential Oils are a great choice.  These oils are pure extractions that are obtained through the process of steam distillation.  That involves heating the components until a gas is released, then condensing the gas back into a liquid.  Depending on the type of plant, the extraction may prove to be overly complex. 
Essential oils are also difficult to reproduce synthetically since they can be made up of 50-500 different naturally occurring chemicals found in the plant and not all of them have been identified.  Not everything in nature produces an essential oil.  You will not find strawberry or vanilla.  That means that there are fewer options to choose from. 

FRAGRANCE OILS
Fragrance Oils are synthetic.  They are created with a mix of aroma chemicals and natural ingredients like essential oils, extracts, and resins.  There are 2 types of fragrance oils.  Synthetic fragrance oils are made in a lab and are artificially created from chemical compounds that do not exist in nature.  Natural Fragrance oils are also made in a lab and are created by isolating natural aromatic components from a complex scent.
Just one fragrance oil can be made up of 40-80 materials, and luxury perfumes are often made with 5 times that number.  Because these oils are synthetically made, there are more options to choose from than essential oils.  You are not limited to natural sources that produce essential oils.

Synthetic Oils
These are the types of fragrances to avoid when reading a label, especially if you have sensitive skin.  Many times, they are composed of petroleum by products, making them much cheaper.  Many of the cheaper commercial scented products are created with synthetic fragrances because they are able to retain their aroma for longer periods of time.
Natural Fragrance Oils
There is still debate as to whether natural fragrance oils can be considered truly natural.  While they are derived from a natural source, they are still created by human science.

THE BENEFITS
Pure Essential Oils
have many uses in aromatherapy to help easy muscle pain, skin problems, and other issues.  The reason essential oils are so valued is its use in skin and hair softening, skin moisturizing, rash, and eczema relief.  It is also helpful on stress and migraine relief.   Many people apply essential oils directly to skin or use it during their baths.  

Fragrance Oils do not provide the same health benefits.  They are designed purely for the purpose of mimicking a scent.  Nature is complex and essential oils are made of more than just scent components, which is why they are so difficult to recreate.  When you isolate only the natural aromatic components from a plant, we miss out on the potential benefits that plant could offer.  However, fragrance oils do enhance the aroma of many cosmetics and perfume products, as well as candles, which hold a better scent in hot temperatures.

While both experiences are pleasant in an immediate, sensory way, essential oils offer satisfaction on a deeper level as well as potential contributions to your overall health.  Fragrance oils, meanwhile, provide only simple enjoyment and can be often detrimental to your well-being.  Which option you choose comes down to personal preferences.  Experiment with both, you very well may find you prefer one or the other, or you like using both Fragrance Oils and Essential Oils.

All Suzotic products are made with pure essential oils.  It is important to note that every individual is different and there are cases where individuals may still be allergic to components from an essential oil.  Just because it is all natural, does not mean it works for everyone.

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