FO or EO? - the ultimate scent question

Unless you are a long time candle, soap or cosmetic maker, probably you have no idea what I am talking about. :D

Let me quickly clarify the question:

FO = fragrance oil

EO = essential oil

There is quite a bit of discussion about which one better in your cosmetics/home scents. The answer is: it depends. Let's go through the pros and cons of the two types of scent oils.

Fragrance oils

Fragrance oils are lab made fragrance mixtures that contains synthetic and natural ingredients.

PROs:

• variety & depth of fragrance types
• fragrances of non botanical items like food or drinks can be also created
• they are consistent in scent from batch to batch
• cheaper usually than essential oils
• they last longer than essential oils (they are more stable)
• their environmental impact is smaller
• usually contain less allergens than essential oils

CONs:

• they contain synthetic chemicals
• no aromatherapeutic properties

Professionally made fragrance oils are all IFRA certified and safe to use in the certified amount in cosmetics/home fragrances/detergents, etc.

Essential oils

Essential oils are of botanical origin with aromatherapeutic properties. They can be extracted from plants by distillation, maceration, boiling, etc.

PROs:

• botanical origin
• aromatherapeutic properties

CONs:

• high environmental impact
• usually high percentage of allergens that can cause skin irritation
• scent can vary from batch to batch
• they are volatile and usually fade over weeks/month or become rancid
• can be very expensive
• limited fragrance range

If you want to use essential oils in your products/home made remedies, always buy from professional suppliers who can provide you with both the IFRA certification and the safety data sheet to see the amount of allergens in the essential oil!

Which essential oils are not recommended for cosmetics?

Oregano, thyme, clove, cinnamon bark, lemongrass, lemon verbena might have very high % of allergens that can cause skin irritation for some people.

E.g:

Lemongrass contains 85% citral, 11% limonene. IFRA dermal limit is 0.6% in leave on products for lemongrass.

Cinnamon bark contains 34% cinnamaldehyde, 46% eugenol. IFRA dermal limit of cinnamon bark oil is 0.07% in leave on products.

Are essential oils good for making candles?

Not really. Or better say it makes no sense to use essential oils in candles. First of all, essential oils are volatile with low flash points. That means

1. they will evaporate over time (usually within weeks or months)
2. if there is a structural issue with your candle, they can go up in flames and
3. when burning the candle, they immediately evaporate and have very little scent throw

Also, some essential oils can turn toxic when burned (camphor, clove, lavender, tea tree, citrus).

Another issue is that you would need to use nearly 10% essential oils in candles to have a decent scent throw which would make it a very expensive endeavor.

Essential oils are best used in diffusors where the heat is gentle and the scent throw therefore much better.

A lot of fragrance oils are made specifically for candles that are safe, stable and smells beautiful.

All in all both fragrance oils and essential oils have their own uses and best ways to utilize their benefits in products. Natural don't always mean it is good for your skin/health!