A lot of people in the aromatherapy world are confused with fragrance and essential oils. Some think that they are the same thing. However, these two are different from each other. Although both are used in aromatherapy, there is still a clear distinction between them. For one, fragrance oils are usually artificially made while essential oils are natural.
Here is a brief discussion of their difference. But before we can really differentiate essential from fragrance oils, you first need to know what they are. Essential oils are made from the essence of a plant. This can come from the leaves, flowers or stems of the plant. Usually, the plant is distilled so that the essence is extracted. This is done by steaming or using some water to extract the ‘juices’ of the plant. This is then packaged into essential oils.
They will always be liquid in form. However, even though they are called as ‘oils’, they are not oily in texture. Its appearance is also usually clear. Fragrance oils, on the other hand, are artificially made. These are artificial substances that are also mixed with carrier oils. While these oils mimic what essential oils can do for you, it does not provide the same therapeutic benefits. After all, they are not 100% natural. In the aromatherapy world, it is important to be careful with the oils that you are buying. For the process to be effective, you have to use essential oils and not fragrance oils. Fragrance oils are cheaper because they can be constructed artificially.
But as I have said earlier, they do not provide the same effects. It is unfortunate that sellers get away with this. The difference of these oils is not really known so they are not regulated by the government up to this day. With this, it is your responsibility to only buy from a reputable vendor so you can reap all the benefits of the process. Although there is nothing wrong with using some fragrance oils in beauty products like shampoos or perfumes, the problem arises when they are branded to augment aromatherapy.
This process is more than what it is. It is using the natural scents of plants to relieve the mind or alert it. It is therapeutic. However, with fragrance oils, this is not the case. Usually, the products that are sold have the same smell but it does not provide the same benefits. It is saddening to see how sellers can get greedy and sell products that will not really help their customers. So in the end, it is important to take note that essential oils are better than fragrance oils.
They are made naturally from the essence of plant parts like the flowers, leaves and stems. Fragrance oils are like the imitation of essential oils. They do not provide any therapeutic benefits whatsoever. So if you are really serious about adopting these oils into your holistic lifestyle, be sure to know how to check their authenticity. Be sure to only use essential oils with your carrier oils.
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