Natural Fragrance Oils vs Essential Oils
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At Hushwood Hollow, we love reinventing the scents of nature, distilled directly from plants, herbs and trees.
Essential oils are natural extracts distilled directly from plants with known therapeutic properties. When we talk about natural fragrance oils, these are made using parts of numerous essential oils and recombining them in ways that make a pear or strawberry. Natural fragrance providers such as Firmenich further distil essential oils into their base molecules, and in specific recipes, these are recombined to create an all-natural accord.
Accords are basically a recipe of molecules to create a single note of a fragrance, like the aforementioned pear or strawberry.
We steer clear of synthetic molecules in our completed fragrance creations unless the only way to get that accord naturally results in animal cruelty, for instance, some musk accords or ambergris. All ingredients follow International Fragrance Association (IFRA) best practices.
When creating an accord from natural molecules direct from essential oils, the main benefit is that the scent is a recipe and, therefore, will not change unlike the difference in scent of each harvest of Lavender due to environmental factors such as sunlight, weather and atmospheric pressure. The resulting essential oil's aroma changes due to the different balance of individual molecules.
When creating an accord, it's important to note that the molecules that provide therapeutic benefit are not usually included in the recipe, so if you're looking for therapeutic benefit, essential oils are the way to go. But if you're looking for a natural, fun, playful aroma our candles and perfumes will remain the same year in and year out while still being natural and safe for you and the family. Plus, you can't get a scent like Clothesline from an essential oil!
Research suggests that while both can create a pleasant atmosphere, essential oils provide additional physiological benefits through their natural compounds. These compounds can directly influence brain chemistry by regulating neurotransmitters and hormones (Fung et al., 2021).
While fragrance oils don't have the same therapeutic effects, they can still boost your mood when inhaling the aromas due to the direct connection between our olfactory and limbic systems.
So basically, our fragrances and essential oils have unique benefits, and you can pick your preference based on your needs. Essential oils offer therapeutic properties and are ideal natural remedies to enhance mental and emotional health.
On the other hand, natural fragrances offer a broader range of long-lasting, customisable scents. They are perfect for creating consistent, enjoyable aromas in products like candles, perfumes and other home fragrances.
So, regardless of your choice, both can enhance your environment in meaningful ways and positively influence mood, relaxation, and well-being.
References
Fung, T. K. H., Lau, B. W. M., Ngai, S. P. C., & Tsang, H. W. H. (2021). Therapeutic effect and mechanisms of essential oils in mood disorders: Interaction between the nervous and respiratory systems. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(9), 4844. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22094844