Unveiling Fragrance Oil Ingredients: What's Inside?

Fragrance oils are manufactured oils developed for their pleasant scents. They are not to be confused with essential oils, which are naturally occurring oils created by a process of distillation. Fragrance oils can be created from a small amount of essential oils placed within a carrier oil, or essential oils held in a synthetic carrier. Synthetic aromatic compounds placed within either a natural or a synthetic carrier are also known as fragrance oils.

The main purpose of fragrance oil is to add aroma to the environment. They come in a broader range of scents, are usually much less expensive than essential oils, and their scent will often be stronger and last longer.

In the US, the word fragrance must be used in the ingredient declaration to identify any and all fragrance components. Generally, blended cosmetic ingredients require that the individual components are listed separately in the ingredient declaration. However, for fragrances, there is a special rule that allows the use of the term fragrance in the ingredient declaration; all of the individual components do not need to be listed.

Using the term fragrance in the ingredient declaration

The regulations for cosmetics require that all ingredients be listed in the ingredient declaration, including the individual components of a blended ingredient. However, there is an exception for fragrances and flavors. The regulations state that:

> The label on each package of a cosmetic shall bear a declaration of the name of each ingredient in descending order of predominance, except that fragrance or flavor may be listed as fragrance or flavor... … No ingredient may be designated as fragrance or flavor unless it is within the meaning of such term as commonly understood by consumers.

This means that you can use the term "fragrance" to cover any ingredients used to scent your product, including a blend of plant-based essential oils. This is the easiest option, especially if you mix your essential oil blend in advance. You can also list the essential oils individually, particularly if you add them one at a time.

If you are using proprietary fragrances (typically blends of synthetic fragrance substances), the manufacturer is not required to disclose all the components to you. In this case, simply calculate where the fragrance oil goes in the ingredient declaration and place the word "fragrance" there.

If you want to indicate that your product is scented with essential oils, you can include this information in your marketing text. For example, you could say "We only use pure plant-based essential oils to scent this lotion" or "Scented with plant-based essential oils" on the front of the product.

Listing the essential oils individually

When creating a product label, the ingredients must be listed in descending order of predominance. If you are using essential oils as fragrance ingredients, you have two options for listing them on the label. You can either list each essential oil individually, or you can use the term "fragrance" to cover all the essential oils in your blend.

If you choose to list the essential oils individually, you can simply list them by their common names, as botanical ingredients do not need to be listed by their Latin names. For example, if your product contains 0.5% lavender essential oil, 0.4% rosemary essential oil, and 0.3% peppermint essential oil, you can list them in any order after the ingredients present at more than 1%. You can also scramble the order of the essential oils to protect your formula.

On the other hand, if you choose to use the term "fragrance" to cover all the essential oils in your blend, you would list it based on the total amount of the blend used. For example, if the total blend is 1.2% of the whole product, you would list "fragrance" with the ingredients present at more than 1%.

If it is important to your customers that your product contains only plant-based essential oils, you can include this information in your marketing text. For instance, you can state "Scented with plant-based essential oils" on the front of the label or include this information in the product description.

Using proprietary fragrance oils

Fragrance oils are a combination of natural essential oils, synthetic aroma chemicals, solvents, and diluents. The final fragrance oils are never diluted, so each has a strong and concentrated aroma that doesn't disappear when burned in a candle. While fragrance oils contain natural components like essential oils, they are considered synthetic. However, the beauty of working with synthetic fragrance oils is that they are formulated to be safe in final products and perform consistently (unlike essential oils that can, in some cases, experience fragrance shifts, especially when burned in candles).

The only way to naturally scent candles and other products is with essential oils. Essential oils are pure liquids containing aroma compounds that are removed from the natural materials of plants like seeds, flowers, leaves, roots, and stems or bark of plants through methods like steam distillation, expression (like cold pressing), or extraction. Essential oils harness the distinctive essence, or scent, of the plant it was made from and are frequently used in perfumes, flavorings, and medicines.

The components of a fragrance oil blend are proprietary information, but when they are able to share those, they do. As of August 2019, 100% of the fragrance oils offered by CandleScience are formulated without phthalates.

Using essential oils for aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. Aromatherapy has been used for centuries, with the earliest records suggesting that essential oils come from ancient India, Persia, and Egypt.

Essential oils are extracted from plants by steaming or pressing various parts of the plant (flowers, bark, leaves, or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce their unique fragrance. It can take several pounds of a plant to produce a single bottle of essential oil.

When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin.

There are dozens of essential oils, all with different fragrances and chemical makeups. The most popular essential oils include:

• Lavender oil: Many people find the lavender scent relaxing. It's often used to help relieve stress and anxiety and promote good sleep.
• Tea tree oil: Also called melaleuca, this essential oil was used by Australia's aboriginal people for wound healing. Today, it's commonly used for acne, athlete's foot, and insect bites.
• Peppermint oil: There's some evidence that peppermint essential oil helps relieve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms when taken in an enteric-coated capsule. It may also relieve tension headaches when applied topically.
• Lemon oil: Many people find the citrusy scent of lemon oil a mood booster. It's also often used in homemade cleaning products.

While essential oils are generally considered safe, they can pose potential risks, such as allergic reactions, chemical burns, or drug interactions. People with certain conditions, such as asthma or epilepsy, should be extra careful when using essential oils.

• Aromatherapy accessories: Necklaces, bracelets, and keychains made with absorbent materials that you apply essential oils to and sniff throughout the day.
• Body oil: A mixture of essential oils with a carrier oil such as olive, jojoba, or coconut oil that can be massaged into the skin. Because essential oils are concentrated, they can cause irritation. Avoid using them full-strength on the skin.
• Aroma stick: Also called an essential oil inhaler, these portable plastic sticks have an absorbent wick that soaks up the essential oil. They come with a cover to keep the scent under wraps until you're ready.
• Diffuser: Small household appliances that create scented vapour. Diffusion in a public area or household with multiple members can affect people differently.
• Steam inhalation: This method involves boiling a pot of water, removing it from the heat, adding 3 to 5 drops of an essential oil, and placing your face above the pot to breathe in the steam.
• Topical application: People can apply essential oils topically, like massage oil, or in bath and skincare products, allowing them to absorb through the skin. Massaging the area where the oil is applied may boost circulation and increase absorption.

It's important to note that essential oils should not be ingested. The quality of essential oils on the market varies greatly, from pure essential oils to those diluted with less expensive ingredients. Because there's no regulation, the label may not list everything in the bottle.

Using essential oils for therapeutic benefits

Essential oils are basically plant extracts. They are made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant (flowers, bark, leaves or fruit) to capture the compounds that produce fragrance. Essential oils are highly concentrated oils that have a strong aroma. They are also called volatile aromatic oils or aromatherapy oils.

Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential oils for therapeutic benefit. When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional centre of the brain. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin.

Although people claim essential oils are natural remedies for a number of ailments, there isn't enough research to determine their effectiveness in human health. Results of lab studies are promising, but results in human clinical trials are mixed.

Some of the most popular essential oils include:

• Lavender oil: Many people find the lavender scent relaxing. It's often used to help relieve stress and anxiety and promote good sleep.
• Tea tree oil: Also called melaleuca, this essential oil was used by Australia's aboriginal people for wound healing. Today, it's commonly used for acne, athlete's foot and insect bites.
• Peppermint oil: There's some evidence peppermint essential oil helps relieve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms when taken in an enteric-coated capsule. It may also relieve tension headaches when applied topically.
• Lemon oil: Many people find the citrusy scent of lemon oil a mood booster. It's also often used in homemade cleaning products.
• Look at the label: It should include the Latin name of the plant, information on purity or other ingredients added to it, and the country in which the plant was grown.
• Evaluate the company: Purchase products from a well-known and reputable aromatherapy company that's been around for several years.
• Choose dark-coloured, glass containers: Pure essential oils are highly concentrated. They can dissolve plastic bottles over time, tainting the oil.
• Avoid "fragrance oils": Fragrance or perfume oils are made from essential oils combined with chemicals or entirely from chemicals. They're not suitable for aromatherapy.

Frequently asked questions