What is Essential Oil Perfume?

Anyone who is new to the practice of aromatherapy often pose this question. Indeed, those who did not possess the knowledge needed to determine which is the better choice between the two could easily assume that one is equal to the other. Although there are lots of similarities between these two, their differences are quite fundamental.

Since fragrance oils are often confused with synthetically produced fragrances, some aromatherapists have suggested to use the term genuine essential oil to refer to those oils that are extracted from plant sources. This is contrary to synthetic fragrances that are composed of chemical substances often concocted in medical laboratories.

The biggest difference between the two lies in the safety of the individual who uses the fragrance. The contact of harmful chemicals present in synthetic fragrances can produce adverse reactions on your skin and body. Meanwhile, natural fragrances are generally safe provided that they are used in the right method and amount.

Apart from the confusion between natural and synthetic fragrances, people also create the common mistake of assuming that all essential oils are categorized as fragrance oils, and vice versa. To make it simple, these two are not the same. Some essential oils can be considered fragrance oils, but you cannot say the same the other way around.

Essential oils are extracted from plant materials that are rich in therapeutic properties, which provide the healing power needed to address various kind of ailments. Fragrance oils are extracted mainly for their scent and marketed as natural perfumes. Therefore, they cannot offer the same healing benefits as essential oils does. So, if you intend to use essential oils for treatment of illnesses, then you should pay closer attention to whether it is fragrance or therapeutic oil that you have.

If you want to experience the pleasing scents of natural essential oils, here are more reasons why you should go for the natural choice over the synthetic perfumes:

• Natural fragrances are produced only from quality plant materials instead of harmful chemical compounds. Therefore, there are no side effects or other contra-indications from using essential oil perfumes.
• Unlike the strong scent produced by artificial perfumes, natural fragrances are very light and delicate.
• Fragrances produced by natural essential oils are unique and its scent can never be recreated by any other chemical compounds prepared in laboratories.

Drawbacks of Essential Oil Perfumes

While it does have its fair share of benefits, fragrant essential oils have their own set of drawbacks too. One of the most evident would concern the price of these oils. Fragrant essential oils usually require the highest quality of plant or flower sources to produce quality scent. There are several factors that could contribute to the depletion of oil quality from the crop it was extracted from, such as variety of plant, growing conditions, etc.

Another concern would be the amount of crop needed to produce substantial amount of oil. So, you need to gather large amount of crop to produce enough oils sold in the market.

The greatest advantage of preparing your own essential oils to make fragrances or perfumes is the ability to choose your own oils to use to produce the desired scent. You can use just one essential oil or mix them together to produce a combination of scents that is pleasing and delicate. However, make sure to check what type of scents blend well together to avoid mixing up a disaster.

Here are some of the essential oils more commonly used to make perfumes or fragrances:

• Tangerine
• Ylang Ylang
• Lavender
• Vanilla
• Jasmine
• German Chamomile
• Rose Otto
• Frankincense

The type of scent produced by an essential oil differs according to its plant sources. However, awareness of the different scents will enable you to choose plant sources according to the scent you want to achieve.

Here are the basic categories of scent with some examples:

*Floral – rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, neroli, and geranium.

*Fruity – lime, grapefruit, lemon, orange, lemongrass, bergamot, and mandarin.

*Earthy – patchouli, vetiver, etc.

*Woodsy – sandalwood, cedarwood, pine, and cypress.

*Herbal – basil, chamomile, rosemary, clary sage, lavender, and angelica.

Nowadays, you can make several beneficial products using essential oils. However, not too many are aware that you can also utilize the pleasant essences of these oils to make your own signature scent. This time out, you can make fragrances that reflect your mood or personality. Or if you have the ingredients and willingness to do so, you can create several different kind of scents that you can use on different occasions, which is cheaper than buying multiple brands of perfume.

On to the procedure:

• Take a container and add in your carrier oil. Jojoba oil is the most suitable kind of carrier oil to use in mixing essential oil perfume.
• Then, slowly incorporate the essential oil into the carrier oil. If you are going to use a combination of essential oil scents, make sure to begin by adding the base oil first, followed by middle notes, and you will have to add the top oils last.
• Then, pour into a little over 2 ounces of alcohol into the perfume mixture and shake them well. Wait for 48 hours or more before you move the mixture into another container to produce a stronger scent.
• When it is ready, move it into a separate container for storage and easy access when you are ready to use the essential oil perfume.

Aside from liquid perfumes, the fragrances produced by essential oils are often made into solid perfume since some aromatherapists believe that it is better able to produce a more lasting scent. Unlike liquid perfumes that evaporate and quickly lose their scent, solid perfumes have the added advantage of portability and convenience.

To create a solid essential oil perfume, you will basically go through the same procedures when making liquid fragrances. However, you need to add a tablespoon of beeswax into the mixture such that the mixture solidifies when it is allowed to cool down.