What are Fragrance Oils?
Essential oils are natural and contain the true aromatic essence and other naturally beneficial properties of the plant the essential oil was distilled from. Essential oils are not the same as fragrance oils, perfume oils or potpourri oils.
Where essential oils contain only the distilled essence of a plant, perfume and fragrance oils are artificially created fragrances, contain artificial substances or are diluted with carrier oils and do not offer the aromatic quality or caliber of therapeutic benefits that essential oils offer.
Although fragrance oils like Neroli Fragrance Oil and Sandalwood Fragrance Oil exist at a fraction of the price of true essential oils, fragrance oils smell inferior when compared to the pure essential oil. The difference becomes much more obvious the longer you have used essential oils. Those brand new to aromatherapy and essential oils sometimes cannot distinguish the difference in aroma. In time, however, one's nose becomes "trained" and more "experienced" and sensitive to the many facets of aroma.
Fragrance oils are often sold in the same type of Boston round bottles as essential oils.
I've visited many stores (including health food stores) and the websites of many aromatherapy vendors. It's unfortunate, but some companies are selling fragrance oil and perfume oils with the word aromatherapy on the label or promoting these oils as being used in aromatherapy. Since the use of the word aromatherapy isn't regulated by the U.S. Government, companies can get away with this.
Unfortunately, a lot of beauty products, skin-care products, candles, and other products are improperly labeled with the term aromatherapy. This is especially common in products not purchased from a knowledgeable and reputable aromatherapy establishment. Some products labeled with the word aromatherapy are fragranced with perfume oils or other synthetic ingredients. Always check the ingredients listed on the item you wish to buy. Beware of "aromatherapy" products that do not list the ingredients and products that contains synthetics or perfume oils.
