Sweet Anjou Pear is the focus of this week’s Tuesday Spotlight. Sweet Anjou Pear soap was created because of my love of pears. Pears are my preferred fruit. I will choose a pear over an apple or banana at any time. I also chose this scent because it is purely pear. It is not cloyingly sweet or fake. When I open the natural-based fragrance oil bottle, its smell of fresh, ripe pear is what wafts from the bottle.
There are many misconceptions about fragrance oils. Brace yourself for a mini-lesson in scent chemistry. The difference between essential oils and fragrance oils is the distillation process. Essential oils are extruded using one of two methods; they are pressed or steamed. Essential oils use the entirety of the chemical compounds of the scent. Both expressing and steam distillation are natural. Natural-based fragrance oils are distilled using alcohol. Many fragrance oils are man-made, using petroleum by-products to create a synthetic scent and then use phthalates as a binder. Although natural-based fragrance oils are also produced in a laboratory, the scientist takes one scent marker, also known as an isolate, and replicates the molecule make-up of the scent marker rather than use chemicals to reproduce the same effect.
I have found a lovely little company that is easy to work with and only uses natural-based fragrance oils. Natural-based fragrance oils offer a wider variety of scents, can be more affordable, and in some instances are better for the environment than using essential oils. I choose to use both essential oils and natural-based fragrance oils in my products. Before deciding upon a scent or oil blend, I take the time to research the make-up of the oils, the health benefits of the essential oils, and the impact of oil extraction on the environment. An example would be the essential oil sandalwood. Did you know the making of sandalwood essential oil requires the destruction of the entire tree? I did not know that either until I researched the process. I have chosen to use the natural-based fragrance oil comprised of an isolate found in sandalwood rather than the essential oil for this reason. Deciding when to use essential oils and fragrance oils is simply my choice. I make my decisions based upon my own research and am not by any means an industry expert. I make every effort to be educated, discerning, and responsible. I am sure many will offer rebuttals to my theory, and I appreciate all opinions; understand this is my informed decision and personal opinion—lesson over (insert wink).
As always, the Tuesday Spotlight is 50% off on the site this week. Remember, dear reader, stay safe, be smart, make informed decisions and wash your hands.
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