Not all oils are cut from the same cloth, and you may find that somebody products use synthetic oils in an attempt to appear more natural, while real pure essential oils are nowhere near their recipe. Fragrance oils are made from synthetic chemical compounds, while essential oils are derived from the natural non-fatty parts of various plants. Essential oils, due to their purity, tend to be pricier than their synthetic counterparts, which is why some skin care brands cut corners by opting for synthetic oils in their products.
In order to observe a natural skin care regimen, it’s important to choose essential oils over synthetic fragrance oils, and 4 ways to tell the difference are:
- The scent stays the same – If you’ve had a product for a very long time, and the scent has never seemed to dull, lessen, or change, you’re probably dealing with a synthetic fragrance oil. Because natural essential oils are derived directly from nature, their scent profile will grow softer or change after long periods of time. Like all things in nature, they will change as they age. Synthetic oils, however, are made from preserved chemicals, and you’re more likely to retain a strong unchanged scent for as long as the product exists.
- Skin sensitivities – Synthetic fragrance oils tend to trigger or irritate those with skin sensitivities, and if your skin reacts to a product, there is a good chance synthetic oils may be in the recipe. Because these synthetic oils use any number of different chemicals in their construction, the chemicals are known to not get along with will sensitive skin.
- The fragrance isn’t natural – You can’t expect to derive a fragrance from nature if the fragrance itself is not natural. If a skin care product is scented with a cotton candy, chocolate, or bubblegum fragrance, the scent is derived from a synthetic fragrance oil. It’s also important to note that even some natural fragrances cannot be derived naturally using essential oils, and these include melon, banana, blueberry, and strawberry.
- The price – The price point of synthetic oils is a big reason why they’re opted for so frequently by body product brands. These oils are priced much lower than their natural pure counterparts, and this price will often be reflected in the price of the product. If a very large bottle of lotion is priced at a very low price point, the ingredients are probably less than natural.
META
Knowing the differences between synthetic and essential oils can help you to make smart body product choices.
