Over 95% of synthetic fragrances are made from petrochemicals, and this means they’re made from chemicals that may be endocrine disrupters, immune system suppressors, or carcinogens. Essentially, synthetic fragrances can contain a whole lot of components that you do not want to have absorbed into your skin or breathe into your lungs. The word “fragrance” can allude to more than 200 potentially toxic chemicals, and these can be hidden in cosmetics, soaps and body care, cleaning products, home fragrance, and more. What essential oils provide is a way to get the positive fragrance you want, but without all of the synthetic chemicals that can be left out.
Synthetic fragrances are used, essentially, because they provide two benefits over essential oils. First and foremost, synthetic fragrances can be made to be stronger, longer lasting, and more potent to the nose, and second, they can create a wider variety of scents. A scent like chocolate or strawberry milkshake cannot be made using natural essential oils but can be made using synthetic fragrances.
While essential oils are limited to a natural scent range, and they may not be as strong as synthetic fragrances, a huge benefit lies in seeing exactly what you get with an essential oil blend. When one mixes their favorite essential oils with a carrier like Virgin Coconut Oil or Jojoba Oil and applies it to the skin on pulse points, they can create their own custom fragrance without any of the 200 chemicals, on average, they don’t know what may be doing to their body. With a collection of essential oils, one can create their own unique fragrance for every day of the week, while also retaining the natural benefits of the plants the scents were derived from.
Your blends may also be used in cleaning the home, using in a diffuser, or creating your own laundry soap, not just creating natural perfumes. Many oils, like Patchouli Oil, for instance, not only leaves behind a fresh natural fragrance, but also helps to kill bacteria, fungus, and even viruses in the home. You’re getting all of the benefits of the plant with essential oil, not a synthetic scent and a long list of toxic chemical components.
For those who are conscious of the environment, essential oils provide another huge benefit. The production of the petrochemicals used in synthetic fragrance is hard on our earth, and making these over and over again even harder. Rather than contributing to pollution and environmental destruction, essential oils use only natural sources and sustainable methods.
META
Synthetic fragrances can use more than 200 unlabeled chemicals in a single scent, while essential oils are derived from a single natural source.
