Scented candles and perfumes derive their scent from fragrance or essential oils. Fragrance oils are very concentrated natural or synthetic aroma composites that are already mixed with a scentless carrier oil. On the other hand, essential oils are concentrated mixtures that are obtained from organic plant substances. These oils are ‘essential’ because they portray the essence of a certain plant part. As such, essential oils contain the most intense scents of a plant. While both fragrance oils and essential oils have pleasant smells, there are significant differences between the two.
Production Process
One difference between fragrance and essential oils is their production process. The main difference between the two production processes is that essential oils need to obtain the plant or plant parts to create the scent. However, fragrance oils do not require any form of plant matter to come up with the scent as they are produced by using chemical compounds.
Intensity of Scent
There are also differences in the intensity of the scents from both fragrance oils and essential oils. Fragrance oil candles or perfumes have a more intense scent as compared to essential oils. The scent of a candle or perfume with fragrance oil is nine to ten times stronger than that of essential oil. As such, fragrance oils are often produced to bring across a stronger scent and can be produced in larger quantities as it is easier to reproduce the same scent. Unlike fragrance oils, essential oils are not able to produce the same intense scent profile and often need higher quantities of oil to achieve the same scent intensity of fragrance oils. Furthermore, carrier oils are not added to essential oils. Hence, they are more concentrated compared to fragrance oils.
Shelf Life
Candlemakers who use fragrance oils often make use of the industry standard in terms of the shelf life of fragrance oil candles. Fragrance oil has a shelf life of around one year. This means that the scent of fragrance oil candles will be able to last for one year provided they are not exposed to air or left uncapped. On the other hand, the shelf life of essential oil candles is much longer than fragrance oil candles. They can range from two years to as long as five years. A major downside of essential oils is that they evaporate and lose their scent way more quickly than fragrance oils. As such, it is vital to have lids on essential oil candles to maintain their scent.
Differences in Prices
The prices of oil candles depend heavily on the cost of the oil used. Essential oils are generally more expensive than fragrance oils as they have a more costly production process. They also need a higher quantity of oil to come up with a scent profile.
Why Choose Fragrance Lovers?
At Fragrance Lovers, we are aware that not every scent is for everyone, hence we have curated a wide range of different perfumes for both men and women so that you will be able to find a scent that uniquely represents you and your body chemistry. We also have a quiz that can help you find your perfect scent in just one minute!
Should you need any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact us today.