Fragrances vs Essential Oils

Fragrances vs. natural oils

The key word here is healthy and safe for health. There is a preconceived notion that anything natural is safe. This is not always the case, especially when we are talking about candles. Not all natural oils are non-toxic. Keep in mind that even natural oils can cause irritation or various reactions. The best products are intentionally designed to be safe and non-toxic, which is much more important than just being a natural product. Many companies label their products "natural" as a green marketing strategy.

Many synthetic ingredients are healthy and may be more effective than natural versions; especially when you burn a candle. For example, a synthetic fragrance molecule was intentionally designed to burn in a candle at a given melting temperature, where some natural oils react with a harmful chemical change that can occur. Additionally, a compound that burns, whether natural or synthetic, creates emissions and gases.

Allergies

If you are looking for something hypoallergenic, no fragrances, including synthetic and natural, should be contained in the formula.

Ingredients to Avoid for Non-Toxic Perfume 

Some ingredients contained in fragrance oils are toxic and have carcinogenic, toxic, neurotoxic and allergenic potential. Here are some examples: • Phthalates help make fragrances last longer, but are endocrine disruptors and can cause birth defects. • Octoxynols and nonoxynols known as persistent hormonal disruptors • Derivatives of benzene, formaldehyde and toluene they are known carcinogens. These are just some of the most common ingredients used in fragrance oils.

Essential oil

The reason they are called "essential" oils is because they are the essence of a particular plant, root or flower - this is also why they contain the strongest scents of plants. They are extracted by steam distillation or solvent extraction and have many natural medicinal and aromatherapeutic benefits. However, an essential oil can also be known as an allergen, irritant and prone to contact dermatitis. Many essential oils still contain acids that can burn the skin (e.g. sweet orange). They are also extremely concentrated and tend to be harmful to aquatic life, so just because they are natural, never pour large quantities down the drain. Finally, before making a choice, keep in mind that to make small quantities of essential oil, you need astronomical quantities of plants, and therefore agriculture and all the impact that this can cause.  

Natural Fragrance Oils

Natural fragrance oils are created in a laboratory and take all of nature's molecules. They are created by isolating the natural aromatic components of the essential oil. This is a perfect example of how an essential oil can be made healthier in a laboratory by synthesizing the aromatic molecule and removing the other harmful component found in nature's version of essential oil like the acid found in orange, lemons and grapefruit which tend to burn your skin.  

Fragrance

The fragrances are also created in the laboratory. They are made by mixing highly concentrated synthetic and/or natural aromatic compounds. When designed correctly, they can be cleaner , safer and less toxic than essential oils from nature. 

Shops

The problem with the perfume industry is that companies have no legal obligation to disclose the composition of their perfume. For the longest time, these ingredients were considered proprietary, so there is no way to be 100% sure. The Best Type of Oil for Perfumes and Candles The best fragrance oil is one that ticks off all the items on the “No Dirty” list. They must be paraben-free, phthalate-free, formaldehyde-free and sulfate-free. The best oil can also be determined by brands that consider their customers by being transparent and properly labeling their products with information such as the common and Latin name of the oil, country of origin, how he item was grown, type of extraction used, date of distillation, and safety considerations. The best option is to confirm that the perfume is free of carcinogens, toxins, and other potentially harmful chemicals often found in perfumes. It's up to you to decide what you deem safe for you and/or your body, but remember to look at what is safe and not just what is natural. 

Our fragrances

Maison Stoï uses innovative fragrances that offer clean combustion. Their perfumes are made without paraben, non-toxic, GMO-free and are never tested on animals. 

Are you ready to relax and treat yourself to some olfactory pleasure? Discover our products!