Essential Oils or Fragrance Oils?

A common question raised in perfume making is whether to use Fragrance Oil or Essential oil. If you've been shopping for both you will have noticed that there is a steep price difference between the two.

Essential oils are, mostly, a natural product derived from flowers or plants. Fragrance oils are a blend, often synthetic, of a number of ingredients usually diluted with an oil carrier.

The recipes here are really designed for essential oils but really there's no reason you cannot use fragrance oils. In fact, I would suggest you start with the much lower cost fragrance oils until you understand the blending process. This will save you a lot of money until you discover what fragrance blend works for your skin.

It's true that the better perfumes will often come from a blend of essential oils, so be prepared to move onto these for the best results.

A few reasons to stick with fragrance oil:
1. Low Cost
2. Some scents are only available with fragrance oil
3. Some people are allergic to essential oil
4. They may have a lower environmental impact. Sometimes several hundred pounds of plants may be needed for a small bottle of essential oil.

And some in favor of essential oil:
1. Some say that they make a better quality perfume
2. They may carry natural health benefits derived from the plants
3. Some people are allergic to fragrance oils

Ultimately, it's your choice in the end. As I've suggested, start with the fragrance oils and if you find yourself wanting to create more advanced perfumes, move onto essential oils.