Why Essential Oils?

Why Essential Oils instead of Fragrance Oils?

Many soap producers, even those who profess to be all-natural chandlers, claim to use essential oils when in fact they add synthetic fragrance oils to their products. By law, they are allowed to declare that they use essential oils, but it is an unscrupulous and deceptive practice. Let your nose be your guide: you can tell the difference between the natural smells of plants, trees, and herbs, and the fabricated smells of synthesized fragrance oils.  There are no essential oils of pumpkin, cantelope, raspberry, or ones called 'linen', 'harvest scents', or 'spiced apple'. 

Synthetic fragrance oils are not effective therapeutically because they are mere copies of natural oils. They have different molecular structures than natural oils, and the body does not absorb them like they would a natural molecule.  Instead, your body will often form an immune response to this foreign 'body' or ingredient trying to gain entry through your skin.  Sometimes this can come in the form of a breakout or reaction, but many times it is done on a molecular level.  What it doesn't fight off, will eventually assimilate into the body and that foreign ingredient will do its damage.  No amount of government testing or stamped 'cosmetic safe' ingredients/oils can make me feel good about putting that on my skin!

Many essential oils are just that...oils. The oil molecules are volatile and will dissipate faster than their hazardous synthetic counterparts. You probably know what I am talking about. You can smell a bar of soap that has fragrance oils in it, and if you smelled the same bar in one year, the odor would still be as strong. Not so when using essential oils. They smell natural and their aromas will fade. However, the oil's molecular substance; it's healing phytochemical remains in the soap or product to impart its healing qualities to you and your skin. Most seekers of natural health and natural products know that it is better to have a safe and natural product than to smell like a pumpkin or apple. Does that mean our soaps have no aroma? Absolutely not! In fact, they smell delicious~ just the way they should!

Fragrance oils also tend to leave the soap with a ‘greasy feel’ to it, and are unlimited in their flavors due to the ability to be synthesized (see list for some common fragrance oils), and are much cheaper to purchase for the soap maker than true essential oils. That is part of the reason many soaps that use fragrance oils can keep their prices lower.  They are simply doing the same thing that the big manufacturers do; using inferior ingredients that we pick up because they smell good and appear to be less expensive- to the detriment of our skin and bodies, health, and environment.  But if you add in the cost of moisturizers necessary to combat the degeneration of the skin due to the harsh and toxic chemicals; the health ramifications that are manifested each day through dermatitis, cancer, tumors, hormone disruption, and more; and the environmental costs of using synthetic, toxic chemicals (production, run-off, grey water, etc...), you'll see that the hidden costs of using fragrance oils are not built into the product.  Using essential oils- fair trade, ethically wildharvested, and organic does no damage to you, your health, or your environment and therefore when you purchase a $5 bar of soap, the cost of health, happiness, and good stewardship and sustainability practices are built right into the product. 

Many fragrance oils smell good, and make the bar of soap smell great, but no matter how good it smells, it is not good for your skin or health. Shade Tree Cottage never uses synthetic fragrances in our soaps. We only use the finest 100% certified organic or ethically wildharvested essential oils, that not only scent our products with their lovely aroma, but impart their healing, nourishing, and regenerative qualities as well.