Soap Making – Fragrance Oils Vs Essential Oils
What Should You Use To Scent Your Handmade Soap?
Oct 8, 2009
Scenting handmade soaps is a matter of personal preference. If making soaps for personal use, then the decision to use either fragrance oils or essential oils can be based on personal preference. If the goal is to sell handmade soaps, consider the target market.
Essential Oil Extraction
Essential oils are all natural plant essences. They can be derived from the plant material by several methods such as steam distillation. Steam distillation is done with a still. Pressurized steam is forced through the plant matter. The steam then passes through to a cooling chamber, where the steam is converted back to water. The essential oils from the plant are then skimmed off the surface of the water.
CO2 extraction is where liquid carbon dioxide is used to extract the oils. It is similar to the steam distillation in that pressure is used to extract the oils. When the carbon dioxide is allowed to return to its gas state, the essential oil is separated out and collected.
Cold pressed is the process by which the plant material is physically pressed until the essential oil is extracted. Citrus essential oils are commonly processed this way, as the peels are full of essential oils.
Fragrance Oils for Soapmaking
There are some scents for which no essential oil is available (such as banana) or the essential oil is much too costly or environmentally irresponsible to use (such as sandalwood or rosewood). This is where fragrance oils come in. Fragrance oils are a mixture of aroma chemicals. The mix can either be part artificial and part synthetic, or all synthetic. It just depends on the type of fragrance oil. Fragrance oils are not perfume oils; they are aroma chemicals which are not diluted and like essential oils, should not be placed directly on the skin. They need to be diluted into the final product.
Fragrance oils are usually very complex and can contain hundreds of aroma chemicals. When using fragrance oils for making soap, care should be taken that they are purchased from a company that sells oils specifically for soapmaking. Reputable suppliers will have scents that are formulated according to the RIFM (Research Institute for Fragrant Materials) standards. This means that the scents are safe for use in bath and body products. Fragrances that are meant for candles or potpourri should not be used for soapmaking, as they could be irritating to the skin.
If the plan is to sell soaps, the soapmaker will need to think about the market that is being targeted before deciding which to scent to use. If appealing to the natural crowd, then essential oils are the best bet. If the goal is to please a broad audience, then offer both. Some people buy soap for the scent and do not necessarily prefer an essential oil over a fragrance oil. Which ever is chosen, soapmakers should get the best quality possible for their products!
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