HOW ARE FRAGRANCE OILS MADE?

Fragrance oils are composed of many aromatic ingredients. Many of the common ingredients used in fragrance oils include: carrier base, alcohols, aldehydes, esters, and other synthetic compounds. These ingredients can be derived from nature or created by scientific methods. Natural ingredients include essential oils, resins, and absolutes. Ingredients that are man-made, commonly referred to as synthetic chemicals, are also found in nature and can be reproduced synthetically using scientific techniques. The synthetic versions are generally less expensive, more consistent in odor and color, and widely available.

HOW ARE FRAGRANCE OILS GRADED?

As mentioned in the discussion on ‘manufacturer’s grade’ fragrance oil, there is no officially accepted and regulated grading scale for synthetically made fragrance oils. Promoting synthetic fragrance oil as being a certain grade is nothing more than a marketing tactic.

WHAT ARE THE 'NOTES' IN FRAGRANCE OILS?

A fragrance is divided into 3 distinct parts: top note, middle note, and base note. Each of these usually has an assortment of ingredients.

Top Note – This is the initial immediate smell you notice when you sniff a fragrance oil. This is known as the initial fragrance ‘burst.’

Middle Note – This is considered to be the heart of the fragrance and becomes more prevalent once the top note dissipates.

Bottom Note – The base notes are long lasting and provide depth to the fragrance. Also referred to as the 'dry down.'

WHAT ARE PHTHALATES AND HOW ARE THEY USED IN FRAGRANCE OILS?

‘Phthalates’ is the name of a group of chemicals that have multiple uses. Within the group, there are different types of phthalates that are used for different purposes, one of which is commonly used in fragrance oils. Products that include phthalates are increasingly becoming a concern to consumers due to certain types within the group being labeled as potentially having negative effects on human health. The particular type of phthalates creating this concern is typically used as ‘plasticizers,’ which allow plastic products to become flexible without compromising their strength. This type of phthalate is not the same as those that are used in creating fragrance oils. Phthalates used in fragrance oils, known as DEP (Diethyl Phthalate), are solvents used to extend the aromatic strength of the candle fragrance oil. DEP has been found to be non-toxic in skin products and candles if used at safe levels (IFRA – Background Paper – Phthalates – Final 12.2007).

Phthalates have the same stigma as snakes. Some of them are poisonous and some of them are harmless. However, because they are all ususally labeled and grouped together as 'phthalates' (or 'snakes'), people generally want to avoid them altogether. (We apologize if we offend any snake enthusiasts. We just needed to use them as analogy.)

While it is true there are phthalates which can be safely used in making fragrance oils, we have most of our fragrances specially formulated to be phthalate-free. This eliminates any concern from the effects of phthalates in our fragrance oils.

WHAT IS THE 'FLASHPOINT' OF A FRAGRANCE OIL AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

The flashpoint of candle fragrance oil is the temperature at which point it becomes combustible if exposed to a spark or flame. The flashpoint is generally only important for those making gel candles and for determining shipping methods. Certain gel waxes require fragrance oils with a flashpoint of 170° or higher. The flashpoint of candle fragrance oil can also determine whether or not it can be delivered via air mail or must be shipped via ground.

Despite some fragrance oils having lower flashpoints, they are safe to use in melted wax as long as they do not come in contact with an open flame or spark. Pouring fragrance oil with a flashpoint below 185° into wax that has been heated to around 185° will not cause it to ignite.

CAN FRAGRANCE OIL AFFECT THE COLOR OF A CANDLE?

Yes, fragrance oil can affect the color of candles. If you put a yellow fragrance in a white candle, it turns a light shade of yellow and can darken even more over time. Adding a yellow fragrance with blue dye may create a slight green shade.

This effect can be offset with heavier uses of dye for darker colored candles. However, a lighter colored candle may require a different fragrance if maintaining a particular color is a concern.

WHY ARE DIFFERENT FRAGRANCE OILS FILLED TO DIFFERENT LEVELS IN THE BOTTLE?

Our fragrance oils are always filled by weight, not by volume. This means that 2 different fragrance oils can be filled to different levels due to the thickness of the chemicals used to create the fragrances. Some chemincals are heavier and fill less volume, while others are lighter and fill more volume. All of our fragrances will contain the weight of fragrance stated on the bottle.

Since candle formulations are measured by weight and not by volume, the fill level does not have any impact on how far the fragrance will go (i.e. a fragrance that is fuller in volume will scent the same amount of wax as a bottle with less volume of fragrance).

WHAT TEMPERATURE SHOULD I ADD FRAGRANCE OIL TO THE WAX?

As a general rule, we recommend adding fragrance oil at a temperature of around 180° - 185°. This helps to ensure the fragrance has uniform dispersion throughtout the wax.

Please read the melting instructions for each respective wax you are using. The integrity of certain soy waxes can be jeoparidized if heated above 190° for a prolonged period of time.

HOW SHOULD I STORE FRAGRANCE OIL?

Fragrance oil quality can be altered from prolonged exposure to light. It is best to store fragrance oils, especially those that will not be immediately used, in a cool, dark location. For prolonged storage, we recommend keeping fragrance oils in amber glass containers to minimize the potential for damage to the fragrance oil composition. Fragrance oils stored in plastic bottles over longer periods of time can slowly dissolve the plastic, absorbing it into the fragrance oil and possibly jeopardizing the integrity of the fragrance oil.

Be sure that lids are fastened tightly when storing fragrance oils to minimize exposure to oxygen. When fragrance oils experience a prolonged exposure to oxygen, it can lead to a process known as oxidization. Oxidization is the process where oxygen exposure can alter the chemical substance of the fragrance oils.

WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF FRAGRANCE OIL?

The average shelf life of a fragrance is generally around 6 – 12 months, depending on the particular chemicals used to create the fragrance. They can last longer if stored under proper conditions. You can usually tell a fragrance has gone bad as it will have a different smell (usually not good) and/or have a reduced scent throw.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN ESSENTIAL OILS AND FRAGRANCE OILS?

Fragrance oils are made from a combination of synthetic chemicals and natural ingredients. Their chemical composition and formulation enable them to bind well in candle wax. If added at the right temperature, the chemical composition prevents the fragrance from dissipating during the candle making process. If added at too high of a temperature, the fragrance oil will dissipate in the hot wax and lead to an unscented candle. Fragrance oils are typically less expensive than essential oils and come in many different scents to choose from. Since fragrances oils are produced from synthetic chemicals, they can be consistently reproduced with a high degree of accuracy.

Essential oils are pure extracts derived from natural sources such as plants. They are characterized as therapeutic and are widely used in aromatherapy. There are several ways in which essential oils are extracted from their sources, such as steam distillation, enfleurage, and solvent extraction. Because of the essential oil extraction process and the large amount of plants required to extract enough essential oil from, they are typically more expensive than fragrance oils. Essential oils can be trickier to work with in candles due to quicker dissipation and not being chemically formulated to stabilize in melted wax. Essential oils can also vary depending on the environmental factors and extraction process, making it difficult to generate a consistent scent.

CAN OUR FRAGRANCE OILS BE USED IN SKIN CARE PRODUCTS?

Many of our fragrance oils are skin safe and can be used in skin care products such as soap and lotion. Each fragrance oil product page will provide the details on whether or not it is skin safe, and if so, the maximum usage amounts in skin care products.