People love candles for all sorts of reasons. The calming ritual of lighting a candle. The warm flickering glow of the flame. The calming release of fragrance. When buying a candle, scent often plays a big role when deciding to make a purchase. Whether it evokes a memory or creates a mood, the right fragrance can often seal the deal. But did you know candles can be crafted using fragrance oils, essential oils, or a blend of both? Let’s explore the differences.
What are fragrance oils?
Fragrance oils are aromatic, synthetic compounds that are manufactured to mimic real-life scents. This means there is a vast world of fragrances to discover, making the possibilities of scents available seem limitless.
Fragrance oils are widely used in candles, soaps, perfumes, and skincare products, offering consistent and long-lasting aromas. They are carefully formulated for safety and quality, ensuring that they are suitable for their intended use.
Benefits of fragrance oils:
- With fragrance oils being synthetically made, they can be manufactured at a much lower cost when compared to essential oils, which need to go through a steam extraction process to release the natural oils.
- Makers can purchase fragrance oils at lower prices compared to essential oils.
- This cost-effectiveness enables makers to sell finished products to customers at a more accessible price.
Drawbacks of fragrance oils:
- They lack the natural therapeutic properties found in essential oils.
- Fragrance oils can sometimes have an artificial note to their scent profile.
What are essential oils?
Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds extracted from plants, capturing their pure essence and unique fragrance. Derived from leaves, flowers, bark, roots, or fruit peels, these oils are obtained through methods like steam distillation or cold pressing.
Known for their therapeutic properties, essential oils are widely used in aromatherapy, skincare, and wellness practices. Each oil carries the distinct scent and benefits of its source—lavender for relaxation, eucalyptus for clarity, and citrus oils for an energizing lift.
At Møll, our candles are exclusively crafted with hand-blended essential oils, like Bleikr, which features uplifting citrus notes paired with grounding ginger and black pepper for a scent that soothes and restores. By creating our own blends, we ensure that each candle has a truly unique fragrance profile that is deeply aligned with the natural and symbolic inspiration of our brand.
- Essential oils are 100% natural and contain therapeutic qualities that can improve your well-being.
- They can help with stress relief, better sleep, and soothing headaches.
- The ability to create custom essential oil blends gives makers the opportunity to craft unique, standout scent profiles tailored to their brand’s identity.
Drawbacks of essential oils:
- They are more expensive to source due to the labor-intensive extraction process.
- The range of oils available is not as extensive as fragrance oils.
- Blending essential oils requires time, patience, and testing to ensure a balanced and cohesive scent.
Making the right choice
If you’re wondering whether to use fragrance oils or essential oils in your products—or you’re simply curious about the difference when buying a scented candle—hopefully this guide can help you make an informed decision.
At Møll, our dedication to using pure essential oils ensures that every candle is crafted to offer not just a beautiful scent but also a sense of tranquility and harmony. We believe in creating products that go beyond fragrance, embracing the calming, illuminating qualities that natural oils provide. Check out our range of essential oil candles here.
Top tip for makers
If you’re new to working with essential oils, it’s worth taking the time to shop around and experiment with oils from different suppliers. A vanilla oil from three different suppliers, for example, may each have a unique scent profile. Always try smaller samples first to ensure the scent aligns with your vision and works well in your blend before committing to larger quantities.