Essential oils require much more knowledge than fragrance oils and thus, more due diligence before using them.
Is the scent skin safe? Is the percentage rate limited? Will it survive cold process soap? Is it permissible for soap but not for bath or leave-on products? Will it work in candles? All of these factors must be known before one can safely use essential oils in candles or skincare products and thus, require the user to do research on each oil he hopes to use. Be sure to seek out reputable sources of information regarding essential oils. Unfortunately, too much misinformation is found out there that is inadvisable, if not dangerous. One of my favorite non-vendor sites for reliable essential oil information is http://www.aromaweb.com.
How much fragrance oil should I use? The answer is simple. First of all, check with the vendor for proper usage rates for your product. That not being possible, the rule of thumb for cold process soap is .7 oz. per pound of soapmaking oils. For instance, if you are making a two pound batch of soap and have measured out two pounds of oils, you will use about 1.4 oz. of fragrance oil. You may safely go up to 1 oz. per pound if necessary, and some scents will perform beautifully at .5 oz. per pound. Hot process will require less scent than cold process soap. Most other products use less scent than soap. Start at .5 or 1% and add a bit more if necessary. This works for most anything outside of cold or hot process soap. Be careful if making cp soap, however, because not all fragrance oils are suitable. Some rice or accelerate, which can be tolerated, but others seize like a motor without oil and require emergency measures to deal with. Save yourself the hassle and inquire about your oils prior to using them in cp and make sure of their usage in other products you intend to make, as well. Note: some fragrance oils, such as those you find in craft stores are not suitable for cold process soap at all; they are meant for potpourri and body products. Additionally, some are sold for use in candles and potpourri, not for products meant to be used on the skin.
As you can see, fragrance oils are much simpler to use than essential oils, provided you check the usage information; but don’t let that be an obstacle to using these wonderful, natural gifts of nature! Just be sure to thoroughly research any oil you care to use and use them properly.
Want to know whether your colleagues use more fragrance oil or essential oil? Check out the Raves for Faves issue just released today! Need a subscription? http://saponifier.com/subscriptions/
Until next time, may your days be filled with bubbles and wax.
Beth Byrne for Making Soap, Cosmetics and Candles