Fragrance Oils vs Essential Oils in Candles: What’s the Difference, and Why Does It Matter?
- Tara Robinson
- May 14
- 3 min read
Have you ever wondered what’s really in the candles, wax melts, or room sprays you use at home? When it comes to scenting home fragrance products, there are two main options: fragrance oils and essential oils. But they’re not created equal — and the choice between them affects more than just the smell.
Let’s break it down.
What Are Fragrance Oils?
Fragrance oils are synthetically created in a lab to mimic natural scents or produce entirely new ones. They often contain a blend of chemical compounds, including solvents and stabilisers, designed to boost scent throw and consistency. Because they’re man-made, fragrance oils can replicate almost any aroma, from vanilla sponge cake to fresh linen.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils, by contrast, are naturally extracted from plants — from flowers, leaves, bark, roots, or resins — usually through steam distillation or cold pressing. They’re highly concentrated and complex, and they carry not only the aroma of the plant but also its beneficial chemical constituents.
Historically, some ingredients used in perfumery came from animals (like civet or musk), but today’s essential oils are plant-based — a point that matters to many natural product users. I’ll explore this rich history further in a future post.
Why I Choose Essential Oils for My Products
At Alkemi, all of our candles, room sprays, and botanical body care products are fragranced with 100% pure essential oils. Why? Because I believe in the power of plants — not just to smell incredible, but to support mood, wellbeing, and a deeper connection to the natural world.
Unlike synthetic fragrance oils, essential oils offer aromatherapeutic benefits. That means the same compounds that give them their beautiful scent can also interact with the limbic system — the part of the brain that governs emotion, memory, and hormonal responses.
For example:
Bloom is fragranced solely with rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) — a rosy, floral essential oil known for its uplifting, balancing properties, often used to support emotional wellbeing and calm hormonal fluctuations.
Restore is pure French lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) — a timeless, herbaceous floral linked with reducing anxiety, improving sleep, and helping the body unwind.
There’s a purity and integrity to these scents that you simply don’t get from synthetics.
But What About Fragrance Oils?
Fragrance oils do have their place. They’re often more affordable, consistent in performance, and can offer bold or complex aromas that aren’t possible to achieve naturally. And while they don’t provide the therapeutic effects of essential oils, the experience of scent itself — even when synthetic — can still evoke powerful feelings, memories, and comfort.
So this isn’t about “good vs bad.” It’s about depth, intention, and connection. For me, essential oils offer something more — something living.
The Science Behind the Scent
There’s growing scientific interest in how essential oils influence the brain and body — and the results are promising. While synthetic fragrance oils may smell similar to natural ones, they lack the complex chemistry that gives essential oils their added depth and potential benefits.
A 2023 review published in Pharmacological Research highlights how essential oils like lavender, bergamot, and sandalwood interact with the central nervous system. These natural compounds have been shown to support sleep, lift mood, and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression — effects that synthetic scents simply can’t replicate.¹
Another study, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, explored how aromatic herbs used in essential oil form — including rosemary, sage, and lavender — can positively influence memory, attention, and even protect against age-related cognitive decline.² This adds weight to the idea that scent isn’t just a surface-level experience; it can actively support wellbeing.
Finally, a broad scoping review from PubMed Central mapped out the many ways essential oils interact with the nervous system, concluding they may serve as natural allies in managing stress and supporting emotional balance.³
Together, these studies confirm what many aromatherapists and natural product makers have long believed: essential oils do more than just smell good — they can make a meaningful difference to how we feel.
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