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Natural Fragrance vs Synthetic Fragrance
There has been a trend going on in consumerism wherein people are becoming more and more conscious of their purchasing choices with regards to the ingredient list on products. In terms of cosmetics and toiletries, such as makeup, perfume, lotions, shampoos, deodorant, and just about every product with a scent, consumers are leaning towards natural based ingredients.
This trend is triggered by manufacturers using the words “organic” and “all-natural” on their labels. But what is “organic,” and what is considered “natural,” “synthetic,” or “man-made?”
In terms of fragrances, which are used on many products mentioned above, is natural always better and safer? And must we avoid synthetic fragrances altogether? Let’s dig deeper to better understand the issue at hand.
What are Natural Fragrances?
Natural fragrances are derived from natural essential oils that are extracted from plants, trees, flowers, wood, and the like. Any oil derived from living organisms is considered to be a natural essential oil.
Oils are produced through a number of different methods. Some of these include cold pressing, water steaming, solvent extraction, and Co2 extraction, among others. Distillation is the process of converting a liquid into vapor and turning this vapor back into liquid form. These processes extract natural oils from living organisms.
It is important to note, however, that not all flower plant species contain essential oils. In fact, only about 2000 of these pants have oils that can be extracted. And there are about 250,000 of these plants available in the world.
What are Synthetic Fragrances?
Synthetic fragrances or man-made fragrances derived from oils that have been produced in the laboratory. For example, a chemist may want to mimic the smell of Ylang Ylang. So he copies the molecular structure of Ylang Ylang in the lab and produces a man-made Ylang Ylang fragrance that smells exactly like the real thing.
These fragrances contain chemicals that are not of natural origin. Many perfumes and fragrances in the market today are a mix of both natural fragrances and synthetic fragrances because, as mentioned above, not all flowering plants produce an oil. One of these plants is Lily of the Valley. When perfumers want to copy the smell of this plant, they can’t extract natural oil from it, so they produce a synthetic fragrance that smells exactly like the flower of the Lily of the Valley.
When it comes to fragrances, the use of synthetic fragrances allows a more diverse and larger database of scents that natural oils can never produce. It provides the fragrance industry a much more comprehensive and diverse portfolio of scents to use on any kind of product.
But because there has always been a negative connotation when it comes to chemicals and synthetic ingredients, people today are wary about their use in certain products. However, it is important to note that not all synthetic fragrances are bad, and not all natural fragrances are all good either.
Which is Safer to Use? Natural or Synthetic Fragrance?
Most people believe that natural always means safer and healthier. But this isn’t always the case. And it also goes the same with synthetic fragrances. Just because a fragrance is man-made, doesn’t mean it’s all bad, too.
Some natural oils contain allergens that are not good for the human body. For example, cinnamon oil may be good for its antiseptic and astringent properties but it is highly irritating to the skin, so caution must be taken. Similarly, Oakmoss is a highly allergenic oil, and its use is being highly restricted.
Some essential oils are also highly potent, and they need to be diluted.
Both natural fragrances and synthetic fragrances can contain allergens that may be harmful to the human body. So just because a fragrance is all natural, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you, and the same goes with manmade fragrances. Just because it’s synthetic. doesn’t mean it’s always bad for you, either.
Most of the world’s most recognized fragrances are a mixture of both natural and synthetic ingredients, such as Chanel No. 5. The base oils of this perfume are rose and jasmine, but it’s also mixed with the chemical aliphatic aldehydes. While some natural essential oils are too overpowering, synthetic fragrances dilute the strong scent, offering a more tangy or light smell that works well in perfume.
The Bottom Line
Just because a product says it’s “all-natural,” it doesn’t’ necessarily mean it’s complete and 100% safe; and just because a product is made of synthetic ingredients, it doesn’t always mean it is bad for you.
The best thing to do is to make your very own custom fragrance so you know what’s inside the fragrance that you use. It is also important to note that fragrances in the US have a transparency issue. This means that because of trade secrets, fragrance manufacturers in the US are not required to list all of their ingredients in the label. This could mean that the fragrance you buy may contain an ingredient that you may be allergic to, whether natural or synthetic, and you won’t know about it.
The key to making the safest fragrance for you is a custom-made fragrance that contains both natural and synthetic fragrances that are personally safe for you to use.
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