Common Questions on Fragrance & Essential OilsUpdated 4 months ago
Fragrance Oil FAQs
(Q) Are all your fragrance oils considered Vegan?
(A) Yes, they are considered Vegan.
(Q) Are all your fragrance oils paraben & phthalate free?
(A) Yes, our fragrances are paraben & phthalate free.
(Q) Are all your fragrance oils alcohol-free?
(A) We do not add alcohol to our fragrance oils. However, alcohol may be part of a sub-compound ingredient used in the manufacturing of a fragrance oil.
(Q) The SDS sheet says, “Avoid contact with strong acids, alkali or oxidizing agents.” Does this mean that your fragrances can’t be used with lye for CP soap?
(A) A majority of our fragrances are formulated to be compatible in soap making. The statement means that if the fragrance is added directly to a strong acid, it may react and change in aroma. This does not necessarily mean that the fragrance will cause an eruptive reaction when added to a batch of CP soap at trace.
(Q) What are the ingredients in your fragrance oils?
(A) Since fragrances are synthetic compounds and are not Certified Essential Oils, we do not know the complete ingredient list. It is a proprietary blend and our manufacturer will not disclose this information to us. Our SDS sheets has some ingredients listed; however, if this is an area of concern for the customer, then we would recommend that they use naturals or essential oils instead.
(Q) What are fragrance notes, and why are they important?
(A) Fragrances are a combination of ingredients that unfold over time with an immediate top note, deeper middle note and final base note.
- Top notes are the aromas that are immediately perceived on application. Top notes consist of small, light molecules that are strong in scent and evaporate quickly. They form an initial impression. Top notes are usually described as “fresh,” “assertive” or “sharp.” Examples of top notes are citrus and ginger.
- Middle notes are the aromas that emerge just prior to when the top notes dissipate. Examples of middle notes are lavender and rose.
- Base notes are the aromas that appear close after the middle notes. Base notes consist of large, heavy molecules that evaporate slowly. They comprise the depth and main theme of the scent. Base notes are usually described as rich and deep. An example of a base note is musk.
(Q) Are fragrance oils natural or synthetic?
(A) They can be either and can be both. There are totally synthetic fragrance oils. There are fragrance oils made with some natural essential oils, and there are some fragrances that are made with 100% natural ingredients.
(Q) If a fragrance is 100% natural, does that mean it is made with only essential oils?
(A) It means that the fragrance is 100% natural. In recent years, there has been great advancements in technology that has allowed us to obtain natural aromatic compounds that are not essential oils.
(Q) How do I find out the exact ingredients in my fragrance oil?
(A) Fragrance oils are considered proprietary trademarks and protected by federal law. The exact ingredients are only known to the owner of the formulation.
(Q) Some places carry manufacturers and cosmetic grade fragrance oils. What does this mean?
(A) These are not industry terms, but instead marketing terms. I would imagine that one grade is strong, and another grade is diluted. Since Wholesale Supplies Plus only sells concentrated oils, you are best to call the place that sells different grades and ask them what they mean by these terms.
(Q) What are water-soluble fragrance oils?
(A) Water-soluble fragrance oils are fragrances formulated to be easily incorporated into water-based products
ESSENTIAL OILS FAQ's
(Q) What is the difference between Peppermint Re-distilled EO and Peppermint Natural EO?
(A) Peppermint Re-distilled has been distilled 3x at a higher pressure to give it a peppermint candy smell while Peppermint Natural goes through one distillation which results in a more herbal, minty scent.
(Q) What is the difference between Lavender 30/32 & Lavender 40/42?
(A) Those number represent the concentrated amount of linalool and linalyl acetate found within the oil. Linalool & linalyl acetate are naturally occurring phytochemicals that are found in many flowers and spice plants. When comparing the Lavender 30/32 to Lavender 40/42, the 30/32 contains less linalool or linalyl acetate. By lowering the l/l levels, the aromatic notes in Lavender 30/32 smell much cleaner and less medicinal.
(Q) What is the difference between Eucalyptus 80/82 & Eucalyptus 80/85?
(A) Those numbers represent the cineol content found within the oil. The cineol content is the amount of fragrance that a particular natural chemical gives off. The 80/82 is the percentage, thus stating 80-82%. The 80/85 would be 80-85%. So, the higher the number, the stronger the fragrance it gives off. The Eucalyptus 80/85 has a strong minty aroma, while the 80/82 has a camphorous minty aroma.
(Q) What is the difference between Essential Oils and Absolutes?
(A) The difference between Essential Oils and Absolutes are in the way they are extracted. Absolutes tend to be more concentrated and therefore have a stronger smell. If the recipe calls for one in particular, they are NOT interchangeable. The recipe would need to be followed in that case.
(Q) What if the difference between Essential Oils and Fragrances?
(A) The difference between Essential Oils and Fragrances are that Essential Oils are natural oils extracted from the plant. They consist of entirely pure plant oils and resins, while fragrances are lab made synthetic compounds. Essential Oils are also more concentrated and tend to be stronger than Fragrances.
(Q) How are we to know that your Essential Oils are pure?
(A) We use several labs to certify our oils. We send our samples out and the lab runs numerous tests to determine the quality. The results we get only indicate the percent of Essential Oils and resins present in the oil. In addition, all of our oils contain a GC (Gas Chromatography Report) to help identify the purity of the substance. Lastly, all of our Essential Oils have a certificate of natural attesting to its compliance.
(Q) Are any of your Essential Oils considered photo-toxic?
(A) The main culprits causing photo-toxicity are the oils from the citrus family, when they are extracted by direct expression and without distillation. There are however some oils, like lemon, which still remains photo toxic even after distillation. Should an oil contain a very small amount of bergaptene or 5 methoxypsolaren (5 MOP) -normally below 0.000075% the effect will not be pronounced such as sweet orange oil, which contains only 0.00005%. Oils like bergamot, lime and bitter orange are severely photo-toxic when used undiluted, but should they be used in very low dilutions.
The following essential oils are phototoxic, although in varying degrees:
Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
Bitter Orange (Citrus x aurantium)
Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi)
Lemon, cold pressed (Citrus x aurantium)
Lime, cold pressed (Citrus x aurantifolia)
Opopanax (Commiphora guidotti)
The following citrus essential oils are not phototoxic, contrary to popular thought:
Lemon, steam distilled (Citrus x limon)
Lime, steam distilled (Citrus x aurantifolia)
Mandarin (Citrus reticulata)
Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis)
Tangerine (Citrus reticulata, Citrus nobilis)
furanocoumarin/bergapten-free Bergamot (Citrus bergamia)
General FAQ's
(Q) What does proprietary mean?
(A) The word proprietary indicates that a party has private ownership, control or use over an item of property.
(Q) What does trade secret mean?
(A) A trade secret is information that is not generally known to the public and holds economic benefit to the owner.
(Q) What does flash point mean and why it is important?
(A) The flash point of a flammable liquid is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture in air. It is critical in air transportation due to air compression. At this temperature, the vapor may cease to burn when the source of ignition is removed. Any fragrance or essential oil with a flash point 141º F or less can only fly if a hazmat certificate is filed. Any fragrance or essential oil with a flash point under 100º F must have a hazmat certificate filed for ground. USPS has further restrictions pertaining to the quantity of oil that can go in one box. Do you remember years ago when a plane exploded in air over the Florida Everglades? I believe they found that it was due to items in the cargo area that were undocumented with a low flash point. After that, the FAA really cracked down. Flash point does not necessarily correlate with aromatic volatility. For example, there are many fragrances that have a lower flash point and perform wonderfully in bases with higher temperatures. This is because (assuming they are immediately and quickly incorporated into the base) the aromatics are trapped, and they cannot molecularly move through the base. There are some oils with a low flash point that have a weakened scent when added to hot bases. This is more related to the aromatic volatility than flash point. For example, Frankincense has a flash point of 95º F and is thought to be fairly strong stays very strong in products such as CP soap while orange oil has a flash point around 115º, and it weakens fairly quickly and significantly.
(Q) Why are your bottle s of scents/flavors not filled to the top?
(A1) At WSP bottles are actually slightly larger and are designed to allow for air space. Each bottle is filled and sold by volume which means that we fill each bottle to a specific point. It is considered filled by volume when the liquid reaches the shoulder before the bottle neck.
(A2) At MYOB, EBB, JS & Rustic, the scents are filled by weight. The amount of fragrance you will receive will vary depending on the weight of the fragrance.
(Q) I found a cheaper Vanilla Cream fragrance and bought it elsewhere. It smells terrible. How can two fragrances have the same name and smell so different?
(A) Our bottles are actually slightly larger and are designed to allow for air space. Each bottle is filled and sold by volume. It is considered filled by volume when the liquid reaches the shoulder before the bottle neck.
Also remember that a fragrance name is just that: a name. It is very common to have fragrances designed under one name and then later changed to another name. For example, Wholesale Supplies Plus once tested a fragrance called Good Night Dreams and renamed it Viva la Diva because we felt it was a better reflection of the aroma and the new name would appeal to more buyers.
When it comes to price, remember that Wholesale Supplies Plus only sells pure concentrated Crafter’s Choice Fragrance Oils while our sister sites (EBB, JS & Rustic) fragrances are more affordably prices because they are geared more towads candle making
(Q) I have purchased one of the Crafter’s Choice “Comparable” or “Type” fragrance oils. Can I call my product by the same name?
(A) The law is fairly clear in that you cannot create a product for the purpose of creating confusion in the market. You can have your own product and can legally compare to another product on the market. We recommend you brand your product a different name and then “compare it to” the item you wish to compare. If you are selling “comparable” products, you will want to contact an attorney in your area to ensure you are following your state and federal laws.
(Q) How do I find out if a name is already trademarked for use in soap, lotions or candles?
(A) Go to the US Patent and Trademark website and choose “trademarks”. From there you can perform a basic search. The US Patent and Trademark website is as follows: US Patent & Trademark