How ‘natural’ are natural fragrances?

How ‘natural’ are natural fragrances?

How many times have you picked up a cleaning product, soap or air freshener and read the words, ‘natural fragrance’? 

What exactly does it mean when a product is advertised with natural fragrance?

Whenever you see the words, ‘made with natural fragrances’, you should always approach with caution. Natural fragrance or fragrance oil is not essential oil and does not mean derived from purely natural ingredients.

Fragrance oils,  or ‘natural fragrances’ that are referred to on many types of perfumes, cleaning products, soaps and candles are comprised of synthetic formulas and lab created to mimic essential oils or they can be a mixture of natural oils as well as synthetic oils.  During the production process of natural fragrances, a specific job of the perfumer is to produce a scent that replicates a natural smell synthetically. This literally involves mixing various type of chemicals until the right scent is created. The end result is something that almost smells natural but is actually far from being natural.

What’s the alternative to synthetic (natural) fragrances?

If you’re after a scent which is derived from natural sources, look no further than essential oils. Essential oils are the natural oils extracted from various types of plants. They can come in the form of a liquid or resin and are later used to produce a highly concentrated and completely natural essential oil.  The parts of the plant where these oils are separated from can vary. For example, they may come from the leaves, flowers, bark, berries, seeds or even the roots of the plant. 

To see how Koala Eco is incorporating essential oils in our eco-friendly, toxic-free cleaning products, feel free to read our ‘ingredients’ page (https://koala.eco/pages/our-ingredients).

So now you know the difference between essential oils and natural fragrances, it’s time to make a more informed decision the next time you purchase a cleaning product or perfume.  Don’t be fooled by the pretty pictures and misleading text that many companies use.  If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of using essential oils in everyday cleaning products, try reading our article on What Are Essential Oils In Cleaning Products and Why Should We Be Using Them? (https://koala.eco/blogs/news/what-are-essential-oils-in-cleaning-and-why-should-we-be-using-them-more)

← Older Post Newer Post →

Rewild the suburbs and support nature repair

Rewild the suburbs and support nature repair

Your backyard could be a native plant haven.   A beautiful experiment [1]was recently carried out on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of...

Read more
Is it a cliché? Or can the ‘fresh start’ energy be for real?

Is it a cliché? Or can the ‘fresh start’ energy be for real?

Ways to bring the refresh and reset vibe into your life and home It’s hard to resist the energy that comes with a transition. Saying...

Read more
Is Antibacterial Hand Soap the Safest Way to Cleanse Your Skin?

Is Antibacterial Hand Soap the Safest Way to Cleanse Your Skin?

Surgical soaps and antibacterial hand washes have recently gained renewed attention. While antibacterial soaps were popular during the onset of the pandemic, they fell out...

Read more
A practice of rivers, of trees moving, of falling light

A practice of rivers, of trees moving, of falling light

An appreciation of the farms where we source our essential oils  The late, great writer Barry Lopez (1945-2020) talked about his fascination with nature as...

Read more
An Hour in Nature with artist Tom Butterworth

An Hour in Nature with artist Tom Butterworth

Tom Butterworth is a 30 year-old self-taught sculptor living on Garigal land in northern Sydney. He shapes his distinctive vessels and sculptures in Hawkesbury Sandstone:...

Read more
How to get the best out of your Washing Machine

How to get the best out of your Washing Machine

Here are our environmentally conscious washing machine tips that will help keep your clothes in great condition while reducing your environmental impact:    Wash Full...

Read more