Essential Oils Vs. Fragrance: Why We're Bothered By Candles, Incense, and Perfume

In a world filled with smells and scents, how do you weed through essential oils, incense, perfume, candles to know what won't irritate friends and family this season? Simple-- take out the components that surround the fragrance that cause irritants and just use pure essential oils. With everyone going back to a more natural way of eating with fresh veggies, free range meat, and a nut and seed based diet why wouldn't you look at the other elements that you are bringing into your home? When you burn or spray these into the air you are directly inhaling petrochemicals in many cases.

A little over a year ago, I started doing research on fragrance and scents that would be a good option for my in-home yoga clients. Most students are usually really bothered by incense, creams, and other products on the market and I was pretty fed up with not being able to use products that I could trust on my own children. If I wouldn't put it on my family or myself I wasn't going to use it! This is what I stand by now in using any products on my yoga students. This was something that was very important for me in learning about oils and how they worked and also served as a health benefit to family and friends.

Essential oils are obtained through highly labor-intensive processes which extract the vital essence of aromatic plants from the flowers, fruits, sap, seeds or skin of the plant, as well as the bark, leaves, roots, resins or wood of certain trees. These oils are often referred to as the "life force" of plants and contain unique and varied therapeutic properties. Now let me just say that I am ONLY commenting and recommending Young Living products, due to their Seed to Seal quality. Many essential oils that you find at a whole market will not be therapeutic quality, so when you use Young Living you are using the highest quality with only essential oils nothing added.

Many companies blend a minimal amount of essential oils with synthetic fragrances, perfumes, chemical enhancers and boosters in an attempt to cut costs and create a stronger, longer lasting odor. "Made with pure essential oils" often translates to an ingredient list with a small percentage of essential oils and a majority of the scent coming from a number of carcinogenic and toxic petrochemicals. (Source Wax Out Way) A 1986 report by the National Academy of Sciences reports that 95 percent of the chemicals used in synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum and include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known toxins and synthesizers capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions. Paraffin is what is made up of most candles and is a petroleum waste product and has to be deodorized and chemically bleached before it can be made in to wax. 

There are some great candle alternatives on the market like soy (note- soy is often genetically modified though) and beeswax is also a safer bet (though oils are best).

This is one of the main reasons why many people are so sensitive to smells and have problems with candles and incense. What a difference we have seen in not having to worry about burning a candle in our home, but also using water and a few drops of essential oils helps purifier the air by using a diffuser (made of medical grade plastic only).  Although at times I miss the pretty look of candles I am not willing to trade the health of my family for it.

​If you want to learn more about how to get essential oils into your home drop me a note at [email protected] or purchase a Young Living Starter Kit here.

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