Etheric oil: no doubt you have come into contact with it before. As an oil for on the skin to aid digestion, open the airways or heal. Or as a fragrance oil diffused in a room to influence certain emotions and moods. But what exactly is it? And is it really better than non-ethereal oils, as people often think?
What is essential oil?
Let's start at the beginning: what is essential oil? This type of oil is one that is extracted directly from natural raw materials. Thus, they are extracted from the seeds, fruit, leaves, peel, blossom or wood of a plant. This is done through pressing, distillation, enfleurage or maceration. After extraction, the essential oils remain largely unprocessed. This type of oil is also called natural oil, essential oil or organic oil, because it does not involve any chemical processes.
Etheric vs. non-ethereal oil
As opposed to essential oil, non-ethereal or nature-identical oil falls under artificial oils. This type of oil is created by artificially imitating the structure of essential oils. The goal during the making process is therefore to approximate the molecular structure of the natural variety as closely as possible. What is included in these oils during the production process can be fully documented.
Capitalizing on the popularity of 'green'
You've probably noticed: providers of oil products often use the words "natural oil," "one hundred percent pure oil" and "green oil" in their statements. The fact that no chemical processes are involved in its production is presented as something that offers advantages. As the right choice. It gives the impression that oils produced through chemical processes are less suitable, or even unacceptable, for use. But are these implied facts like "natural is good" and "chemical is bad" really true?
Do you also make this associative mistake?
As a consumer, when you hear words like "plant-based," "green," and "natural," you often quickly make the association with sustainability and safety. If you search for words like "chemical" on Google, results like "hazardous waste," "toxic," and the familiar yellow icon with a skull will appear. And these are exactly the associations most of us make when we think of chemical or synthetic oil. But are these alarm bells rightly ringing? The answer is "No". In fact, non-ethereal oils can be just as safe or unsafe as the essential kind!
Safety first
You should therefore not ask the question of whether an oil product is essential or nonethereal. You should ask the question of whether an oil product is safe. The answer to the latter question can be given with an IFRA statement and a Material Safety Data Sheet. This is because these show that the oil in question may actually be used for the purposes for which it is intended. How nice!
So, which would you go for? Essential oil or non-essential oil? Since quality and safety are paramount to us, we are fans of both in any case!
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between essential and non-essential oils?
The difference lies in the raw materials. Essential oils, also known as natural essential oils, are made from organic raw materials like peel, blossoms, wood, seeds, or fruit. After extracting the natural fragrances, the oil remains largely unprocessed. Non-essential oils are artificial, also known as synthetic. While synthetic oils are often viewed negatively, we know exactly how they are made—so they are completely safe!
- Is essential oil natural?
Yes, essential oil is natural, which means it remains largely unprocessed. It’s truly an extraction from nature!