Environmentally Conscious Fragrance Oils?

I have read all the articles detailing the differences between essential and fragrance oils. I have listened to the sales pitches from different vendors. Texas Natural Soap Supply states that all their fragrance oils are naturally derived and stabilized in safflower oil while Brambleberry is forthright about theirs being fully synthetic. I am waiting on a reply from Majestic Mountain Sage.

My question is this: natural, synthetic, or otherwise:

Do any of the fragrance oils break down into innocuous components in the water supply?

I love the idea of scenting my soaps with fragrance options beyond those of essential oils, but do not want to introduce any environmentally unfriendly ingredients into my natural handmade products.

Reading the MSDS for the FO's will help you with this.

Added: There are specific sections regarding toxicology and the environment. In the toxicology sections you will see references to some of the chemicals in the oils and what kinds of irritations, sensitivities, and organs they target for damage. You will also see references to LD/50. LD/50 is the amount of FO that will kill 50% of the animals the FO was tested on. Generally, environmental testing is not done so any information about them is speculation. Considering the weight of fish, insects, etc. It appears (to me anyway) that they are not safe for environmental use.

Essential oils are safer as long as they are used responsibly. There are a few which should not be used by anyone who is not knowledgeable about them. Generally, the cautions about the use of the herb will be the same of the oil. With EO's if you have questions about their use, its best to speak to an herbalist or aromatherapist.

I am by no means an expert on the composition of FOs. I do know that most FOs are proprietary and the manufacturer/supplier will not release the full ingredients list to the consumer. However, most will tell you whether or not their fragrances contain phthalates. Aroma Haven, for example, offers a line that is completely phthalate-free.

Aromachemicals are synthetically produced analogs to natural scent components like linalool. If you've ever tried to scrub out an amber glass bottle after you've used up a fragrance, you will have an idea of the sticking power of some of these substances.

However, I don't believed that essential oils necessarily break down into "innocuous components" in the water supply either. If you read around this forum, especially posts by Lindy and Alchemy&Ashes, you will get extensive information about the potency of essential oils. Some are irritants; some if ingested in even small quantities or applied topically (wintergreen for example) can kill you.

That said, the % of fragrance used in soap is very small and the % that gets washed down the drain is smaller still. When used at the manufacturer's recommended levels, they are deemed safe for use on the skin. Nobody says anything about how they effect the environment more broadly.

You might want to look at fragrance regulations in the EU which are much more stringent than in the US and see if that helps with your decision.

The production of essential oils can also have a pretty significant environmental impact given the large amount of plant matter needed to produce them.

If this is truly a matter of conscience for you, I'd err on the side of caution and go fragrance-free.

Also please take into account some of the very strong solvents that are used to extract essential oils.

As for not wanting to introduce any environmentally unfriendly ingredients, soap itself can kill fish and other marine life just by its nature, despite it being completely biodegradable. I understand your desire to be conscientious, but there are always a LOT of factors to consider.

Good point about there being many factors and solvents used to extract oils, new12. And it is a good idea to always double check the info find on blogs and such. Whether intentional or not, there is a lot of info out there that is not accurate.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I now know the term "wildcrafting" thanks to my recent binge research on this topic.

I am aware that essential oils may not be environmentally responsible in terms of harvesting, extraction, and shipment.

Fragrance oils should be a more responsible choice with regards to those specific criteria. However, the "propriety" formulations were giving me a bit of trouble. It makes it that much harder to figure out the ecological responsibility of it.

I know that I could avoid the whole conundrum by going fragrance-free, but I REALLY want to have my cake and eat it too (as ridiculous and non-sensical as that expression is).roblem: