# Essential Oil, Fragrance Oil, Infused Oil, Tincture...



## AverageJo (Sep 24, 2010)

I just want to make sure I have the definition of all of these straight. Don't know if this post should be here or somewhere else, but I thought here would be as good as any...

Essential Oil is oil directly distilled from the flower and/or plant. Not every plant can be made into an essential oil (?)

Fragrance Oil is ??? Chemically created oil to resemble a flower/herb???

Infused Oil is an oil, like Olive Oil, that has been steeped with a flower and/or herb. After a period of time (?) the oil is strained to remove the plant material.

Tincture is an alcohol, like Everclear or Vodka, that has been steeped with a flower and/or herb. After a period of time (?) the oil is strained to remove the plant material.

Is a Fragrance Oil simply an Infused Oil or is it chemically made? How are Essential Oils made? Is it an easy process where you steam an herb and then condense it? Am I missing any other terms that I should get straight in my head? Thanks!


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Everything you said is true, but the essential oils need to be explained a bit further. Essential oils are best if steam distilled, but there are other ways to make them using chemicals to extract them. This is where you get the differences like rose absolute and rose otto. They were just made differently from the same product. Hydrosols are also part of the steam distilling method, but not as strong as true essential oils. You get two things when you steam distill essential oils. You get the oil and the hydrosol. In many cases they come mixed together, but there are separating tubes that can actually separate the hydrosol from the oil. It just depends on how good of a distiller you have as to how they come, together or separated.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I believe that fragrance oils are usually just chemical mixtures. I don't have any experience with them, so I can't tell you a lot, but that is what I have read. But fragrance oils are basically considered worthless in health circles.


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## goatlady (May 31, 2002)

Many fragrance oils are essential oils that have been highly diluted with a cheap non-scented oil, so that the scent of the EO remains. Tinctures contain no oil at all.


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