Essential Oils Make the Best Luxury Candles - Here's why

What is an essential oil?

When the essence, or pure fragrance, of a plant is extracted it becomes locked within its own natural oil, known as an essential oil.

For nearly 800 years, we’ve used essential oils as a way of preserving beautiful fragrances to indulge our senses, and today they’re most commonly used in flavourings, soaps and cosmetics, perfumes, aromatherapy and, of course, scented candles.

These days, many fragrances are synthesised in laboratories in an attempt to recreate the delicate aromas of nature that we savour so much. In spite of best efforts, synthetic fragrances often fail to recreate the experience and it seems none can truly compete with pure essential oils.

Synthetic fragrances were developed in an attempt to provide consumers with cheaper alternatives to the fragrances we love, but sadly, many are manufactured using the same petroleum we use to drive our cars.

Pure, honest fragrances

Do natural ingredients make for superior products? Essential oils not only release the most authentic fragrances, but many people also report the positive effects on their temperament.

As natural mood enhancers, pure essential oils have long been used in aromatherapy. Take, for example, a combination of Lavender and Lime essential oil, which with its combined crisp and sweet scent will leave you feeling calm and relaxed.

By contrast, whilst synthetically-fragranced candles may appear to offer a lower cost alternative, some people find themselves, or their loved ones, complaining of overpowering smells, an unpleasant choking feeling or headaches.

Perhaps unsurprising, since it’s so difficult to recreate the clean scents of nature. Often, what synthetic fragrances lack in authenticity, they make up for in strength but that’s not to say essential oils can’t deliver equally powerful scents; think Cinnamon, Orange & Clove.

Read more about the reasons for OlaPelu's essential oil selections in The Top 10 Best Essential Oils for Candles by Aromatherapy Press.

Nature’s quirks

Genuine suppliers of quality essential oils will provide full details of the oils they stock – from the exact source, the extraction method, the country of origin and the properties of each oil.

Geography matters too: subtle changes in scent and colour occur between regions and even batches, but such is the beauty of nature. This is why genuine essential oil products are truly unique. You'll see subtle shade variations from product to product - that’s just nature’s true colour shining through.

The intricate fragrances extracted from plants, combined with a high-quality natural wax, make essential oil candles the best choice for luxury scented candles.