The Essence of Essential Oils Essential oils are responsible for the significant cost associated with perfumes. In most cases, it is the rarity of the oil's source that makes it expensive, or the process by which it is extracted (more on extraction in a few weeks). Another factor is whether the essential oil is natural or synthetic. The House of Creed, for example, a perfume house that has been around since the reign of King George III in 1760, claims to use only natural essential oils, not synthetics. One of the most expensive oils used in perfume comes from orris root, found in certain irises. Orris root sells for approximately $40,000 per pound! The essential oils that are the key ingredients in a perfume have three main physical characteristics. Essential oils are: |
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Right: Roses respond well to distillation methods. Some, such as the Rosa damascena, are highly coveted. Their "otto" is worth about $4,000 per pound. |
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The "essential" in essential oils means that the oils become gaseous at room temperatures. They are also sometimes referred to as "volatile" oils (from the Latin volare, meaning to fly), "spirits," or "ethereal" oils (from the German ätherische öle). Though they are called "oils," essential oils are not really "oily," like mineral oil, for example. In fact, one expert, John Snively, preferred to use the term "otto" when describing essential oils: "[Otto], sometimes called essence, is usually known in commerce as essential oil, but differs so widely in its properties from the fatty substances of the same generic name, this it seems to require a more distinguishing appellation." Unlike "fatty oils," which will leave a grease mark on paper, essential oils, will evaporate entirely, leaving no trace. For this reason, essential oils alone can not be made into perfumes or soaps—they would vanish into thin air! Overpowering in their undiluted, absolu form, essential oils must be mixed with other liquids, such as alcohol or water, in order to create a perfume that does not offend an entire city! Essential oils are comprised mainly of starches and sugars, which are not usually soluble in water, but will mix with alcohol. Alcohol, therefore, has become the most common essential oil dilutant, and the main ingredient in perfume. One essential oil, however—rose oil (also known as attar of roses; "attar" comes from the Farsi word aettr, meaning fat or oil)—mixes surprisingly well with water, and is also occasionally used in cooking. Water has the benefit of prolonging the presence of a perfume on the skin (in addition to being a cheap dilutant), but if too much is added, the perfume's oils may come out of solution. An "optically-active" oil is one that refracts polarized light. Because this is a trait unique to natural (not synthetic) oils, a "polarimeter" can be used to differentiate between the two. |
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