So many soapers believe that the time has come to product all natural soaps. So true, it is time. And, so all my soap recipes are 100% natural soap. However, adding a fragrance oil usually makes the soap less than 100% natural.
And, of course, the difference between essential oil and fragrance oil should be brought out here. Essential oils, when you see that ingredient in your soap, means you are getting an all natural plant oil or wood resin oil in your soap. Cedar, cypress, lavender, patchouli, rose geranium...are essential oils that are often added to soap.
Vanilla, rose, hazelnut, christmas pine, and other fragrances are oils added to soap just for scent. And, it is widely believed this detracts from an all natural soap.
Well, this is my take on the whole thing:
Fragrance oils do detract from an all natural soap only in the sense it has added synthetic oil to create a lovely scent. It cannot be called "all natural" now. This soap I'm adding to my shop has added Vanilla Fragranc oil to it. It is all natural except for that. So, I cannot call it an all natural soap. When all ingredients are added and percents are calculated, it now becomes an 96% natural soap.
I do think many of our synthetic detergents with all their synthetic ingredients, including fragrances, have led us to many dermatology problems. But, if your skin is NOT sensitive, then I think using all natural soaps with synthetic fragrances is not 
harmful. At least, it has not harmed me, but my skin is not sensitive.
harmful. At least, it has not harmed me, but my skin is not sensitive. 
I'd love to know what you think?
Also, I'm getting ready to do a give away here on my Blog. I'm not sure what type of give away pleases most, but I'm open to suggestions on that, too.
Again, thank you for reading. :)k
Hi, I follow you on twitter, and followed your link here. I make and sell soap too, mostly at farm markets, where we have direct contact with customers. We faced this same question. I have relied upon the feedback from my customers to answer this. Some customers ask specifically which soaps have no synthetics or are "all-natural." These customers ask a lot of questions about how the soap will affect their skin. Others just sniff and buy. I have changed my packaging to reflect my two different lines of soaps--Natural and Handcrafted. Most people lean toward the natural soaps, and so we are leaning toward using more essential oils. We are also weeding out the synthetics that do not have a distinct, true and recognizable scent, as these don't seem to sell well to anyone, even if they smell nice.
ReplyDeleteBright
Britewerkz Soaps
That makes a lot of sense. I, too, notice many tend to all natural. But, I have many who enjoy the fragrance of synthetic fragrance oils - like strawberry, vanilla, peach, and others that are very recognizable. I had, once, thought about 2 different packaging, but, I didn't follow through. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a soap lady who also sells at Farmers Markets & has a small retail shop. For the market: I have two soap displays: one for the essential oils soaps & one for the fragrance oils. The EO's sell more at the market, but in my shop, people tend more to buy what smells good to them. Labels reflect the difference.
ReplyDeleteI have the same situation with my soy candles.
People want ALL Natural, but they are attracted to color & fragrances not found in nature!
LynnAnne( 1846 House Soaps)