Essential Oil vs Fragrance Oil - Why 'Natural' Isn't Always Sustainable

Why 'Natural' Isn’t Always Sustainable

In a world increasingly driven by eco-conscious choices, “natural” has become a buzzword synonymous with purity, health, and sustainability. But when it comes to home fragrance — especially wax melts, candles, and diffusers — the reality is more complex. One of the biggest misconceptions in the fragrance world is that essential oils are inherently more sustainable than synthetic fragrance oils. The truth? That isn’t always the case.

The Hidden Cost of Essential Oils

Essential oils are derived from plants through methods like steam distillation or cold pressing. While this may sound environmentally sound, the volume of raw materials required to produce small amounts of oil is staggering. For example:

It takes about 10,000 roses to produce just 5 ml of rose essential oil.
1,500 lemons are needed to create 15ml of lemon oil.
A single pound of lavender oil requires 250 pounds of lavender flowers.

This level of resource consumption has serious implications:

Land Use: Cultivating crops at scale for oil production competes with land needed for food or biodiversity.
Water Consumption: These crops often require significant irrigation, especially in drier regions.
Overharvesting: Popular oils like sandalwood, frankincense, and patchouli have led to deforestation, habitat destruction, and in some cases, the endangerment of plant species.
Labour and Supply Chains: Harvesting and distillation are often done in developing countries, raising concerns about fair wages and working conditions.

In short, essential oils can carry a heavy environmental and ethical footprint, especially when mass-produced.

Performance Challenges with Essential Oils

Here’s something that often surprises people: essential oils don’t always perform well in candles or wax melts.

When heated to their flash point (the temperature at which they begin to vaporise), many essential oils:

Lose their scent quickly, resulting in weak aroma throw.
Evaporate or degrade, rendering any therapeutic or aromatherapeutic benefit negligible.

So while they may sound appealing, essential oils don’t always deliver a better fragrance experience and sometimes offer no scent at all once melted or burned.

Are Fragrance Oils a Greener Alternative?

It may surprise you, but high-quality synthetic fragrance oils can be more sustainable than essential oils. Here’s why:

Lower Resource Use: Fragrance oils are created in labs, meaning they don’t rely on large-scale agricultural land, water, or wild harvesting.
Greater Scent Control: They offer consistency and can be engineered to avoid allergens, harmful compounds, or animal-derived ingredients.
Recreation of Rare Scents: Synthetic fragrance oils can mimic rare or endangered plant aromas (like oud or ambergris) without harming ecosystems.
Eco Alternatives: Many synthetic oils replicate endangered or unsustainable scents (like oud or sandalwood), providing the experience without the environmental harm.
Longer Lasting: Many synthetic blends offer a stronger, longer-lasting scent throw, making products more efficient and requiring less material per use.

So What’s the Best Choice?

Sustainability isn’t about choosing “natural” over “synthetic” — it’s about making informed, responsible choices. At Souvant, we consciously select fragrance oils that are:

Cruelty-free
Vegan-friendly
Free from phthalates, parabens, and harsh chemicals
Produced by reputable suppliers with transparent sourcing practices

We don’t shy away from using synthetics where they offer a better environmental and ethical footprint — because doing better for the planet sometimes means rethinking what “natural” really means.

Examples That Might Surprise You

Sandalwood: Once commonly used in essential oil form, its wild populations are now endangered due to overharvesting. Sustainable synthetics help replicate its warm, woody notes without environmental cost.
Citrus Oils (like lemon or orange): Though natural, these are often a by-product of the juice industry, making them more sustainable only when sourced properly. However, they can oxidise quickly and cause skin irritation, which synthetics can avoid.
Vanilla: Natural vanilla is one of the most resource-intensive crops in the world. Synthetic vanillin (the primary compound in vanilla’s scent) can be made sustainably from wood pulp or even clove oil.

Actionable Tip: Check the Source, Not Just the Label

Before assuming “natural” is better, take a moment to ask:

Is this ingredient renewable?
How much land or water was used to produce it?
Is there a synthetic equivalent that offers a lower-impact option?

Transparency and research matter far more than the label alone.

Discover Souvant’s Conscious Fragrance Choices

At Souvant, we believe sustainability and luxury can coexist. That’s why our blends are made to deliver beautiful, long-lasting aromas — without the environmental compromise.

Browse our collection to experience how ethical choices can still smell incredible.