Essential Oils vs. Fragrance Oils in Candles: What’s the Difference?
Published by Waxily Candles
If you’ve ever flipped over a candle box and seen “fragrance oil” or “essential oil” in the ingredients list, you might’ve wondered—what’s the difference?
At first glance, both sound like they’re designed to make your space smell amazing. But only one of them is truly clean, plant-based, and safe to burn. Let’s break it down.
🌿 What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts. They’re made by distilling flowers, leaves, bark, or other natural materials to capture the pure scent and therapeutic properties of the plant.
Common examples include:
Lavender
Lemon
Eucalyptus
Litsea cubeba
Essential oils don’t just smell good—they’re used in aromatherapy for real wellness benefits. And when used properly in candles, they offer a clean, subtle, non-toxic scent experience.
🧪 What Are Fragrance Oils?
Fragrance oils are synthetic compounds designed to mimic natural scents—or create completely artificial ones.
They often contain:
Phthalates (linked to hormone disruption)
Paraffin-based carriers
Undisclosed chemicals labeled as “proprietary blends”
In short: they’re made in a lab, not from nature.
🚫 Why Fragrance Oils Can Be Harmful
When burned, fragrance oils can release:
Irritants that trigger headaches, asthma, or allergy symptoms
Compounds like benzene or toluene (from the wax carrier)
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that reduce indoor air quality
Many people don’t realize their candle is making them feel off—until they switch to something cleaner.
🕯️ Why Waxily Only Uses Essential Oils
We created Waxily because we were tired of brands hiding what’s inside.
Our candles are made with:
100% soy wax
Pure essential oils
Cotton wick
That’s it.
No fragrance oils. No chemical binders. No toxins disguised as “scent.”
💬 Final Thought
If scent matters to you, so should the source of that scent.
At Waxily, we believe you deserve to enjoy your space without compromising your health. That’s why every candle we make is safe to burn, beautiful to gift, and rooted in nature—not synthetic shortcuts.
✨ Clean scent, clean air.
🕯️ Explore Waxily Candles