A fragrance is often a complex mixture of sometimes hundreds of ingredients. Other formulas may be relatively simple and only contain 10-15 ingredients. To understand the concerns about the safety of fragranced products, a look at the types of materials that are in these products is necessary. Essential Oils and Extracts Essential oils and extracts are derived from plant sources. They may be extracted by several different processes.
Distillation uses steam to evaporate the essential oils from the plant.
When the steam cools the essential oils float to the top and are separated from the water. This method of extraction concentrates the oils, but leaves them in the same ratios as found in the plant. The heating process may cause some changes in the materials. Expressed oils are obtained by squeezing the juice out of the fruit, and the oils are separated from the juice. The materials obtained are concentrated and contain the same materials as found in the fruit.