What exactly counts as a "natural" fragrance ingredient? In simple terms, it means the scent came directly from a plant or other natural source, extracted by physical means (not created entirely in a lab)
Where do they come from?
Pure oils obtained by steam distillation or cold pressing of plant material. For example, when you steam distill fresh lavender blossoms, you get lavender essential oil, a concentrated liquid containing the volatile aroma compounds of the plant. Essential oils typically capture the top and middle notes of a plant’s scent. (Citrus oils like orange or lemon are pressed from peels, which is another way to obtain an essential oil.)
An advanced extraction method using supercritical carbon dioxide as a solvent. CO2 extracts are somewhat a hybrid between essential oils and absolutes – they can pull out a broad range of aroma compounds at relatively low temperatures and without solvent residue. For example, a frankincense extract will contain some of the richer, resinous notes that a steam-distilled frankincense oil might not capture.
These are potent, concentrated extracts obtained by solvent extraction of delicate plant materials that can’t be distilled easily. An example is jasmine sambac absolute; jasmine flowers are first made into a waxy concrete, then washed with alcohol to yield a pure absolute. Absolutes tend to be highly aromatic and true to the flower’s total scent profile, including some heavier notes that steam distillation might miss.
