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These names paint a picture of nature, serenity, even wellbeing — but rarely contain anything remotely natural. Instead, they’re synthetic recreations, engineered in labs using ingredients that are cheaper, stronger, and easier to mass-produce than essential oils or whole plants.
Many of these ingredients fall under “proprietary” blends, meaning brands don’t have to disclose what’s inside. Legally, they can just say “fragrance.”
That’s how one word can hide a hundred chemicals.
What We Breathe In Matters
When you light a candle or run a diffuser, you’re inhaling that blend directly into your lungs. You share it with your children, your pets, and your nervous system.
Some of the most commonly used fragrance ingredients are:
These are present in diffusers, room sprays, skincare, perfumes, candles, and yes — even "natural" brands who don't explain what they really use.
So… Do We Panic?
Not at all.
But we do pause.
We ask the question: “Is this something I want to invite into my home, my lungs, and my rituals?”
We get curious. We flip the label. We look beyond the marketing.
What We Choose at Love & Willow
At Love & Willow, we work with plants, not perfumes.
We believe scent isn’t just fragrance — it’s medicine, memory, and magic. Every oil we use is a whole botanical extract, chosen for its energetic and therapeutic properties, not just how it smells.
We choose transparency over trend. Integrity over imitation.
It’s not the easiest route. But it’s the honest one.
And in a world full of synthetic noise, that quiet honesty feels radical.
Want to Know More?
We’ll be sharing more about the ingredients we do use, how we blend them, and how you can make more conscious scent choices — whether you’re buying from us or anyone else.
You deserve to know what you’re bringing into your space.
Let’s clear the air.
Essential Oils vs. Synthetic Fragrance: Why the Difference Matters
· by Love and Willow
Why I choose essential oils for Love & Willow
Love & Willow is rooted in nature, ritual, and intentional living. Every product I create — whether it’s a mist, oil, candle, or ritual kit — is designed to support the body, mind, and spirit. That means choosing ingredients that are not only safe, but energetically aligned.
Essential oils allow me to work with the wisdom of plants, not against it. They bring:
• Aromatherapeutic benefit — supporting nervous system regulation and emotional balance
• Energetic clarity — cleansing, uplifting, and protecting your space
• A deeper sensory experience — layered, natural, and ever-changing
Synthetic fragrance might be stronger or last longer, but it lacks the depth, vitality, and life force that true plant oils carry.
Final thoughts
In a world full of shortcuts, choosing purity is an act of devotion. Essential oils may be more expensive, less “predictable,” and more complex to work with — but they’re also more honest. More alive. More aligned with the kind of beauty I believe in: real, rooted, and reverent.
So when you spray one of my mists, light a candle, or open a ritual kit, you’re not just smelling something nice.
You’re connecting to the spirit of plants — and to yourself.
Because what we breathe in becomes a part of us.
And you deserve to breathe in beauty that’s real.
The Illusion of “Fragrance” — Why We’ve Been Conditioned to Think It’s Harmless
Open any candle, spray, or skincare label and you’ll probably see the word “fragrance.” Just one word. Simple. Elegant. Harmless, right?
That’s exactly what the industry wants you to believe.
But the truth is — “fragrance” is often a catch-all term for a complex mix of dozens or even hundreds of synthetic chemicals. Many of which are untested for long-term safety… and some of which are known to irritate the skin, disrupt hormones, or build up in our bodies and waterways.
And yet, somehow, we’ve been sold the idea that fragrance is clean, comforting, even luxurious.
How did that happen?
The Fragrance Fog
Over the last few decades, the fragrance industry has done a brilliant job of rebranding chemistry as calm. Think:
- "Ocean Breeze"
- "Sandalwood & Amber"
- "Cherry Blossom"
- "Fresh Linen"
These names paint a picture of nature, serenity, even wellbeing — but rarely contain anything remotely natural. Instead, they’re synthetic recreations, engineered in labs using ingredients that are cheaper, stronger, and easier to mass-produce than essential oils or whole plants.
Many of these ingredients fall under “proprietary” blends, meaning brands don’t have to disclose what’s inside. Legally, they can just say “fragrance.”
That’s how one word can hide a hundred chemicals.
What We Breathe In Matters
When you light a candle or run a diffuser, you’re inhaling that blend directly into your lungs. You share it with your children, your pets, and your nervous system.
Some of the most commonly used fragrance ingredients are:
- Phthalates – plasticisers linked to hormone disruption
- Synthetic musks (like Galaxolide) – bioaccumulative and found in breast milk
- Limonene, Linalool, Citral – naturally occurring but often used as synthetics; can oxidise into allergens
- Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone – widely used, but under increasing scrutiny
These are present in diffusers, room sprays, skincare, perfumes, candles, and yes — even "natural" brands who don't explain what they really use.
So… Do We Panic?
Not at all.
But we do pause.
We ask the question: “Is this something I want to invite into my home, my lungs, and my rituals?”
We get curious. We flip the label. We look beyond the marketing.
What We Choose at Love & Willow
At Love & Willow, we work with plants, not perfumes.
We believe scent isn’t just fragrance — it’s medicine, memory, and magic. Every oil we use is a whole botanical extract, chosen for its energetic and therapeutic properties, not just how it smells.
We choose transparency over trend. Integrity over imitation.
It’s not the easiest route. But it’s the honest one.
And in a world full of synthetic noise, that quiet honesty feels radical.
Want to Know More?
We’ll be sharing more about the ingredients we do use, how we blend them, and how you can make more conscious scent choices — whether you’re buying from us or anyone else.
You deserve to know what you’re bringing into your space.
Let’s clear the air.