Oils have been used for centuries to provide mental and physical health benefits. However, they have become so popular that today's market is flooded with both synthetic and natural oils. It is important to know the difference before selecting oils to purchase. If you are looking for health benefits, you are likely searching for essential oils, also called natural oils. Essential oils are frequently used in combination to gain the maximum number of health benefits. They should be used as part of an overall regiment to boost health and to address any health issues that you may be having. 

What are Essential Oils? 
When considering natural versus essential oils, it’s important to understand exactly what natural, essential oils are. Essential oils are made from concentrated plant and herb extracts that have been pressed or distilled to maintain their natural health benefits and scents. They are typically only found in specialty stores, health stores, online through particular vendors, and in higher-end grocery stores. 

Every essential oil is made up of a highly unique composition of all-natural chemicals. Additionally, each natural oil has a specific chemical makeup that affects the way the oil will be absorbed, how it will smell, and, most importantly, what health effects it is able to bring to the body. 

Why Natural Oils Cost More Than Synthetic 
The process of refining true essential oils to be distributed is highly intricate. Essential oils are made from only the most pristine natural ingredients in order to offer the purest product with the maximum health benefits. For example, refining just lavender to create just 2 kilograms of concentrated lavender oil requires over 200 kilograms of lavender flowers. 

The purity of the process and the ingredients are major reasons why essential oils can be worth paying a little more than you would for synthetic oils. The process also makes natural oils highly concentrating, meaning that they will typically last longer than synthetic oils, making each bottle last much longer. 

What Are Synthetic Oils? 
Synthetic oils are a man-made scent that attempts to imitate the particular fragrance of its natural oil counterpart. Synthetic oils replicate the scent of natural oils and they can be made to smell like a scent that natural oils can’t. Synthetic oils are produced in large quantities and typically contain artificial preservatives that give them the ability to last for years. This is the reason that synthetic oils that can be purchased at nearly any big-box store have a lower price tag than natural oils. 

Synthetic oils also generally contain additives and byproducts along with scents. This means that their health benefits are also limited in comparison to natural oils. Some, not all, synthetic oils contain compounds that can actually have negative effects on the skin due. For example, fragrance-heavy synthetic oils can cause things like allergic reactions, migraines, skin irritation, or eczema. Similar to the synthetic fragrances used in products like air fresheners and detergents, there is no way to determine the exact list of the ingredients that are used. If choosing to buy synthetic oils, do a little research prior to your purchase to ensure you are buying a high-quality synthetic product. 

What Are the Benefits of Buying Synthetic Oils? 
Synthetic oils, like most synthetic products, typically come with a less-expensive price tag. This can be appealing to people who are looking to use benefits oils while spending as little as possible. Additionally, synthetic oils typically have a longer shelf life, due to the addition of non-natural elements that preserve the oil. The scents can also be highly customized because they are man-made, not the pure essential oils that are completely natural and with no additives. 

What Are the Benefits of Choosing Essential Oils for Health? 
Only pure, natural Essential oils have the ability to have health and therapeutic benefits that are derived from their plant counterparts. These oils also are rich in nutrients and have beneficial health qualities such as being useful as an antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral, and antiseptic product. Synthetic oils simply offer a pleasant scent, nothing more. While a great scent can do wonders to enhance your mood, synthetic oils have the same basic effect as a nice candle. 

Natural oils also have qualities that have been proven to provide health benefits. Homeopathic doctors and healers have been using essential oils for centuries in the treatment of their patients. For example, tea tree oil works wonders to heal minor cuts, cure infections, boost the immune system, and even to keep pesky mosquitos at bay. Almond oil is incredibly effective in gaining health hair and skin. It also helps reduce toxins that can collect on the skin’s surface or in the bloodstream.

What does MamaSuds use in their products?
MamaSuds uses only pure essential oils in their products. We have two primary essential oils: lavender and lemon, but we also have a germ fighting proprietary blend that we call Germs Away and includes clove bud, organic cinnamon leaf, lemon, eucalyptus radiata, and rosemary.