Soapmaking with Claude Poissonniez and Mimi Kirk.avi

Essential oil primer

Claude visits a lavender distillery near Avignon France

What is the difference between Essential oils and fragrances?

Essential oils are distilled directly from plants and are natural. Many people who consider themselves “sensitive” to smells are actually responding to fragrances and may suffer headaches, sneezing, and skin rashes. Since essential oils are natural, they rarely cause adverse reactions.

Fragrances are combinations of chemicals that have been formulated to emulate a scent and can cause sensitivity to those so inclined. Not all fragrances are alike, however, and the good ones are essentail oil based reducing the chance for reactions.

It generally takes at least fifty pounds of plant material to produce one pound of essential oil, but sometimes the ratio is astonishingly higher. For instance, 2,500 pounds of rose petals are required to produce one pound of Rose Bulgarian which drives the price to $4,600.00 per pound!

Why are fragrances used at all?

They are only a select number of essential oils on the market that are sufficiently affordable to use in large production and in many cases, it’s not possible to collect an essential oil at all. The most common essential oils are Lavender, Lemongrass, Mint, Patchouli, Clove, Sage, Fir Needle (Pine), Orange Bergamot, and Jasmine.

At Sky Valley Farm we make a large selection of essential oil only soap and lotions, but branched out into including some high quality essential oil based fragrances to expand our flavor line. The key is if you are very sensitive, choose essential only flavors, but we’ve never had a complaint about sensitivity on our fragrance flavored soaps.

How are essential oils distilled?

Claude and I had the good fortune of visting a lavender distillery in Provence near Avignon in the South of France. Lavender is harvested, allowed to dry for a few hours then placed into the “still” (see photo) where steam is forced through. The condensation is passed through to a separate vat where the essential oil pools on top of the lavender water.

Suggested uses for lavender essential oil

Recipe for lavender water: Add ten drops of oil per four ounces water. Shake well.

· Spritz on skin for sunburn relief.

·Spritz a cloth with lavender water and toss in the clothes dryer for a fresh scent.

·Spritz your pillow with lavender water for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Coming soon! Herbs we grow and use on the farm with a few of Claude’s recipes.