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Candle Cocoon Informational Library |
Why do prices of fragrance oils vary?
Why are your oils so expensive?
People wonder why fragrance
oil prices vary from supplier to supplier. Having been a supplier of high end,
quality fragrances since 1999 I would like to share some of the things that I
have learned.
Prices for fragrance oils can vary for many reasons. The
quality of raw materials and concentration of the fragrance are two of the main
reasons. Other factors are depth of fragrance, purchasing limitations of
manufacturers and purchase commitments of suppliers.
Type of
fragrance - some scents are just more expensive/less expensive to make.
Pure and simple, some fragrances oils are made of raw materials that are just
more or less expensive. Some ingredients are just more common, easier to grow,
process or store. And that will result in a less expensive product. On the other
hand, a rare orchid gathered directly from the Tropical Rain Forest that cannot
be reproduced by machine will be extremely expensive. Even if it only gives off
a very light aroma. The raw materials are outrageously expensive and thus the
fragrance oil would also be prohibitively expensive.
 Quality of fragrance oil raw materials – Solvents, essential
oils and carrier oils are some of the things that may make up fragrance oil.
Just like everything else in life there are different qualities of these raw
materials. You wouldn’t expect a Yugo and a Mercedes to function the same. They
both have most of the same parts—body structure, engine, breaks, steering, etc.
But it is the quality of each of those components that makes the Mercedes a top
quality vehicle and the Yugo, well, a thing of the past. Why should fragrance
oils be any different? Take essential oils for instance; growing conditions for
plants, soil composition, care and tending of plants are some basic
environmental factors. And each component costs. Storage conditions of materials
and shipping know-how also must be considered. You can have the best plant grown
under the optimal conditions but all of that is wasted if the product is stored
or shipped incorrectly.
Quality of fragrance as a whole
- Fragrance oils that are made up of a fair amount of essential oils or resins
give a "truer" interpretation of certain scents. Essential oils and resins are
generally very expensive because of the extraction process. It takes a lot of
plant material to get a tiny bit of oil.
The way to get the best scent
throw from essential oils is to bind them with other carrier oils. Essential
oils are generally heat unstable and will burn off very quickly without
releasing their scent. That is why it is important to have them properly bound.
And of course this is an added expense.
Strength of
Fragrance - Some fragrances are full concentration and some are not.
There is no such thing as "triple strength". It is either full concentrate
(without fillers or dilatants), or it is not. 
If something is full strength it is impossible to make it any
stronger. But, if fragrance oils are “cut” with fillers they can be made
stronger because there is not as much “scent” in it to start with. For instance,
if you take 1 ounce of a full strength rose and add 2 ounces of DPG (no scent)
you will get 3 ounces of oil. Originally with the full strength rose you would
only have needed .5oz (3%) per pound of wax to make a candle very strongly
scented. But now with the cut oil you will need 1.5 ounces (9%) per pound of wax
to get the SAME scent throw as you did with the uncut half ounce!!!
Depth and complexity of fragrance - Some fragrances
have more than one layer or note. Really good fragrances have a top, middle and
bottom or dry note. The top note is what you smell in the bottle. It is also the
note that “flashes” off quickly when the candle is burning. It is the middle
notes, or heart of the fragrance oil that you smell when the candle is burning.
The dry down or bottom note is the extra kick that gives the throw or the
lingering aroma that finishes off the whole scent experience.
Simply put,
some fragrances are not as complicated and therefore cost less. Going back to
our Yugo and Mercedes example—A Mercedes has a lot more bells and whistles that
make it a highly sought after and expensive car. Just like a fine fragrance, a
customer will always prefer a more complex scent with more of the bells and
whistles.
 Where as there are straight raspberry scents that only have top, middle
or dry notes and are very cheap. Unlike other more rare and hard to find
raspberry scents that have all three notes! The second raspberry is not just a
“brick wall” of scent that you run into. The second raspberry is strong but you
“ease” into the scent, enjoying every note. A much more pleasant way to
experience scent.
Many times cheap scents and complex scents can smell
almost identical in the bottle. Again, you smell the top notes in the bottle.
You really must burn your candles to experience the real candle scent! A scent
that doesn’t smell like much in the bottle may really bloom in the wax!!! Or
visa versa. I have noticed repeatedly that if a fragrance smells good in the
bottle it will often times have little to no scent throw in the candle. In fact,
I would even go so far as to say that fragrances that are a bit stinky in the
bottle would turn out beautiful in the wax.
Stock scents verses
unique scents – Most fragrances available to candle making fragrance
oil distributors are stock scents. That means that a manufacturer makes them in
bulk, stores and then sells them to whoever meets the minimum purchase amount.
This means that there are a lot of the exact same scents out there under
different names. Stock scents mean that there is no custom work, additions or
tweaking done to the oils. These fragrance oils are typically made of lower
priced raw materials. Some fragrances can be are tweaked, which adds a bit to
the price. And some oils are custom blended from an original idea or concept,
which involves a lot more time of the perfumers’ time, mind and dedication.
These original scent masterpieces will cost more. Think about purchasing real
Monet vs a Monet poster. Perfumers are true artists!
Purchasing
volume of fragrance oil distributors – Purchasing power of large, bulk
quantities is always greater then that small orders. Suppliers that purchase
only 5 or so pounds at a time pay more then others suppliers that purchase
hundreds of pounds at a time. The supplier that buys more has more "negotiating
power" with the manufacturers and can get better prices. It is often takes the
same amount of time to make five pounds of product vs. Five hundred pounds of
product. So money can be re-couped due to lower hourly wages and greater
purchasing power of raw materials. Think about making 1 candle or making 10
candles of the same scent. Now think about making 10 different scented candles.
Which one do you suppose takes longer? Time is money.
Mark-Up on
fragrance oils – The general rule of thumb for retail sales is to
double your cost. So if fragrance oils cost only $6.00 per pound to purchase it
would be resold at $12.00. It is really impossible to know the mark up rules and
profit margins that each company adheres. Every business must make money. That
is why they sell products. It seems that there is no hard and fast rule for
fragrance oil companies. Suppliers seem to set their prices at what the market
will bear. I know of many suppliers that only pay $3.00 - $6.00 per pound and
sell their fragrance oils for as much, or more then $20 per pound. While others
suppliers purchase their oils for more then $18.00 per pound and only sell for
$25 per pound. Mark-up is determined by individual company guidelines and is not
standardized across the industry.
Also, fragrances that are higher
quality will last longer in the bottle and the finished product. Less expensive
ones tend to fade or distort over time. Cheap scents can “turn” very quickly!
I hope that is article gives a bit more insight into the reasons why
fragrance oil prices may seem to very drastically from one supplier to another.
All fragrances are not created equal and even if two fragrances have the same
name it does not mean they are even close to the same fragrance.
As can
be expected we at Candle Cocoon use only the most top quality products, with the
most notes and complexity and purchase at the greatest bulk prices possible. We
do not “cut” our oils and they are not “cut” or diluted in any way shape or form
by our manufactures. Candle Cocoon also prides itself on unique concept
fragrance oils, which are influenced by events in the owner’s life. Or
descriptions from other trusted sources. Whereever possible we use essential
oils are made especially for the harsh environment of candle burning. We
sincerely hope that you enjoy our oils and if you have any questions please do
not hesitate to contact us.
Lyschel Bersch
www.candlecocoon.com
Copyright 2008 No
parts may be copied or published without the express permission of the author.
Picture
of raspberry in hand by Pawel
Jagielski.
Author: Lyschel Bersch
Date: 08/18/2008
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