Customer Service & FAQ...

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 WHAT IS A PLASTICIZER DOING IN MY PERFUME?

TLC Botanicals is committed to using only the finest of natural and pure ingredients. Commercial perfumes consist mostly of chemicals called Volatile Organic Compounds or VOC's. Some VOC's such as Ethanol, D-Limone and Formaldehyde (which is considered a carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency), cause eye, nose and throat irritation, difficulty breathing, allergy symptoms and headaches. Fragrances are not only inhaled - They are also absorbed through the skin. One of the chemicals of concern is Diethyl Phthalate (DEP) which is an irritant and suspected hormone disrupter. Through this exposure from skin contact, DEP can accumulate in human fat tissue. 

DEP and other Phthalates are plasticizes used to soften vinyl plastic. The reasons that they are added to perfumes and cosmetics are: Their oily texture helps to lubricate and extend the other substances in the formula, These Phthalates also help lotions and fragrances penetrate the skin and they help the perfumes to last longer. All of our products are 100% pure and natural as well as being free of Diethyl Phthalate and VOC's.

WHY IS ALCOHOL USED IN PERFUME?

Alcohol has a bad rap in the cosmetic industry. It is rumored to be drying and also will cause skin irritation. I suppose if you apply rubbing alcohol (Isopropyl) directly to the skin that is indeed what you will get. The special SD perfuming alcohol that we use at TLC Botanicals evaporates quickly and is infused with vitamins and anti-oxidants. Our perfume alcohol actually cools and refreshes the skin. The use of SD alcohol in fragrances helps break down perfume ingredients. It helps merge oils and aroma products together. SD alcohol evaporates almost instantly which makes it an ideal base for perfumes. Alcohol helps diffuse and lift perfume notes. The use of alcohol in perfume was as early as the 12th century in Northwest Europe. Its use was not widespread until later in England around the 14th century. SD stands for "Specially Denatured" as the alcohol must be rendered undrinkable so that it cannot be illegally diverted for use in alcoholic beverages. This process is called "Denaturing".

WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS?

An essential oil is any concentrated and pure essence naturally present in plants, flowers, herbs, fruits, grasses and roots. They are also known as ethereal oils or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. The term "essential" indicates that the oil carries the distinctive scent (essence) of the plant, not that it is a fundamental substance. For centuries essential oils of plants have been used for their mysterious healing properties. When synthetic drugs were invented, the use of plants and herbs for their therapeutic properties declined. However in the last few decades, their has been a reawakening to the powerful uses of Mother Nature's medicine cabinet without the negative side effects commonly associated with synthetic drugs and cosmetics.

HOW ARE ESSENTIAL OILS EXTRACTED?

Almost all Essential Oils are distilled using low temperatures and low pressure steam distillation. The few exceptions are Hydro Distilled, Cold Pressed and Absolute extraction.

Steam Distilled:    The most common method of extracting an essential oil from a plant is through steam distillation. Low temperature and low pressure play an important part of collecting the highest quality oil. When plant matter is placed into a chamber and steam is injected, the plant's essential oil is released into the air. The steam and the essential oil are carried out of the chamber and cooled. The oil and the water are then allowed to separate for collection.

Hydro Distilled:    This means the plant is distilled using water rather than steam. The plant matter is placed in a chamber filled with water, which is heated until the oil is released. This extraction process produces a superior quality essential oil but it is also quite a bit more labor intensive and therefore more expensive.

Cold Pressed:    Simply put, the essential oil is pressed from the plant. This is the most common method of extraction for the citrus oils. The peel of the citrus plant is pressed and the essential oil is then filtered from the plant matter. Since no heat is used this method produces a superior quality oil.

Absolute:    This method uses a solvent (such as alcohol) to extract the oil. Once the oil is extracted the solvent is removed from the oil. Any oil that is extracted as an absolute will always have a trace amount of the solvent remaining. However a high quality absolute will contain less than 1%. Some plants, like Jasmine for example, will only give up their oil using this extraction process. Therefor there is no such thing as Jasmine essential oil but there is Jasmine absolute.

WHAT ARE "AROMA NOTES"?

Aroma "Notes" (also known as Aroma Chemicals or Perfume Oils) are manufactured aromas. They are pure materials and are prepared with perfume grade essential oils, absolutes and synthetic aroma materials. Aroma notes are complex components that give a perfumer the ability to lead a formula in a desired direction. These notes also help to preserve the environment. Take the indigenous Sandalwood trees of India or the Musk Deer that are now on the endangered list. Some of these synthetics can offer the same scents without destroying plant or animal life.

WHY ARE AROMA CHEMICALS AND ESSENTIAL OILS BOTH USED?

An artist uses many mediums. If a painter were to try to paint using only two colors it would be limiting. Why not use a full pallet and have as many choices as possible? Essential Oils and Aroma Chemicals have been used together in perfuming since the 1800's. The important difference in our products is that there are no harmful Phthalates!

WHAT IS MEANT BY PERFUME "NOTES"?

Top Notes:    The "Top Note" is the first scent impression of a fragrance once it has been applied to the skin. They are usually lighter, more volatile aromas that evaporate readily. Their scent will disappear the fastest; usually lingering for between 5 to 30 minutes. The right amount of a Top Note will not only make the perfume's first impression but will temper the Middle and Base notes.

Middle or Heart Notes:    Middle Notes, sometimes refered to as "Heart Notes", make up the body of the blend. They may be evident from the start but will usually take 10 to 30 minutes to fully develope on the skin and begin to mix with individual body chemistry. The Middle Notes are what classifies and defines the perfume type as well as the fragrance family (Floral, Oriental, Chypre, Etc).

Base Notes:    The Base Notes are the strongest and last the longest giving a perfume its tenacity. They are the scents which begin to emerge about 20 minutes after application and this is the fragrance which will linger. The Base Notes anchor a perfume and make the scent last longer on the skin. This is known as "Fixing". As a fixative, they help to slow down the evaporation rates of the lighter notes, giving the fragrance holding power. Base Notes add warmth, depth, body and longevity to a perfume. Generally speaking Base Notes are heavier in both aroma and actual molecular weight.  Common Base Notes include Oakmoss, Patchouli, Woods, Musk and Vanilla.