Sometimes when I tell people that I’m a natural perfumer and have started a natural perfumery business, they assume I mean I’m an aromatherapist. And that always leads to an interesting conversation about how the two professions differ—and where they overlap. So, let’s break it down.

The Goal: Therapy vs. Aesthetics

Aromatherapy is, at its core, therapy through scent. Aromatherapists use essential oils and other natural extracts for their specific therapeutic benefits—whether physical, mental, or emotional. When working with clients, an aromatherapist conducts an intake to understand their concerns and then blends essential oils designed to help. The therapeutic effect comes first; the scent is secondary.

Aromatherapists typically dilute their essential oil blends into a carrier oil, like jojoba, apricot kernel, or grapeseed oil. This is especially important because these blends are often applied to large areas of the body.

Natural perfumery, on the other hand, is about creating beautiful, complex fragrances using only natural materials. While some natural ingredients may have therapeutic properties, a natural perfumer typically isn’t formulating with health benefits in mind—the goal is an exquisite scent. Natural perfumes are designed to be worn like traditional perfumes or used in home fragrance products.

The Process: Quick Blends vs. Slow Crafting

Aromatherapy blends are often made on the spot for immediate use, especially in a therapeutic setting. While retail aromatherapy products exist, in a clinical environment, there’s usually no need for the blend to mature before use.

Natural perfumes take time—lots of it. A properly-made, natural perfume matures for weeks or even months (sometimes years!) in its concentrated form. During this period, the materials interact, deepen, and round out into a more cohesive scent. After maturation, the perfume undergoes maceration, where it’s diluted (usually with ethanol) and left to settle for additional weeks or months. This allows the alcohol to blend seamlessly with the fragrance materials.

Then, there’s chill filtration to remove plant waxes, resins, and other insoluble materials, followed by further aging in the bottle before it’s finally ready to be sold. Oh, and don’t forget the regulatory requirements, including labeling, stability testing, and safety data sheets. Creating a finished perfume is an involved, multi-step process.

Where Aromatherapy and Natural Perfumery Overlap

Despite their differences, aromatherapists and natural perfumers have a few things in common:

• Both work with the power of scent.
• Both create with their clients in mind.
• Both need a deep understanding of natural materials and their interactions with the body, including safety considerations.
• Both use essential oils. Aromatherapists typically focus on essential oils, CO2 extracts, and some resins, while natural perfumers use all of these plus absolutes and other materials.

Want to Learn More?

I hope this post helped clarify the key differences between aromatherapy and natural perfumery. If you still have questions, feel free to reach out! You can keep exploring natural perfumery by reading my blog and signing up for my newsletter below.

Interested in Aromatherapy? Check Out These Resources:

• Essential Oil University
• Tisserand Institute
• Book Recommendation: Essential Oil Safety by Tisserand & Young

Understanding the difference between aromatherapy and natural perfumery helps you appreciate each field for what it is—whether you’re looking for a therapeutic tool or a luxurious fragrance experience.