What’s the Difference Between Essential Oil and Absolute?

At the heart of every fragrance we create is nature—distilled, expressed, and remembered. But how do we capture nature’s scent? Two of the most beautiful and powerful tools in natural perfumery are essential oils and absolutes. Though both are concentrated botanical extracts, they differ in how they are made, what they contain, and the emotions they evoke.

Essential oils are typically obtained through steam distillation—a gentle process where plant material (like lavender flowers, cedarwood, or chamomile) is exposed to steam, which carries the aromatic molecules into a cooling chamber where they condense into oil and water. The resulting oil is pure, potent, and captures the plant’s volatile compounds—the ones that evaporate into the air and reach your nose. Essential oils are often vibrant, fresh, and expressive. Think of the crisp clarity of bergamot, the brightness of clary sage, or the cool green of a freshly snapped stem.

Absolutes, on the other hand, are extracted using solvents, often from delicate or low-yield materials like jasmine, rose, or hay—plants too fragile for steam distillation. The process yields a more complete and complex aromatic profile, rich with nuance and depth. Absolutes are deep, often warm, and profoundly evocative. They’re the honeyed stillness of hay absolute, the leathery sweetness of tobacco, or the velvet shadow of oakmoss.

In our fragrances, we use both essential oils and absolutes to paint with scent. Together, they allow us to recreate places you’ve stood, air you’ve breathed, and moments you’ve never forgotten. It’s nature—not copied, but remembered. And every drop is a return.