Infused Oils vs. Essential Oils: What Most People Don’t Know
Is there a difference between infused and essential oils?
I get this question a lot.
It’s usually something like:
“Are infused oils the same thing as essential oils?”
The short answer is “No”.
The differences are significant, and understanding them helps you make better, more thoughtful choices when working with plants—especially when it comes to sustainability, safety, and how much you actually need.
Let’s break it down.
What Are Infused Oils?
Infused oils are very similar to making an infused tea. Instead of water, a carrier oil—such as sweet almond oil, olive oil, or another oil of your choice—is used to draw out the plant’s properties.
Plant material is chopped into small pieces to create as much surface area as possible. This allows the oil to slowly and gently pull beneficial properties from the plant over time.
When making tea, you add herbs to water, cover, and let it steep for up to 10 minutes. Infused oils follow the same idea, just on a longer timeline.
The plant material is added to oil, covered tightly, and allowed to sit for no less than two weeks and up to six weeks.
During this time, the oil absorbs many of the plant’s beneficial properties. Those properties are then passed on to your skin when the oil is applied to the face or body.
Infused oils are gentle, nourishing, and well-suited for everyday use. They allow you to work with the whole plant, not just isolated compounds, and they tend to be well tolerated by most people.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are made in a completely different way.
High-quality essential oils are created through steam distillation (or cold pressing, depending on the plant). During steam distillation, steam moves through plant material and carries the plant’s volatile aromatic oils through a distillation system. As the steam cools and turns back into water, the essential oil separates and is collected.
These volatile oils contain concentrated aromatic compounds from the plant, which is why essential oils are so potent.
Because of this concentration, essential oils work both through the skin (when properly diluted) and through aroma. They can be incredibly effective—but they also require careful, informed use.
Why Plant Material Matters
One of the most important differences between infused and essential oils is how much plant material it takes to make them.
It can take pounds, and in some cases hundreds of pounds, of plant material to produce a single ounce of essential oil.
That alone explains why essential oils are often expensive. You’re not just paying for a small bottle—you’re paying for the labor, time, equipment, and large volume of plants required to produce it.
This is also why it’s important to think about how and when essential oils are used.
Whenever possible, using the whole plant—through infusions, teas, oils, or other preparations—allows you to work with the plant in a way that is gentler and often more sustainable.
Sustainability and Rare Plants
This becomes especially important when it comes to plants that are slow-growing, difficult to cultivate, or naturally rare.
Using essential oils made from these plants can put significant strain on plant populations if they are not responsibly sourced. This is why it’s critical to know where your essential oils come from.
Reading labels and researching companies isn’t optional—it’s part of being a responsible plant user.
Quality and Extraction Methods Matter
Some essential oil companies use chemical solvents or synthetic additives to help speed up the extraction process or increase output. While this may lower costs for the manufacturer, it often compromises the integrity of the oil.
Just like with food, skincare, or cleaning products, what’s used in the process matters.
Choosing essential oils from companies that use natural distillation methods and clearly explain their sourcing helps protect both your body and the plants themselves.
So What’s the Takeaway?
Infused and essential oils are not better or worse than one another—they’re simply different.
Infused oils allow you to work with the whole plant in a gentle, accessible way.
Essential oils are highly concentrated and powerful, requiring far more plant material and thoughtful sourcing.
Understanding how these oils are made, and what it takes to produce them, helps you decide:
- When an infused oil is enough
- When an essential oil is appropriate
- And how to choose products that align with your values around sustainability and plant respect
If you ever have questions about labels, sourcing, or how to use these oils wisely, don’t hesitate to ask. Learning how to work with plants responsibly is part of the journey.
If you’d like to try making your own infused oils, you can check out my Beginner’s Infused Oils Course. It’s a simple, hands-on way to start creating your own plant-powered oils at home.
