 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Making and mixing your own fragrances can be fun, and not only is it individualized but it could also save you some money. Fragrances can be made from fresh plant parts (such as leaves, flowers, bark or peels) or essential oils. Dried herbs with strong scents (such as peppermint) can be used, but they may not make as strong a fragrance as using fresh plants. For the strongest scents, the use of essential oils are usually recommended. You can always use plant material initially to get a good fragrance base and then add essential oils to enhance the fragrance. Don't be afraid to experiment with your fragrances and options, adjusting ingredients and amounts to suit your own nose.
If you are using fresh plants to make a fragrance, do not wash before adding to a base of oil or alcohol. If you are using essential oils, be sure to calculate essential oil concentration when deciding on the amount of base oil or alcohol to use as diluent (See calculation information below).
FRESH/DRIED PLANT FRAGRANCE RECIPES
HERBAL EAU DE COLOGNE RECIPE
1/2 Cup Lavender Flowers
1/4 Cup Rosemary Leaves
1 Lemon Peel
1 Orange Peel
1/2 Cup Orange Mint Leaves
1/2 Cup Lemon Balm
2 Cups Rose Water
2 Cups Rubbing Alcohol/Ethanol or 100 Proof Vodka (50% Ethanol/50% Water)
Place all ingredients in a large glass jar with tight fitting cover. Steep for 8 to 10 days. Strain and pour into a sterilized bottle.
USING ESSENTIAL OILS FOR FRAGRANCE
Essential oils are usually used as a preferred method of blending a fragrances for personal use. However, the use of synthetic material would be acceptable in certain cases, since some pure floral absolutes, like rose and jasmine can cost thousands of dollars per ounce. You can also make up mock fragrances, such as carnation by using equal amounts of black pepper and ylang-ylang with a touch of geranium.
The ideas below are a simple guide for you to get started, but it must be kept in mind that it is easier to add more essential oils to a blend to make the fragrance stronger, than it is to dilute the blend in order to tone the fragrance down. For this reason it is better add too little of an essential oil to start off with and then top it off later if you are looking for a stronger fragrance.
MoonDragon's Aromatherapy Blending Chart
One cardinal rule you should always follow, is to write down the recipe, as you are mixing it, as it often happens that a person would prepare a wonderful fragrance, only to find that they cannot remember the quantities or the oils used in the mixture. Note any additions, deletions, or changes as you go along in your recipe.
When mixing your fragrance you should use glass containers, as some plastic containers and instruments do tend to retain fragrance particles. For mixing the blend never use a metal object, but rather use a glass rod.
After you have used your mixing equipment, wash very well with a strong soapy solution, dry, wipe down with alcohol to remove all fragrance traces, wash again, rinse in clean water and dry for next use.
For storing your mixed fragrances buy blue or amber glass bottles, and if they have cork stoppers you would need to seal the cork stopper with paraffin wax to prevent oxidation, and if they are equipped with screw tops make sure that the tops have liners.
Essential oils are either added to alcohol or an oil base when making fragrances at home. The alcohol to use is ethanol, but for the sake of ease vodka can be used. It is best to buy a high quality 100% proof vodka (which is 50% ethanol/50% water) since it has virtually no smell.
The oil base that can be used is Jojoba Oil - which is really a liquid wax. Jojoba has excellent keeping properties and does not have a very heavy odor of its own.
To prevent any allergic reaction, remember to do a skin patch test if you have never used a particular oil.
SKIN PATCH TEST Skin patch test If you are a person that has a problem with a sensitive skin, it is strongly advised that you perform a skin patch test before using any essential oils for the first time.
All you need to do is to mix 1 drop of the oil you wish to test, with a teaspoon (5 ml) of carrier oil - such as sweet almond oil or grape seed oil.
Apply a small amount of this mixed oil to the inside of your wrist or elbow and leave uncovered for 24 hours. This area must not be washed for this period of time.
If no sign of itching, redness or swelling occurs after the 24 hour period, it should be safe for you to use the oil.
If you have never used any form of carrier oil on your skin, it would be advisable to first do a skin patch test using only the carrier oil.
Information about essential oil safety can be found in these links:
When blending your perfume or eau de toilette or cologne start with the base (alcohol/vodka or oil base depending on what you are making) and add the oils drop by drop.
FRAGRANCE CONCENTRATION CALCULATIONS
The classification of perfume, eau de toilette and eau de cologne is based on the strength of the fragrance it contains and the percentages of essences used.
For a perfume you will use around 15% concentration of essential oil.
A lighter eau de toilette you will use about 4 - 8% concentration of essential oil.
A lighter eau de cologne 1 - 5% concentration of essential oil.
If you want to work out your percentages, you can work on the premise that 1 ml is 20 drops. To work out your percentages convert the total of the oil used as well as the base - be that the alcohol/vodka or Jojoba oil - to drops.
If your total essential oil drops are, let's say 58 drops, and your base oil/alcohol amount is 240 ml (240 x 20 = 4,800 drops). Divide the essential oil amount of drops by the amount of drops in the base oil/alcohol. Using the above example you will get a result of 0.012 = 1.2% concentrate of oil in the mixture.
58
_______ = 0.012 X 100 = 1.2% Essential Oil Concentration
4,800
58 (divided by) 4,800 (equals) 0.012 (multiplied by) 100 (equals) 1.2 percent
You can adjust the strength (concentration) of the fragrance by adjusting the base amount you use with your essential oils.
Some of the recipes state that you should mix the blend, bottle, cap and leave for x amount of days. This is to give the fragrance time to settle and to achieve a more rounded fragrance.
FRAGRANCE RECIPES USING ESSENTIAL OILS
OLD FASHIONED EAU DE COLOGNE
16 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
15 drops Petitgrain Essential Oil
2 drops Orange Essential Oil
15 drops Lemon Essential Oil
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
5 drops Neroli Essential Oil
10 ml Orange Flower Water
230 ml Alcohol/Vodka (1.2% Concentration)
Place the alcohol/vodka base into your glass mixing container, add the oils in the order listed and mix well. Bottle, cap and leave the mixture for 4 days and then add the orange flower water and re-cap. Leave the mixture for at least two weeks, giving the bottle a gentle shake every day.
FEELING ALIVE SCENT
4 drops Sweet Orange Essential Oil
10 drops Lemon Essential Oil
6 drops Tangerine Essential Oil
8 drops Frankincense Essential Oil
5 drops Neroli Essential Oil
1 drop Myrrh Essential Oil
35 ml Alcohol/Vodka or Jojoba Oil (Eau De Cologne - 4.8% Concentration) Or
11 ml Alcohol/Vodka or Jojoba Oil (Perfume - 15.4% Concentration)
Place the base into your mixing container and add the ingredients in the order listed and mix. Bottle and use.
SENSUAL SCENTS FOR WOMEN
5 drops Coriander Essential Oil
6 drops Bergamot Essential Oil
4 drops Neroli Essential Oil
1 drops Jasmine Essential Oil
3 drops Rose Essential Oil
20 ml Jojoba Base Oil (Eau De Cologne - 4.75 Concentration) Or
10 ml Jojoba Base Oil (Perfume - 9.5% Concentration)
Place oil base in mixing container, add oils in the order listed and mix. Bottle, cap and leave one week before using.
SENSUAL SCENTS FOR MEN
10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
20 drops Coriander Essential Oil
22 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil
23 drops Cedarwood Essential Oil
5 drop Frankincense Essential Oil
100 ml Alcohol/Vodka (4% Concentration)
Place the alcohol/vodka mixture into your mixing bowl, add the oils in the order given and mix well.
The above is a small contribution to fragrance mixing and is really basic. Your personal taste will determine what you like, and it may be a good idea to look at our pages on floral notes and blending for more information when blending your own fragrance.
For more fragrance recipes, return to index:
QUALITY SUPPLIES & PRODUCTS
Mountain Rose Herbs: Aromatherapy Essential Oils
The essential oils offered by Mountain Rose Herbs are 100% pure steam distilled plant oils with an unsurpassable fragrance, exceptional depth, magnificent keynote, and are free of carriers, diluents and other inputs. Here you will find some of the worlds most magnificent oils from reputable distillers and suppliers we know, trust, and have a wonderful working relationship with. Mountain Rose Herbs essential oils are processed from freshly harvested material within clean distilleries, thus promising you some of the most magnificent oils available on the market.
Mountain Rose Herbs: Bulk Herbs, Spices & Botanicals
All of their bulk dried herbs, botanicals and seasonings are strictly selected from the finest harvests and they have meticulously reviewed and analyzed all their materials to promise you an herbal product that is so fresh, colorful, and fragrant you can't help but to smile. Their line of organics are the first choice for respected authors, herbalists, stores, scientists, manufacturers, students and schools. Since 1987 they have continually come to Mountain Rose Herbs to satisfy their botanical requirements, and in this time they have repeatedly delivered the quality they expect. They attribute this astounding quality to the fact that Mountain Rose Herbs has over 11 farm operations, 6 wild harvesting operators, and acts as a direct liaison and processor with farmers and growers all across the globe. They are confident not only in the quality of material you may order but the ethics involved with their preparation and handling. If you feel beguiled and often frustrated with the inferior quality of "Mass Market" herbs that have been on market shelves and within stores inventories for months and sometimes years, then you can count on Mountain Rose Herbs to deliver a product that is unsurpassed in quality and freshness. Mountain Rose Herbs promise to you that their line of bulk herbs and botanicals are... True certified organic by OTCO. Certified OQK Kosher. Free from irradiation and ozone treatment, sulfur, gasses and other sanitary chemicals. Quality control tested, analyzed and supervised. Unsurpassable in color, depth, taste and aroma. Ethically wildharvested when not certified organic. Guaranteed fresh and not from "warehouse stock". Processed and handled according to strict organic standards. Grown, harvested, processed and handled by fun, knowledgeable and caring people. Analyzed for quality, safety and true botanical identity. Bulk ordering Discounts available.
For a full list of available products from Mountain Rose Herbs, click on banner below:
HELPFUL PRODUCTS & FURTHER EDUCATION
I would also highly recommend that you consult some good books on mixing your own fragrances, and I could recommend the following books available from Amazon.com:
Personalized Perfumes: More Than 40 Recipes For Making Fragrances With Essential Oils
-- by Gail Duff
Album Of Fragrances: With Complete Instructions For Making Your Own Perfumes, Potpourri, Sachet, Herbal Moth Repellant & Incense
-- by Edith G Bailes.
Prescription for Nutritional Healing: The A-To-Z Guide To Supplements
-- by Phyllis A. Balch, James F. Balch - 2nd Edition
Prescription for Nutritional Healing: The A-To-Z Guide To Supplements
-- by Phyllis A. Balch, James F. Balch - 4th Edition
Prescription for Herbal Healing: The A-To-Z Reference To Common Disorders
-- by Phyllis A. Balch
The Complete Guide to Natural Healing
This is only a small sample of educational materials and products available through Amazon.com. Use the search box provided below to search for a particular item.
HERBS, OILS, & SUPPLIES
Mountain Rose Bulk Herbs
Mountain Rose Aromatherapy Oils
Click Here To Visit Herbal Remedies Product Page
