Essential oils, Oils

By sherrattsam from Flickr.com

Anyone living in the Northern Hemisphere will be assailed by grey skies and damp days over the coming weeks. An effective antidote is to make your own perfume using organic oils. Scents and aromas have the power to lift your mood and calm your mind. If you make your own fragrance, you’ll benefit your skin by using natural oils instead of chemicals and synthetic compounds.

This clip gives basic information on how to create your own bespoke fragrances. A perfume generally consists of base notes (the longest lasting scents), heart notes (the core scent) and top notes (the lighter scents that are more short lived). Choose certified organic carrier oils and essential oils for maximum benefits. I would advise you to do a little research online to learn more about the properties of differing essential oils, or simply buy a book.

To begin with you will need some glass vials, a pipette (dropper), some small glass containers or bottles, a selection of essential oils and a base carrier oil. Stephanie recommends either fractionated coconut oil or jojoba oil or even high proof alcohol such as vodka for the ‘carrier’.

What is encouraging is that there is no ‘right’ or wrong number of drops to combine. Play it by ear, or rather nose. Once you’ve combined your oils, Stephanie suggests letting your oil blend sit for 24-48 hours to establish it’s final overall scent. If you’re not happy with it, try adjusting it with a few more drops of oil.

Once you’ve decided you’ve got the fragrance you want, dilute the essential oil blend with the carrier. The ratio of oil blend to carrier oil should be around 1 to 4 or 5. Although this isn’t mentioned, I would try to store your perfume in a dark glass bottle as the essential oils can often be light sensitive.

Making fragrances is something that appeals strongly to me. I really believe that scent is a magnificent mood enhancer. Using organic oils means your perfume is clean and safe from any chemical residues. Once the initial purchases have been made, this is a relatively inexpensive way to explore the fascinating world of natural fragrances. What a wonderful way to while away the colder months and discover another facet of organic living.

Filed under: Organic Cosmetics

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