Understanding Aroma Notes for Essential Oil Blending: Base Notes
The art of essential oil blending is a delicate and thoughtful process that I often compare to the individual layers added to a painting. Just as each brush stroke on a canvas gradually builds on the layer of paint underneath to create a harmonious result, crafting essential oil blends applies the same principle. In the world of perfumery and essential oil blending, the three commonly recognized “paint” layers are known as fragrance notes, which encompass top notes, middle notes, and base notes. At the foundation of these blended layers, you will find base notes.
Also referred to as the fixative note, dry out note, or bottom of the aroma, base notes are the rich scents that linger the longest in an essential oil blend. Typically, base notes make up between 5% and 20% of a blend. Although this percentage may sound small, base notes truly make the age-old saying “a little goes a long way” live up to its name.
Exploring the Senses Through Aromatherapy
Our senses tell us about the world around us. One of the most interesting sensory explorations is smell because our olfactory system sends signals directly to our brain and is one of the most immediate ways to trigger emotions. As you may have seen in the “blind tea tasting” video we shared a few weeks ago, blind tasting and smelling offers insights into how we can connect with plants before putting a label or perceived function on them. With that in mind, we’re excited to share this video of our friend, Erika Gentian of Sovereignty Herbs. Erika recently visited our headquarters in Eugene, Oregon to show us how blind hydrosol smelling can help us get to know our herbal allies. Learn more about how the power of smell can help you work with hydrosols for gentle, effective support.
Wind Element Perfume Recipe with Essential Oils: Head in the Clouds Blend
Welcome to part three of my Elemental Perfume Blend series. What started as a journey to create fun DIY party favors for my upcoming wedding has turned into a rabbit hole of perfume recipe development. So far, I have shared an Earth Goddess perfume, an Aquatic Mermaid perfume, and now this wind-themed blend for my air sign friends.
With just three essential oils, this blend is made of top and middle notes to keep it as light as air.
Ravensara, one of the most underrated essential oils, is derived from the leaves of the Ravensara aromatica. This uplifting oil has herbal and camphoraceous notes with gentle hints of sweetness and becomes warmer and spicier as the scent begins to evolve. The oil is also renowned for its calming and “go with the flow” properties.
Coriander makes an appearance in this blend and is, in my opinion, THE most underutilized oil in natural perfumery. Extracted from the seeds of the coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum), this oil brings a touch of warmth, harmony, and familiarity. As a seed, it contains life-bearing and grounding qualities that help to promote a sense of stability when you have your head in the clouds.
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi ) tops off the blend with a burst of zest and freshness. Known for its energizing qualities, grapefruit oil awakens the senses and revitalizes the mind. Its vibrant citrus notes infuse the blend with liveliness and a sense of weightlessness.
Water Element Perfume Recipe: The Mermaid Blend
If you saw my recent article on my Earth Element Perfume Blend, you know I am working on some fun gift ideas for my upcoming wedding. As a Taurus, I of course started with an Earth element blend which came to me with great ease and intuition. When it came to formulating this water-element perfume though, it took more time and consideration. I found it helpful to imagine the mystical allure of mermaids and the calming essence of water in creating this blend.
I crafted the Mermaid Perfume using a harmonious blend of essential oils that evoke feelings of the meditative movement of water. I called upon clary sage for its soothing and tranquil qualities. Its herbaceous and slightly floral aroma creates a sense of calmness and balance reminiscent of a serene underwater world.
Earth Goddess Perfume Blend with Essential Oils
As a newly engaged person, I am starting to look at things a bit differently. For instance, creating recipes is a major part of my life, and I find myself experiencing that process through a slightly different lens. Now as well as recipes that I craft for my own use, I am starting to consider party favors and elements to include in my wedding. I’ve been thinking that a variety of homemade perfumes made with organic ingredients would be a fun zero-waste party favor and they are incredibly easy to scale up and to make in bulk. So, I went to the drawing board with some themes and ideas.
Spring Rain Essential Oil Blend + Wax Melt Recipe
I love to live fully within the seasons. I take in all the nuances of the seasonal elements, ebbing and flowing with the twists and turns of the weather and the expansion and contraction of daylight. This mindfulness practice allows me to connect with the “now” and fully appreciate all that the Earth shares with us through her wondrous cycles.
Now, as the spring rains fall and the first blooms of the season begin to unfurl, I feel called to create a new aromatherapy blend that melds with my natural environment. I have found over the years that many seasonal aromatherapy creations are created to match the exact scents of the season, rather than to complement nature’s aromatic offerings. In other words, they try to “outdo” the subtle aromas of nature by making them stronger.
I crafted this “Spring Rain” recipe to highlight the elements of spring while leaving enough room for nature to shine through. The bergamot I used in this blend is light and breezy and allows the fresh blooming flowers to dance with the olfactory senses. Similar to cheery lemon balm, litsea cubeba is added as a symbol of the sun which generously shines longer and with promise. Meanwhile, sweet marjoram offers an herbaceous tenacity, which helps balance the ethereal scents of the previous two oils. And finally, vetiver grounds out the blend, offering its sweet and earthy notes, symbolizing the damp earth.
Aroma Oils for Spring: DIY Diffuser and Fragrance Oils
Spring is just around the corner, which means it’s time to craft our favorite spring aroma oils for diffusSpring is in the air, and I’m more than ready to refresh my spirits, feel the sun on my face, and set out on new adventures. With that in mind, I’ve been gathering up my supplies to craft some of my favorite DIY essential oil blends for spring, ones that our Mountain Rose Herbs’ in-house aromatherapist developed with careful intent to clear the mind of lingering winter fog and bring the power and pleasure of aromatherapy wherever we travel, whether it’s a grand European tour or a trip to the grocery store. Warmer days are just over the horizon, which means now is the perfect time to create diffuser blends, fragrance oils, and aroma sprays in preparation for the annual blossoming of spring.er blends, fragrance oils, and aroma sprays.
Sultry Essential Oil Perfume Recipe With Tonka Beans
Alcohol-based perfumes never sounded attractive to me. I always thought using them would make me smell like I just came from the bar, which is generally not the vibe I am going for. This aversion persisted until I discovered tonka beans (Dipteryx odorata) and learned that alcohol extraction is the best way to bring out their dreamy aroma! Tonka beans are an excellent alternative to vanilla beans in aromatherapy creations and are roughly five times less expensive than vanilla, so you can save your true vanilla for cooking and use tonka beans to get those highly coveted notes for perfumery.
While the most recognizable aromatic comparison is vanilla, tonka beans have other warm and comforting undertones of tobacco, pistachio, and musk. It makes a truly delightful ingredient to work with.
Sultry Perfume Recipe with Tonka Beans and Essential Oils
If you’ve had the opportunity to work with tonka beans (also called tonkin or tonquin beans), you know they have a heavenly aroma: a blend of vanilla-like essence with undertones of tobacco, pistachio, and musk. They are perfect for perfumery. The dilemma is how to get that delicious scent into a perfume. It turns out, a simple alcohol extraction is the key! Then add pure organic vetiver essential oil and a touch of sandalwood to this aromatic base, and you have a luscious, warm, sultry homemade perfume. Our three-ingredient tonka bean perfume blend is the perfect place to start exploring the wonders of this wondrous South American legume.
Tips and Recipes for a Fresh-Smelling Home
When throwing a party, the bulk of my planning revolves around three main things: the tasty foods and craft cocktails/mocktails I will be serving; the parts of my home that need deep cleaning before the big day; and how to make the space smell and feel fresh and inviting. On this list, my favorite part is choosing my home fragrance! People often underestimate the power of scent or just don’t know where to start. With that in mind, I’m sharing some of my favorite tricks and recipes for freshening up a space.
