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Aromatic Blending
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| Fragrance
testing strips used to evaluate the aroma. |
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Aromatic blending for the sheer pleasure of the aroma is a combination
of creativity and science. When using a blend created primarily
for its fragrance, therapeutic benefit can also occur. The focus
of the blend, however, is on the final aroma, not its therapeutic
properties.
Safety precautions should be followed for any
type of blending, including for aromatic blending. For instance,
you would still want to be extremely careful when using Bergamot
because of its phototoxic properties and still avoid using all hazardous
oils and all oils that are contraindicated for conditions that you
have.
Traditional perfumers that work for the famous
fragrance houses study for years to master the art and science of
perfumery blending. The perfumer’s standard repertoire consists
of essential oils but also of synthesized chemicals that mimic the
constituents (chemicals) of essential oils and other natural ingredients.
Perfumers use synthesized chemicals and chemicals extracted from
essential oils because they are often cheaper than using pure essential
oils and because the chemicals are standardized and will be more
consistent in aroma. If you can find a copy, The Science and Art
of Perfumery by Edward Sagarin (copyright 1945) is a fascinating
book that provides insight into the history and science of perfumery.
In aromatherapy blending, only natural ingredients
such as essential oils, absolutes, CO2s, grain alcohol, carrier
oils, herbs and water are used. Because aromatherapy blending requires
and benefits from the use of unsynthesized chemicals, you shouldn’t
have high expectations for perfectly duplicating your favorite commercial
fragrances.
Blending Basics
Essential oils can be categorized into broad groups
based on their aromas. An example categorical system is as follows:
- Floral
(i.e. Lavender, Neroli, Jasmine)
- Woodsy
(i.e. Pine, Cedar)
- Earthy
(i.e. Oakmoss, Vetiver, Patchouli)
- Herbaceous
(i.e. Marjoram, Rosemary, Basil)
- Minty
(i.e. Peppermint, Spearmint)
- Medicinal/Camphorous
(i.e. Eucalyptus, Cajuput, Tea Tree)
- Spicy
(i.e. Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon)
- Oriental
(i.e. Ginger, Patchouli)
- Citrus
(i.e. Orange, Lemon, Lime)
Oils in the same category generally blend well
together. I hesitate specifying that particular categories blend
well with other specific categories because it can limit your creativity
and experimentation. Additionally, there are always exceptions.
But to get you started, below are some categories that generally
blend well together:
- Florals blend well with spicy, citrusy and
woodsy oils.
- Woodsy oils generally blend well with all categories.
- Spicy and oriental oils blend well with florals,
oriental and citrus oils. Be careful not to overpower the blend
with the spicy or oriental oils.
- Minty oils blend well with citrus, woodsy,
herbaceous and earthy oils.
Harmonizing Your Blend
Have you ever noticed that a fragrance smells
differently after several hours than when you first apply it? Some
essential oils evaporate more quickly than others. As the oils in
a blend evaporate, the aroma will change to reflect the aroma of
the remaining oils.
Using the analogy of a musical scale, oils that
evaporate the quickest, usually within 1-2 hours, are called “top
notes.” Oils that evaporate with 2-4 hours are considered “middle
notes.” Oils that take the longest time to evaporate are referred
to as “base notes.” Some base notes can take several days
to evaporate! Edward Sagarin credits Septimus Piesse with this analogy
that has been used by many perfumers:
“Another contribution to the field of odor
classification was made by the famous perfumer and perfume historian,
Septimus Piesse. This unique figure in the history of the science
created what he called an “odophone.” the odors were
like sounds, he pointed out, and a scale could be created going
from the first or lowest note, the heavy smell to the last or
highest note, the sharp smell. In between there was an ascending
ladder. Each odor note corresponded to a key on his odophone,
and in the creation of a happy mixture of many different odors,
which we call a “bouquet” and which every finished perfume
must be, the creator seeks not only to hit the right notes, but
to strike those notes which go with one another. His perfume must
not be out of tune.” [Edward Sagarin, The Science and Art
of Perfumery (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1945), 145.]
Below is a chart of commonly available oils
based on their common classification:
Blending does not have hard and fast rules that
must be followed to create that wonderful blend that you’ll
love for a lifetime. The lack of limits and restrictions is what
makes perfumery an art form. Having said that, a few tips will help
get you off to a fine start:
Tips
- When creating a new blend, start out small with a total number
of drops of either 5, 10, 20 or 25 drops. 25 drops should be the
most that you start with. By starting small, you waste less oil
in your blending experiments.
- Start creating your blend by only using essential oils, absolutes
or CO2s. After you have designed the blend, then you can dilute
it by adding carrier oils, alcohol, etc. If you hate the blend
you created, you have then not wasted any carrier oils or alcohol.
- Keep a notebook that lists each oil that you used with the number
of drops used for each oil. When the creative juices flow, it
is easy to get carried away and later forget the exact recipe
for your blend; one drop too much or too little of even one oil
can drastically change the aroma of your blend. When you find
that perfect blend, you want to be able to reduplicate it, and
it’s near impossible if you didn’t take notes! If you
are especially ambitious, it’s also a wise idea to note the
vendor name of the oil that you used as the aroma and quality
of oils do vary between vendors (even with the same vendor, the
aroma of oils can vary from batch to batch, due to crop fluctuations
and resourcing).
- To store your beautiful creations, perfume sample bottles and
2ml amber “shortie” bottles are very inexpensive and
can often be purchased from aromatherapy vendors and glass bottle
companies.
- Be sure to label your blends clearly. If you don’t have
enough room to specify exactly what your blend is, label it with
a number that corresponds to a number in your notebook.
- Start off your blending experiments by creating blends that
are made up in the following ratio (you do not have to be exact
– this is just a guideline to get you started): 30% of the
oils are top notes, 50% are middle notes, and 20% are base notes.
See the chart above to find out what oils belong to each category.
- Some oils are much stronger than others, especially the absolutes
and CO2s. Study oils you wish to use in a given blend and observe
the oils that have the strongest aromas. Unless you want those
oils to dominate the blend, you will want to use dramatically
less of the stronger oils in your blend.
- To learn more about the strength of oils, it is useful to experiment.
Begin by adding one drop of a selected essential oil to 4 drops
carrier oil. This will result in a 20% dilution. Smell it and
study the aroma. To obtain a 10% dilution, add 5 more drops of
carrier oil. Smell it, study the aroma again, then repeat as desired.
This can help educate you on the characteristics and strengths
of each essential oil at various dilution ratios.
- After creating your blend, allow it to sit for a few days before
deciding if you love or hate it. The constituents (natural chemicals)
contained within the oils will get cozy with each other and the
aroma can change, usually rounding out a bit.
Recipes
Carrier Oil Base Perfume
- 15-25 drops of your perfume blend
- 1 tablespoon of Jojoba carrier oil (sweet almond or apricot
kernel carrier oil may be substituted)
Directions: Blend all oils together well
and store in an airtight dark-colored glass container. Dab a drop
onto your pulse points. Please note that this blend has a heavy
concentration of essential oils and is meant to be used sparingly.
As with any new oils and blends that you use, you must check all
safety data for the oils in your blend and do a skin patch test
prior to using.
Alcohol/Water Base Perfume
- 4 1/4 teaspoons Vodka
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Distilled Water
- 60 drops of your perfume blend
Directions: Blend all ingredients well
and store in an airtight 1 ounce dark-colored glass container.
Let sit for two weeks, shaking the bottle 1-3 times daily (more
often is better) to mix the oils. After two weeks has passed,
filter the perfume through a coffee filter and rebottle (using
the same bottle is fine). As with any blends that you use, you
must check all safety data for the oils in your blend and do a
skin patch test prior to using.
Cologne
- 4 1/2 teaspoons Vodka
- 2 teaspoons Distilled Water
- 30 drops of your perfume blend
Directions: Blend all ingredients well and store in
an airtight 1 ounce dark-colored glass container. Let sit
for two weeks, shaking the bottle 1-3 times daily (more often
is better) to mix the oils. After two weeks has passed, filter
the cologne through a coffee filter and rebottle into a one-ounce,
fine-mist sprayer bottle. As with any blends that you use,
you must check all safety data for the oils in your blend
and do a skin patch test prior to using. This makes only a
one-ounce quantity so that you can try your cologne to see
if you like it or want any changes to it before making a larger
quantity.
Body Splash
- 4 1/2 teaspoons Vodka
- 2 teaspoons Distilled Water
- 18 drops of your perfume blend
Directions: Blend all ingredients well
and store in an airtight 1 ounce dark-colored glass container.
Let sit for two weeks, shaking the bottle 1-3 times daily (more
often is better) to mix the oils. After two weeks has passed,
filter the body splash through a coffee filter and rebottle into
a one-ounce, fine-mist sprayer bottle.. As with any blends that
you use, you must check all safety data for the oils in your blend
and do a skin patch test prior to using. This makes only a one-ounce
quantity so that you can “try” your body splash to see
if you like it or want any changes to it before making a larger
quantity.
Air Freshener
An air freshener can be created that serves
purely an aromatic or a therapeutic purpose. See the Air
Freshener recipe within the Recipe
Box area for a base recipe that you can use for your custom
blend.
Part 1: Introduction to Blending
Part 2: Aromatic Blending
Part 3: Formulating
Masculine/Earthy Blends
Part 4: Therapeutic
Blending
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