Aromatherapy Perfumes
Aromatherapy Perfumes and Scents
DO YOU love the scent of flowers? How about when you open a new jar of your favorite herb or spice? Does that flood you with joy as you breath in the aroma? A large part of our brain is devoted to storing the memory of scent. It is often unpleasant scents that remind us to throw out that goop at the back of the refrigerator. But usually when we think about scent, it evokes feelings of pleasure.
Scent has been part of human existence since the beginning. The economies of several ancient cultures were based entirely on the scent and/or spice trade. The Queen of Sheba sold frankincense to keep her nation afloat. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and Persians were devoted to the pleasures of scent in all forms. This page is dedicated to the purely aesthetic aspects of scent. Look at creating your own solid perfumes and how you can use essential oils to evoke feelings of pleasure. Take time to make your own fragrance.
NATURAL PERFUMES FOR MIND AND BODY
Thinking about the types of scents that make you happy is the first step in defining your personal scent preferences. Do you like lemon and citrus? How about pine, spruce or other confers? Does the scent of fresh flowers make you smile? How about warm, spicy scents like cinnamon, ginger, or clove? Lavender or Chamomile appeal to you? Florals are generally relaxing. Mints can energize you. Citrus is uplifting. Frankincense is grounding.
Making your own perfume is very simple. Start with 9-12 drops of essential oils for every 1/3 oz of carrier oil. Build your perfume from the base, through the heart and lastly add the top notes. Divide the drops equally between base, middle, & top notes.
What are the base, middle or heart notes and top notes? They are the building blocks of your perfume. Base notes last the longest and hold down the evaporation rate of your perfume so it lasts. Heart notes are where the majority of the perfume's aroma comes from after the first few minutes. Top notes are what you smell when you first open the bottle & apply perfume to your skin.
The heat of your body releases the fragrance, so keep in mind that what you smell in the bottle will change on your skin.
If you want calming, use lavender at the heart of your blend.
If you want energizing, mint, rosemary, or eucalyptus would be some top note choices.
The base of your blend can be Rosewood, Vanilla, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Oakmoss, or Frankincense. These warm, woody, or resinous scents will emerge after the top notes have evaporated. They allow your perfume to linger.
MAKING SOLID PERFUMES AT HOME
Now that you've concocted your own perfume blend, you might want to try making solid perfume. This is particularly fun to do if you have some wonderful old snuff boxes or pill boxes.
Find a small stainless steel or other non-reactive heat proof pot. It's suggested to use a set of metal measuring cups.
For every 5ml of perfume in a jojoba base, you'll need about 1/4 teaspoon of grated beeswax or floral wax. Jasmine floral wax is recommended. It is a by-product of making jasmine absolute & it smells divine. It also melts very well.
Put the grated wax into the small pot & melt over low heat. Watch carefully.
As soon as it melts, remove from heat, add your perfume blend, & stir well with a wooden skewer.
Quickly pour into your chosen perfume container.
Leave 10 minutes to solidify. ENJOY!