Here are some tips to start blending your oils and create your base for a perfume, scrub, massage oil or any other natural beauty or wellness recipe.
Remember that whatever the purpose, it is best to create the blend of essential oils separately so you can 1) take the time to work on the right formula and 2) let it mature/blend before it is mixed to your final product.
Here are the steps I recommend for a beginner:
1. Gather your oils
2. Get your tools & accessories
3. Smell the ingredients selected in your palette one by one
It’s a good exercise to regularly remind yourself of the quality of each oil and it will help you decide on the olfactive direction you want to take. You can for instant associate the oils by family: the citruses, the fruits, the aromatic herbs, the woods, etc. Take a look at our blog post on olfactive families for inspiration
4. Now let's start blending, this is where the fun begins
Several approaches and methods were developed over the past century and one that I feel is well adapted to a beginner is the Jean Carles method (French Perfumer) of which I have distilled and adapted here the basic principles:
Pick the two materials that you feel will be at the core of your formula. Put 1 drop of each in your glass container and if you have, dip a smelling strip. If you feel it smells too much of one oil vs the other and is somewhat unbalanced, start adding a drop of the weaker oil and smell again. Repeat until you find the right balance between the two oils and make sure you reach a total of 10 drops total. For instance 3 drops of geranium and 7 drops of lavender.
1:1 = 5:5 -- if it smells right 5x each side2:3 = 4:6 -- if it smells right double both sides
2:5 ~ 3:7 -- if it smells right you can simply add 1 and 2 to actually make it 3:7
4:16 = 2:8 -- will give you more than 10 units
4:36 = 1:9 -- will give you more than 10 units
1:4 = 2:8 -- if it smells right double both sides
1:9 = 1:9 -- if it smells right you are already at 10 units
Now that you are happy with your core blend of 2 oils, you can start building on it to add some complexity or refinement to your scent.
You can for instance decide to add a new olfactory facet, like adding some wood to a fruity/floral core blend. Or you can decide to strengthen a particular facet, adding for instance some orange to a core that contains another citrus like bergamot for instance. Whatever the direction, use the following approach:
1:10 = add 1 drop of the new oil to your core blend of 10 drops.
Take the time to blend well and let mature/sit for a few minutes before smelling. Repeat that at each step.
2:10 = add another drop to the total. Remember that this new note should be subtle and complement your core.
As soon as you are happy, stop and repeat the same with another oil.
If you are happy with your fragrance with four oils, just stop there. You don't want to have more than 4-5 oils total as a start and you can make an excellent scent with these 5 oils, remember it's all about balance.
And more important, have fun with it!
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Vegetable oils - also called ‘carrier’ or ‘base’ oils - are oils that are extracted from various seeds or fruits by a physical process called "cold pressing*, meaning the fruits/seeds/kernels are crushed to squeeze out their oil. These oils are commonly used in cooking (olive oil, sunflower oil) but are also extremely beneficial for skin and hair. And choosing what oil is best for you will depend on their natural composition and your skin type. To help you chose, here is a little guide about what each oil is good for.
Oils covered: Almond, Apricot, Argan, Avocado, Hemp, Coconut, Jojoba.