Blending
Basic Guidelines in making Essential Oil Blends
When making the perfect blend, it is important to combine essential oils with high, middle, and base notes that compliment each other.
There are many ways of accomplishing this task. One way is work with a particular “family” of oils. One such family would be the citrus family; another would be the Wood family.
The citrus family of oils is notorious for being a “high” note which means that the scent of the oil disappears very quickly, making it very volatile.
The Wood family of oils tends to be more of the ‘base’ notes, or low notes making the scent of these oils last for a much longer time.
Middle notes like Lavender and Geranium tend to make the top notes last longer, but it is the base notes that will dominate the blend if they are used in equal amounts with the middle and high notes.
Here is a simple formula for you to remember when creating your next blend of essential oils:
3 – 2 – 1 to 1 ounce of carrier oil
The 3-2-1 blend stands for 3 drops of a high note, 2 drops of a middle note, and 1 drop of a base note added to 1 ounce of carrier oil. That is the basic blending formula to create the perfect blend. You can increase this basic formula to such degrees such as:
3-2-1
6-4-2
9-6-3
30-20-10
A typical recipe for making perfume is to use 25 drops of essential oil to 2 ½ ounces of carrier oil. This carrier oil can be pure grain alcohol, such as vodka, or you can just use jojoba oil.
The 25 drops of essential oils that you will be using will still be based on the above 3-2-1- formula using 3 drops of top notes to every 2 drops of middle notes to 1 drop of every base note. In addition to this blend, you will add a few drops of a Bridge Note oil. We will discuss this formula more later on.
Fixatives such as Phthalates and Glycerin are sometimes added to the perfume to depress the evaporation rate of essential oils. Fixatives can come in either vegetable or animal while a wide range of synthetic substances are used today.
The problem with using Phthalates is that they are known to have a carcinogenic effect. Both Phthalates and Glycerin may cause or provoke allergic reactions in some people. Because of this fact, and the fact that essential oils do not evaporate very fast in the atmosphere, you may choose to leave fixatives out of your formulas, I know I do.
The important thing to remember though while you are creating your blends is KEEP NOTES!
There is nothing like coming up with a wonderful finished product and then you find yourself unable to recreate it because you forgot the formula.
Another important thing to remember is that when your blend has time to sit for awhile, it will change. The change may be ever so slight, but it will happen. It may even surprise and delight you.
There is a lot of experimentation that goes on to create the perfect blend. With practice and patience, you will create a blend that is perfect and right for you.