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How to create your Own Scent Blends


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Was searching the web to get a better foundation and thought I'd post the results. I thought is was very informative and interesting.

For those that are more experienced - I hope you can add a few tips! TIA!

Top note:

Top note oils are the lightest, most stimulating and energizing oils. They have a fresh, immediately apparent quality that is intense, but fleeting, due to their fast evaporation rate.

Examples of top note oils are:

  • Basil
  • Bergamot
  • Eucalyptus
  • Lemon
  • Lemongrass
  • Orange
  • Peppermint
  • Pine

Middle Note:

Middle note oils usually form the bulk of fragrance blends. They are strong, lasting and potent - not as bright as the top notes, or solid as the base notes. Their scent emerges shortly after the top note's first impression.

Examples of middle note oils are:

  • Chamomile
  • Fennel
  • Geranium
  • Juniper
  • Lavender
  • Nutmeg
  • Rosemary
  • Tea Tree

Base Note:

Base note oils are the slowest to evaporate. Their rich, heavy scents emerge slowly and linger. They form the base of the fragrance and give it staying power.

Examples of base note oils are:

  • Cedarwood
  • Clove
  • Jasmine
  • Patchouli
  • Rose
  • Sandalwood
  • Vetiver

  1. Many people start with blending essential oils. They are basic components that can be used to build more complex blends. But you can any combination of essential OR fragrance oils. I recommend choosing components based on having at least one top note, middle note, and base note, or just choose several oils that you think will go well together. This is all about experimentation.
  2. Open the oils and the small glass jar. You may be able to get a preview of your scent blend merely by having the three bottles open at the same time.
  3. One at a time, dip the tip of a clean cotton swab into the fragrance or essential oil. Squeeze any excess oil from the swab on the lip of the bottle.
  4. Place the swab in the glass jar.zSB(3,3)
  5. Repeat for each of the scents you want to add to the blend.
  6. Make sure to write down each oil you include in the blend.
  7. Walk away from the jar and wait a few minutes.
  8. Come back to the jar and gently sniff the air above the jar. This will be the scent blend in its early stage of development. Take notes on your thoughts about it. Is one oil overpowering the others? Do two of them seem too similar to tell apart?
  9. Put the lid on the jar and leave it in a cool, dark place. After a few hours, open the jar and smell the blend again. The scent should have mixed further and "matured" a bit. Take further notes on your thoughts about the blend.
  10. Put the lid back on the jar and leave it again in a cool, dark place. After about 48 hours, open the jar and smell it again. The scent blend should be fully mixed and "matured" by now. Take further notes about the blend.
  11. Make corrections to your blend. Perhaps try two parts of oil A and one part of oil B. Or add some oil D to your blend of A, B, and C. Try the blend again until you find the perfect combination.
  12. Last, but not least, try the blend in a candle or soap, and take notes on how it works in them.

Tips:

  1. Try to get equal amounts of fragrance or essential oil on each cotton swab, and make sure your they are completely clean - or else you'll risk contaminating your essential oils.
  2. Instead of cotton swabs, you can use an eye dropper or disposable pipette and a paper towel, but you must use a fresh dropper or pipette for each essential oil.
  3. Don't stick your nose into the jar to smell the blend. Let the scent rise from out of the jar.
  4. Sniffing coffee beans or ground coffee will cleanse your scent receptors. (Yes, just like cleansing your palate.) Sniff some coffee beans in between tests and you'll get a more accurate reading on the scents.
  5. Experiment, experiment, experiment! Don't be afraid to try odd combinations, or combinations that don't adhere to the top-middle-base note ideal. Above all, be sure to take good notes!

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/fragrancesandaromatherapy/ht/htcustblend.htm

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That's great! Thanks for sharing that. I have been experimenting with my own EO blends for my catalytic lamp. Some end up smelling like floor cleaner or like the gingerbread factory exploded.

But this makes a lot more sense. Experimentation is such fun. I will continue now with this information you shared.

Thanks again.

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When you think of essential oils being used in perfumery, think of the notes as a musical scale of scents. Each fragrance is either a top, middle, or base note. Once in a while, there will be fragrances that can be classified in more than one note category. This can be expressed as "middle to top" or "base to middle" etc. When you mix your notes, it is common practice to take scents from each note and blend them together. This is definitely not a requirement, but a good starting point for formulations, especially for beginners. It is possible that two base notes will work well together without a top note, or a top note and a base note will work together without a middle note, but common practice is to combine fragrances from each of the three notes together. However, if you feel that you have a good combination without conforming to that practice, by all means keep it! The main idea is to find a pleasant and unique fragrance.

This site is putting the tea tree in the top and pine in the middle. That makes things a little more confusing. LOL!

Top Note:

Tea Tree

Middle Note:

Pine

Base Note:

ylang ylang

vanilla

Top Note Essential Oils

Anise (Top to Middle)

Basil (Top to Middle)

Bergamot (Top to Middle)

Cajuput

Cinnamon

Clary Sage (Top to Middle)

Coriander (Top to Middle)

Eucalyptus

Grapefruit

Hyssop (Top to Middle)

Lemon

Lemongrass (Top to Middle)

Lime

Mandarin/Tangerine

Neroli (Top to Middle)

Verbena

Niaouli

Orange

Peppermint

Petitgrain

Ravensara

Sage

Spearmint

Tagetes

Tangerine

Tea Tree (Top to Middle)

Thyme (Top to Middle)

Middle Note Essential Oils

Bay

Black Pepper

Cardamom

Chamomile

Cypress

Fennel (Middle to Top)

Geranium

Ho Leaf

Ho Wood

Hyssop (Middle to Top)

Juniper

Lavender (Middle to Top)

Marjoram

Melissa (Middle to Top)

Myrtle

Nutmeg

Palma Rosa

Pine

Rosemary

Spikenard

Yarrow

Base Note Essential Oils

Balsam

Cassia (Base to Middle)

Cedarwood

Cinnamon (Base to Middle)

Clove

Frankincense

Ginger (Base to Middle)

Jasmine

Myrrh

Neroli (Base to Middle)

Oakmoss

Patchouli

Rose

Rosewood (Base to Middle)

Sandalwood

Valerian

Vanilla

Vetiver

Ylang Ylang (Base to Middle)

http://www.sudsandwicks.com/tutorials/essentialoilblending.shtml

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I just experiment by adding together the scents, pouring it into a tart and doing it that way. Of couse I've been tweaking and mixing my own scents for years. Keeps all the other local chandlers guessing!

Fire:laugh2:

That's the way to do it! That's what I want to do.

Peppermint/Eucalyptus, Amaretto and Cowboy Blues - mixed these this morning. The Peppermint and Amaretto are competing - big time. Not a good combination.

I also did Citrus Splash, Lavender Vanilla and Balsam - Not too bad. I'd like to get a cleaner Lavender than the one I have.

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Thanks for the information! I suck at determining top, middle and base notes I don't think my palette is very sophisticated..lol I've been doing like the others, just mixing a few and see what I come up with...LOL

This info does help to learn a bit more about it all.

Kim

You're welcome. I thought it was very interesting. I wanted to branch out but I also wanted to know the "method with the madness".

Even though we will mix whatever comes to mind, it is still good to have a base to work with. I found that the rule applies for any type of fragrance mix whether you are studying perfume, candles, soap, etc.

I just think, for the most part, I won't waste a lot of time by putting the wrong notes together. This does help me. I'm adding to the list as I read from other sites and companies. When they list a fragrance and what note it is, I add that to my list under the correct category. I find that some middle notes can be a top note and vice versa. Some base notes can also be a middle note. It's interesting.

I might keep that updated here. :smiley2:

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basenotes.net is an amazing site for people addicted to fragrance. I have learned so much from the people there, Great information!

Thanks, I saw that site. I'll look into that more closely.

I am totally addicted. My only problem is my daughter is downsizing my candle area in her store and I think I'm only going to have room for 20 scents. I need to find the best twenty in the different categores: Fruit, floral, food, nature, seasonal.

Any suggestions would be great.

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Also very helpful. Scents that mix well together.

allspice - frankencense, geranium, ginger, lavender, lemon, patchouli, orange, ylang ylang

almond - allspice, amber, cassia, cinnamon, clove, ginger, lavender, lemon, neroli, nutmeg, oakmoss, orange, patchouli, sandalwood, spikenard, vanilla, violet leaf, ylang ylang

amyris - anise, cedarwood, citronella, lavender, palmarosa

anise - amyris, bay, caraway, cardamom, cedarwood, coriander, fennel, galbanum, mandarin, petitgrain, rosewood

balsam - cinnamon, clove, patchouli, sandalwood

basil -bergamot, citronella, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, hyssop, lavender, mandarin, marjoram, neroli, orange, rosemary, tangerine, verbena, violet

bay, laurel -anise, carnation, cedarwood, clove, eucalyptus, lime, nutmeg, rose, violet

bay rum - anise, carnation, cedarwood, clove, eucalyptus, lime, nutmeg, rose, violet

benzoin - cypress, eucalyptus, lemon, neroli, sandalwood

bergamot - basil, cedarwood, chamomile, citronella, clary sage, clove, coriander, cypress, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, lime, mandarin, marjoram, neroli, patchouli, peppermint, rose, sage, sandalwood, spearmint, tangerine, thyme, vanilla, ylang ylang

black pepper (peppercorn) - basil, bergamot, cypress, floral oils, frankincense, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, marjoram, rose, rosemary, sandalwood

cardamom - anise, cedarwood, clove, frankincense, jasmine, neroli, orange, rose, violet, ylang ylang

carrot - bergamot, lavender, lemon, lime, neroli, orange, rosemary

cedarwood - bergamot, cinnamon, frankincense, hyacinth, neroli, rose, rosemary, violet

chamomile - bergamot, cinnamon, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, galbanum, jasmine, juniper, lavender, marjoram, neroli, patchouli, rosemary, vetiver, ylang ylang

cinnamon - balsam peru, black pepper, caraway, carnation, chamomile, citrus oils, clove, frankincense, geranium, ginger, lavender, nutmeg, orange, rose, rosemary, spice oils, thyme, violet, ylang ylang

citronella - amyris, basil, bergamot, cedarwood, eucalyptus, galbanum, geranium, lemon, lemongrass, lime, orange, peppermint, pine

clary sage - armoise, basil, bergamot, cardamom, cedarwood, chamomile, clove, coriander, frankincense, geranium, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lime, mandarin, neroli, nutmeg, orange, patchouli, petitgrain, pine, sandalwood, tangerine, violet

clove leaf - allspice, balsam peru, basil, bay, bergamot, cade, cardamom, carnation, cinnamon, citronella, clary sage, geranium, ginger, hyssop, lavender, nutmeg, orange, patchouli, ravensara, rose, sandalwood, tea tree, violet, ylang ylang

coriander - anise, bergamot, clary sage, cypress, frankincense, ginger, jasmine, lemon, neroli, nutmeg, pine, sandalwood

cypress - benzoin, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, coriander, grapefruit, juniper, lavender, lemon, marjoram, myrrh, orange, pine, sandalwood

dillweed - lavender

eucalyptus - benzoin, caraway, cedarwood, clary sage, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, marjoram, peppermint, pine, ravensara, rosemary, thyme, vetiver

everlasting - bergamot, chamomile, geranium, frankincense

fennel- geranium, hyssop, lavender, lemon, rose, sandalwood

fir needle - basil, cedarwood, frankincense

frankincense -ambrette, basil, bergamot, camphor, cardamom, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, clary sage, coriander, galbanum, geranium, ginger, lavender, mandarin, myrrh, neroli, orange, pepper, pine, rosemary, sandalwood, vetiver

galbanum - anise, armoise, chamomile, citronella, elemi, frankincense, geranium, ginger, jasmine, jonquil, myrrh, palmarosa, rose, sandalwood, ylang ylang

geranium - allspice, basil, bergamot, citronella, clary sage, carrot seed, clove, fennel, frankincense, galbanum, grapefruit, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, myrrh, neroli, nutmeg, palmarosa, patchouli, peppermint, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, tangerine, tuberose, violet

ginger - allspice, cajeput, cedarwood, cinnamon, clove, coriander, elemi, eucalyptus, frankincense, galbanum, geranium, lemon, lime, neroli, orange, patchouli, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, spearmint, verbena, vetive

grapefruit, pink - bergamot, cedarwood, cypress, frankincense, geranium, lavender, lemon, lime, mandarin, neroli, orange, palmarosa, rosemary, sage, tangerine, vanilla

hyssop - basil, bergamot, celery, clary sage, clove, fennel, lavender, orange, rosemary, sage, tangerine

jasmine - bergamot, cardamom, chamomile, clary, sage, frankincense, galbanum, geranium, lemongrass, muget, neroli, oakmoss, orange, rose, sandalwood, spearmint, vetiver

juniper - bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, elemi, eucalyptus, frankencense, geranium, lavender, myrrh, pine, rosemary, sandalwood, vetiver

lavender - allspice, amyris, basil, bergamot, black pepper, carrot, cedarwood, chamomile, cistus, citronella, clary sage, clove, cypress, dill, eucalyptus, fennel, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, hyssop, juniper, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, marjoram, myrrh, musk, neroli, oakmoss, orange, patchouli, peppermint, petitgrain, pine, ravensara, rosemary, sandalwood, spearmint, spikenard, tangerine, tea tree, thyme, tonka bean, verbena, vetiver, wintergreen, yarrow

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lemon - benzoin, bergamot, carrot, cedar, chamomile, citronella, cypress, eucalyptus, fennel, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, lavender, mandarin, neroli, orange, peppermint, rose, sage, sandalwood, tangerine, tea tree, thyme, vanilla, verbena, violet, ylang ylang

lemongrass - basil, cedarwood, citronella, eucalyptus, geranium, jasmine, lavender, palmarosa, neroli, niaouli, tea tree, vetiver

lime - bay, bergamot, birch, carrot, citronella, clary sage, clove bud, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, lavender, mandarin, neroli, nutmeg, rose, rosemary, tangerine, ylang ylang

mandarin - anise, basil, bergamot, camphor, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, lavender, lemon, lime, marjoram, neroli, nutmeg, orange, rose, sage, vanilla, verbena

marjoram - basil, bergamot, cedarwood, chamomile, cypress, eucalyptus, lavender, mandarin, nutmeg, orange, pepper, peppermint, rosemary, rosewood, tea tree, thyme, ylang ylang

myrrh - clove, cypress, frankincense, galbanum, geranium, juniper, lavender, orange, patchouli, pine, sandalwood

myrtle - coriander, lavender, rosemary, tea tree

neroli / aka: orange blossom - ambrette, benzoin, bergamot, cardamom, carrot, chamomile, clary sage, coriander, frankincense, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lime, mandarin, orange, patchouli, rose, tangerine, ylang ylang

niaouli / aka: gomenol (leaf/stem) - coriander, fennel, juniper, orange, peppermint

nutmeg - bay, cinnamon, clary sage, clove, coriander, geranium, lime, landarin, larjoram, orange, petitgrain, rosemary, tea tree

oakmoss absolute (lichen-whole plant) - cedarwood, citrus oils, hyacinth, jasmine, pine, rose, vetiver

orange, bitter (peel) - basil, camphor, cardamom, carrot, cinnamon, citronella, clary sage, clove, coriander, cypress, frankincense, ginger, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, mandarin, marjoram, myrrh, neroli, nutmeg, patchouli, petitgrain, rose, sage, sandalwood, tangerine, vanilla, verbena, ylang ylang

orange, sweet (peel) - basil, camphor, cardamom, carrot, cinnamon, citronella, clary sage, clove, coriander, cypress, frankincense, ginger, grapefruit, hyssop, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, mandarin, marjoram, myrrh, neroli, nutmeg, patchouli, petitgrain, rose, sage, sandalwood, tangerine, vanilla, verbena, ylang ylang

oregano (flower/leaf) - basil, fennel, geranium, pine

palmarosa - amyris, bergamot, cedarwood, citronella, galbanum, geranium, grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, lemongrass, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood

parsley - lavender, lime, orange

patchouli (leaf) - allspice, armoise, balsam peru, bergamot, black pepper, carnation, cedarwood, chamomile, clary sage, clove, frankincense, geranium, ginger, jasmine, lavender, myrrh, neroli, rose, sandalwood, spikenard, vetiver

pennyroyal (leaf) - cedarwood, peppermint

peppermint - bergamot, cedarwood, cypress, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, lemon, marjoram, niaouli, pine, rosemary, sandalwood

pettigrain - bergamot, cedarwood, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, lavender, neroli, nutmeg, orange, rosemary, rosewood, sandalwood

pine (needle) - cedarwood, citronella, clary sage, clove, coriander, cypress, eucalyptus, frankincense, juniper, lavender, myrrh, myrtle, niaouli, rosemary, spikenard, tea tree

ravensara (bark/leaf) - chamomile, clove, eucalyptus, lavender, pine, rosemary

rose otto (flower) - ambrette, bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, chamomile, clary sage, clove, fennel, galbanum, geranium, ginger, jasmine, lavender, lemon, mandarin, musk, neroli, oakmoss, orange, patchouli, sandalwood, tangerine, vetiver, ylang ylang

rosemary - armoise, basil, bergamot, black pepper, cade, caraway, carrot, cedarwood, chamomile, cinnamon, elemi, eucalyptus, frankincense, ginger, grapefruit, hyssop, juniper, lavender, lemon, lime, marjoram, nutmeg, orange, peppermint, petitgrain, pine, ravensara, sage, tea tree, thyme

rosewood / aka: bois de rose (wood) -cedarwood, coriander, frankincense, rose, sandalwood, vetiver

sage, dalmatian (flower/leaf) - armoise, bergamot, grapefruit, hyssop, lemon, mandarin, orange, rosemary

sandalwood - ambrette, balsam peru, basil, benzoin, bergamot, black pepper, clary sage, clove, coriander, cypress, daphne, fennel, frankincense, galbanum, geranium, ginger, honeysuckle, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemon, muguet, myrrh, neroli, palmarosa, patchouli, peppermint, rose, spearmint, vanilla, vetiver, violet

spearmint - basil, bergamot, birch, eucalyptus, ginger, grapefruit, jasmine, lavender, rosemary, sandalwood

spikenard - lavender, patchouli, pine, vetiver

spruce - lavender, clary sage

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tangerine - basil, bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, hyssop, lavender, lemon, lime, neroli, orange, rose, vanilla, verbena

tea tree - cinnamon, clary sage, clove, cypress, eucalyptus, geranium, ginger, lavender, lemon, marjoram, nutmeg, pine, rosemary, ylang ylang, thyme

thyme - armoise, bergamot, cade, cedarwood, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, marjoram, muguet, rosemary

vanilla - bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, orange, sandalwood, tangerine, vetiver

verbena - basil, bergamot, chamomile, geranium, lavender, mandarin, orange, neroli, rose, rosemary, tangerine

vetiver - cedarwood, chamomile, frankincense, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, jasmine, juniper, lavender, lemongrass, patchouli, rose, sandalwood, spikenard, vanilla, violet, ylang ylang

violet - basil, cardamom, cedarwood, clary sage, heliotrope, lemon, sandalwood, vetiver

wintergreen - birch, lavender

yarrow - lavender

ylang ylang - allspice, bergamot, camphor, cardamom, cedarwood, chamomile, citronella, clove, galbanum, jasmine, lavender, lemon, marjoram, neroli, rose, rosewood, tea tree, verbena, vetiver

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A good way to start is one drop base, 2 drops mid, 3 drops top. Or you can get quite scientific - I've actually started doing this for my signature scent I'm developing and it's kind of fun.

First, mix 2 top notes in 10 different concentrations, by drops:

Note A: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Note B: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

So your first sample is 10 drops A, 1 drop B. Your second sample is 9 drops A, 2 drops B..... You've got 10 samples of 11 drops each, with note A the strongest in the first sample, and Note B the strongest in the last sample.

Figure out which one you prefer, and make up a mixture using that ratio.

Next, using that mixture, add in the mid note.

Mixture of A/B: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Middle note C: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10

Figure out which one of those 10 variations you like, and make up a mix of A/B/C.

Continue on with the base note...

Takes a long time to work through though :)

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basenotes.net is an amazing site for people addicted to fragrance. I have learned so much from the people there, Great information!

I got a chance to look at this a little closer. I like the Scent Review section.

They do break down some of the scents they are reviewing into the notes.

No. 89 by Floris

Top: Bergamot, Orange, Geranium, Nutmeg

Middle: Orange Blossom, Rose, Jasmine, herbal notes

Base: Sandalwood, cedar, vetiver

Very cool!

http://www.basenotes.net/reviewcentre/

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