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Ever wondered how to create your own essential oil blend? It’s not hard and it can be a lot of fun!  Put your handy professor hat on, and get ready to blend!

Making Good Scents

Do you love aromatherapy, but are stuck on how to create your own essential oil blend? Do you think it would be fun? A little adventerous?

You’re right!

When we consider the additional benefits of using pure essential oils to create our own scented blends for skincare, emotional and physical well being, it becomes a unique and hard to resist opportunity. The results are pleasant, and it is fun to use our creative side when developing our own skin care scents.

In using gentle essential oils, even when your primary goal is to create a beautiful scent, you are bound to reap the healing and stress reducing benefits of the essential oil as well.

Scent can be an extremely powerful mood enhancer, often used to calm and relax or to uplift and invigorate, there are even some that do both.

As stress is one of the major contributors to disease in our society today, the art of creating scent through essential oil blends in our environment… aromatherapy… is a gentle and enjoyable wellness tool.

If you are looking at skin care benefits only, you should decide what exactly you want and research the best oils to use to create your own essential oil blend, then choose from them, being careful to follow dilution rates and safety guidelines. As a matter of fact, creating a blend according to it’s beneficial properties is a whole other topic!

If you are going for scent, both of these still apply, but you are free to follow your nose.

Creating you own essential oil blend is something that doesn’t necessarily take experience to begin, but must be experienced to accomplish, if that makes any scents :0)

You can learn methods and get ideas from a book, but you must do it to do it.

Using pure essential oils to make your own scented blends doesn’t just make good scents, it makes good sense too!

Start by Getting To Know Your Essential Oils Individually and on a First Name Basis

Many pure essential oils are beautiful as they are. Take a sniff. Let the essence filter through the air and into your nostrils. It lingers and becomes you. Try it!

TIP: Never sniff a pure essential oil straight from the bottle, hold it away from you or put a drop onto a piece of paper or a q-tip, or put it in a bit of carrier oil).

Essential Oils are potent in their pure form – it’s the lingering essence that you are after.

Sniffing essential oils straight from the bottle can damage your sense of smell and/or give you a headache. But it won’t give you a true sense of the particular essential oils scent, many are much different and sometimes more pleasant when diluted.

Become familiar with your oils. It will be easier to know just the right one to use when you are looking for something to create your new essential oil blend and will give you a good variety to choose from when you are in the planning stages of creating your blend.

It is said that scent will help you to retain memory as that particular scent will be “linked” to the memory, so upon smelling it, you will remember what you where thinking at that time. We’ve all experienced this in one form or another as a familiar scent takes us back to a certain place and time.

I believe that we also retain the memory of each essential oils nuance so that when we are playing with ideas, a blend of sorts will come together almost automatically if you have decided what end result you are looking for, much like many times we remember things like phone numbers and passwords directly through our fingers, on autopilot, but if we are asked to remember what they are, we can’t (been there, done that with my van security passcode, bad scene!)

So it is important to get to know your scents by enjoying them individually first.

If you are on a budget, or would like to start by focusing on one area of scent, research oils in that category and purchase a small sampling of these oils to play with. You will need to decide if you would like to make a light floral using oils such as rose, lavender or chamomile, a heady intoxicating blend with oils such as jasmine, sandalwood or oak moss, or an invigorating citrus blend using oils such as grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime… just for starters, the possibilities are endless.

That’s the fun of making scents!

CREATE YOUR OWN ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND – IT’S JUST A FEELING

It’s Just a Feeling…

In part one of this series on “How To Create Your Own Essential Oil Blend”, we discussed the importance of getting to know the individual essential oils, both in practical terms… properties and safety for example and by nuance… the fragrance and individual “stamp” that an oil will leave in our subconscious emotional memory.

This is of tremendous help when brainstorming possibilities for a new essential oil blend.

In my experience, working within the synergy of an essential oil blend is a feel more than anything… a feel for the essential oils that you are using as well as for the finished effect that you are looking for.

It always amazes me how even the slightest adjustment can make a huge difference in the outcome.

The very first thing I always do is visualize how I want it to come out… I imagine the finished blend in a bath oil or lotion, and decide on what effect I’m looking for.

Uplifting? Deep and sensual? Fruity and fun?

The possibilities are endless, if there are any drawbacks to blending essential oils, it’s not that we are limited, it’s that there are so many choices!

Surprisingly enough, I find the bathtub the best place to do this (I love this job!) Or my other favourite is going for a walk in the peace and quiet and fresh air, contemplating scents, often pulling ideas from the scent and temperament of the air around me.

Ever tried a full moon blend? I haven’t but it is next on my list… let me see now, my mind is already turning over ideas. What oils are bright and phosphorescent but full and mellow at the same time? That’s the way to get inspired, take your cues from nature and the essence that is already around you.

As I type, it’s on the tip of my brain. A light floral and maybe a mint, something fresh and tingly. With a wee hint of seduction, maybe an amber or touch of oak moss.

You may flounder for awhile with it, but suddenly it will come to you, just the scent that you are looking for. If you get stuck, now is the time to go and sample your assortment of oils to see if anything jumps out at you. Sometimes you will be amazed at how the blend will almost pull itself together.

Paper + Pen + Essential Oils

Next step… a piece of paper and a pen! Write down all of your thoughts and ideas, you may use them all or just some.

Make a list of the essential oils you’d like to try, anything that pops into your mind.

Many times I seem to do this by colour, often grouping dark essential oils together, or clear essential oils etc. But it doesn’t always have to be that way either.

Are you blending for scent or therapeutic value?

Add a rough outline as to how many parts of each oil you think would go nicely. Don’t write it in ink, because it will likely change!

Many times I seem inclined to choose my oils as much by colour as by scent, often grouping dark essential oils together, or clear essential oils etc. But it doesn’t always have to be that way and often I will compliment the blend with a touch of a completely different essential oil.

A popular but simple example is the addition of vanilla to orange. It mellows the sharper citrus creating a scent that is much like creamsicle.

On the other hand, the addition of a mint to an orange essential oil (there are many varieties available) will give a surprisingly beautiful fruity and fresh aroma, perfect for many things, especially potpourri in the kitchen and soap.

Got your ideas together? It’s time to go to get to work!

Setting The Stage for Blending Essential Oils

Most people who like to use essential oils have their own favourite method of pulling them together to create the ultimate symphony for the olfactory senses – a rockin’ essential oil blend!

The most important step in a creating a successful essential oil blend is to set the stage.

Get Clear

The first thing to do is to get clear – create a “blank canvass” to work with. This step is actually universal to starting any task at all.

In the arena of blending essential oils, getting clear means a few things.

First of all, it is important to have a clear space. Surprising to some, this means both physically and emotionally. No family, pets or other noisy types running around your work area, unless they are your partner in the project and will be sharing in the adventure – if it is your dog, I’d like to hear about it!

Set The Atmosphere

Setting the atmosphere can give an amazing boost to the creative process, especially, as in this case, where you are not depending so much on your thinking ability as on the ability of your own senses… and catching the reaction your own body has to them… in a split second as they can be fleeting. Sometimes it’s just that subtle nuance that will give you the idea that you need to make that special blend.

ON SITE RESEARCH

A shower before hand not only cleans the body – including the aura, which may interest some of you, I find it is the perfect place to “feel” for a blend inside of your subconscious memory. If you haven’t tried letting go and blending by instinct and visualization, give it a try, it’s very much like a meditation.

Just clear your mind, think of the end result that you would like your blend to be, and if you have made yourself familiar with your oils, something will come to you.

Or you can take it from the other direction. Meditate on the oils that you would like to use, and you will start to create the end result in your mind as the water cleanses all other thoughts from your mind.

Along the same lines, you can brainstorm a blend in the tub, you don’t have to shower again :0)

If you have an oil or two in mind, it can help to add a few drops to a carrier oil and put it in the tub so that you can consider it. Sometimes a faint whiff of a top, middle or base note will set you off to remembering another oil that will match well.

One word of caution, if you are using soap or a shower product, don’t use anything with scent, especially synthetic as it will skew your sense of smell. The only exception to this rule is if you are using an essential oil product that contains the oil you would like to blend.

Another interesting aspect of cleansing in the shower is the concept that a shower cleanses the aura as well as the body. Everyone feels better after a shower! Let any thoughts of conflict or negativity that may distract her wash right down the drain.

Now that we are clear, there are a few steps we can take to set the stage for the perfect essential oil blend.

Mood and Music

Relaxing music will do wonders, I encourage you to try it even if it sounds hokey. Have some fun with it!

The type of blend you want to make can help you to choose the music that you want to work with.

I often work with Mozart and some of the various new age type music out there these days, it’s amazing how the state of relaxtion really does put you into a creative mode where you can forget all the hussle bussle of *other things*. Many ideas can come from a whiff here and a whiff there that you’ll find floating in the air around you, if you are distracted you could miss it.

If you want to do something really fun and lively, you may want to choose something a little more upbeat and fun, but not something that will take your attention away from your reactions and opinions at every additional drop of essential oil you may blend, or to each essential oil that you may consider.

Wear something comfortable, put anything away that you don’t need to use and give the area that you will be working in a quick wipe.

LISTEN WITH YOUR EYES, FEEL WITH YOUR EARS, TASTE WITH YOUR NOSE (and never diet again!)
- Janice Ferrante on Blending Essential Oils :0)

If all of this sounds unnecessary, try it the next time you get ready to play around with a blend. You might be surprised.

THE METHOD – high intensity results for any fitness level

My favourite method is to use q-tips, each end of the q-tip represents one part while I’m formulating the blend. It’s quite simple, using a dropper or pipette, drop one drop of the essential oil you’d like to use on one end of a q tip, you can cut the q tips in half if you want. This gives you some flexibility if you want to adjust it later, taking the time to label your q tip can be useful for this. Place it in a baggie or jar. It may also be useful to wrap that in tin foil to retain the scent of your blend until it’s had time to meld and be sure to label it with the exact blend you have used (repeat that twice and don’t forget!). If you’re like me, your going to end up with about 3 or more baggies floating around for each blend and it can be really frustrating if you don’t know what’s what.

Another method is to put the drops into a small jar or bottle. This is good because you can use the blend when you’re finished for something besides air freshener, but the problem with it is that once you’ve added something, you can’t go back.

The q-tips are nice because they present a diffused scent, sniffing straight out of the bottle can be

- will not always represent a true smell of the blend you have created. The best way you can test that you like your blend is to dilute it in a carrier such as an oil or lotion, never use essential oils undiluted on the skin. You can use them undiluted in a diffuser.

- hard on the nose,

- overload your sense of smell quickly (you can counter this by having a sniff of coffee beans, I’m not sure if instant works as well, all I can say is that if you use it, don’t shake the jar first, cough, cough, cough,I told my husband that I needed to clear my nose, he asked me if I wanted a kleenex, I said thanks but I need a jar of coffe, he’s used to this stuff by now. You can use your arm pit too, so now he definitely will never ask me if I want another kleenex :0)

When you decided to bottle it, an accurate scale is also very useful, especially .1grams but you can also use measuring spoons, stainless steel wash up the best. The important thing is to be sure your proportions are the same as you measure as they where on your test run with the q-tips.

Here is a chart that you may find helpful if you want to mix up an oz or two of your blend.

KEEPING GOOD RECORDS IS A MUST (or you’re going to need a lot of lavender to soothe your nerves!)

As you are working, be sure you are keeping detailed notes, in one place! Get a binder that you section an area for blends into, or get a notebook, or put it in a file on your computer, what ever suits you, but be sure to keep detailed records AND keep them all in one place, or you will be sorry when you hit on *the blend* and can’t find how you did it later, odds are, you’re not going to remember! This goes for any and all recipes.

I was given a hint once that works well for me, because I always seem to do at least 2-3 tries of everything I do and would find I forget which one was the final recipe.

Write it in pencil so that you can erase and add your changes (no more illegible scribbles!) When you have the final copy in place, write it in pen and cover that with a plastic sheet protector. It’s nice because if you want to adjust the size of the recipe or blend, you can write your calculations on the sheet protector in erasable marker and wipe it off if you don’t want to save it. Put the final sheet in the corresponding section of your binder and it’s there for you when ever you need it. Make it a habit and you’ll be glad you did!

LET’S GET MARRIED NOW THAT WE’RE LIVING TOGETHER – the final frontier in matchmaking essential oils!

One other thing I’d like to mention is that it is always a good idea to let the blend sit for awhile when you’ve gotten it within range of what you’re looking for. The scents will blend further given some time, you’ll find some will appear stronger than when you first made the blend, others will fade. At this point you can make a few additions, or decide that it may need a little something else.

ANCHORING AND BLENDING FOR SOAPMAKING

You will find when making soap that some essential oils will fade faster than others, these are generally top notes… citrus oils are famous for this. So you may want to mix your blend a little heavier with these than you normally would.

Some essential oils are well known for anchoring or fixing a scent, like cedarwood, vetiver, frankincense, patchouli, sandalwood, and ylang ylang for instance. These are generally base notes.

Middle notes are the essential oils that provide a *meeting place* of sorts for the blend and pull both extremes together, giving a nice, long lasting mix. It’s a good idea to take this into consideration when formulation a blend especially to be used for soap.

Some essential oils wil fall into more than one catagory. I’ve read that a good guideline to follow if you are experimenting is a ratio of 3:2:1 (top:middle:base)
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