Natural from Toe to Head - Real Perfume Essential Oil Recipes

I have chemical allergies. Many fake "fragrances" set me off - coughing jags, headaches and the like. Not so fun. A couple of years ago I visited a Perfumery in Cairo. I was a little worried I'd have to turn around and leave if they were using anything at all that wasn't real. It turned out all the fragrances offered were naturally sourced using essential oils. Rows and rows of beautiful glass bottles filled with floral and spice essential oils and not a one caused a headache or coughing spell. Some Perfumers use synthesized chemicals and chemicals extracted from essential oils because they are often cheaper than using pure essential oils - you will find these in most cheaper commercially available perfumes, bodysprays and creams. Mixing up your own signature scent with essential oils is easy. Using essential oils for aromatherapy can also be a lot of fun. Below I've posted a few essential oil recipes I enjoy. 

To make your own aromatherapy perfume you will need to start with a base. 

Alcohol (vodka is the classic choice) or a carrier oil Jojoba is often used because it has a longer shelf life - almond or apricot kernel oil also work well and are way cheaper than jojoba. Or you can use a mix of the two. As a rule of thumb always blend your essential oils to start before adding them to your carrier. This way if you hate the blend you haven't wasted your carriers

* If you are pregnant there are some essential oils that you should stay away from. You can find a good list of these here

Guidelines

Essential oils can be categorized into groups based on aroma. Below is an example taken from Aromaweb which is packed with useful information on scent.

• Floral  (i.e. Lavender, Neroli, Jasmine)
• Woodsy (i.e. Pine, Cedar, Sandalwood)
• Earthy  (i.e. Oakmoss, Vetiver, Patchouli)
• Herbaceous (i.e. Marjoram, Rosemary, Basil)
• Minty  (i.e. Peppermint, Spearmint)
• Medicinal/Camphorous  (i.e. Eucalyptus, Cajuput, Tea Tree)
• Spicy  (i.e. Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon)
• Oriental   (i.e. Ginger, Patchouli)
• Citrus  (i.e. Orange, Lemon, Lime) 

As a general guideline oils in the same category usually blend well together. Some categories blend better together than others

• Florals And Woodsy
• Woodsy as a bottom note usually blend with all categories
• Spicy and Oriental
• Floral and Oriental 
• Floral and Citrus
• Citrus and Oriental
• Minty with Herbaceous
• Minty with Earthy
• Earthy with Herbaceous
• Minty with Medicinal

Carrier Oil Ratios: Around 15-20 drops of perfume blend per 1T
Alcohol Based Ratio: 60 drops of perfume blend per 4 1/4t of Vodka

Calm Me Down Blend

• 6 drops Lavender
• 8 drops Jasmine
  
• 2 drops Sandalwood
• 1T of of Jojoba or Vodka

Rise and Shine Blend

• 6 drops Peppermint
• 9 drops Fennel
• 2 drops Angelica
• 1T of Jojoba or Vodka