Botanical Perfumes and How to Blend
Botanical perfumes are making headway into mainstream markets as consumers discover how much better a natural line of products are for body and soul. The fragrances Mother Nature conjures up seem otherworldly at times and the world covets the sweetness she so easily encapsulates into her plant life. There’s no need to limit yourself to the commercial offerings that line the perfume shelves because botanical perfume is now easily accessible and expertly balanced.
We are drawn to the gentleness of natural scents and now we know more about how to bottle it successfully (with little to no negative impact on the environment). Natural perfumes are climbing in popularity as informed people realize the worth of renewable resources to the world we call home. All you need to get started is to know the ingredients of botanical perfume and how to blend it.
Do You Know What’s in Synthetic Perfume?
With so many fragrances on the market, it's hard to keep track of what's in them. This is especially the case since fragrance manufacturers don't have to list out their specific ingredients on the packaging!
A fragrance—like a perfume or cologne—may very well contain chemicals toxic to you and your family. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics: “The average fragrance product contains 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions…”
These reactions might include inflammation, sinus headaches, or disruption of hormone production. They may be especially hazardous to newborns or those who are pregnant. A large label listing all the ingredients in a perfume would be unsightly on a crystalline bottle—so manufacturers may not include one. Some companies may list a few ingredients but will typically leave out specifics, meaning you probably won’t ever know what exactly you’re putting on your body each day.
What Is Botanical Perfume?
But hey, you still want to smell good and have fun doing it, so what can you do? Opt for botanical perfumes! These are a fun and easy way to produce natural fragrances just through essential oil blending—a perfect store-bought perfume alternative.
The real challenge these days is finding out what’s best for your body, and as we’ve learned already, synthetic fragrances are probably not the way to go. Botanical perfumes contain all-natural essences, including essential oils and some authentic, organic ingredients that are readily available. The coolest part about botanical perfumes is that you can make some of them right at home.
The immediate smell is the top notes. These ingredients evaporate quickly, they come and go, and they’re often light and airy. They refresh the nose and invigorate the soul. The scent then transitions to middle notes. Middle note ingredients will make up most of the botanical perfume. Last comes the base notes which are scents that permeate through most of your day.
What Are the Benefits of Using Botanical Perfume?
To some, the smell of a synthetic perfume is like a sharp jab to the head. Over 30 percent of Americans find store-bought fragrances to be irritating or overwhelming.
This statistic is just incredible when you consider the number of people you interact with or even just walk pass during a day. Store-bought perfumes are often much “louder,” screeching out their overpowering scent. Botanical perfumes are a more discreet, personal scent. The natural scent permeates well when you come closer to others; it's faint but pronounced though your body heat. What's interesting about botanical scents is they may change over time and throughout seasons. This creates an intimate association with your very own unique scent to those around you.
Examples of Top, Middle and Base Notes
A top note is the lightest scent, the one you smell first and is the first one to evaporate.
Common Top Note Essential Oils Are:
- Citrus (grapefruit, orange, bergamot, lime)
- Peppermint
- Lemongrass
- Geranium
A middle note is the note that combines all three notes together and creates a balanced blend. Middle notes last longer than top notes but not as long as base notes. You usually want to add the most amount of the middle note to the blend as this creates a harmonious effect between the top and base notes.
Common Middles Note Essential Oils Are:
- Lavender
- Cypress
- Pine
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon,
- Black pepper
- Neroli
A base note is the deepest, heaviest aroma and is usually earthy. Usually, you add the least amount of the base note to the blend as base notes have the tendency to overpower the other notes. They are often root or bark essential oils.
Common Base Note Essential Oils Are:
- Patchouli
- Sandalwood
- Vetiver
- Ginger
- Rose (can be middle and base)
- Ylang Ylang (can be middle and base)
Simple Blending to Try at Home
Using a combination of top, middle and base notes, you can create an incredible amount of perfume blends. Making fragrances and blending essential oils has no exact rules but keep in mind the therapeutic qualities of each essential oil as well as any contraindications each oil has.
Supplies:
- 10ml Empty glass roll-on bottle or dropper bottle
- Organic Jojoba Oil (carrier oil)
- 10 drops Essential Oil
Method:
Add 10 drops of your chosen essential oil(s) to the 10ml glass bottle and top up with jojoba oil.
Allow the blend to rest for 24hrs before use. This gives the scent time to develop.
Experimenting is half the joy, so there we will not share exactly how to do it step-by-step. Quite honestly, the combination possibilities are endless, but this is a great way to get you started on making your own natural perfumes.
Here is some recipes to get you started:
Spring Scent
- 3 drops Bergamot
- 5 drops Lavender
- 2 drops Patchouli
- Organic Jojoba Oil
Citrus Florals
- 3 drops Sweet Orange
- 5 drops Neroli
- 2 drops Sandalwood
- Organic Jojoba Oil
Cardamom Cologne
- 10 drops Cardamom
- 3 drops Vetiver
- 3 drops Ylang Ylang
- Organic Jojoba Oil
Nezza Naturals Botanical Perfumes to Try
Using plant-based products is the best way to help prevent that constant exposure to chemicals, and, at Nezza Naturals, we have a full line of Nezza Naturals botanical perfumes for you to try out. We also carry the DIY components you’ll need to make your own; check them out in store !
A decent understanding of the products you use daily and making a habit of using healthier options may go a long way to better your health and the health of those around you.
Making botanical fragrances a fun way to experiment with smells—and it will result in an end product that’ll be the talk of the table.
If you want to learn even more about botanical perfumes and other ways to live naturally, check out our Facebook page.
Got Questions? Give Us a Shout!
If you have any questions about natural skin care for anyone, we are happy to help. Send your thoughts to info@nezzanaturals.com or visit our website at www.nezzanaturals.com for more essential oil information and DIY recipes.
