Citrus aurantium
The orange tree is one of the most amazing suppliers of essential oils, supplying us with unique fragrances from its many parts. In addition to orange oil and petitgrain, we have the flowers, which create one of the most divine scents. When distilled, we call the oil neroli, which also creates orange flower water. When solvent extracted, we call it orange blossom absolute. There is also orange flower CO2 extract, which is more similar to neroli in scent, and probably the truest to nature.
As with many other florals, the different types of orange blossom are expensive, and quality can vary. If you can't afford them, look for a high quality petitgrain or perhaps petitgrain sur fleurs, which includes the flowers in the distillation. If you see orange blossom water absolute, beware, this might not be your oil. It has a very dirty scent, which has it's uses in tiny quantities, but out of the bottle it is rather gross.
Where to use neroli or orange flower absolute? Besides blending it with other florals or citrus oils, you can use it in oriental, chypre, amber and colognes.
Similar:
Honeysuckle
Jasmine
Mandarin Petitgrain
Petitgrain
Previously:
Nutmeg
Mandarin
Lavender
Kewda
Jasmine
Immortelle
Ho Wood
Ginger
Frankincense
Fragrance, beauty, and business.
Friday, November 18, 2016
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Figgy Pudding Body Scrub
 |
| Finished Product |
Ingredients:
16 oz demerara sugar
2 oz fig powder
1 tablespoon walnut shell powder
Pumpkin seed oil
 |
| Dry ingredients |
Mix dry ingredients together, trying to break up any clumps. Add oil to desired consistency.
I had these ingredients on hand, and had wanted to use the fig powder in a scrub. Mixing it with the demerara sugar worked out well, since they give the finished product a sweet scent.
I through in the walnut shell after finding a small sample bag and deciding I might as well try it. I'm not sure it adds much to the finished product, but it does add a finer grain to the mix.
I don't like my scrubs overly oily, so I went light on the oil, probably about 6 oz. You could probably add quite a bit more oil. The pumpkin seed oil has a bit of a nutty scent, and a dark color, and could be substituted with a more neutral oil.
I left out scent because I wanted to appreciate the light figgy molasses scent from the ingredients used. I had thought of adding some vanilla oleoresin or absolute, but those can be hard to mix in, and I wanted to make something quick and easy.
Other ingredients I considered but skipped include some sort of surfactant, like polysorbate, an antioxidant, and a preservative. If making this for sale, a preservative would be a must, since it would be exposed to water in the shower. Since this was for personal use, I left it out. Also, adding an antioxidant so that the oil wouldn't turn rancid would be necessary for a sale product, but since I'm using this up pretty quickly, I'm not concerned about the product going rancid.
The final result is a scrub that worked pretty well for me. The pumpkin seed oil did turn my skin a greenish-yellow, but soaping up after scrubbing solves that problem. The sugar crystals are a little large, but did not irritate my skin- if you try to really rub it in, I imagine it could hurt more though.
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
The ABCs of Essential Oils: Nutmeg
Myristica fragrans
Nutmeg (or perhaps mace) is a spice you're probably most familiar with from baking or cooking, powdered. Perhaps you've seen the whole spice in a grinder at a coffee shop. The scent is warm and spicy, perhaps a comforting reminder of holidays past.
When creating a perfume, it's best to have at hand several spices, so you can choose the one best suited. Cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and all spice...you'll feel like you're in a bakery, or perhaps preparing the perfect chai.
While nutmeg essential oil is more easily found, for perfumery you should seek out the absolute. The scent is finer and richer, and will provide a warm middle note. The essential oil may work for aromatherapy purposes, but for perfumery, the absolute provides more depth and smoothness. Blend a small bit with jasmine or in a floral blend. Use it in an Oriental fragrance, or in any fragrance in need of some warm spice.
Similar:
Mace
Clove
Cinnamon
All Spice (Pimento Berry)
Previously:
Mandarin
Lavender
Kewda
Jasmine
Immortelle
Ho Wood
Ginger
Frankincense
Nutmeg (or perhaps mace) is a spice you're probably most familiar with from baking or cooking, powdered. Perhaps you've seen the whole spice in a grinder at a coffee shop. The scent is warm and spicy, perhaps a comforting reminder of holidays past.
When creating a perfume, it's best to have at hand several spices, so you can choose the one best suited. Cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and all spice...you'll feel like you're in a bakery, or perhaps preparing the perfect chai.
While nutmeg essential oil is more easily found, for perfumery you should seek out the absolute. The scent is finer and richer, and will provide a warm middle note. The essential oil may work for aromatherapy purposes, but for perfumery, the absolute provides more depth and smoothness. Blend a small bit with jasmine or in a floral blend. Use it in an Oriental fragrance, or in any fragrance in need of some warm spice.
Similar:
Mace
Clove
Cinnamon
All Spice (Pimento Berry)
Previously:
Mandarin
Lavender
Kewda
Jasmine
Immortelle
Ho Wood
Ginger
Frankincense
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
What's New and Why I Haven't Updated
I've been trying to write this off and on for awhile, but it's hard for me to write. However, it has effected my business, and where it's going, so I would like to write about it. Last year I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I had been experiencing a lot of pain off and on for about a year before the diagnosis. I'm not sure if it is really fibromyalgia or something else, but for lack of a better diagnosis, that's what it is. I am receiving treatment for it, which has helped, but I still have many days where I'm exhausted or in too much pain to do much. I have various other ailments, so work hasn't always been easy.
So basically I haven't been always up to making perfumes and such. I've gotten to be rather droppy and spilly, so mixing something up can be messy and wasteful. And you really don't want to spill those expensive essential oils, which are the ones I adore the most.
Going forward, I will be focusing on perfume making, and phasing out the bath and body products. Most of the products for sale now are perfumes, with the other products already phased out. I will be working on some new perfumes on days I feel up to blending, and I will be bringing back the solid single notes.
I will begin selling some perfumery materials, including essential oils, floral waxes, and absolutes. I am also thinking of adding perfume bottles, pipettes, etc. I want people to enjoy these materials, and I feel this is a good way to share them with those who might not be interested in the scents I make. I currently do offer several single notes diluted in fractionated coconut oil through my Etsy store, including 12 different natural rose oils.
I do intend to continue making bath and body products for myself, and I hope to blog about my various experiments. I have all sorts of crazy ingredients on hand in small amounts that I've wanted to test, but haven't gotten around to yet, so I hope to work on those soon. I will also continue my alphabetical essential oil profiles, with nutmeg next.
On my Ivre de Fleurs website, I have started adding a few different product categories. One is vintage, since I started collecting small perfume pendants and lockets with the hopes of using them for my products. I have decided not to do that, so I will be adding some of these to that website. I have also started adding a few jewelry pieces and some housewares I have made. Jewelry making has been a hobby of mine off and on throughout my life, and I most recently started it up again last summer after several years of avoiding it. I've found that jewelry making is something I can handle on all but my worst days. If I drop a bead, I don't have to throw it out (I do have to find it though, which can be tricky). And if working on something is hurting my arms, I can generally put it aside and come back to it as desired. It has made the last year bearable by providing me with a creative outlet on days that I couldn't bring myself to work on the perfumes swirling through my mind.
So basically I haven't been always up to making perfumes and such. I've gotten to be rather droppy and spilly, so mixing something up can be messy and wasteful. And you really don't want to spill those expensive essential oils, which are the ones I adore the most.
Going forward, I will be focusing on perfume making, and phasing out the bath and body products. Most of the products for sale now are perfumes, with the other products already phased out. I will be working on some new perfumes on days I feel up to blending, and I will be bringing back the solid single notes.
I will begin selling some perfumery materials, including essential oils, floral waxes, and absolutes. I am also thinking of adding perfume bottles, pipettes, etc. I want people to enjoy these materials, and I feel this is a good way to share them with those who might not be interested in the scents I make. I currently do offer several single notes diluted in fractionated coconut oil through my Etsy store, including 12 different natural rose oils.
I do intend to continue making bath and body products for myself, and I hope to blog about my various experiments. I have all sorts of crazy ingredients on hand in small amounts that I've wanted to test, but haven't gotten around to yet, so I hope to work on those soon. I will also continue my alphabetical essential oil profiles, with nutmeg next.
On my Ivre de Fleurs website, I have started adding a few different product categories. One is vintage, since I started collecting small perfume pendants and lockets with the hopes of using them for my products. I have decided not to do that, so I will be adding some of these to that website. I have also started adding a few jewelry pieces and some housewares I have made. Jewelry making has been a hobby of mine off and on throughout my life, and I most recently started it up again last summer after several years of avoiding it. I've found that jewelry making is something I can handle on all but my worst days. If I drop a bead, I don't have to throw it out (I do have to find it though, which can be tricky). And if working on something is hurting my arms, I can generally put it aside and come back to it as desired. It has made the last year bearable by providing me with a creative outlet on days that I couldn't bring myself to work on the perfumes swirling through my mind.
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
The ABCs of Essential Oils: Mandarin
Citrus reticulata
Red, yellow, green...this is not a stop light, but a list of mandarin essential oils available to you. If you love citrus fragrances, you should add some mandarin essential oils to your collection. The mandarin oils are my favorite of the citruses, with a depth and uniqueness that stand out in this field of fruity oils.
Like other citruses, the essential oil is expressed from the peel. It is inexpensive for an essential oil, though more costly than some of the other citruses. While I think of it primarily in terms of perfumery, it's cost allows you to add some to bath and body products. Mandarin oil is GRAS (generally recognized as safe), so you can add it to lip balms. According to Tisserand (Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed) mandarin essential oil from the fruit isn't phototoxic, so it is safe for use in products that will stay on the skin, like lotions and balms. However, mandarin leaf (mandarin petitgrain) essential oil is phototoxic.
The different varieties offer you a chance to fine tune your fragrance, since each one is a bit different. Sweet, tart, and a bit floral, mandarin will provide a fine top note to your perfumes. Mandarin allows you to add citrus that isn't immediately recognizable, while also smoothing the way between the citrus notes and your floral notes. Per Arctander, mandarin essential oils contain methyl-n-methyl anthranilate, which is what gives the oil it's neroli-like floral note.
Similar:
Mandarin Petitgrain
Tangerine
Neroli
Previously:
Lavender
Kewda
Jasmine
Immortelle
Ho Wood
Ginger
Frankincense
Red, yellow, green...this is not a stop light, but a list of mandarin essential oils available to you. If you love citrus fragrances, you should add some mandarin essential oils to your collection. The mandarin oils are my favorite of the citruses, with a depth and uniqueness that stand out in this field of fruity oils.
Like other citruses, the essential oil is expressed from the peel. It is inexpensive for an essential oil, though more costly than some of the other citruses. While I think of it primarily in terms of perfumery, it's cost allows you to add some to bath and body products. Mandarin oil is GRAS (generally recognized as safe), so you can add it to lip balms. According to Tisserand (Essential Oil Safety, 2nd ed) mandarin essential oil from the fruit isn't phototoxic, so it is safe for use in products that will stay on the skin, like lotions and balms. However, mandarin leaf (mandarin petitgrain) essential oil is phototoxic.
The different varieties offer you a chance to fine tune your fragrance, since each one is a bit different. Sweet, tart, and a bit floral, mandarin will provide a fine top note to your perfumes. Mandarin allows you to add citrus that isn't immediately recognizable, while also smoothing the way between the citrus notes and your floral notes. Per Arctander, mandarin essential oils contain methyl-n-methyl anthranilate, which is what gives the oil it's neroli-like floral note.
Similar:
Mandarin Petitgrain
Tangerine
Neroli
Previously:
Lavender
Kewda
Jasmine
Immortelle
Ho Wood
Ginger
Frankincense
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
The ABCs of Essential Oils: Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
So ubiquitous, lavender is used to scent almost any product that can be fragranced. There's a good chance you already have an opinion on the odor. "L" presented many essential oil choices, and I chose lavender because while simple on the surface, it has much more going on once you dig deeper.
Lavender is a popular scent, with either the essential oil or fragrance oil appearing in a wide variety of products, from perfumes to floor cleaners. Lavender is a relatively inexpensive essential oil, but nothing is too cheap for adulteration. Many of the lavender products you have sniffed will either be fragrance oils, adulterated essential oils, or poor quality essential oils. Lavender also has a cousin, lavandin, that is often used in its place due to its lower cost. If you've sought various lavender oils and are still like "nope, don't like this stuff," then you can go on your way. But if you haven't, you should realize there are better lavenders out there.
Lavender oil is produced in many countries, including the United States, though you more often hear of French and Bulgarian. You can also find organic , wild-crafted, (as opposed to cultivated) and high-altitude lavender oils. Each factor can influence the scent of the lavender, and even a lavender from the same farm can smell different year to year. It's worth it to buy samples of several types to see which one you like best.
If you're willing to explore beyond the essential oil, lavender is available in many other forms. Lavender hydrosol is fairly common, and safer for those who are sensitive to essential oils (though anyone with a lavender allergy should avoid the hydrosol as well). It does have a different odor profile than the oil, and I tend to think of it as best for skincare and aromatherapy than for scent. If you are looking to purchase lavender for its fragrance, then you need to try lavender absolute. Not only is it a blue or green color, it has a scent quite different than that of regular lavender essential oil. It has a coumarin note, making it a perfect addition to chypre and fougere fragrances. Lavender concrete is harder to find, and not as enjoyable as the absolute, but if you need to sniff everything (like I do), then go for it. Lavender CO2 extracts are available as well, and are perfect for the lavender connoisseur, with a scent that most accurately captures the plant.
A versatile oil, lavender pairs nicely with many essential oils, and it's moderate cost makes it perfect for soap and bath/body products.
Similar:
Bergamot Mint (Mentha citrata)
Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Lavandin (Lavandula hybrida/grosso/abrialis)
Petitgrain Bigarade (Citrus aurantium)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia)
Previously:
Kewda
Jasmine
Immortelle
Ho Wood
Ginger
Frankincense
So ubiquitous, lavender is used to scent almost any product that can be fragranced. There's a good chance you already have an opinion on the odor. "L" presented many essential oil choices, and I chose lavender because while simple on the surface, it has much more going on once you dig deeper.
Lavender is a popular scent, with either the essential oil or fragrance oil appearing in a wide variety of products, from perfumes to floor cleaners. Lavender is a relatively inexpensive essential oil, but nothing is too cheap for adulteration. Many of the lavender products you have sniffed will either be fragrance oils, adulterated essential oils, or poor quality essential oils. Lavender also has a cousin, lavandin, that is often used in its place due to its lower cost. If you've sought various lavender oils and are still like "nope, don't like this stuff," then you can go on your way. But if you haven't, you should realize there are better lavenders out there.
Lavender oil is produced in many countries, including the United States, though you more often hear of French and Bulgarian. You can also find organic , wild-crafted, (as opposed to cultivated) and high-altitude lavender oils. Each factor can influence the scent of the lavender, and even a lavender from the same farm can smell different year to year. It's worth it to buy samples of several types to see which one you like best.
If you're willing to explore beyond the essential oil, lavender is available in many other forms. Lavender hydrosol is fairly common, and safer for those who are sensitive to essential oils (though anyone with a lavender allergy should avoid the hydrosol as well). It does have a different odor profile than the oil, and I tend to think of it as best for skincare and aromatherapy than for scent. If you are looking to purchase lavender for its fragrance, then you need to try lavender absolute. Not only is it a blue or green color, it has a scent quite different than that of regular lavender essential oil. It has a coumarin note, making it a perfect addition to chypre and fougere fragrances. Lavender concrete is harder to find, and not as enjoyable as the absolute, but if you need to sniff everything (like I do), then go for it. Lavender CO2 extracts are available as well, and are perfect for the lavender connoisseur, with a scent that most accurately captures the plant.
A versatile oil, lavender pairs nicely with many essential oils, and it's moderate cost makes it perfect for soap and bath/body products.
Similar:
Bergamot Mint (Mentha citrata)
Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Lavandin (Lavandula hybrida/grosso/abrialis)
Petitgrain Bigarade (Citrus aurantium)
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia)
Previously:
Kewda
Jasmine
Immortelle
Ho Wood
Ginger
Frankincense
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