Mixing & Blending with Essential Oils

Let’s Get Creative!

Essential oils have unique properties that can positively affect both the body and mind. These natural oils are eco-friendly, safer than synthetic fragrances and offer nearly unlimited options for creating personalised blends. So why are these aromatic oils so popular and so powerful? Read on to see what your nose already knows!

The Science Behind the Scent

Each of us has our own favourite scents, and most of us find that certain smells evoke certain feelings. But why? It’s known as “odour-evoked autobiographical memory” or the Proust phenomenon, after the French writer Marcel Proust. In his book In Search of Lost Time, a character dips a cookie into a cup of tea and is transported back into time as unconscious memories of his childhood flood the character’s mind.

The memories and feelings associated with certain aromas can remind us of a certain time or place, a holiday or season and other moments. All that aside, we all simply want our blends to smell good! While we can get plenty of scents for our home and personal use with synthetic fragrances, there are important advantages in choosing natural essential oils.

Quality essential oils are derived from natural sources, so they are healthier for the environment and our health because they don’t contain the harmful properties of synthetic fragrances. Essential oils offer a variety of applications, from creating blends for a personalised perfume to mixing up seasonal and holiday scents.

So many to choose from!

There are so many different natural scents available with essential oils that the possibilities for mixing, blending and creating with these versatile products are nearly endless. Banishing offensive odours with natural fragrances in our homes is not only a healthier choice, but the aromatherapy benefits can also affect our moods in some very positive ways.

Just like with a food recipe, a good outcome when mixing oils means using ingredients that go well together. And just like any great tasting recipe from the kitchen, the best smelling aromas use quality ingredients. When you first start shopping for essential oils, keep the following tips in mind:

1. You are buying from a reputable supplier who understands the importance of varying harvest times, distillation times and appropriate storage
2. You have access to all the information behind the oil such as the SDS
3. You have the support and can ask questions
4. You are buying from an ATC (Aromatherapy Trade Council) approved retailer

It’s Time to Mix It Up!

Now that we have a basic understanding of what essential oils are, the benefits of using them and what to look for in a quality product, let’s head to the kitchen counter, get creative and mix up some blends. One of the best things about learning how to mix essential oils is the creative process. The best way to get started is to follow your nose and smell as many aromas as you can to find the ones you like the most before purchasing.

Other than the essential oils you’ve picked out for your mixing and blending adventure, you may need a notebook to record your recipes, some smell strips and also a selection of jars and bottles to put your creations in!

By recording your recipes you can begin learning what goes with what, which essential oils you like, or don’t like, or which blends you prefer over others. Start by writing down your first three oils you are working with and combine all three notes on a single smell strip. Let it sit for a few minutes. Remember, once oils start to evaporate, the scent can change. The top notes will evaporate the quickest, and the base notes will evaporate the slowest. Once you’ve given your oils a chance to settle in, you can give your new concoction a sniff!

After making each recipe, write down what you like and don’t like. Keep notes of what you learn along the way from your hands-on mixing. While trial and error is the best way to come up with some genuinely unique recipes, below are a few recipes to get you started. However, before that, here is a handy blending chart:

Chart 1

DILUTIONS	5ML BOTTLE	10ML BOTTLE	50ML BOTTLE	100ML BOTTLE	APPLICATION
1%	1 drop	3 drops	15 drops	30 drops	Skincare, facial blends, any products for babies, children or the elderly or infirm
2%	3 drops	6 drops	30 drops	60 drops	Massage blends for normal use, body creams, lotions and oils for therapeutic benefits.
3%	4 drops	9 drops	45 drops	90 drops	Massage blends for healthy or overweight people, treatment oils
10%	15 drops	30 drops	150 drops	300 drops	Rollerballs only
100%					Vaporisers, nasal inhalers, bath drops only

So, you can see that dilution of essential oils in a carrier is totally dependent on the product you are blending. Here are a few recipes for you to see, one for each category to get you started.

1% dilution - Anti-aging Face Elixir 50ml

1 x 50ml bottle with cap

20ml Rosehip oil

20ml sunflower oil

8ml Passionflower oil

2ml wheat germ oil

5 drops geranium essential oil

5 drops frankincense oil

5 drops palmarosa oil

Blend everything together and put into the bottle. Cap tightly and label with ingredients and instructions for use. Use 3 – 5 drops per application.

2% dilution – De-stress massage oil 100ml

100ml bottle and cap

95ml almond oil

5 ml wheat germ oil

20 drops lavender essential oil

10 drops marjoram essential oil

10 drops bergamot essential oil

10 drops sweet orange essential oil

10 drops sandalwood essential oil

Blend everything together and put into the bottle. Cap tightly and label with ingredients and instructions for use. Use 15ml per full body massage application.

3% dilution – Arthritis Treatment lotion knees 100ml

100ml bottle and cap

100ml bland blending lotion

30 drops sweet marjoram essential oil

20 drops lavender essential oil

20 drops rosemary essential oil

10 drops ginger essential oil

10 drops juniper berry essential oil

Blend everything together and put into the bottle. Cap tightly and label with ingredients and instructions for use. Use 5ml per application, split between two knees x 2 per day.

10% dilution – Sleep Rollerball 10ml

10ml rollerball bottle and lid

9ml coconut oil

20 drops lavender essential oil

5 drops vetiver essential oil

5 drops chamomile Roman essential oil

Blend everything together and put into the bottle. Cap tightly and label with ingredients and instructions for use. Use a small amount on pulse points and temples at bedtime.

Conclusion

So as you can see, there is not a ‘one size fits all’ dilution of essential oils for your blends, but please be guided by the chart and if in doubt simply phone us up – we are always happy to help! 01455 251 020

By Penny Price