Five Essential Oil Fragrances I Love
I’m very particular about scent, using it very consciously and with purpose. I’ve been experimenting with personal fragrance, sticking mostly to essential oils, and staying away from alcohol-based perfumes, which I find irritating.
If you are sensitive, undiluted EOs may be problematic, so be careful. I get a bit of a rash if I use certain oils on the same spot of skin every day, so I’ll often put them on a scarf or dab on the lining of a jacket. The great thing about EOs is you only need a drop or two, and blends with strong bottom notes (like the ones reviewed here) will last a long while. Plus, these are the sort of fragrances that someone has to get close to you to smell. Of course, fragrance is extremely personal and not everyone will like a particular scent, but these are some I find unique and lovely. All of these except the first can be bought in a sample size.
H. Gillerman Organics Stress Remedy: If I have a signature scent, this is it. It’s a fairly complex blend, but what stands out for me are lavender and vetiver. The vetiver is very earthy, and lavender and citrus notes lighten it up.
Lotus Wei Balancing Serums: If you are familiar with the brand, you know this is not merely about fragrance, but they do serve that purpose. I love to put the serum on my hands and run it through my hair. The Pure Energy is my favorite for this particular use, with notes of grapefruit, coffee, black pepper, and cinnamon. These do come as perfumes if you are okay with alcohol-based fragrance.
Evan Healy Madagascar Ginger Attar: An infusion of ginger into sustainably harvested sandalwood, it has both depth and playfulness. This became a favorite after a couple of uses. I’ve tried to mix a blend myself, but haven’t gotten close to the quality of the oils used here. It’s a limited edition, as are many of EH’s attars, so I don’t know how long it will be available. I’ll be keeping an eye out for what EH comes up with in the future, because I’ve loved some of her past limited editions too.
Floracopeia White Ginger Lily-Vetiver Attar: Out of the bottle, this one smelled way too strong and flowery for me. But I am experienced with vetiver, and know its ability to elegantly smack down top notes in a blend. So I gave it a chance, and, seriously, one drop does it. Given several minutes to settle, I really like it. It is more flowery and sweet than I would wear every day, but it’s interesting and I think many people would find it appealing.
Floracopeia Blue Lotus Attar: Another that smelled strong and flowery out of the bottle, it does settle down a bit on the skin and becomes subtle and a little hypnotic. I don’t feel like it’s the right scent for me, but it’s the sort of thing I’d be pleased to smell on someone else.
Have you tried using EOs as personal fragrance? What blends do you like?
I really like to make my own, but there is one called One Love from Auric Blends that I am in love with! Very sweet scent, but to my surprise, I have never received a “too sweet” comment.
I haven’t tried EOs as personal fragrance but I’d like to.
I think I’d like the scent of Eden’s Garden Aphrodisiac Synergy Blend Essential Oil (Ylang Ylang, Patchouli, Sweet Orange, Lavender, Sandalwood & Jasmine).
I had one rose oil fragrance that I bought in Morocco, but I found it way too strong and intense. Are all oil fragrances like that, and how long does the fragrance last on your skin?
@Lilly: how do you actually make your own blends? Do you dilute EOs in carrier oils and then dab on your skin?
I would love to know what’s the best way to make DIY scents from EOs!
@Emma, sometimes I dilute in carrier oil and sometimes not. You can try a mix on it’s own, and if it’s too strong smelling or your skin reacts just dilute the mix. Just as an example, I can use lavender straight on my skin but ginger gives me little bumps if applied straight. Choose a carrier oil that doesn’t have much scent of its own. I like grape seed, and Mountain Rose Herbs has great descriptions of carrier oil scents (even if you don’t buy from them the info is great). Also, certain EOs are not recommended to be used undiluted, so read up.
@ Emma: Yes! You can use almond or grape seed oil as your base, and then add the EOs that you want to mix in to create the scent. You need to be careful adding one drop at the time, so you can control how much that particular scent is going to stand out. Also, try to use glass bottles as they keep the oil better and don’t leach plastic in it. You can use a plain roll-on glass perfume bottle, which works great to dab a small quantity on your wrists, neck, etc. You can find them on amazon, from a brand called Natural Cosmetics. Once you put the essential oils you liked, mix well and keep mixing it every day for a few days. It takes about a week to smell the final result. I hope it was helpful!
I have been adding drops of lavender to my almond oil (for body), as recommended by someone here, (perhaps Rebecca?) and I love that. It doesn’t last that long, but it is refreshing after a shower.