Thank you so much to all of you who preordered my book! If you did so, it will likely arrive today if it hasn’t already, or in the next couple of days. I really appreciate all the support, enthusiasm, and also your patience while I have been hyper-focused on it. My dad nailed it when he said it’s been like a multi-year pregnancy. It really has been a long process, delayed several times, so today feels long awaited. This book represents a lot to me, beyond the pages and words, as you certainly know if you have been following along for a while. I am eternally grateful for you being here, no matter how long it’s been. Thank you🙏
One of my blogging friends in the US, Kristen Schuhmann, whose blog, Blossom Herbs, is a go-to for all things herb-related, has written a beautiful book: All-Natural Perfume Making, fragrances to lift your mind, body and spirit. Banana bread, sourdough starters, supermarket toilet-roll brawls begone! Natural scents are order of the day. The title is […]
It’s March, my birthday, and my book will be released this month! I’m in the mood to celebrate! 🎉! March has become heavy with significance the last few years, and I am so happy that this March I can turn it around into a lighter, brighter month heralding spring and good things to come once again. In March of 2019, my (now ex)husband left after a tumultuous few years and right after promising we could start over and everything would be fine. In March of 2020 my divorce was complete on the same day we moved from the only house my kids had known, and it was the first day that schools here went remote and we embarked on a “two week” quarantine, which of course is still more or less going on a year later. To say that I’m happy that this March is the month my book is officially releasing is an understatement, and to celebrate all month I’ll be giving glimpses inside it.
One piece of perfume creation that the book covers is how to balance top, middle, and bottom notes. In the book you’ll find examples of where the essential oils fall in terms of top, middle, or base notes, but in general the top notes are the lightest scents, so citruses and some florals, middle notes are herbs and other florals, and base notes are generally the woods and resins. In order to make the most well-rounded perfume that lasts the longest, it’s best to have essential oils from each category. Top notes refer to the first notes of a perfume that you smell, while the middle notes come in next and are often referred to as the main component of the perfume, and the base notes are the last to come through and also linger the longest. If, for example, you are drawn to top heavy perfumes, it can help balance out a perfume to add scents from the other note categories. Personally, I tend to like base-y perfumes, and usually have to add a top note towards the end and that is always when the perfume comes together and smells complete.
Below is a recipe from the book for a mood balancing perfume, where the note categories are clearly shown. This perfume still works with just two of the essential oils, but when all three are together, it’s a more balanced, complete scent that just resonates better. As the word ‘note’ suggests, it is indeed like music. If you can imagine just a drum playing, then a drum and guitar, then a drum, guitar, and a bass guitar, that can help you visualize the difference between a perfume that’s just thrown together with one or two scents, as opposed to one where the different note categories are considered.
Once you mix your essential oils, add them to oil or an alcohol like vodka to actually put on your body. Don’t put essential oils directly on your skin because they are extremely potent and need a carrier. (There are a couple of exceptions to this rule, but in terms of perfume, always use a base oil or alcohol unless it is a solid perfume in which case the carrier is already oil and/or wax.)
Enjoy the change of seasons, wherever you are! It feels like spring here today🌷🌻🌷.
This was a fun project! I made some sample perfumes to accompany the marketing team when they introduce the book I wrote to book buyers. It was a little intimidating to try to create a scent for 25 strangers that was going to be gender neutral and hopefully widely appealing, but I really liked how the scent turned out! It reminds me of fresh air like no other perfume I’ve ever put together and now I’m working with the publisher on making it a bonus recipe for those that preorder the book.
In the parlance of Instagram…How it started:
How it’s going…
Speaking of Instagram, check out these eagles I saw on my run this morning! They were so quiet that I don’t know why I even looked up. It must have been their intense regal-ness that caught my attention:
Here’s a link to the book where you can preorder through your book seller of choice, including independents. Thank you so much for your support!
