Perfuming Basics

[bjf]

I was thinking treating pheromones like

notes may be the key. What smells good must smell good right?


Nol:rone:none 3:2:1??

What would

a-1 be? middle note?

[DrSmellThis]

This is one valid approach, if

you can smell them. IMHO, -rone has top, mid and bottom elements (like cedar), -nol is top to mid (like light musk),

and -none is bottom to mid (like civet and sandalwood). A1, a fresh sweat smell, is mid to bottom (like if you would

mix jasmine and patchouli). However, I don't know that the numbers translate that well, as in a sense they're

apples and oranges of slightly different strengths that don't fall neatly into the categories. But if you took that

approach, it would probably yield useful information through playing with it. I've always believed in playing

around with numeric ratios.

[Mtnjim]

I was thinking treating

pheromones like notes may be the key. What smells good must smell good right?


Nol:rone:none

3:2:1??

What would a-1 be? middle note?

Your 3:2:1 is real close to my 4:3:2 (A-1):1 mix.

I'm getting pretty good results with it (with "older" women-40's & 50's)

[bjf]

And all that time, I just thought you

lacked creativity

[Mtnjim]

And all that time, I just

thought you lacked creativity

SSHHH! Keep that quiet!!

[kyra]

This is a great source of

information! I'm really keen to try making some scents of my own but I need to buy just about everything. Since

I'm in Canada I'll need to order at least $100 from Liberty Natural although that may force me to not be cheap and

get a good range of EOs. But what should I get? I would appreciate suggestions on a versitile selection of EOs.

The relative quantities that I should get would be helpful too. Which ones am I likely to use a lot of?

I was

also wondering if anyone uses a pipettor for measuring. I find that I get more extra drops or drops down the side

of the bottle when I am using drops. Is there an easy way to remove the plastic insert that creates the drops?



What about smell fatigue - I can use a fume hood if I want to. But would I be missing a lot in the mixing without

being immersed in the smell? Is it better to work at my kitchen table and go outside for frequent breaks or take it

to work and do it in the hood?

Kyra

[DrSmellThis]

Good questions!

* We covered

the oil selection in the PM. There are good ideas here in the thread.

* Glass droppers are best. When you order

from Liberty, ask them for a dropper to match every bottle, and an assortment of extra droppers just in case.

*

Regarding olfactory fatigue, professional perfumers tend to work in alternating 20 minute blocks of

work/going outside to walk in the fresh air, to keep their noses sharp. I cheat on that, but you get the idea.

[kyra]

The problem with the choosing the

EOs is that it is so intimidating to pick a bunch. I want enough to be able to really experiment with different

types of scents but I don't really know which ones will be really crucial. Since it is an online order and I will

be buying a bunch (and I'm impatient) I won't be able to smell them first. Also I don't have the experience to

judge how a concentrated EO will smell once it is diluted or mixed. I've made a long list of every EO that I've

seen mentioned and I know that some will be more important than others (sandalwood, geranium, etc) but it's pretty

hard to prioritize. I also don't know if it is worth it for me to buy rose or jasmine right now or if I should

wait until I have a bit more experience.

I'm also planning on buying the cheapest EO from each type that I

buy - again I don't think I've got the experience to really tell the difference right now. But I could be

completely wrong about that. Any suggestions are appreciated

Kyra

[oscar]

kyra,

For the purpose of sniffing

and sampling some various essential oils, you can often find a fairly wide selection of one or two different brands

at health food stores. Additionally, the Whole Foods / Fresh Fields grocery store chain regularly stocks a very good

selection of four or five different labels.
Getting an idea of which ones you definitely do or do not like as

individual oils before ordering them would probably be a good idea if you can pull it off.

Oscar

[DrSmellThis]

I just don't know what to tell

you to buy. It really is personal preference. You could think of the various categories of smells and get things

from each category (herbal, floral, etc), making sure also to have top, mid, and bottom covered. I wouldn't get the

cheapest of everything. I'd rather get fewer oils. But you have to know a little by doing reading on the varieties.

Why don't you get the book I recommended or go to the library? There is also a lot in this thread.

One problem

is that you are doing something I don't recommend, which is just dropping a hundred bucks before having developed

preferences. There is no substitute for going to stores and smelling them one by one. It's also fun. I still do

that as often as I can, to keep myself sharp and learning. I started with just a few oils that I liked extremely

well. If you have clear favorites you should buy bigger quantities of those.

I wouldn't stay away from jasmine

and rose, but that's just me.

[kyra]

It isn't quite as blind as it

sounds. I've always loved scents - I smells *all* of the scented candles in the store and all of the EO testers

that I come across. I do have favourites but I also know how different they smell in different concentrations and

in different applications (solid perfumes, incense, lotions, etc). Probably a lot of this difference is because

many of those fragrances are artificial as well. I've always preferred the smell of solid perfumes, incense and

EOs to retail perfumes. I love sandalwood, patchouli, tea rose (whatever that scent actually is), vanilla,

cinnamon, cardamon, clove, some citrus scents.

Buying just by the name makes it a bit more difficult to choose

- I'm not sure what benzoin smells like or neroli. However, since they are in so much they are probably versitile

and interesting to experiment with if nothing else. The prices online are so much better and the selection I've

found in the stores here is extremely limited - I couldn't even find all the ingrediants for your first recipe.

From that point of view I'm happy to jump in and get a bunch at once even if some of them aren't my favourites.

I'm definitely getting the books that you recommended but I want to get started playing as well.

As

far as rose goes - do I want to get a rose attar? If I want a tea rose smell what should I be getting?

Thanks,

Kyra

[DrSmellThis]

It isn't quite as

blind as it sounds. I've always loved scents - I smells *all* of the scented candles in the store and all of the EO

testers that I come across. I do have favourites but I also know how different they smell in different

concentrations and in different applications (solid perfumes, incense, lotions, etc). Probably a lot of this

difference is because many of those fragrances are artificial as well. I've always preferred the smell of solid

perfumes, incense and EOs to retail perfumes. I love sandalwood, patchouli, tea rose (whatever that scent actually

is), vanilla, cinnamon, cardamon, clove, some citrus scents.

Buying just by the name makes it a bit more

difficult to choose - I'm not sure what benzoin smells like or neroli. However, since they are in so much they are

probably versitile and interesting to experiment with if nothing else. The prices online are so much better and the

selection I've found in the stores here is extremely limited - I couldn't even find all the ingrediants for your

first recipe. From that point of view I'm happy to jump in and get a bunch at once even if some of them aren't my

favourites. I'm definitely getting the books that you recommended but I want to get started playing as well.



As far as rose goes - do I want to get a rose attar? If I want a tea rose smell what should I be

getting?

Thanks, Kyra

I'd get bulgarian rose and combine with rose geranium if I wanted to make tea

rose. Things labeled "tea rose" are likely synthetic.

[kyra]

I'd get

bulgarian rose and combine with rose geranium if I wanted to make tea rose. Things labeled "tea rose" are likely

synthetic.

That's what I thought but I love the smell.

(dumb question alert) What is the difference

between rose geranium and geranium?

[lessspike]

hi dr smell ive got some

grapefruit essential oil. what do you recomend adding to it?

i was thinking orange maybe?

[DrSmellThis]

That's what I

thought but I love the smell.

(dumb question alert) What is the difference between rose geranium and

geranium?

http://botanical.com/products/learn/gerani

um.html

The popular myth is that there is no difference. Even Liberty told me that once. They're

different plants.

[DrSmellThis]

hi dr smell

ive got some grapefruit essential oil. what do you recomend adding to it?

i was thinking orange

maybe?

http://www.cedarvale.net/essentialoi

ls/grapefruitwhite.htm

All citruses blend well together. The link provides other suggestions. Spices are

good. Pretty much everything can be blended with any citrus, so it is the other oils in a blend that determine the

best course.

[DrSmellThis]

(Note above edits.)

[bjf]

http://www.naturesgift.com/kits.htm



http://pherolibrary.com/forum/showth... /> <br /> 2

[DrSmellThis]

[QUOTE=bjf]http://www.naturesgift.com/kits.htm





http://pherolibrary.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4092[/

QUOTE]
Nice links. Be sure to look at the perfming kits, which are full of useful things (especially for ladies,

but not only) rather than the aromatherapy kits. Know that the 5% dilutions mean you'll get light scents.

[SweetBrenda]

Thank you Bjf for those

links.

[kyra]

DST,

I really love the smell of

AE/w on me - any suggestions for a recipe to get something similar?

Thanks, Kyra

[DrSmellThis]

DST,

I really

love the smell of AE/w on me - any suggestions for a recipe to get something similar?

Thanks, Kyra

I'd

be happy to tell you, but unfortunately I've never purchased or smelled AE/w. What does it smell like?

[kyra]

Good question - maybe a bit citrusy

and a bit junipery... I guess I've got to do the experimenting myself

[CptKipling]

Finally!!

My

EOs came - a full 6 weeks after I ordered, and they're only an hours drive away (without Sandal and labdanum, those

are "to come" bastards).

So, now that I will be so very late with this project anyway, I thought I

might aswell spend the time to do it the "right" way. Doc, what should I do to include the proper maturation

process?

Thanks

[DrSmellThis]

Let's just

work with virtually everything you have, for the hell of it. I'll call this:

Him a Lay Ya


5 Lemon
1 Pine
8

orange
8 Bergamot
5 Neroli
2 Rose

Geranium
3 lavender
4 Ylang Ylang
7

Jasmine
3 Clary Sage
1 cinnamon
2

anise
5 benzoin
1 Labdanum
3

Sandalwood
1 Patchouli
2 Frankincense
1

myrrh
1 valerian

Instructions: I know you are in a hurry, so I'll

accelerate the maturation part to the max. Get a small, clean, sterile bottle with a lid (atomizer lid is OK) and

add 5 drops of everclear. Then combine these in strict reverse order, starting from the bottom of the list.

Shake the bottom of the bottle well from side to side with small, rapid shakes after each addition. Pay close

attention to what each new ingredient does, so if you want to add a touch more of something later you'll

have the knowledge to do so. Let sit for 24 hours sealed, then mix with 100 more drops of everclear. Shake well.

Tell your friend to shake the bottle 2x/day, and add 20% more filtered or distilled water to it if she wants,

only after a week of maturation though, to mellow it out and extend it. You may double or triple the recipe

if desired to make a larger quantity; or to get your atomizer bottle to be 4/5 full.

Enjoy!!

Leave out

the everclear, mix oils in order indicated, let sit for at least a week, then put in the everclear, let sit for

another three days. You can lengthen times if you want, and check to see if it's making a difference in the smell.

At the very last stage you add the water.

[CptKipling]

Thanks again Doc

[DrSmellThis]

Please update us with your

progress! Good luck.

[CptKipling]

I got the ladbanum on thursday,

but still no sandal!

I'm going to mess around and try to make a mens formula without sandalwood.

[CptKipling]

I just remembered that I have

some 80% (don't why) sandalwood dilution, so i'll use that to play with.

So who has

tried Randy Pants? Let\'s get busy, germs! Throw Teach an apple here!

Even though I made up the formula off

the top of my head, I really do suspect the combo is really a thousand years old or something, and I\'m just

ignorant of it! It is similar in approach to Satyr (which also has a cinnamon-floral note), an ancient occult recipe

A. Crowley repopularized for attracting mates. I think this one is almost as good (although Randy Pants lacks the

lovely animal musks. It would be a waste for me to go there. Those who wish to nudge it that way can add a drop of

valerian and/or cistus -- trust me here). His formula is more successful for attracting gay men, I think, but I like

mine for heteros. Do a little intentional meditation and mantra with it after compounding if you want to imitate the

ancients.

Randy Pants (modified)

8 Sandalwood
2 Neroli
1 Valerian

I'll make that and then

think about adding some ylang ylang and benzoin. Maybe something citrusy like lemon or bergamot aswell...

[Silver]

DST, let me just say that this

thread is WONDERFUL. I am so impressed, and it's a great resource. I've always wanted to get into mixing scents

seriously, and have been experimenting with adding EO's to certain favorite fragrances of mine for a while now, and

now I finally have this great primer to get me started.

Couple of questions for you, though. First off, what do

you think of liberty natural? I'm thinking of ordering some of their stuff, but I've also been looking into

nature's gift. Liberty is much cheaper...is this indicative of quality, or just because it's less user friendly,

much more like a perfumer's bulk supplier?

And another thing, what do you think of the quality, as EO's and

perfume ingredients, of the SPO's that love-scent? I'm guessing that they're not as good scentwise as EO's from

like liberty, but can they be used as substitutes in your recipes for example? Are they as strong, or would you

consider them dilutions? Since they're safe for use directly on skin, they probably are, right?

Thanks so much

for your help, doc.

~Silver