CO2 Extracts and Extraction Simplified

February 5, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Hi APJ,

CO2 Extracts and Extraction Simplified

When we talk about essential oils, it’s often an umbrella term for many different kinds of aromatic liquids.

Essential Oils

These are usually water/steam distilled, and this is the most common way to date that oils are extracted. All the oils you would commonly buy today would be steam and water distilled and this process is simple, traditional and dates back through the past century.

Absolutes

These are usually made flowers or very delicate plants where a chemical extraction process is used (see my article Absolutes? Not Absolutely) but they resemble essential oils in viscosity and are used in the same way as essential oils. They tend to be more concentrated then essential oils.

Oleoresins and Resinoids

These are highly concentrated liquid extracts that are a combination of resins and aromatic oils. The plants they come from have a high resin content so they fall into their own category. Once again they can be used in the same way as essential oils.

Photo Stolen Cottonseed Oil Flickr

CO2 Extracts

CO2 Extraction is also called Super-critical CO2 extraction and it produces a couple of plant products – extracts or selects, and totals.

A relative newcomer in the world of extraction, the name makes it sound bad but it’s not! There are lots of good things about this process and I’ll try to sum it up briefly and succinctly.

The extraction process uses carbon dioxide heated to a degree where it has both liquid and gaseous properties- this part is the super-critical part. It’s less hot them steam and water distillation so this is a bonus as it doesn’t change the plant materials as much. It’s this liquid form that extracts the volatile plant material. Aromatic oils, resins and other cellular materials like pigments are extracted by the liquid CO2 which evaporates easily, leaving a substance that more closely resembles the plant.

CO2 extracts more closely aromatically resemble the whole plant, whereas essential oils are specifically the volatile oil component of the plant.

CO2 extracts may be better scent wise, or less attractive. It depends on the plant.

Some CO2 extracts that are now available are –
ambrette, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, clove, nutmeg, caraway, fennel, ginger
sea buckthorn
amaranth
cocoa, coffee, vanilla
pomegranate
evening primrose, rosehip
chamomile, champaka, ginger lily, jasmine, juniper, linden blossom, patchouli
arnica, calendula, lavender, hops, St Johns wort,
angelica root, orris root, kava
agarwood, frankincense, galbanum, myrrh, spikenard

I don’t use CO2 extracts extensively in my practice yet, as many of the extracts are semi-solid and aren’t easy to work with. It seems some of the extracts are better suited to using in creams and lotions. As I move more into the area of natural perfumery I know I’ll use some of the extracts more often. I haven’t actually spent the time looking at the analysis of each oil, which will indicate the therapeutic property of the “oil”.

According to Nature’s Gift, “totals” are a secondary product of the CO2 process: “are usually thick and pasty due to the beneficial fats, resins and waxes they contain that come from the plant material itself. These totals are soluble in essential oils and vegetable oils. …. These potent extracts are wonderful for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The Calendulas extract, for example, in a dosage of 2 grams extract to 1000 grams ointment is effective for it’s anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activity.”

None of my suppliers in Sydney provide these “totals” and I don’t have first hand knowledge of how they work – but it sounds interesting!

Good luck with the CO2 extracts!

Suzanne R Banks XXX

Suzanne R Banks Blog
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Below you’ll find an extremely interesting video.

Supercritical CO2 extraction of cinnamon, coffee, and vanilla with dry ice

Melissa – Pretty Name, Pretty Scent – A Wonderful Essential Oil

January 8, 2014 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Melissa – Pretty Name, Pretty Scent – A Wonderful Essential Oil

Photo Stolen WikiMedia

Melissa is also called lemon balm. It belongs to the same family as lavender, marjoram, peppermint, sage, patchouli, rosemary, thyme, oregano and more. You can see how the leaf looks similar to some of the other herbs too, and it’s sometimes difficult to tell them apart just from a photo.

Like many plants that create essential oils, Melissa extract is used in Naturopathy extensively for calming nerves and anxiety. This is what the essential oil is good for as well. It has a lemon scent but is more refined than lemongrass, more subtle than lemon and more delicate than any lemon scented eucalyptus or tea tree.

And once again this plant has an interesting history in healing through the past centuries. The standout landmark for this lovely plant is traced back to the Carmelite Monks of France during medieval times, but this magical herb is recorded as far back as 550BC with the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus – and ancient Greek city now in Turkey. Then we have the founders of modern medicine talking about this herb; 40—90 AD with the Greek physician Dioscorides, and with the Roman naturalist and philosopher of the same time, Pliny the Elder. Thank goodness there are really brainy people who have looked back through ancient records and delivered the information to us.

So it seems as though this gorgeous little herb has the healing powers of the universe within its little green leaves.

Back to the Carmelite monks……… or was it the nuns of another Carmelite origin in the 1200′s? Melissa has been noted way back to the 800′s as a herb of great healing properties, and it seems as though the healing water made with melissa originated in the 14th century (or even earlier) but became more well-known when the Carmelite friars were granted patents by the kings Louis IV, V and VI of France under the name “Eau de Melisse de Carmes”. During these times the herb water was both drunk as a tonic and used as a cologne to wash away the stench and dirt of the streets – and the stink of the general population who did not wash frequently! The balm water also contained other herbs and was used as a panacea. Both original recipes of Benedictine and Chartreuse (the liqueurs from monastic origin) contained melissa but not sure if they do now

Photo Stolen Jeremy Brooks Flickr

Chartreuse – a lovely green herbal colour with over 100 ingredients

Our beautiful melissa lost favour as more herbs and plants were discovered for healing but it is still prized in Naturopathy and Aromatherapy today as a soothing balm for the emotions. In Aromatherapy we use melissa for –

* uplifting emotional states in depression

* soothing anxiety

* on the skin as an anti-viral – topically for cold sores

* vapourised in a room of sickness to help with nausea and to limit the spread of a virus (it seems that a lot of the lemon scented plants have a great anti-viral effect and I’ve always recommended vapourising lemon in the home if you have a sick person to reduce the spread of the virus or bacteria)

* on the stomach to reduce cramps

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Melissa – also called balm and lemon balm – is best used to soothe the soul, mental anguish and to inspire happiness. Just take a whiff straight from the bottle.

It is a very expensive oil so you will probably find it in a 3% dilution ready to use straight from the bottle as a perfume, anointing oil and skin treatment for lesions.

I hope you love melissa as much as I do!

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.

Suzanne R Banks

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
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The Hermit – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

December 4, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

The Hermit – A Tarot Card Reading with Essential Oils

Photo Stolen n0cturbulous Flickr

He’s old, looks like he’s cold, and he’s on top of a mountain with a lantern. Notice how the yellow of the light and his staff jump out in this very grey card. He has taken one step at a time to reach the pinnacle of his wisdom. His lantern has shown the way. His lantern represents the wisdom he has gained through deep contemplation and life experience, and the acknowledgement of his inner light. His staff shows he has trusted his intuition, and knows that he can trust this part of himself.

When this card comes to you in a reading it’s about accessing your inner wisdom to guide you through this challenging time. It could also mean that in this time in your life, perhaps you need to look for a counselor or guide to help you find the right path for yourself.

It could mean this is a time for introspection and even isolation from the world so you can actually find quiet, to allow the divine intelligence of the universe to shine through you. This connection to universal energy may give you the space to find the inner peace you need right now. It is definitely a time to withdraw from the outside so you can turn your awareness inward to access the secrets of the multiverse. This can be a lonely life for the spiritual warrior and often very devoted spiritual people to find solace in being alone. It is in this state of being quiet, that the soul can soar in all directions of the space-time continuum. This is the great philosophical card of the major arcana.

Photo Stolen Timea Varga Flickr

Could this mean you are the wise person in someone’s life right now? Perhaps you need to become aware that your wisdom can help others and it’s time to share your light with the world. Are you a light worker that has hidden away from the world because you feel you are inadequate? It’s time to claim your place in the evolution of humanity and allow your wisdom to flow!

Photo Stolen DeviantArt

SO what essential oils could we use to access this state of calm, inner peace and spiritual enhancement?

1. Open The Bottle and Take a Huge Whiff

Black spruce – expansion of higher consciousness (my new fave oil)

Frankincense – deep breathing, meditation

Sandalwood Indian – the classic spiritual oil

Marjoram – relax, be calm

The classic Duralex glass dish is handy to make oil blends and quick perfumes in

2. Pure Pulse Point Perfume

In a little dish mix these oils and anoint your pulse points or chakras – 3 drops of essential oils and dilute with a few drops of carrier oil – always patch test first!

“I Am Willing”

Gain courage to look within –

Black pepper 1 drop

Petitgrain 2 drops

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“Meditate”

Slow down your breath and just be –

Frankincense 2 drops

Peru Balsam 1 drop

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“One Step at a Time”

Start your process of inner evaluation slowly o it doesn’t freak you out –

Vetiver 1 drop

Mandarin 2 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas.

Suzanne R Banks

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
Suzanne R Banks FaceBook

Everlasting (Immortelle) Essential Oil

November 5, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 4 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Everlasting Essential Oil

Connects us to Our Immortality

Hi APJ,

This cute little daisy comes from the Asteraceae family along with the chamomiles, sunlfowers, safflower, marigold, globe artichoke, echinacea and chrysanthemum among many others. Also referred to as “immortelle”, can you guess what this essential oil is good for? Immortality and the fountain of youth spring to mind when I think of everlasting, it’s great for skin and has many other benefits.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

I was very excited to get a new bottle delivered the other day. It has a sweet, honey-like aroma with undertones of spice. Sometimes called the “curry plant”, everlasting does have a complex scent, maybe with a hint of curry – but don’t let that put you off. A few drops of this beautiful oil may be all you need to electrify and bend and add depth and sweetness to the scent. You may find everlasting n a 3% blend or on it’s own but it will be more expensive this way.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

In aromatherapy today everlasting (Immortelle) is used for:

– formulations in skincare to promote cell growth and act as an anti-inflammatory agent

– as a stimulant to the lymphatic system to aid lymphatic drainage and therefore allow the skin to expel toxins more efficiently

– aiding the symptoms of dermatitis and excema

– diminishing scar tissue

– healing wounds

– coughs, coughing and asthma

– according to Salvatore Battaglia (The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy) everlasting is great for liver inflammation and the organs of the gall bladder, spleen and kidneys – all the organs helping in detoxification of the body. We can see how this relates to lymphatic drainage too.
infinity

I use everlasting energetically as a way to connect us to our immortality. The Fountain of Youth lives within us if we are able to see we are simply a manifestation of the energy of our spirits. Our souls will return to the oneness of the universe when our mortal bodies fade away. It’s seems so poetic to use the french word ‘immortelle’ for this beautiful oil, and I encourage you to use it with this thought in mind.

Here are a few recipes for sweet immortelle:

1. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops

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“Sophia Loren”

Be as beautiful as this amazing lady who has said the Fountain of Youth lies in your creativity-

Everlasting 3% 12 drops

Rosewood 3 drops

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“Immortality”

Enjoy life in this moment for it will change form soon –

Everlasting 3% 9 drops

Sage 1 drop

Pink Grapefruit 4 drops

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“50 is the New 30″

Be young through the expression of your unique qualities, and youthful looking skin –

Everlasting 9 drops

Palmarosa 3 drops

Lavender 2 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

Suzanne R Banks XX

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
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Bat-Sheba GIVEAWAY WINNERS

October 19, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

Don’t forget to enter our Le Checrche Midi GIVEAWAY<<JUMP

Hello APJ,

Another great GIVEAWAY!! Thanks all for getting on board.

Bat-Sheba GIVEAWAY WINNERS

WHAT COULD YOU WIN?

A draw for two winners, each will receive

2ml decants of Bat-Sheba Exotic Oriental.
P&H Anywhere in the world

HOW DID YOU WIN?

To be eligible for the draw just leave a comment on a favorite commercial perfume bottle and how you follow APJ, with an extra chance for tweeting

HOUSEKEEPING

Entries Closed Thursday 17th October 2013 10pm Australian EDST

Winners will be chosen by random.org (I’m so technically challenged that I can’t even figure out how to use Random.org. Once again B-Azar pulled the winning names, this time from a hat, while Fender the dog observed to make sure everything was on the up and up.?

Photo Stolen thegarfieldshow-diary

The winners will have till Sunday 20th October 2013 to get in touch (portia underscore turbo at yahoo dot com dot au) with their address or the prize will go to someone else.
No responsibility taken for lost or damaged goods in transit.

And the winners are:

Susan
and
Roslyn

Azar xx

The Creation of a Natural Perfume #3

October 19, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 3 Comments

Post by Julie Nelson

The Creation of a Natural Perfume #3

Perfume for Portia by Aromatique Essentials

Let the creation be created.

Now I start to gather essential oils that I have chosen, luckily having the gift of being able to smell a combination of essential oils in my mind before I actually put them together. Of course I have worked with combining a wide variety of essential oils for 20 years and there is so much stored in my brain that this can be easy for me. Sometimes it’s a struggle creating a synergy that is pleasing. However I keep building on it until my nose takes pleasure in the scent and it reaches down to the depths of my soul.

Anointing or spraying a perfume is a ritual to me and one of my favourite times to wear a perfume is when I go to bed. I find myself smiling, my heart opens and I feel simply divine, in a place of absolute contentment, how beautiful it is to go to sleep feeling like this.

Photo Stolen FotoPedia

Ok let us have a peak at Portia’s perfume; I am going to share a few of the emotional representations/properties of some of the oils used in this Portia’s perfume creation.

There are 3 citrus essential oils in this blend and one of the most significant emotional and psychological properties of citrus essential oils is that they are very uplifting to the emotions, they are highly used in aromatherapy because they are what we classify as having a happy, joyful effect. Citrus essential oils lend themselves beautifully to most combinations giving very pleasing top notes that are of course the first aroma smelt in a perfume. They are fresh, clean and lively.

Middle notes include the divine exotic ylang ylang meaning flower of flowers. This is a very sweet, heady intoxicating aroma that adds elegance, sensuality and body. Combined with Patchouli they are pure eroticism.

Oakmoss and vetiver are 2 of my most favourite essential oils. I love the depth of their earthiness. Oakmoss is full of mystery and vetiver has a deep smokey aroma that I personally find very sexy! Both are excellent fixatives that linger in your heart and mind.

Cardamom is a spice and I love using it in perfumes and like petitgrain has beautiful refreshing and uplifting qualities.

Peru Balsam is divinely sweet and balsamic and has a vanilla like scent.

Vanilla co2 is perfect to combine with spices, woods, citrus and florals, it gives warmth to any blend.

Photo Stolen Wikipedia

Smell is the potent wizard that transports us across the miles and all the years we have lived ~ Helen Keller
I love that quote and it really rings true to me. I have spent near on 20 years working with aromatherapy and the plant world therapeutically, emotionally and energetically depending on what my clients have wanted.

More to be revealed…

Please come and visit me at the Aromatique Essentials website<<<JUMP

Julie x

The Creation of a Natural Perfume #2

October 12, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 13 Comments

Post by Julie Nelson

The Creation of a Natural Perfume #2

Perfume for Portia by Aromatique Essentials

Let the creation be created.

As the journey of creating a perfume for Portia continues I am getting more and more excited!

To date Portia’s perfume has 36 essential oils and has now been sitting and synergising for a good 4 weeks. It has a balance of woods, citrus, spices with a hint of mystery from a few favourite oils that I shall keep to myself for now… Over the past few weeks while this blend has been sitting and maturing I have been anointing myself with it most nights. I love it and secretly found myself thinking that I could bathe in it!

Not being a perfumer of the commercial world, when creating a perfume there are many aspects of pure essential oils/plant extracts that I take into account. Of course the aroma is number one, what emotions and feelings a client desires to feel and experience, how each individual oil melds in to another to become one.

Essential oils are pure plant extracts and are 70 times stronger/ more potent that the original plant they are extracted from. Many do not smell like they do when inhaling the scent as a flower for example Rose or Jasmine. This is because they are very highly concentrated, however when diluted they become more the like the original scent. I love using co2 extracted essential oils as they are more true to the original nature of the plant, there is no residue left behind of the co2 as it completely dissipates during the extraction process. It is a far more gentle method of extraction and from an energetic point of view the vibration of the oil is more pure. Why bring up the energetic and vibration properties of an essential oil? Well science has now caught up and can measure energy. We are all energy and this can play an important role on the psychological and emotional benefits of a perfume. You may feel this is irrelevant and that is fine, however for me it is important and something that I feel is important to take into consideration. It is my training and my belief.

As we know the simple act of breathing in a beautiful scent instantly shifts our mind, moods and emotions. If we love it we smile, we are uplifted, I personally feel like I can take on the world!

Photo Stolen Ray Bodden Flickr

Before I begin the process of creating a Bespoke one of a kind perfume I ask my client, in this case Portia, to fill out a perfume consultation form this includes favourite colour/s, food/s, smells, what there perfume represents, what emotions and feelings they want to evoke and feel and if a client wishes to share their astrological birth details I spend time researching their birth chart and certain aspects such as what sign their Moon is in as the Moon rules our emotions and what ever sign our Moon is in is how we deal with things on an emotional level.

Why you ask?

Having this information gives me insight in to ones emotional responses and what planetary energy is surrounding them at that time. This assists me in understanding my client on a more personal level. I can begin to build a personality profile in their perfume. Think of it as capturing the essence of someones soul and placing it in a bottle..

When I first started working on Portia’s perfume I created 3 different samples. I tried them separately for a few days enjoying all 3 and then I decided combine them and that is where we are up to at present.

Photo Stolen nosha Flickr

Portia is coming to the Blue Mountains and that will be the first opportunity to smell this creation…I wait in anticipation, excitement and pray that Portia loves it! Of course there maybe more oils to add or I may start from the beginning again. We shall see 😉

Julie X

Palmarosa – Soft Skin and Happiness

October 8, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Suzanne R Banks

Palmarosa – Soft Skin and Happiness

Photo stolen Wikipedia

I’ve used this lovely oil with clients a few times in the past couple of weeks. It blends well with so many oils and adds a green, fresh and slightly rosey scent to a formula. This is a relative newcomer to aromatherapy and doesn’t really have a rich colourful history like the spice oils, but is a wonderful addition to a collection. This gorgeous grass originally hails from India and is sometimes known as East Indian geranium. It’s also grown in Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Although I can’t really find out a lot about this lovely oil I assume, like lemongrass, it has been used in India as a part of their Ayurvedic lifestyle and natural way of treating disorders in the body.

Palamarosa (Cymbopogon martini) is a grass like lemongrass and citronella, and belongs to the same family – Graminae (or Poaceae). This is the family of ‘true grasses”. There’s also a gingergrass plant that creates an essential too, and that is quite close to palmarosa as it is a variation of the plant – Cymbopogon martini var. sofia. One of my suppliers offers gingergrass oil and although I don’t use it therapeutically is has a beautiful soft scent. Maybe I’ll do a story on that oil soon.

Back to palmarosa – which is an oil often used in cosmetics and soaps to enhance the scent and add an inexpensive rose scent to the product.

I’ve always used palmarosa as a skin conditioning oil and one of it’s main components is geraniol so that may give you a hint too, as geranium is a great oil for the skin. However it’s interesting to note that geranium only contains about a third of the amount of geraniol than palmarosa! And while we are on the geraniol track, lemongrass has a high content of geranial – a different molecule with slightly different carbon bonds (with a similar function).

In aromatherapy today palmarosa is used for

* hydrating the skin and hair

* as a stimulant for skin cell growth therefore working well on scar tissue and the uneven appearance of skin

* as a tonic to the digestive system

* as an insect repellent – just like lemongrass and citronella

* I use it as an oil for happiness and for flexibility in the emotions and thoughts

Photo Stolen Cinnamon Vogue Flickr

Try these combo’s –

Scent your space

1. Scent Your Space

In a traditional oil burner with a candle or a diffuser add 25 drops of oil

“Aperitif”

Get your house in the mood for a lovely dinner

Palmarosa 10 drops

Mandarin 8 drops

Juniper 7 drops

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“I’m Going to be Flexible on this Issue”

Palmarosa 8 drops

Rosemary 5 drops

Geranium 5 drops

Siberian Fir 7 drops

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Photo Stolen RamshackleGlam

2. Nourishing Body Oil Blend

For a coat of your body use 3 teaspoons of carrier oil in a little dish and, add 7 – 8 drops of essential oil.

***** Always put the drops of essential oil into the bottle or dish first, then add the carrier oil. It gives the scents time to create a synergistic fusion.

For a 50ml bottle of oil add 25 drops and see my articles “Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics” and “Aromatherapy – It’s Easy as 1 2 3”

“Sweet and Soft”

Soften up your skin and add a little sweetness –

Palmarosa 3 drops

Peru Balsam 3 drops

Lavender 2 drops

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“Gettin’ Vibed Up”

An oil blend to refresh and send you into the day with gusto –

Palmarosa 2 drops

Cinnamon 2 drops

Lemon 2 drops

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Happy blending and remember to use your intention when you are creating your formulas. See my article about intention.

Suzanne R Banks

Suzanne R Banks Blog
Suzanne R Banks Aromatherapy
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Mini Perfume Making Course with Julie Nelson of Aromatique Essentials

August 13, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 9 Comments

Post by Gabriella

Hi APJ,

Last Saturday, I was given a terrific opportunity to embrace some scented creativity by the one and only Miss Portia. She couldn’t attend a perfume making course with aromatherapist and creator of the Aromatique Essentials perfume line, Julie Nelson, due to work commitments and nominated me to go in her place.

The session was at Julie’s house in Blackheath in the Blue Mountains, about two hours’ drive west from Sydney. I was graciously offered a lift by the wonderful Catherine du Peloux Menagé, a perfume consultant and the organiser of the Sydney Perfume Lovers meetup group. Catherine and I had met many years ago at the launch of the Frederic Malle range in Sydney and I was one of her first perfume consulting ‘guinea pigs’. We have recently become reacquainted and it was wonderful to share and swap perfume stories on the trip.

Mini Perfume Making Course with

Julie Nelson of Aromatique Essentials

During the morning session, Julie described her love for natural perfumery and the reasons why she took up aromatherapy and the natural way. If you have been reading the blog, you’ll know that the main catalyst behind Julie’s vocation was her daughter, who was born premature and then diagnosed with a rare lung condition. Julie’s story of all the struggles and love particularly resonated with me as I was also three months premature back in 1974 and also given not much chance. Listening to her, I felt very thankful to be happy and healthy some 39 years later. Catherine, Julie and I were joined by a quartet of lovely bright young things: the bubbly Dimi and Monique, the inquisitive Sophy, and Teal, a lovely lass who had decided to embrace aromatherapy after coming to a crossroads in her life.

Photo: Homemade meringues with edible rose petals for morning tea

After lunch, we got on to the creative part of the session: making our own scents. As someone who has loved contemporary perfumes for a long time, I was intrigued about exploring essential oils and having the chance to create my own scent rather than writing about others. Julie brought out her vast collection, a virtual menagerie of smells for the enthusiast. I was especially keen to try the musty herbaceous oakmoss and of course, the tuberose, which didn’t disappoint with the sharp mentholated opening segueing into buttery creamy goodness.

Photo: Some of the oils we were working with

Before I start on the creative process, I should point out that while natural perfume making is about combining essential oils, it changes depending on what base or carrier you use. Julie had said earlier that she used oils such as jojoba or a mix of almond, sunflower and macadamia for perfumes to be dabbed on the skin. For spray versions, as the ones we were creating, a variety of bases could be used from vodka to spring water, floral waters or a hydrosol, which is the first 30 per cent of a floral water gleaned from the distillation process, such as rose or orange blossom.

Photo: The lovely Julie explaining her process

Before we started mixing, Julie asked us five questions to work out what kind of blend would suit us: What was our favourite colour? What was our favourite food? What were our favourite types of smells? What were our favourite leisure activities? What feeling did we want to have wearing the perfume we had created?

My answers were: red; cheese and anything that satiated the umami taste; white florals, aldehydes and aromatic greens; reading walking and anything perfume related; confidence.

Julie advocated a blend of petitgrain, jasmine, ylang ylang, oakmoss and patchouli for me and a number of other oils for the other ladies in the group. We then got to work. My resulting perfume was rather lovely, a very soft and pretty white floral with a slight aromatic tinge from the petitgrain and oakmoss and anchored by a dry chocolately patchouli.

Photo: Monique and Dimi at work

We had terrific fun blending and sniffing and perfecting, all capped off with a beautiful glass of champagne with raspberries. All in all, a fabulous day out and some wonderful insights into an area of perfumery I hadn’t explored before.

Have you tried natural perfumes or do you use essential oils? Have you tried any of Julie’s line?

With much love till next time,

M x

Neroli Neroli Neroli

August 6, 2013 / australianperfumejunkiescom / 27 Comments

Post by Suzanne R Banks

Neroli Neroli Neroli

Neroli, neroli, neroli. I love it, I love it, I love it.

The oil is produced from the blossom of Citrus aurantia ssp amara or bigarade. It is a powerful, beautifully enchanting blossom fragrance with a little spice and bitter-sweet citrus.

It is an oil that is precious and expensive to make and therefore is mostly sold in a 3% blend. (see my article “Essential Oils 3% in Jojoba – What are they, and Why?” for more information on 3% blends).

Photo stolen WikiCommons

In the world of essential oils and plant-based medicine it is a relative newcomer. While some herbs and oils have been used for thousands of years (lavender, myrrh, frankincense, cypress for example), this scent was made popular in Italy in the 1700′s. The story goes that “by the end of the 17th century, Anne Marie Orsini, duchess of Bracciano and princess of Nerola, Italy, introduced the essence of bitter orange tree as a fashionable fragrance by using it to perfume her gloves and her bath. Since then, the term “neroli” has been used to describe this essence.”

The principality of Nerola is close to Rome where the Princess really worked the diplomacy angle in the Italian capital, securing her future in the courts of France, Spain and Rome. The essence was used particularly in Venice to ward off water born viruses and nasties. She later changed her name and title (when the duke of Bracciano died) to Marie Anne de La Trémoille, princesse des Ursins. Apparently the title was created by herself and had no real credit, but her influence in politics remained until her death.

Photo Stolen Flickr

Thank goodness she was a scented visionary and left us with a love of this beautiful flower and perfume.

In aromatherapy neroli is therapeutically used for –

* relieving tension and anxiety, depression and melancholy

* sleeplessness

* improving the look and feel of facial skin by reducing the look of small capillaries

* some claims say it can be beneficial in treating muscle spasms and is also used in heart patients – massaged over the heart

Neroli is best used therapeutically as a sedating agent and for a treatment against anxiety and depression. Perhaps the small white flower allows one to open to the simple beauty of life.

Photo Stolen Pixabay