Blending essential oils is a fairly uncommon practice – manyofusare concernedabout the ingredients, the correct proportions and the results. We don’t know where to start, or how to combine them. Yet it’s really easy, provided we follow a few simple rules. And it’s worth learning them, because properly blended oils can bring remarkable results and satisfaction – from newly discovered and self-created combinations – beautiful or unexpected, but always unique. How do you blend essential oils?
Essential oils – why blend them?
Essential oils are volatile aromatic substances derived from plants. Their immense impact on health and well-being has long been recognised. They have a calming and relaxing effect, relieve nervous tension, and can aid concentration and memory. Essential oils have antiseptic properties and help to reduce inflammation and muscle pain. And when combined correctly, they can achieve much more – we call this synergy.
What is synergy?
Synergy is a term frequently used in aromatherapy. It refers to a combination of essential oils that highlights and enhances their fragrance notes whilst amplifying their therapeutic effects. The components must complement one another to create a pleasant fragrance composition. This means that, when blended correctly, they bring out notes that would otherwise be imperceptible.
Essential oil blends – fragrance notes
Before we start blending essential oils, it’s worth learning and understanding the basics. These are of great importance for the longevity and balance of the blend. It’s not complicated at all – it’s all about fragrance notes. Everyone has heard of them, but not everyone knows what the term actually means. It is simply a collection of scents that make up a specific fragrance composition. We divide them into three basic groups.
Top notes (or head notes) – these evaporate the quickest, sometimes within 0.5–2 hours; they are usually light and are the first we detect. The most popular of these are:
- bergamot
- Eucalyptus
- lemongrass
- peppermint
- orange
Middle notes (or heart notes) – these evaporate after 2–4 hours; they are usually delicate and provide the blend with the desired balance:
- cinnamon
- tea tree
- geranium
- juniper
- rosemary
Base notes – these evaporate the slowest, taking up to several days; the scents are intense and heavy. Let’s look at some examples:
- amyris
- cedar
- ginger
- patchouli
- ylang-ylang
Essential oils blend perfectly with one another within the same fragrance notes; more importantly, however, the composed fragrance will last longer in a (virtually) unchanged form.
Essential oil blends – how many oils should you mix?
Each individual essential oil consists of many aromatic substances, which is why no more than five different oils are usually blended. A large number of scents in a blend requires knowledge and experience, which we will certainly gain over time (and with practice). Exercising moderation, both in the quantity of oils and in the proportions, is key – especially at the beginning.
Essential oil blends – step by step
Before we start creating our dream blends, we need to ensure we have everything properly prepared and the necessary accessories to hand. The basics are glass bottles, preferably dark-coloured ones. If you’re just starting out on your journey into blending oils, it’s definitely worth choosing smaller containers (e.g. 15 ml).
To achieve satisfactory results, invest in the highest-quality essential oils. Products with an unsuitable, contaminated composition have weaker therapeutic properties, but worse still, in extreme cases they can even be toxic.
How should you blend essential oils?
The safest method, at least for beginners, is to use a blend based on fragrance notes and their types. Let’s look at the most commonly used proportions:
- 1: 1: 1 – that is, all fragrance notes in equal proportions, e.g. 15 drops of each type
- 3 (top note): 5 (middle note): 2 (base note) – e.g. to create approx. 2.5 ml of essential oil, simply combine 15 drops of the top note + 25 drops of the middle note + 10 drops of the base note
And what next?
It is best to store the finished essential oil blend in an airtight bottle, label it (especially if you are making several blends at once) and then leave it in a cool, dark place for a few days to allow the ingredients to blend properly. The scent will certainly gain depth and character.
Essential oil blends in cosmetics
Essential oil in its pure form is a concentrated product which should not be applied directly to the skin, as this may result in unpleasant irritation. If you intend to use the product on your face or body, you must ensure it is properly diluted using a carrier oil. This is simply a vegetable oil – such as sunflower or coconut oil.
As for the maximum concentration of pure essential oil in the blend you are preparing, the figures are as follows:
- up to 1.5% in facial products
- up to 3% in body massage products
- up to 4% in skincare products (e.g. lotions)
Essential oil blends – popular blends for beginners
Blending essential oils offers great freedom, and this is perhaps the whole point of the process. Although it is difficult to define the ‘perfect’ scent, we can achieve good fragrance combinations by blending classic aromas.
- lavender + chamomile
- lemon + rosemary
- lavender + tea tree
- lemon + rosemary + cedarwood
- lavender + jasmine + sandalwood
- bergamot + sage + rosemary
Where to look for inspiration?
Many people who are just starting out on their journey with blending essential oils look for inspiration, and that’s perfectly understandable. But this needs to be done properly too – you can check the composition of a popular oil that suits your tastes (after all, it was created by experts) and try to recreate a similar (or slightly modified) blend at home, experimenting with the proportions. This is a good way to learn about patterns and combinations, which will certainly come in handy when creating further scents.
Aromatherapy is a personal experience; after all, each of us has our own tastes and preferences. It’s worth experimenting, testing and searching for the perfect blends – blending essential oils is a combination of art, science and creativity. The process itself isn’t complicated, and it can result in the creation of a unique, one-of-a-kind fragrance that will delight you and lift your spirits. Isn’t that the secret of aromatherapy?
But what if you mix fragrance notes?
Sometimes, just a few hours after a blend has been created, essential oils smell completely different to how they did at the start – this is due to the mixing of different types of fragrance notes. If one of the oils evaporates faster than the others, the scent will constantly change. Is this a drawback? More like an interesting experience.
Essential oil blends – basic principles for combining oils
Blending essential oils isn’t difficult, but it’s worth bearing in mind a few basic principles. It’s a good idea to group the oils, for example, according to their intended use (i.e. how they work), which will enhance their therapeutic effect, for instance:
- calming – lavender, geranium, bergamot, ylang-ylang, jasmine, lemon balm, patchouli, sandalwood
- energising – rosemary, sage, lemongrass, eucalyptus, peppermint, pine, lemon, basil, grapefruit
…or by scent type – citrus, herbal, woody, spicy, resinous, exotic, floral. Interestingly, the order is not random, and each scent blends perfectly with the neighbouring aroma. So? You can successfully combine citrus oils with herbal and floral ones, and herbal oils with woody or citrus ones… and so on. Simple, isn’t it?
Contrast
Contrary to what you might think, essential oils can also be blended based on contrasts, although this is a little trickier. If you enjoy experimenting, it’s certainly worth trying out unconventional combinations, such as cinnamon and orange – the result is sure to surprise you, and perhaps even delight you.
Minimalism
And one often overlooked point – moderation. It’s worth opting for minimalism, as the rule‘less is more’ usually holds true. A combination of three interesting aromas will be harmonious and won’t create unnecessary olfactory chaos.
Safe and versatile choices
There are several essential oils that blend perfectly with many other scents, creating excellent (and reliable) compositions; these are primarily:
- lavender
- tea tree
- rosemary
- lemon
- eucalyptus
- patchouli
- sage
How not to blend essential oils?
When it comes to blending oils, (almost) anything goes. Each of us perceives scent slightly differently, and we should be guided by our own feelings and impressions. One of the few things best avoided is mixing ready-made fragrance blends (whether created by yourself or bought in a shop) – this usually leads to disastrous results, which can cause, at best, a headache and irritation.
It is also worth remembering that spicy and oriental scents (especially when used in excess) can easily overpower any fragrance, and all the effort put into creating the perfect composition will be ‘barely perceptible’.
‘The Basics of Perfumery’– I. Konopacka-Brud, W. Brud
“A Handbook of Essential Oils”– V. A. Wordwood
“Sensory Analysis and Fragrance Substances”– A. Jabłońska-Trypuć, R. Fabiszewski
“Plant-based Raw Materials with Anti-anxiety and Antidepressant Properties”– G. Nowak, Department of Natural Medicinal and Cosmetic Raw Materials, Poznań University of Medical Sciences
“The problem of impurities in essential oils”– Farmacom
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