more like flowers, less like poison

We don't remember when perfume used to be made from real natural oils. That happened a long time ago, before MONEY&PROFIT became more important than WELL BEING&SAFETY. Welcome to the 21st Century, baby.

Fret not, however, because if you long for fresh, sexy, pretty, bold or musky scents it's possible... the natural way! A lot of people find they are sensitive to the chemical compounds in chemical-based perfumes, and they have been proven to have long-term health risks. These two factors makes me think...

Natural Fragrances, Perfumes & Cologne!

Generally you need three ingredients in order to do this THE EASY WAY. It's ready instantly or in about 1 week to let the aromas blend. You can find and test the essential oils at your local health food store to find the ones that you love. 

 
1. Grain Alcohol (for staying power) OR Jojoba Oil (Depending on what texture you like)

2. Natural Essential Oil(s)

3. Jar, Vial or small glass container with a top. (Blue or Amber glass is often recommended to increase the lasting power of the oils, but not necessary)

Below is a chart of commonly available oils based on their common classification, from AromaWeb:

Top Notes
Anise Basil Bay Laurel Bergamot Bergamot Mint Citronella Eucalyptus		Galbanum Grapefruit Lavender Lavendin Lemon Lemongrass Lime		Orange Peppermint Petitgrain Spearmint Tagetes Tangerine
Middle Notes
Bay Bois-de-rose Cajeput Carrot Seed Chamomile, German Chamomile, Roman Cinnamon Clary Sage Clove Bud Cypress Dill Elemi Fennel		Fir Needle Geranium Hyssop Jasmine Juniper Berry Linden Blossom Marjoram Neroli Nutmeg Palmarosa Parsley Pepper, Black Pine, Scotch		Rose Rose Geranium Rosemary Rosewood Spruce Tea Tree, Common Tea Tree, NZ (Manuka) Thyme Tobacco Yarrow Ylang Ylang
Base Notes
Angelica Root Balsam, Peru Beeswax Benzoin Cedarwood, Atlas Cedarwood, Virginian		Frankincense Ginger Helichrysum (Immortelle) Myrrh Oakmoss Olibanum

Recipes

Self belief

• 2 drops Ginger
• 3 drops Myrtle
• 4 drops Rosemary
• 3 drops Verbena

Wedding nerves

• 4 drops Jasmine
• 2 drops Lemon
• 1 drops Patchoulli

Bliss

• 2 drops Bergamot
• 1 drops Jasmine
• 1 drops Rose
• 2 drops Sandalwood

Warmth

• 2 drops Black Pepper
• 3 drops Patchouli
• 4 drops Rosewood
• 3 drops Ylang Ylang 

Tranquility

• 4 drops Cedarwood
• 2 drops Clary Sage
• 1 drop Grapefruit
• 2 drops Mandarin

Chill out

• 2 drops Grapefruit
• 2 drops Patchouli
• 1 drop Rose
• 3 drops Vetivert
• 2 drops Ylang Ylang

Sleep tight

• 2 drops Bergamot
• 3 drops Chamomile
• 2 drops Marjoram
• 4 drops Lavender

Another method is with DRY ingredients.  It takes a little longer, but you the results can often be paired perfectly for your preferences and are gorgeous to look at. Also, dry ingredients can be A LOT cheaper than the natural essential oils.

The Basic Method
Place dry ingredients in a pint jar with a tight lid. Fill jar with vodka. Cover jar and shake daily for 1 to 6 weeks. Strain out dry ingredients and use the liquid as a cologne on your pulse points.

Recipes

Romantic
You prefer classically sweet flower and herbal scents. Try any of these ingredients, or a combination:
1 cup fresh or dried lavender blossoms
1 cup fresh or dried chamomile blossoms
1 cup fresh or dried basil
1 cup fresh or dried rose petals

Fresh
You prefer refreshing, crisp scents that don’t cloy. Try any of these ingredients, or a combination:
Lemon peel from an organic lemon
Lime peel from an organic lime
1 cup fresh or dried peppermint leaves
1 cup fresh or dried rosemary leaves

Earthy/Exotic
You like warm and spicy scents that exude grounded sensuality. Try any of these ingredients, or a combination:
1 whole vanilla bean, broken in pieces
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 three-inch piece cinnamon stick
Orange peel from an organic orange
1 cup sandalwood chips
1 cup bay leaves (this traditional formula calls for rum instead of vodka to make Bay Rum)

The "Basic Method" was taken from Cait Johnson's post on: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/natural-scents-for-your-type.html

"Tribute" Sarah Valentine&Eduardo Valadez 2010

With all these amazing choices why go for the designer brands, let alone the designer knock-off brands. If you are still inclined, there's some chemicals you should be aware of that may be in your fragrances. Keep in mind that a lot of perfumes are not required  by law to release their "secret formulas," so it may not be obvious. Also, the term "fragrance" is on lotions, baby shampoos, deodorants and a ton of other products.

Hidden Hazards:

Allergens and sensitizers

Phthalates

Neurotoxins 

Synthetic Musks

Check out Campaign fpr Safe Cosmetics: Fragrance Article

Flamingo in the Garden. Sarah Valentine 2010.

In Conclusion,

CHECK YO' LABELS BEFORE YOU WRECK YO' SELF!

Love,

Sarah Valentine