Essential oil blends have their own unique synergy. They provide a combined effect that is greater than their separate effects. Of course, it is easier to buy ready-made essential oil blends but those blends not meet your exact preferences. Therefore, for this post, we are going to share the basics of how you can make your own essential oil blend.
Who, What, When, Why, Where?
Before you make your own essential oil blend, it is important for you to be able to answer these questions:
- Who will be using it? (You? Your family? Your friend?)
- What effects must it have? (Just for the smell? Or the emotional/physical benefits?)
- When will it be used? (During the day while you get ready for work/school? Or during the night when you’re about to sleep?)
- Why is it needed? (To help you energize yourself? To calm you down?)
- Where will it be used? (In a diffuser? In your soaps? Skincare products?)
These questions are a guide for you to follow during your journey of blending essential oils as each essential oil has its own unique smell and varying benefits and properties. Moreover, some essential oils are organic, some may be too expensive to be used in frequent and large quantities. Know your answers to the questions above and it can help you throughout this craft.
*Be careful about where you get your information about essential oils online! Always cross check with other sources and make sure that the source is reliable as well.
Choose Quality Essential Oils
When purchasing essential oils, do ensure that they are 100% pure so that you won’t have to use too much just so you can get the right intensity of smell. Also ensure that you’re purchasing from established brands, so you won’t be led astray!
Categories and Notes
You should also pick your essential oils based on categories and notes.
Categories
Essential oils tend to blend well together if they are from the same category. Based on the essential oils we carry in our store, here are some according to their category, though do note that some of them overlap:
Citrus – Grapefruit, Sweet Orange, Lemon
Earthy – Clary Sage, Carrot Seed, Ginger Root
Floral – Lavender, Geranium, Tuberose, Ylang Ylang, Clary Sage, Palma Rosa
Herby – Clary Sage, Sweet Basil, Frankincense, Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Cajeput
Minty – Peppermint, Spearmint
Spicy – Clove Bud, Star Anise, Ginger Root
Woodsy – Cedarwood, Clove Bud
Camphoraceous – Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Rosemary
Musky – Patchouli, Citronella
Notes
The notes of an essential oil determine how quickly the essential oil evaporates. They are graded based on top notes, middle notes and base notes.
Top notes – First impression, the fastest to evaporate. Usually derived from flowers, leaves, and flowering herbs.
Middle notes – The heart of the blend, surfaces after the top notes evaporate. Usually derived from whole herbs and spices.
Base notes – The end, the final to surface. Usually derived from trees, roots, and barks.
Creating Blends
When starting a new blend, always begin with small batches so you can test your blend without wasting too much. As a general rule, you can follow the suggested quantities below for your blends:
Top – 20 to 40% of total volume of blend.
Middle – 40 to 80% of total volume of blend.
Base – 10 to 25% of total volume of blend.
Let It Rest and Test
Once you’re done blending the essential oils, let the result rest for 24-48 hours. This is so that the chemicals and constituents of the oils can meld and mix together, resulting in a more seamless blend.
Afterwards, do test your blend to see if the aroma of it is favourable or not.
*To give your blends (and essential oils) a longer shelf life, check out this blog post of ours!
Email us if you have any enquiries at enquiry@craftiviti.com or pop by Craftiviti Craft Store at 10 Boulevard, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
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