Why l only use essential oils

My collection of soap making essential oils

I once was the person who could spend hours in a Yankee Candle store. I loved all the different fragrances, the strawberry, pumpkin, lemon chiffon, milk and honey, winter snow, ocean mist and baby powder.  And walking into Lush was like walking into heaven. So when I first started to make soap, I used fragrance oils. I had so much fun ordering them.  They all sounded delicious. I couldn't wait till they arrived so I could smell them. Soon though, I started getting headaches.  The debilitating kind of headache where I couldn't eat, think, or function. I would have to go straight to bed. And sometimes, even after I woke up, the pain was still there.  It didn't take me long to realize the headaches were caused by fragrance oils, and they had to go. Using them in such a concentrated form was no good for me. I started playing around with the essential oils and found they didn't bother me at all. So that is why I use them exclusively.  When people request/suggest I make a soap made with a fragrance oil, I will refer them to one of my soap maker friends who can use them. That way, we all win.




 Lavender, Lemongrass, Geranium, Orange and Peppermint



Grapefruit, Ylang Ylang, Anise and Rosemary



Some samples of Spearmint, Wintergreen and Carrot Seed



Clary Sage, Clove, and Beragmot

Tea Tree, Coriander and Camphor

Yours in Gratitude,
Angela

Perfume making

I have a hobby that I no longer have too much time for, and that is perfume making. I should probably pack away my supplies, but I keep hoping that soon I will have time. And besides, sometimes I just like to sit down and smell all the essential oils, absolutes and resins I have.

If you've been following my blog, you know that I have assisted Charna Eithier of Providence Perfume when she comes to teach her Natural Perfume classes in NYC. Before I was her assistant, I took both of the classes she teachers and started making perfumes.  I felt like a little kid again, mixing oils, diluting the absolutes, and tincturing whatever I could get my hands on. I also ordered Mandy Aftel's Perfume Workbook, along with the oil kit. Mandy's workbook takes a more structured approach to perfume making, but I enjoyed every part of it. Once I decided to turn my soap making hobby into a business though, there wasn't much time for perfume making. Still, I love all my perfume making materials and enjoy looking and smelling them.



The "perfume organ" that my dad made for me. (Thanks again Dad!)



Accessory notes from Providence Perfume



Base notes from Eden Botanicals

The perfume corner of my soap studio.

Charna has opened a store in Providence and isn't able to come to NYC so the next perfume class will be given by Julianne Zaleta. I'm looking forward to seeing how someone else approaches the craft of perfume making and learning more about the hobby I no longer have much time for.

Yours in Gratitude,
Angela