Almost two years I started using essential oils for homemade cleaners because the chemicals and fragrances in cleaners were giving me headaches and making me feel bad (i.e., sick). Before that time I had already cut out most of the perfumed body washes and even hand soaps that are so popular. I could use some of the “food” scented ones - cinnamon, apple, peach, etc. Even my deodorant had to be unscented (but now I make my own all natural deo).
My husband is pretty much the same way. In fact all artificial fragrances bother us now.This actually works out great for us since we’re on the same page.
Not so great for my teenage daughter, Elizabeth, who wants to wear the
She received some lotion and perfume for her birthday last year. I told her she could not wear it. About a year later when she must have forgotten I asked her not to wear it, she put some of the lotion on when she got out of the shower. That smell wafted through the house and found its way to me who was in the kitchen at the time.
I immediately knew who the culprit was. (Mom always does, right? And really, I knew my son or husband would not be putting it on....) Unfortunately, she had to take another shower. I threw the chemically scented lotion away. Then I had to take medicine for a headache that had already started and for the migraine it was promising if I did not act fast.
I have even had to move seats in church because of some heavily doused lady who was wearing a powdery rose smelling perfume that she obviously thought smelt lovely and wanted the rest of the church to enjoy. I have heard of people who cannot go to church anymore because of their sensitivities and the health problems they trigger.
It’s real.
But what’s a teenage girl to do with an overly smell-sensitive mama? Or maybe you’re an adult and you’re the same way.
For most of us who have a keener sense of smell, I have found that REAL smells do not cause problems. As in, the actual smell that comes from that food or flower or whatever, does not cause our brain sensors to want to freak out because it knows some vile chemical is entering through the nose holes.
Enter essential oils.
If you don’t know anything about essential oils, then the main thing you need to know is that they are ALL NATURAL.
They are extracted from the flower, leaves, bark, peel, berries, etc to get the essential oil that makes up that part of the plant. These essential oils are actually a very complex composition of several (sometimes hundreds) of chemicals but that’s a whole ‘nother post that I don’t know enough about right now to explain. Most essential oils are safe to topically apply without dilution.
My daughter loved the smell of some of my essential oils I use especially in my homemade lip balm. I thought I would just try making her a perfume using one of her favorites - sweet orange So, I did and it was super easy. It took less than five minutes with minimal ingredients.
Making her another “flavor” that smells very much like lemonade, I used witch hazel instead of a carrier oil. I made this several weeks after my first attempt when I thought I would try looking up instructions online for making “perfumes” with essential oils. They recommended if you use witch hazel to let the perfume sit 24-48 hours before using.
Essential Oil Perfume
printable recipe with bonus recipe here
40 drops essential oil
Witch hazel OR a light carrier oil (like fractionated coconut oil, Jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, etc)
1/3 oz roll-on glass bottle (like this)
Put essential oils in bottle, fill the rest of the way with witch hazel or a carrier oil. Insert roller into bottle and label the side or cap with a name for your new creation. Wait 24-48 hours if using witch hazel or use immediately if using a carrier oil. Gently shake bottle before applying. Enjoy!
Lemonade - 20 drops grapefruit essential oil, 20 drops lemon essential oil
Spicy Orange - 35 drops orange essential oil, 5 drops cassia essential oil (Be careful as cassia, a close relative of cinnamon, can be a "hot" oil and can cause skin irritation. Make sure this oil is diluted when it comes in contact with skin.)
Note
* Apply the essential oil perfume to your wrists, neck, or between your breasts. Shake before application to mix the essential oils.
* Essential oils are highly volatile and evaporate rather quickly. You may want to carry a little container of your essential oil perfume with you in your purse to reapply.
* Do not leave essential oil perfume in your car. They need to be stored in cool, dark places because heat breaks down the oils.
* Different essential oils benefit you differently aromatherapy-wise. Pick some essential oils you are drawn to and then look up their uses. Here are a few examples:
Orange – uplifting
Ylang Ylang - grounding
Lavender – calming
Patchouli – grounding
* If you're using a different sized applicator for your perfume, it's basically 1 part essential oils to 4 parts carrier oil or witch hazel. Glass spray bottles like this work well too!
Results?
My daughter loves her new “perfumes”. She loves the citrus essential oils the best so that's what we've stuck with for smells so far but plan on experimenting in the future. We've conducted non-scientific tests and feel that the witch hazel may help the scent last longer. If you try both liquids with the essential oils then you will have to let me know which you think works best. You could also mix essential oils to get a more manly scent using smells like sandalwood, vetiver, bergamot, and cypress for the men in your life. ;)
Do you or anyone in your family have sensitivities to fragrances? Tell me about them!
If you are interested in ordering any essential oils please email me at the email address on the left with any questions.
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