Because of the Federal Fair Packaging Act of 1973, a loophole was created where fragrance companies don’t have to list all of the ingredients in their products, unlike every other cosmetic industry where they are required to list all ingredients on product labels.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) did a study that revealed 38 secret chemicals in 17 of some of the most popular name brand fragrance products. In this study, EWG also noted that a fragrance can be made from any number of the fragrance industry’s 3,100 stock chemical ingredients that can be mixed to mimic almost any smell. The EWG also found that “the average fragrance product tested contained 14 secret chemicals not listed on the label. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.”
It's not just perfume that's a problem but the myriad of other scented beauty products that many women and men use on a daily basis that are causing long term health problems. A new study out of the University of Rochester finds that the more beauty products women use, the more chemical byproducts turn up in their urine. Why is this significant? Because it’s long been known that certain chemicals found in household and cosmetic products, like BPA and phthalates, can cause birth defects in mice, and a growing body of evidence suggests that those same chemicals can cause similar developmental problems (and a slew of other health issues) in humans.
So how can you avoid these products and all their secret chemicals but still smell great? While you can't control what scents other people wear or what a department store sells, you can choose what you put on. Essential oils are a great alternative to synthetic scents. They actually have therapeutic benefits as well so long as they are certified pure therapeutic grade oils like dōTERRA essential oils. No point in putting cheap oils on that also have hidden chemicals and fragrances in them.
You can wear a single oil as a perfume (I love Wild Orange) or even make your own blend that's unique to you.
How to make your own perfume blend
I found a great tutorial on dōTERRA's blog on how to make your own blend which I will explain here as well.
There are top, middle, and base notes to perfumes. Below explains what each note is and essential oils that can be classified in each category.
Top Note: the first scent you will smell when applied. These are usually lighter scents that can fade quickly.
Essential oil top notes could include: basil, bergamot, cinnamon, clary sage, coriander, eucalyptus, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, lime, wild orange, peppermint, melaleuca, and thyme.
Middle Note: sometimes referred to as “heart notes,” make up the majority of the blend. You can usually smell the aroma when first applied, but usually takes 10-30 minutes to fully develop. The middle note is usually what classifies it to their fragrance family (floral, musky, oriental, fruity…).
Essential oil middle notes could include: black pepper, cypress, fennel, geranium, lavender, marjoram, melissa, rosemary, and white fir.
Base Note: are the ones that last the longest and have the greatest molecular weight. These are the notes that make the fragrance last longer and help the evaporation rates of the top and middle notes slow down.
Essential oil base notes could include: cassia, cinnamon, clove, frankincense, ginger, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, and ylang ylang.
Materials Needed:
- Top, middle, and base note essential oils of your choice.
- Glass bottle to hold perfume mixture. (You can find different bottle choices at online retailers. Some bottle options include a spray bottle, glass vial, or roll-on vial).
- Carrier oil (dōTERRA fractionated coconut oil is recommended for best results but you could also use jojoba oil or a high proof alcohol).
- Dropper for carrier oil. (Here is one option).
- Pen and paper to record drop amounts.
Instructions:
- Starting with your base note essential oil, put a few drops in the glass bottle. Record number of drops on paper.
- Next use your middle note essential oil and put desired drops in the glass bottle. Smell as you go along and add more if you want the middle note to be stronger. Record number of drops on paper.
- Drop your top note essential oils into the glass bottle. Smell and adjust your perfume to your desired fragrance, add more base or middle notes if needed. Record number of drops on paper.
- Once you have the essential oil blend as you would like it, multiply the drops in the glass bottle by 4 to calculate the total amount of carrier oil drops (or alcohol) to add next. For example, if you did 10 base note drops, 10 middle note drops, and 10 high note drops then you have 30 drops of essential oil. Multiply the 30 drops by 4 to get the amount of drops of carrier oil you need to add. In this case it would be 120 drops (30 x 4 = 120). Use your dropper for the carrier oil and put the correct amount of drops into the glass bottle.
- Let the blend mature for 2-4 days before using. You can still adjust and add oils to your perfume after this “perfume maturing” stage to get your desired results.
Tips:
- Start with a small sample of your fragrance first so you can use it as a sample. If you like it, take your recorded drop amounts and multiply them to produce a larger amount of the fragrance.
- There are no exact recipes when it comes to perfumes because you can add more or less of whatever note to get your desired fragrance. This is where you can have fun and experiment with your own unique scent.
- You can have more than one type of note in your mixture. For example, your mixture could include 3 different top notes, 2 different middle notes, and 2 different base notes. Do what smells right to you.
- Apply perfume to skin rather than clothes. For best results, apply on wrists. For a body mist, add 5-10 drops of essential oil to 4 ounces of water and shake well.
- Have fun! Experiment and find the mixture that belongs to you.
Fragrance Ideas:
Mix #1: peppermint, lavender, sandalwood.
This scent is fresh, refreshing, clean, and has a hint of musk.
Mix #2: Citrus Bliss, fennel, vetiver.
This scent is woodsy, sweet, and citrusy.
Mix #3: cassia, cypress, vetiver.
This is a very sweet and spicy scent.
Mix #4: basil, lavender, ylang ylang.
This is a fresh and floral scent.
If you don't want to take the time to blend your own oils, dōTERRA has some great blends that smell wonderful and offer great therapeutic benefit:
Whisper
Elevation (Reduces sad and anxious feelings)
Citrus Bliss (supports immune system and is calming)
Balance (Reduces sad and anxious feelings; also, helps you relax, calms emotions, soothes away tension, relieves restlessness, eliminates irritability)
Serenity (also soothing and calming)
Lavender (supports healthy skin and is also good for anxious feelings)
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