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a fragrance blend can consist of a mixture of essentials oils, synthetic aroma chemicals, or both. the following forumlas are comprised
mostly of true essential oils.
in some cases a synthetic substitute is used because:
• some essential oils are prohibitively expensive (e.g. rose otto, sandalwood, tuberose, vanilla absolute,etc) -- it's obviously preferable to
use the essential oil whenever possible. however, if you're scenting a product (e.g. soap), a small amount of a good fragrance oil, (one
that closely resembles the essential oil), may stand up better and have more "throw" than the essential oil, which would require a
greater amount, resulting in a very costly [bar].
• the natural [animal] oil is no longer available or, if available, is an inhumane product and/or prohibitively expensive (as with musk,
ambergris, civet, and castoreum -- natural musk is no longer used because of animal humane reasons. civet and castoreum are still
available, but these oils are obtained at the expense of the animal. ambergris is expelled by the sperm whale so obtaining it has no
effect on the whale, but it is a rare commodity and therefore expensive.)
• the natural oil is [almost] impossible to obtain (as with sweet pea -- the flower is difficult, if not impossible to process)
• the scent doesn't occur in nature (as with aldehydes -- which are used in many modern commercial fragrances), or the scent can't be
obtained from the plant material (as with fruit odors: pear, mango, strawberry, etc.)
• you just like the scent of a particular brand of fragrance oil -- even though i do use vanilla absolute, i also use vanilla fragrance oil in
many of my blends both for its economy and i really like the scent of the particular one i use.

a fragrance oil is a combination of aroma chemicals formulated to represent "some chemist's" idea of the so-named fragrance ...which in
the case of natural scents, may or may not (usually not) resemble the essential oil.
note: slight variations aside, essential oils are relatively consistent, however, there is no standard among the myriad "brands" of fragrance
oils and two different brands using the identical scent name will be completely different from each other.
any "essential oil" blend will vary slightly from person to person depending on the source of the actual oils used. however, any blends
[below] that are comprised (wholly or in part) of "fragrance oils", whose individual scents tend to be supplier-dependent, will result in a
totally unique blend, based on the scents of the actual oils you're using.
where a (%) is shown in the following formulas, this is the percentage of the absolute or resin diluted in a base of sd (special denatured)
ethanol.
note: an alcohol dilution should not be used if the end product is to be oil-based (i.e. oil-based or solid perfume/cologne). jojoba oil,
propylene glycol, and di-propylene glycol are other diluants that can be (and are) used ...the resulting dilution would be suitable for either
alcohol or oil-based applications.
using a formula: in addition to the formulas listed below, "rainbow meadow" offers a device that allows you to select two or more
essential oils and it will display all of the blends [from their database of over 1700 formulas] that contain the combination of selected oils.
this is very useful if, say, you want to develop a blend based on the oils you have available.

note: the formulas below, as well as those on the "perfume page", are constantly changing ...i'm always tweaking them to suit my
changing needs and perceptions.
when using a formula, (any formula), and you don't like the results, then just discard it. if you do like the results [as is], then great; use
it. however most formulas are just starting points. as with any recipe, you'll probably want (and are encouraged) to "adjust" it to make
it your own ...based on your preferences and materials.

a note on fragrance blends: a blend smells one way when first made, but will change (read improve) when it's had time to "develop" for at
least 24 to 48 hours. for this reason, you should not make a hasty decision as to whether you like or don't like a blend until after it's had time
to meld.

making perfume: the first step is the formulation of the fragrance. see "creating a scent" for tips on crafting your own scent or use
a blend from the list below [or elsewhere]. once you have your scent, converting it to an alcohol-based, oil-based, or solid perfume
is a simple process detailed in "making perfume / cologne".

directly following this list of fragrance formulas are some comments on "hydrosols" (floral waters).

• amber - (23 drops)

this "blend" is dark and sultry. it's great worn by itself ...or nuanced with sandalwood, lavender, rose, or whatever. see the "amber" doc for
more about this intoxicating blend.

20 drops benzoin (50%) application(s)

4 drops labdanum (aka cistus) bath
body •
1 drop vanilla absolute room

• ajan - (23 drops) -- [ click to see this blend developed into a perfume ]
a blend of florals rests in a base of vanilla and sandalwood to create an oriental bouquet.

8 drops vanilla (fragrance oil)

6 drops sandalwood application(s)
4 drops lavender, french bath •
2 drops jasmine (10%) body •
2 drops ylang ylang room
1 drop musk, dark (fragrance oil)

• ariel - (34 drops) -- [ click to see this blend developed into a perfume ]
an exotic blend with a light, slightly-sweet, herbaceous, floral heart and a sensual woody base.

8 drops ylang ylang

6 drops pine, needle
4 drops cedarwood, atlas application(s)
4 drops musk, light (fragrance oil) bath •
4 drops vanilla (fragrance oil) body •
4 drops sandalwood room
2 drops chamomile, roman
2 drops patchouli

• autumn (variation 1) - (30 drops)

vanilla and spice with a sweet orange heart.

16 drops vanilla (fragrance oil) application(s)

8 drops orange, sweet bath
4 drops cinnamon body •
2 drops allspice room •

• autumn (variation 2) - (32 drops)

an earthier version of autumn - var. 1.

16 drops vanilla (fragrance oil)

8 drops orange, sweet
2 drops clary sage application(s)
bath •
2 drops myrrh
body
2 drops vetiver room
1 drop allspice
1 drop bay rum

• bergamot cologne - (106 drops)

this is a [unisex] blend of bergamot fixed with patchouli (for depth) and light musk (for sweetness).
note: because of the evanescent character of this blend -- being mostly citrus top note -- it is best blended with an oil carrier, e.g. jojoba,
(as opposed to alcohol), because the scent lingers longer on the skin.
* additional note: increase the light musk to 4 drops for a more feminine "perfume".

75 drops bergamot (bergaptene free) application(s)

25 drops bergamot bath
4 drops patchouli body •
2 drops* musk, light (fragrance oil) room

(you could use all the same type bergamot, but there are [subtle] differences between the two; the bergaptene-free clear bergamot is a bit sweeter as
well as being non-phototoxic; the regular green bergamot is a bit stronger and has more depth of character.)

• carnation - (38 drops)

this blend approximates the aroma of carnations ...and carnation essential oil.

20 drops black pepper application(s)

14 drops ylang ylang bath •
2 drops clove body •
2 drops geranium room •

• citrus flower - (25 drops)

a crisp, bright citrus blend with a hint of floral and a sweet musk drydown.

4 drops grapefruit
4 drops musk (fragrance oil)
4 drops neroil application(s)
3 drops lemon bath •
3 drops mandarin body •
3 drops orange, sweet room •
3 drops tangerine
1 drop basil, sweet

• citrus grove - (32 drops)

citrus oils fixed in a clary sage base; works well as room scent.

12 drops lemon
7 drops mandarin application(s)
bath •
7 drops tangering
body •
4 drops clary sage room •
2 drops neroli

• citrus nectar - (32 drops)

fresh and lively.

8 drops lemon
8 drops tangerine application(s)
bath
6 drops frankincense
body •
6 drops orange, sweet room
4 drops neroli

• citrus, sweet - (28 drops)

light, sweet, floral fragrance with a sparkling citrus top note.

8 drops bergamot
8 drops vanilla (fragrance oil) application(s)
bath
6 drops ylang ylang
body •
3 drops lemon room
3 drops orange, sweet

• cladn - (51 drops)

this is a modification of the "monteverde" blend (which is itself a modification of the "corian" blend), with an added mossy element and
sweetened with musk.

10 drops bergamot
10 drops petitgrain
6 drops sandalwood
4 drops musk, dark (frangrance oil)
4 drops musk, light (frangrance oil)
3 drops oakmoss (10%)
2 drops cedarwood, virginia application(s)
bath •
2 drops coriander
body •
2 drops cypress room •
2 drops juniper
2 drops patchouli
1 drop anise
1 drop cardamom
1 drop frankincense
1 drop vetiver

• clean air - (46 drops)

this synergistic blend with its disinfectant properties works well as a surface spray, but the light clean scent really shines as an air
freshener.

15 drops lavender, bulgarian

10 drops orange, sweet
8 drops lemon application(s)
bath
6 drops pine, needle
body
3 drops clove room •
2 drops marjoram
2 drops rosemary

• clean kitchen - (34 drops)

this synergistic blend serves as a freshening room spray and natural surface disinfectant.

10 drops lemon
8 drops lavender, french application(s)
bath
8 drops rosewood
body
5 drops eucalyptus room •
3 drops palmarosa

• conifer - (32 drops)

masculine, woodsy/conifer fragrance with a fresh herbal top.

9 drops oakmoss (10%)

6 drops cedarwood, virginia application(s)
6 drops juniper bath •
6 drops petitgrain body •
3 drops anise room
2 drops vetiver

• corian - (30 drops) -- [ click to see this blend developed into a perfume ]
coriander, cedarwood, and sandalwood combine to form the essence of this warm, sensual men's fragrance.

10 drops cedarwood, atlas

8 drops sandalwood application(s)
bath •
6 drops lavender, french
body
4 drops coriander room
2 drops frankincense

• eastern seduction - (113 drops)

this heavy, heady blend is an example of the oriental style fragrance. this example calls for sandalwood, rose, and tuberose fragrance oils
in place of the more costly essential oils, making this blend appropriate for scenting soaps and other skin care products ...it works very well
in soaps.

30 drops sandalwood (fragrance oil)

20 drops geranium
15 drops bergamot
15 drops rose (fragrance oil)
5 drops benzoin (50%) application(s)
5 drops frankencense bath •
5 drops patchouli body •
5 drops tuberose (fragrance oil) room •
3 drops amber (blend)
3 drops coriander
3 drops neroli
2 drops basil, sweet
2 drops cardamom

• eau de cologne (variation 1) - (56 drops) -- [ click to see note on eau de cologne ]
this version, a light citrus fragrance, approximates the scent of the original which was created by jean-marie farina in cologne, germany.

20 drops petitgrain
18 drops lemon application(s)
12 drops bergamot bath •
4 drops neroli body •
1 drop orange, sweet room
1 drop rosemary

• eau de cologne (variation 2) - (48 drops) -- [ click to see note on eau de cologne ]
this approximates the scent of the "4711" version produced by wilhelm mülhens.

18 drops lemon
12 drops bergamot
6 drops musk (fragrance oil) application(s)
4 drops neroli bath •
4 drops petitgrain body •
3 drops orange, sweet room
1 drop rose (fragrance oil)
1 drop rosemary

• eau de cologne (variation 3) - ( 22 drops) -- [ click to see note on eau de cologne ]

10 drops orange, sweet

5 drops bergamot application(s)
bath
5 drops lemon
body •
1 drop neroli room
1 drop rosemary

• eau de cologne (variation 4) - (24 drops) -- [ click to see note on eau de cologne ]

10 drops palmarosa
8 drops orange, sweet application(s)
bath
3 drops petitgrain
body •
2 drops lime room
1 drop geranium

• eros - (30 drops)

rosy, floral heart in a woody base, with a spicy ginger accent.

8 drops ginger
8 drops rose (fragrance oil) application(s)
bath •
8 drops sandalwood
body
4 drops ylang ylang room •
2 drops vetiver

• florida water - (24 drops) -- intended for high dilution (1% to 3%)
This approximates the american version, (created in 1808), of the original eau de cologne.

12 drops bergamot application(s)

9 drops lavender, french bath
3 drops clove body •
room

• green tangerine - (23 drops)

light and green with a citrus top; works well as a diffuser fragrance.

10 drops tangerine
3 drops basil, sweet application(s)
3 drops clary sage bath
3 drops geranium body
2 drops frankincense room •
2 drops marjoram

• herbal, sweet - (30 drops)

slightly sweet and grassy with floral top; works well as a diffuser fragrance.

10 drops pine, needle

8 drops lavender, french application(s)
bath •
6 drops rosemary
body
4 drops geranium room •
2 drops clove

• jardin - (21 drops)

the sweet floral fragrance of a flower garden muted in a base of sandalwood and vetiver.

5 drops geranium
5 drops ylang ylang
3 drops clary sage application(s)
bath •
3 drops sandalwood
body
2 drops jasmine (10%) room •
2 drops vetiver
1 drop rose (fragrance oil)

• kent - (27 drops)

a crisp, slightly-sweet floral with a citrusy topnote. reminiscent of a victorian garden.

9 drops lavender, french

9 drops tuberose (fragrance oil) application(s)
bath •
3 drops basil, sweet
body
3 drops rosemary room •
3 drops verbena

• leather - (8 drops)
this combination of essential oils approximates a leather note.

2 drops cade (1%) -- (or 1 drop juniper berry) application(s)

2 drops clary sage bath •
2 drops oakmoss (10%) body •
2 drops vetiver room

the addition of musk fragrance oil makes a wonderful "leather musk" blend. -- [ click to see this blend developed into a perfume ]

8 drops musk (fragrance oil)

with the further addition of lavender, this makes a simple variation of "english lavender".

8 drops lavender, bulgarian

• monteverde - (31 drops)

this sensual men's fragrance builds on the "corian" formula to add more depth and character and make it suitable for body application.

10 drops bergamot
6 drops sandalwood
5 drops cedarwood, atlas
3 drops lavender, french application(s)
bath •
2 drops coriander
body •
2 drops musk, dark (frangrance oil) room •
1 drop cardamom
1 drop frankincense
< 1 drop* spearmint
* this is actually 1/3 drop obtained by blending 1 drop spearmint with 2 drops of etoh or jojoba and using 1 drop of
that.

• moss, sweet - (28 drops)

this intoxicating chypre blend is very floral and very feminine; works well as a diffuser fragrance.

8 drops gardenia (fragrance oil)

8 drops musk, light (fragrance oil) application(s)
bath •
6 drops lily of the valley (fragrance oil)
body •
4 drops rose (fragrance oil) room •
2 drops oakmoss (10%)

• musk, leather - (see "leather")

• musk, vanilla - (30 drops)

a musk blend with a hint of vanilla.

12 drops musk, light (fragrance oil) application(s)

12 drops vanilla (fragrance oil) bath •
6 drops musk, dark (fragrance oil) body •
room •

• orange rhum - (31 drops)

a spicy men's fragrance with an orange/vanilla heart in a base of bay, modified with notes of ginger and musk.

8 drops bay, rum

6 drops orange, bitter
6 drops vanilla (fragrance oil) application(s)
bath •
4 drops cedarwood, virginia
body •
4 drops ginger room •
2 drops neroli
1 drop musk, dark (fragrance oil)

• patchouli splash- (36 drops)

a warm, sweet blend that subtly hints patchouli ...not at all overpowering. works best as a highly diluted splash.

16 drops cedarwood, virginia application(s)

12 drops patchouli bath •
4 drops clove body •
4 drops lime room

• perudulce - (49 drops)

the exotic scent of balsam peru with patchouli for depth, vanilla and musk for sweetness, and modified with a kiss of strawberry (which
isn't distinguishable but adds that certain "je ne sais quois" to the aroma.

30 drops balsam peru (33.33%)

10 drops patchouli application(s)
bath •
5 drops musk, dark (fragrance oil)
body •
2 drops vanilla (fragrance oil) room
1 drop cinnamon
< 1 drop* strawberry (fragrance oil)
* this is actually 1/2 drop obtained by blending 1 drop strawberry fo with 1 drop of etoh or jojoba and using 1 drop of
that.

• provence - (29 drops) -- [ click to see this blend developed into a perfume ]
this men's fragrance features a sandalwood base, warmed with lavender, beneath a predominant spicy ginger note.

16 drops lavender, bulgarian

5 drops sandalwood application(s)
bath •
4 drops cedarwood, atlas
body •
2 drops ginger room
2 drops vetiver

• rhómme - (32 drops) -- [ click to see this blend developed into a perfume ]
A heart of jasmine, ylang ylang, and labdanum is modified with a spicy citrus top and tempered in a base of clary sage, bay, and vetiver to
form this intoxicating men's fragrance.

8 drops jasmine (10%)

8 drops lime
6 drops ylang ylang application(s)
bath •
4 drops clary sage
body •
2 drops bay, laurel room
2 drops labdanum (aka cistus)
2 drops vetiver

• rose, autumn - (15 drops)

that wonderful blend of rose and sandalwood is enhanced with amber and hints of lavender and jasmine.

6 drops bergamot
2 drops lavender absolute
2 drops madarin application(s)
bath •
2 drops rose (fragrance oil)
body •
1 drop amber (blend) room •
1 drop jasmine (10%)
1 drop sandalwood

• rose, herbal - (22 drops)

light herbal-rose aroma; works well as a diffuser fragrance.

4 drops patchouli
4 drops rose (fragrance oil)
3 drops lemon application(s)
3 drops orange, sweet bath •
2 drops clary sage body
2 drops coriander room •
2 drops geranium
2 drops palmarose

• rose, verbena - (34 drops)

warm, woody, rose fragrance with a crisp lemony top.

12 drops rose (fragrance oil) application(s)

8 drops patchouli bath •
8 drops sandalwood body
6 drops verbena room •

• sherwood - (30 drops)

this slightly sweet, woodsy-pine, masculine fragrance has the smell of a forest.

12 drops balsam peru (33.33%) application(s)

6 drops cedarwood, atlas bath •
6 drops patchouli body •
6 drops pine, needle room

• smoke - (32 drops)

an earthy men's fragrance with a slight herbaceous top note and a rich woody base.

8 drops sandalwood
6 drops cedarwood, atlas
6 drops juniper application(s)
bath •
4 drops frankincense
body •
4 drops myrrh room
2 drops black pepper
2 drops pine, needle

• spice, floral - (34 drops)

spicy with a sweet floral top; works well as a diffuser fragrance.

10 drops orange, sweet

8 drops geranium application(s)
bath •
6 drops lemon
body
6 drops ylang ylang room •
4 drops clove

• spice, herbal - (38 drops)

spicy with a floral herbaceous top; works well as a diffuser fragrance.

10 drops mandarin
10 drops rosewood
6 drops anise application(s)
bath •
4 drops cedarwood, atlas
body
4 drops ylang ylang room •
2 drops bay, rum
2 drops clove

• straw - (46 drops)

clean, fresh, lemony floral in a base of clary sage.

20 drops lavender, bulgarian

15 drops jasmine (10%) application(s)
5 drops clary sage bath •
2 drops eucalyptus body
2 drops lemongrass room •
2 drops ylang ylang

• vanilla, burnt - (28 drops)

dark, smoky, and balsamic with a vanilla heart.

10 drops vanilla (fragrance oil)

5 drops vanilla absolute
5 drops balsam peru (33.33%)
2 drops patchouli application(s)
bath •
2 drops vetiver
body •
1 drop cedarwood, virginia room •
1 drop frankincense
1 drop labdanum (aka cistus)
1 drop musk, dark (fragrance oil)

• verbena laurel - (33 drops)

bright, spicy fragrance with sharp sweet citrus top and sweet woody undernote.

8 drops bay, laurel

8 drops bergamot
5 drops cedarwood, virginia application(s)
bath •
5 drops clary sage
body •
4 drops rosewood room •
2 drops verbena
1 drop chamomile, roman

hydrosols - a hydrosol is flower water, but not all flower waters are hydrosols. a hydrosol is the [scented] water that remains after the
essential oil is siphoned off in the distillation process. however, a flower water can be created by adding essential [or fragrance] oil and
alcohol to distilled water.

the formula is simple: 8 parts water, 1 part alcohol (note 1), and fragrance. the amount of fragrance depends on personal taste. a suggested
starting point is 30-40 drops per cup. with this method you can create a "water" from many essential/fragrance oils and some fragrance
blends ...not all scents lend themselves to this process. below are the [suggested] oil quantities for some common "floral waters" ...based on
a 2-ounce quantity.

to make 2 ounces of flower water, mix 1/4 cup distilled water with 8 ml. 100-proof vodka and blend thoroughly. select (or blend) desired
fragrance; add it to water mixture and agitate to mix. agitation may entail stirring, swirling, or inverting. shaking too vigorously will cause
your mixture to cloud. let sit in a cool dark place for 1 to 2 weeks, agitating once a day to re-mix. the oil will never dissolve (note 2), but the
water will acquire the fragrance.

finally, you can either siphon off the oil -- (if you do siphon off the oil, you might consider starting with more fragrance so the amount of
scent retained by the water is adequate ...as your personal tastes dictates), or if you choose to leave it in, shake well before each use -- (this
will cloud the mixture and should be stored in an opaque or darkly colored bottle). the latter option will retain the most fragrance.

although not considered a flower water, another option for dissolving your oils in water is to use polysorbate 20 in an amount equal to the
oil. this, however, creates a mixture that ranges from cloudy to opaque (depending on the amount of oil). if you wish a clear blend, mix the
oil/poly20 mixture in 100-proof vodka (50% alcohol) or an alcohol-based perfumer's blend. (if using a perfumer's blend that's mostly
alcohol, you don't need the poly20 unless you're adding additional water.) this approach is good for turning any blend into a room or body
spray.

florida water (note 3) 4 drops bergamot

3 drops lavender, french
1 drop clove

lavender water 8 drops lavender (french or bulgarian)

orange flower water 6 drops bergamot

4 drops orange, sweet

summer flower water 2 parts rose water

1 part orange flower water

rose water 5 drops rose (fragrance oil)

1 if using 100 proof vodka, adjust proportions to allow for the 50% alcohol.

2 some commercial (non-hydrosol) flower waters contain additives which keeps the oil in solution.
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