I haven’t been using pheromones for very long compared to the majority of people on this forum, but I have been reading a lot, and recently started reading up on essential oils. Where I live, it can be difficult to find any one who knows much about the subject, but my family evacuated to Eureka Springs for Gustav and it’s full of little specialty shops often owned by knowledgeable people. Still, I’m often suspicious of even the most savvy business-owner. They are trying to make a profit, even if they love and use the wares themselves. That said, how is Aura Cacia as a supplier of essential oils? My mother bought me a half-ounce bottle each of frankincense and sandalwood as an early birthday present.
I am 17, and though I love the scent of both, I also don’t know how they would come across on someone my age. Does anyone have any suggestions? There was a large variety of oils, so any of the most common or well-known should be found easily. I am above average height, with dark blonde, short hair, little of the southern accent that pervades the area around me, and people generally respect me, at least grudgingly, though a lot of my male friends find it necessary to tease me in order to assert dominance.
I have read that sandalwood is a strong oil and can cause rashes if applied undiluted on the skin. That said, how should I dilute the oil, and with what? Besides wanting to avoid rashes, sandalwood oil is also quite expensive, and I would like to make it last.
Finally, can essential oils be mixed with pheromones in spray bottles. Some of the spray-pheromones are alcohol-based, so I’m not sure what would happen if I added a drop of citrus or sandalwood to a pheromone mix. I must keep reading up on the chemistry of the subject.
Yes, most essential oils are not intended for application directly to the skin. You can mix essential oils with alcohol. Typically, the very strongest concentrations are 30% to 35% oils with the balance alcohol … called perfumes.
Colognes tend to come in at 15% to 25% oil, eau de colognes at 8% to 18% oils. Toilet waters and linen sprays might be as little as 3% to 10% oil.
In addition to essential oils you will find fragrance oils … purely artificial chemical creations intended to smell like certain essential oils or to create scent experiences not found in nature. Much of modern perfumery relies more heavily on fragrance oils than on essential oils.
PS: You could use grain alcohol … or even good vodka, but it’s illegal in most circumstances. Perfumer’s alcohol is pure ethanol that’s been denatured by adding Bitrex … a chemical that has no scent but which tastes horrid. Water mixed with perfumer’s alcohol will turn a cloudy whitish color.
Cologne alcohol is perfume alcohol which is tempered by adding some di-propylene glycol (DPG) so that distilled water can be used in combination with the alcohol and stay “clear”. This is very useful in “softer” (lower percentage of essential / fragrance oil) preparations where, say, 90% alcohol might overpower the scent, so a 10-45-45 mix of scent, alcohol, and water thins out the solution without putting too much ethanol in the air.
Vespero, I got, in addition to a bunch of EOs, a little mixer bottle and another bottle of “base oil”, for a sum probably of the order of £2… this was a while ago. The base oil is just some neutral grapeseed, jojoba, etc, oil. It says “5 drops of EO to 10ml of carrier oil” for a mix - however (and your mileage may most certainly vary so I don’t recommend it) I’ve always slapped the EOs on neat, with no ill effect, so I’ve never used the base oil.
RE: alchohol mix
It’s all about evaporation/dispersion rate. More alchohol faster evaporation. More oil (EO or jojoba, grapeseed, etc) slower evaporation. That’s the time side of the equation. Then there is the strength of the smell side which is based on the total quantity of EO applied regardless of the dilution
Down south here we probably need to be a little more aware of tempurature and humidity. More temperature, more evaporation. More humidity, less evaporation. More activity, more evaporation. In the colder climates up north folks probably need to be aware of how they’re dressed. More bundled up, less evaporation (and maybe more absorption through the skin).
The strength and type of dilution is the one factor you have the most control over in all this. (I know there is fixatives and all that. Don’t confuse me with the facts.) The rest is poke and hope windage in the literal sense.
Most of the SmartMones mixes have a neroli scent added. Neroli is a citrus EO. You might want to try just pumpin’ in some more neroli before you start addin’ something like Goofy Grapefruit.
I think it’s only illegal to add booze if it’s a product for sale, not your own personal use. Regardless, do NOT drink your cologne! You hear? DO NOT drink your cologne or we will all end up runnin’ up a tab at the florist’s for your funeral.
Speakin’ of booze, i started looking for a recipe for old style BayRum cologne. Anybody know anything? probably oughta start a thread in parfum.
As far as the effects and recipes for sandlwood and frankencense, DrSmellThis is an HonestToGawd Authority. Where the hell is SmellThis when you need him?
I’ve been putting both the sandalwood and frankincense oil directly on my wrists and the back of my neck for a few days now with no ill effect. Personally I love the smell, and catch wiffs of it all day, so I don’t think the strength of the oil will be a problem. I mainly want it to last longer, because of the price. What are some good, reliable sources of EOs for the future, and what are good suppliers of perfume bottles, carrier oils, and the other ingredients?
Well, as far as my carrier oil and little mixer bottle goes, I picked them up at a local pharmacy… You can get empty to-go bottles and the like from Androtics too, should you want to mix alcohol-sprays with a bit of EO, but the Androtics store seems to be out of the EOs themselves.
sandalwood was one of the scents in Realm I liked…
(now I see it is in Natural Attraction, from my reading is a revitalized version of Realm both by EROX)
Yeah, I noticed that. The store has an EO/musks section, but it’s always empty. Come on, Androtics! Give us some inventory there! Unless, of course, it would effect the wonderful pheromone products and research, which the expense probably would.
I’ve saved all my to-go bottles so far, so I have about 6 or so empty ones. I might try making a sandalwood spray. Now I just have to find a good alcohol.
most health food stores or natural foods will carry basic essential oils.
They can be found online too. google search for sandalwood essential oil
Now if I could just fine Evergreen oil.
Sandalwood and Cedar at the base to a Lavender, Geranium, Evergreen.
While realm is lavender, orange and is accented with juniper, patchouli and ginger.
I might throw in a pinch of jasmine oil (no, not the person working at Androtics)
Then I need to purchase one of each of the Putative pheromones and I can start mixing my own hooch.
