The Art and Science of Blending.ebook.2012 -...

The Art and Science of Blending

Theory and Practice

Linda Lee Smith RN, MS, HN‐BC, HTCP, HTSM‐CP/I, CCA

Founder of the Institute of Spiritual Healing and Aromatherapy, Inc.

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Art and Science of Blending

©Linda Lee Smith Productions

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Disclaimer

The material in this book is a guide to the practice of aromatherapy. It is not a replacement for traditional health care, medical diagnosis, or medical treatment for illness. Refer to a licensed medical practitioner for medical care.

HTSM Press /September, 2012 Revised June, 2014 All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2012 by Linda L. Smith ***

About the Author

Linda is the founder of the Institute of Spiritual Healing & Aromatherapy and past president of this organization. She is certified in holistic nursing, Healing Touch, Healing Touch Spiritual Ministry and in aromatherapy. As creator of a certification in clinical aromatherapy program, Linda has produced a unique offering that enhances the study of clinical aromatherapy by adding the study of vibrational frequencies of the oils, emotional and spiritual aspects of healing with oils, and energetic healing techniques. When students graduate from this 300

hour course of study, they will have learned much more than the national requirements to become an aromatherapist. Linda lives in Arvada, Colorado and presently is an Essential Oils Consultant for individuals and institutions interest in incorporating aromatherapy and energy healing modalities into a healthy lifestyle approach. For more information you can go to http://www.EssentialOilsConsulting.com or email her at [email protected]



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Table of Contents Introduction 4 Blending—an Alchemical Art 5 Looking for Your Purpose 5 Don’t be Afraid 6 Begin with your Senses 7 Physical Characteristics 7 Volatility 7 Odor Intensity 8 Describing Odors 8 What is the best Way to Smell an Essential Oil Fragrance? 13 Blending According to Musical Notes 14 Creating Fragrant Harmonious Synergies 15 Blending by Fragrance Notes 16 Blending by Chemistry 19 Blending by Classifications 19 Therapeutic Blending Versus Emotional/Spiritual Blending 21 Creating Personal Perfumes 23 What is the Role of the Blender? 24 Weights and Measures 25 Conclusions 27 Footnotes 28 Bibliography 29



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Introduction Blending essential oils is a highlight of the work done by professional clinical aromatherapists. Rather than relying on prepared blends or creating blends from recipes found in various resources, it is an opportunity to stretch one’s creativity and intuitive insight to help a client find what works for them. Whether you are addressing a physical need, emotional, or spiritual, you identify a purpose for creating a blend and then call upon your knowledge, intuitive insight, and experience with the oils to create something absolutely specific to their needs. How more creative can you get?! Blending is not something to be feared. There are a few simple rules in blending, but once you get those down it is easy. Trusting your experience comes from doing it over and over so start with yourself, a close friend, or family member whom you know well. As you get to know—truly know—your oils, they have the ability to “speak” to you as you work with the “client” even if it is only yourself. That is part of the intuitive knowing as you listen and figure out a blend of oils that will help holistically. There is a joy in working with these powerful single oils and selecting them to work synergistically together for a common purpose—the healing of some problem. Once you start blending, you will rarely want to go back to using prepared blends or using recipes from someone else. Tap into your creativity and your intuitive right brain—you will be surprised at how much you already know and how easy and enjoyable the experience can be. Happy blending!



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Blending—an Alchemical Art

The art and science of blending is perhaps the most fascinating and creative aspect of all of aromatherapy. It may be a bit scary for some at first, but is actually a lot of fun and can be very satisfying for both the adventuresome aromatherapist and the client. In blending, you are expressing your expertise, knowledge, and intuition as you seek to address the physical, emotional, or spiritual needs of your client. Designing a unique blend for someone is really at the heart of aromatherapy. It is the combining of a number of essential oils to first of all create an appealing and interesting fragrance while addressing a specific client purpose.

Essential oils can be rather one‐dimensional in their fragrance, but add another couple of oils and the fragrance gets intriguing—a whole bouquet of fragrances greet your nose. There are a few “rules” in blending which will enhance rather than detract from your experience of blending. For instance, it is always good to know the purpose of your blending.

Looking for your Purpose

Blending begins with taking a thorough client assessment to determine the purpose of your blend. What is working and what is not in the life of this individual? Does the client bring a physical need to be addressed? Or is he/she concerned about an emotional or spiritual need? Obviously, even a physical problem will have emotional and spiritual overtones. Most aromatherapy blends are designed to address the whole person—utilizing a holistic approach. Use a standard assessment/consultation form in your client interview. Make sure you ask whether the person has any allergies to known substances or to any perfumes or fragrances. I also advise having the client sign a release form saying that they



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understand aromatherapy does not take the place of seeing a healthcare provider.

Your assessment will also include assessing the energy field and chakras (discussed in previous ebooks) since the essential oils primarily affect the subtle energy field. I prefer using a holistic assessment form that asks about each system in the body, stress levels, nutrition, sleep, emotions, etc. For the aromatherapist, this requires a good working knowledge of human biology and physiology as well as how the body and energy field work together. Does anything stand out in their health history? What medications and supplements are they taking and for what purpose? Does their health history give any clues?

Once you have a sense of their needs, decide whether you will create a blend for fragrance (to address emotional issues), or a therapeutic blend (to address a physical problem), or a spiritual blend (to aid in meditation or spiritual awareness). Just remember—trying to address all the client’s needs in one custom blend is unrealistic and probably won’t be very effective.

Don’t Be Afraid

Many new to the profession of aromatherapy tend to gravitate toward using already prepared blends to address the client’s needs or if they venture far at all, they will recreate blends they find written in a book. The professional aromatherapist though has a working knowledge of each oil they have in their repertoire. (This is one good reason to get to know essential oils one‐by‐one rather than buying every oil before getting started). If you know how each oil works, its chemistry, aroma, properties, and

Blending for Fragrance Emotional Mental

Therapeutic blending Addresses physical systems

Spiritual blending Meditative Magical



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applications, plus, its emotional and spiritual properties, then it is easy to design an effective aromatic blend. But one must start somewhere to gain this kind of experience. There is no time like the present! So let’s dive in.

Begin with Your Senses

To learn about blending, we first must know about our oils. Developing a sense of an essential oil’s smell means that you become familiar with the oil’s characteristics. Spend some time with an oil; place it on a test strip and then write your impressions. Is it cool, warm, hot, dry, powdery, mossy, sweet, bitter, deep, light, exotic, balsamic, etc.?

Physical Characteristics

Color. Essential oils can range from clear colorless, to pale or dark yellow, blue tinged to dark blue, almost black. Some oils have a reddish or reddish/brown color while others have a greenish tinge to them. Clarity. Is the oil clear or cloudy? Can you see through it or is it muddy or milky? Viscosity. This refers to thickness. Does the oil pour rapidly or is it thick like molasses? Lavender and peppermint drop very rapidly from the bottle and therefore have a low specific gravity close to water. Other oils like vetiver or myrrh which has been exposed to the air, are very thick and slow to pour. Taste. Some are sour, bitter, sweet, or salty to taste. I could describe others as cool, hot, spicy hot or spicy like cinnamon. In order to taste an oil barely touch your finger to the top of the bottle and touch it to your tongue. Do not take a whole drop! What if the taste does not seem like the real thing? You may have an adulterated oil or you need to do more investigating before crying foul.

Volatility

This refers to the rate of evaporation. Does the odor linger on and on or does it dissipate quickly? Does it change over time? The lighter molecules will evaporate fairly quickly. The larger, less volatile molecules seem to smell sweeter, so blends often become sweeter over time. Perfumers will let their blends rest for a few weeks before they sell them.



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Odor Intensity

Intensity is about the strength of the scent, that is, how easily it can be smelled even in small amounts. Some oils are extremely faint in aroma and others are very intense. For example, if you wanted to blend equal amounts of lavender and jasmine, the jasmine would be much more intense and overwhelm the lavender. Best way to determine the odor intensity is to use smell strips rather than smelling from the bottle. When you smell the smell strip, wave it under your nose, don’t directly inhale the fragrance. Intensity is usually spoken of in a range of 1‐5 (or a range of 1‐10), with 1 being less intense and 5 or 10 being very intense.

Describing Odors

Odors have a complex range of chemical constituents which make it difficult for the novice to categorize the particular odor. Jeanne Rose, noted aromatherapist and blender, copyrighted her “seven basic odors” as “floral, fruity, citrus, green/vegetal, woody, herbal/camphor and spicy.1

Description Blends Well With… Example Oils

Floral Sweet flower fragrance that ranges from heady to delicate in scent.

Blends with woody, fruity, sweet, vanilla‐like, musty notes as well as some green notes and some herbal notes. Absolutely wasted with balsamic and anise‐like notes.

Jasmine, rose, tuberose, jonquil, geranium, palmarosa, ylang ylang, hyacinth, narcissus, violet, neroli, rosewood, bergamot, petitgrain, lavender, and lavandin.

Fruity Refreshing, tangy and sharp aromas that sweetly sparkle with life and uplift your senses.

Does not blend very well with woods and very poorly with balsamics and anise.

Blue tansy, hyssop, grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, orange, lime, bergamot, petitgrain, and blue chamomile (German).



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Green/Vegetal The smell of green growing plants, especially vegetables.

Blends well with any oil but go light with the mints.

(vegetal) Green peas or fresh potato or carrot. (green) Peppermint, spearmint, lime, lemon, petitgrain, citronella, lemongrass, melissa, lemon verbena, bergamot, ginger.

Citrus/Citrusy Fresh and vibrant aromas that are like a burst of sweet sunshine.

Similar to fruity. orange, lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, tangerine, bitter orange, elemi, petitgrain, mandarin, neroli, palo santo, and lime.

Woody/Woodsy Reminiscent of fresh cut wood. Aromas inspire the quiet beauty of nature, and promote calm reassurance and grounding.

Blends well with any oil to make the warm, deep heart of the blend.

Sandalwood, cedar, galbanum, hyssop, vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss, pine, cypress, E. polybractea, rosewood, black spruce, yarrow, and coriander.

Herbal/Camphor/ Herbaceous A garden of country fresh herbs to flavor your foods and scent your home.

Blends well with balsamics and woods. Use with caution with flowers.

Thyme, basil, camphor, rosemary, blue tansy, carrot seed, dill, Dorado azul, German chamomile, helichrysum, lavender, lavandin, lemongrass, sweet marjoram, oregano, patchouli, petitgrain, tea tree, rosemary, and yarrow.

Spicy A passionate aroma that inspires dreams of distant places and exotic cultures. Sultry, full‐bodied, deeply resonating spicy and fruity.

Use very small amounts. Adds an interesting note to any blend.

Bay laurel, cinnamon, clove, elemi, galbanum, nutmeg, pimento (allspice), black pepper, juniper, coriander, sweet basil, marjoram, rose, and myrrh.

Other authors like Kathi Keville and Mindy Green add a few more descriptors.2

Descriptions Blends Well with… Example Oils

Rustic (Camphor‐like) Reminiscent of old, woodsy, country life fragrance.

Similar to woody. Blends well with any oil to make the blend warm and deep.

Lavender, lavandin, rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus, bay and myrtle/sage.

Balsam A resinous tree fragrance.

Blends well with other trees.

Balsam of Peru, balsam of tolu, storax, labdanum, clary sage and balsam copaiba.

Resin/Resinous Delightfully deep, earthy aromas that ground and support.

Similar to woody. Frankincense, benzoin, opopanax, myrrh, elemi, galbanum, patchouli, sandalwood, spikenard, and Palo Santo.



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Minty Energizing, fresh, cool, penetrating and vibrant aromas that relieve digestive problems and head and body aches.

Similar to green. Mints will overpower any blend.

Peppermint, spearmint, pennyroyal, marjoram, rosewood, wintergreen, and cajeput.

Rosy A fresh rose aroma that nourishes the feminine spirit, a heart essence.

Similar to florals. Bulgarian rose, rose geranium, and palmarosa.

Anise Licorice‐like fragrance.

Difficult to use in blending because the fragrance is overpowering.

Anise, fennel, basil, tarragon, cumin, and caraway.

Additional descriptions I have found from many resources include:

Descriptions Blends Well with… Example Oils

Apple‐Like Reminding one of fresh, clean cut apples.

Lavender, rose, geranium or clary sage.

Roman chamomile

Balsamic Peaceful and grounding aroma that is sweet, soft, and rich.

Gives a very medicinal fragrance to any blend. Destroys the florals. Does not do well with fruits. Best used with woods and herbals.

Balsam fir, black spruce, cardamom, cedarwood, coriander, cypress, elemi, fennel, frankincense, helichrysum, juniper, marjoram, myrrh, palo santo, patchouli, pine, ravensara, rosemary, sandalwood, ylang ylang, and vetiver.

Bitter Having a bite to its aroma, sharp, acrid.

Blends well with other citrus.

Clove, grapefruit, and neroli.

Camphorous/camphoraceous Cool, fresh and penetrating for the respiratory system.

Can be considered similar to medicinal.

Blue tansy, E. Globulus, E. radiata, marjoram, myrtle, rosemary, tea tree, basil, and yarrow.

Cocoa‐Like Rich, deep, chocolate‐like undertones.

Blends well with balsamic, earthy, the mints and florals.

German chamomile

Coniferous Sharp, fresh, clean scents that open and clear, calm and restore breathing.

Blends with most oils but not the florals.

Balsam fir, black spruce, cypress, and juniper.



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Earthy Grounding and stabilizing aromas that are sweet, rich and deep.

Gives depth and roots to any blend.

Black spruce, cistus, clary sage, elemi, frankincense, mugwort, sandalwood, spikenard, vetiver, blue cypress, E. Globulus, galbanum, tea tree, niaouli, myrrh, patchouli, pine, vetiver, angelica, and carrot seed.

Exotic Warm, spicy, sweet, oriental, and intoxicating aromas that lull the senses.

A little goes a long way but adds a sensual or oriental note.

Geranium, jasmine, tuberose, sandalwood, neroli, patchouli, petitgrain, rose, spikenard, vetiver, and ylang ylang.

Fresh Vibrant, crisp, clean aromas that clear the mind and renew the senses.

Blends well with florals, citrus, woody, and herbals.

Balsam fir, black spruce, cypress, E. globulus, dill, dorado azul, E. polybractea, geranium, ginger, grapefruit, helichrysum, hyssop, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, marjoram, orange, palmarosa, peppermint, petitgrain, pine, rose geranium, rose, rosemary, thyme, and tea tree.

Hay‐Like Grass‐like fragrance that is sweet, warm and deep.

Blends with fruity, some florals, warm, sweet notes, and some exotics.

Clary Sage

Honey‐Like Sweet pleasing aromas reminiscent of honey.

Blends with woody, fruity, sweet, vanilla‐like, and earthy notes as well as some green notes.

Helichrysum and rose.

Lemony A positive, fresh and uplifting aroma that feels like the bright summer sun.

Blends well with other citrus notes, some camphorous notes.

Lemon, lemongrass, melissa, lemon myrtle, palmarosa, and E. citriodora.

Medicinal Medicine‐like fragrance that is sharp, may be herbaceous or spicy.

Similar to balsamic. Don’t use with florals or fruits.

Thyme, oregano, marjoram, E. globulus, E. Blue, bay laurel, tea tree, and ravensara.

Narcotic A feeling of sleep inducement or dulling of the senses.

Blends well with florals. Spikenard, valerian, ylang ylang, and vetiver.

Peppery Spicy, warm, rich.

Same as spicy. Black pepper and elemi.

Sharp Fragrance hits your nose with tenacity.

A little goes a long way with sharp notes.

Ginger, lemon, and oregano.



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Soft Fragrance is unassuming, delicate.

Will amplify other oils in a blend or fall completely to the background.

Copaiba

Smoky Reminiscent of cloudy wood smoke.

Blends with florals. Vetiver

Sweet Pleasing and familiar aromas to the senses.

Blends with any oils to give warmth.

Balsam fir, bay laurel, sweet basil, bergamot, black spruce, blue tansy, carrot seed, cedarwood, German chamomile, cinnamon bark, clove, copaiba, coriander, cypress, dill, fennel, rose geranium, ginger, helichrysum, lavender, lavandin, lemon, Lime, mandarin, marjoram, myrtle, neroli, nutmeg, palo santo, bergamot, orange, patchouli, petitgrain, rose, rosewood, sandalwood, spikenard, vetiver, and ylang ylang.

Tart Sharp, pungent fragrance.

Blends well with other fruits.

Grapefruit, lemon, and lime.

Vanilla‐Like Reminiscent of the fragrance of vanilla.

Blends with any oil for depth.

Benzoin (onycha)

Warm Radiant and penetrating, soothing aromas that penetrate and warm the senses.

Blends well with woods and herbals.

Benzoin, black pepper, clove, ginger, cinnamon bark, blue cypress, frankincense, helichrysum, juniper, marjoram, myrrh, patchouli, petitgrain, sandalwood, spikenard, and yarrow.

We are very good with descriptive words when it comes to describing odors. As for what categories of oils blend well together, Julia Lawless says that in general, oils of the same botanical family blend well together; those with common constituents usually mix well such as the camphoraceous oils that contain cineole, which includes all the members of the Myrtacease group, but also many herbs including spike lavender, rosemary and Spanish sage which also have cineole.



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Most of your florals blend well together, as do the woods, balsams, citrus oils and spices. There are some oils Lawless says that enhance just about any blend—rose, jasmine and lavender; likewise, there are some oils that are inhibiting over others. It’s wise she adds, to get to know the character of each essential oil and trust your intuition.3

Let’s take a look at how a few more commonly used essential oils are described.4 It’s important that we have a common vocabulary in describing scents.

• Lavender—floral, sweet, herbaceous, balsamic, woody undertones. Intensity: 2.

• Peppermint—minty, sharp, intense. Intensity: 5.

• Lemon—sweet, sharp, clear, citrusy. Intensity: 3.

• Ylang Ylang—sweet, heavy, narcotic, cloying, tropical floral with spicy‐balsamic undertones. Intensity: 5.

• Thyme—fresh, medicinal, herbaceous. Intensity: 4.

• Cedarwood—warm, soft, woody. Intensity: 3.

• Roman Chamomile—fresh, sweet, fruity‐herbaceous, apple‐like. Intensity: 4.

• Clary sage—herbaceous, spicy, hay‐like, sharp, fixative. Intensity: 3.

• Balsam fir—fresh, clean, green, balsamic, coniferous, sweet. Intensity: 2.

• Frankincense—rich, deep, warm, balsamic, sweet, with incense‐like overtones. Intensity: 3.

What Is the Best Way to Smell an Essential Oil Fragrance?

When starting your work to smell‐compare various oils for blending, the room should be well ventilated and not contaminated with other chemical smells like furniture polish, floor cleaners, etc. Most aromatherapists recommend using smell strips rather than smelling directly from the bottle which many aromatherapy writers frown upon. Focus intensely on what you are doing—that requires a bit of solitude and quiet in order to concentrate. Some have noted that the air quality is also a concern—the air should not be too dry and you

should do your smell analysis away from drafts or air conditioning vents. Cooler air is better than warmer air. Confine your smelling to brief encounters with just a few inhalations.



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You will want to waft the fragrance from the test strip and not deeply inhale the fragrance. Wafting allows the keys of the scent to be picked up by the correct sensory neurons at the top of the nose. Taking a deep inhalation overwhelms these sensory cells and may temporarily deaden your ability to perceive odor. To smell well, you need to concentrate and work quickly since the nose quickly adapts when the odor is unchanging. Take good notes on what you are observing.

Be sure to take smelling breaks. Go outside, breathe deeply and get your blood circulating. Clear your nose or rinse with saline solution. This allows the nasal mucosa to recover.

Blending According to Musical Notes

In the 1850’s, G.W. Septimus Piesse, an English chemist and perfumer5 wrote:

"Scents, like sounds, appear to influence the olfactory nerve in certain degrees. There is, as it were, an octave of colors like an octave in music; certain odors coincide, like the keys of an instrument. Such as almond, vanilla and orange blossom blend together, each producing different degrees of a nearly similar expression.

Again, we have citron, lemon, orange peel, and verbena, forming a higher octave of smells, which blend in a similar manner. The metaphor is completed by what we are pleased to call semi‐odors, such as rose and rose geranium, for the half note, pettigrain, neroli, a black key, followed by fleur d'orange ..."6

Piesse’s greatest work was his book The Art of Perfumery (1857) which made quite a stir in England at that time. He said that music, color, and fragrance all follow mathematical laws that guide us when blending them. They are all vibrational, and as we become composer, color therapist, and aromatherapist, we ultimately fuse these seemingly separate "arts" into "vibrational healing." Piesse placed over 50 odors on what he called the “Odophone.” Sharp smells corresponded with high notes and heavy smells with low notes. As a result of his findings, the perfume industry started describing scent on the basis of the musical



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scale.7 Most aromatherapists as well as perfumers utilize his descriptions of top, middle and base notes.

Creating Fragrant Harmonious Synergies

An ideal harmonic blend will have top, middle, and base notes. These “notes” will evaporate at different rates. We actually smell the different parts at different times. So, just as we can describe a single oil with different descriptors like warm, sharp, floral, or balsamic, our nose registers the light, sharp particles first and later the warm, spicy particles come through. With a blend, this is even more complicated as the blend will subtly change over time. Are there rules in blending a fragrant harmony? Yes, but very few. In the beginning, choose just 3 or 4 oils to blend, trying to have a light top note, a middle heart note and a deep base note. Choose your oils from the descriptions, or use your own intuition, or from the individual smells of the oils. Use a test strip, wafting your 3‐4 chosen oils under your nose, remembering not to take a deep inhale. Wait a few minutes, then smell them again. If it doesn’t smell right, try again. If one of the oils doesn’t fit with the others, does it need to be stronger or weaker? Or does it need to be replaced?

When you are choosing your 3‐4 oils, try to take into account the chemistry and properties as well as the overall character of the oils and any precautions in their use. Make sure that the oils you choose are pleasing to the client. If the client has a particular aversion to a scent, you need to respect that. For instance someone may have an aversion to the fragrance of lavender. If this person has come seeking help for sleep, you would have to choose something besides lavender in your custom blend. Try to make your blend a holistic one, meeting more than one need of the client. Then, choose your carrier oil. Will you have the client applying this blend to the soles of the feet, to



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the face or to be used in a massage all over the body? The carrier oil will make a difference.

In creating a synergy, the oils you pick need to work well and support each other. Let’s say you are creating a respiratory blend for someone with bronchitis. You not only need oils that will open the respiratory passages, but also oils that are anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐spasmodic. You could pick Eucalyptus globulus for its anti‐inflammatory, expectorant effects, hyssop for its mucolytic, anti‐inflammatory, and antispasmodic effects, peppermint for its anti‐inflammatory, anti‐spasmodic and invigorating effects, and cedarwood for its antiseptic, anti‐infectious effects. Using all four oils in a blend creates a synergy as they re‐enforce or support each other in treating the respiratory system.

Blending by Fragrance Notes

You will notice that authors will categorize essential oils into these three musical categories but these are only guidelines. Many will differ slightly on the category for specific oils with one oil being referred to as a top note oil while another author calls it a middle note oil. This only reflects the individuality that is inherent in the essential oils and in the practitioner. The goal is to create a blend with all notes present. The top notes are volatile and smelled first, the mid notes make up the main character of the blend and the base notes are very stable and have a long volatility.

Top Notes. These compounds evaporate at the fastest rate so they are first to stimulate olfaction. Top notes are the first impression as you smell the oil. They are sharp (lemon and thyme), sweet (cinnamon, clove) clear, very stimulating, light and fresh. They will include aldehydes, esters and phenols and come mostly from flowers, leaves and fruits.

Lavender Orange Lemon Bergamot Grapefruit Clary sage Basil

Rosemary Eucalyptus Petitgrain Cinnamon Clove Roman Chamomile

Rose (centifolia)



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Mandarin Neroli Peppermint Myrtle Verbena Lemongrass Tea Tree

Yarrow Ylang ylang Thyme Lime

Middle Notes. The molecules evaporate at a more moderate pace than the top note oils. Mostly, these oils regulate the bodily functions like digestion. They are obtained from flowers, herbs and leaves and make up the heart of the fragrance and give body to the blend. The scent of middle notes last 2‐3 days. Notice how many culinary oils (good for digestion) are among the middle notes.

Marjoram Jasmine Neroli Geranium Melissa Clary Sage Rose (damascena)

Ylang ylang Juniper Lavender Rosewood Chamomile Hyssop Cypress

Pine Fennel Peppermint Rosemary Palmarosa Caraway Cardamom

Coriander Elemi Ginger Black Pepper

Tuberose Lavandin

Base Notes. These molecules evaporate at a much slower rate and are used in perfumery to “fix” a blend, that is, to slow the evaporation of the other notes. A base note can last up to a week. Many though cannot be at first detected, but as the bottle is opened for a few minutes or applied to the skin, the scent tends to grow over time and eventually overwhelm the other notes in the blend. Other base notes are so intense that they overpower in any blend. These notes offer the lasting impression in any blend. These are very grounding oils and can be used for relaxing, sedating, or stabilizing a nervous, erratic or spacey state. They are mostly obtained from woods and resins. Their odor is pleasant, rich and heavy, and will emerge later and linger longer—often for several days. Often these oils are thick and dark.



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Benzoin Sandalwood Black Pepper

Cypress Frankincense Patchouli Clary sage

Cedarwood Peru Balsam Spikenard Tarragon Tuberose Vetiver Ylang ylang

Cinnamon Clove Ginger Cistus Myrrh Vanilla Spruce

Jasmine

You will notice that some oils appear on more than one list. Essential oils have very complex chemistries which means they have molecules that cover the whole spectrum from top note to base note. This is the case for ylang ylang, jasmine, and tuberose which have compounds that are middle notes and base notes, and with rose in both top and middle notes. Neroli has most of its notes in the top but also quite a bit in the middle notes.8 Angelica is another example of an oil that has primarily most of its compounds in the top note range but also has middle and base notes.

There are those who dispute the theory that it is the rate of evaporation that determines whether an oil is top, middle or base note. Jeanne Rose writes in her Natural Perfumery, Blending Exotics Workbook that many believe that it has to do with the scent in relationship to the others in the blend that is the determinant.9 This can get a little complicated because now we are speaking of molecular weights and the rate of diffusion of the various aromatic molecules. For instance, an essential oil with a low molecular weight and a low boiling point could be considered a top note oil. However, it was discovered that the rate of diffusion is actually independent of the molecular weight and it is the rate of diffusion in relationship to the other molecules in the blend that determines the various notes. Confused? Read on—you will discover that there are additional methods to consider when blending oils, and not all aromatherapists agree on anything.



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Blending by Chemistry

Now that you are familiar with the various families of chemical compounds found in essential oils (see my ebook on the Chemistry of Essential Oils), you could create a blend by chemical constituents. You will want to balance phenols, monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes. A good proportion would be 50‐60% phenols (you could include ketones and esters in this category), 20‐40% monoterpenes (including the monoterpene alcohols), and 5‐15% sesquiterpenes. By comparison to musical notes, you would place the top note oils among the phenols/ketones/esters, middle note oils among the monoterpene alcohols, and the base note oils among the sesquiterpenes. Actually this method is blending by molecular weights from the lightest to the heaviest compounds.

For example, you want to create a balanced blend to address arthritis in the knees. You will look for components that will address inflammatory flare‐ups but also include components that will address decreasing immune response, and decreasing pain. So you first decide which chemical groups would be most effective and then look to see if they have any potential hazards that could be balanced by other groups.10

Blending by Classifications

Here is yet another method of blending—this one uses the classic “Four Classifications” of personifiers, enhancers, equalizers, and modifiers and gives the order in which they should be added to the blend and the percentage for the blend. This is a very different approach to blending and may appear to be simpler for some. Just remember that in general, oils from the same botanical family usually blend well together and oils with similar constituents also mix well. I have decided to go with Connie and Alan Higley’s identification of oils for each classification.11 Just know that different authors will give different lists. Marcel Lavabre uses blending classifications but he puts personifiers and modifiers together in one classification. When you read the following descriptions, you will see that they are very similar.12



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Personifier. These are oils that have a very sharp, strong, and long‐lasting fragrance. They tend to have dominant properties along with strong therapeutic action.

Angelica Birch Cardamom Cinnamon bark

Cistus Clary sage Clove

Coriander German chamomile

Ginger Helichrysum Mandarin Neroli Nutmeg

Orange Patchouli Peppermint Petitgrain Rose Spearmint Tangerine

Tarragon Wintergreen Ylang ylang

1‐5% of the blend Added first to the blend Blend Enhancers. These should be the heart of the blend and predominate since they serve to enhance the properties of all the other oils in the blend. The fragrance is not as sharp as the personifier and has a shorter duration. Lavabre says that enhancers can be used to extend the more expensive oil like neroli, jasmine, rose, or sandalwood. For instance, neroli can be extended by petitgrain, bergamot, or tangerine. Rose can be extended by geranium, palmarosa, or rosewood. Jasmine can be extended by ylang ylang, or petitgrain, and sandalwood can be extended by spruce or cedarwood.

Basil Bergamot Birch Cajeput Cedarwood Cumin Dill

Eucalyptus Frankincense Galbanum Geranium Grapefruit Hyssop Jasmine

Lavender Lemon Lemongrass Lime Marjoram Tea tree

Melissa

Myrtle Orange Oregano Palmarosa Patchouli Petitgrain

Ravensara

Roman chamomile

Rose Rosemary Sage Spruce Thyme wintergreen

50‐80% of the blend Added second to the blend Blend Equalizers. These oils create balance and synergy among the oils in the blend. Fragrance is not sharp and is of a short duration. According to Lavabre, the main purpose of blend equalizers is “to hold your blend together while having little effect on its distinctive personality.” These oils help fill the gaps so that your



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blend flows harmoniously and help control the intensity of the more active ingredients.

Basil Bergamot Cedarwood Cypress Fennel Fir Frankincense

Geranium Ginger Hyssop Jasmine Juniper Lavender Lemongrass

Lime Marjoram Tea tree Melissa Myrrh Myrtle Neroli

Oregano Pine Roman chamomile

Rose Rosewood Sandalwood Spruce

Tarragon thyme

10‐15% of the blend Added third to the blend Blend Modifiers. These oils have a mild and short fragrance. They add harmony to the blend. However, Lavabre states that the modifiers are generally the most intense of fragrances. Here again is an example of a difference of opinion among great aromatherapy teachers. I agree that they can greatly affect the overall fragrant quality of the blend, even in small amounts. Add too many drops and you completely overwhelm your blend. I would add a modifier drop by drop to my blend. Typical blend modifiers are clove, cinnamon, peppermint, thyme, blue chamomile, cistus, and patchouli. Use very sparingly.

Angelica Bergamot Cardamom Coriander Eucalyptus Fennel Grapefruit

Hyssop Jasmine Lavender Lemon Mandarin Melissa Myrrh

Neroli Petitgrain Rose Rosewood Sandalwood Tangerine Ylang ylang

5‐7% of the blend Added fourth to the blend

Therapeutic Blending versus Emotional/Spiritual Blending

Therapeutic blending concentrates on physical issues like muscular pain, digestive complaints, respiratory issues, etc., anything having to do with the physical body and its comfort level. Whereas Emotional and Spiritual blending has to do with



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the opposite end of the spectrum—relief of emotional issues like anxiety, depression, or a whole host of other emotional/spiritual issues. As aromatherapists, you know that fragrances blended for, say a backache, also affect the client’s emotional and spiritual well‐being. No physical problem is purely a physical one. Therefore, even when blending for a physical complaint, it is important that the fragrance be pleasing. If it is totally medicinal in fragrance, it may not get used. Likewise, if you blend a primarily floral blend, it may not be acceptable to most men.

What concentration should the blend be? If blending primarily for a physical problem, the blend needs to be stronger than for an emotional or spiritual blend. I suggest between a 5‐10% blend for physical and 1‐3% for emotional or spiritual blends. Many of your higher priced florals, like rose or neroli oil, have a more diffusive power than most other oils which means that a very small percentage is all that is needed to have a powerful effect. Hildegard of Bingen writing in the 12th century even acknowledged that one drop of rose oil added to any potion or remedy is sufficient.

Spiritual blending entails a unique awareness—one that recognizes the hunger of our spirit for spiritual healing, to nourish the soul, or to aid meditation. Valerie Ann Worwood writing in The Fragrant Heavens reminds us that prayer, affirmations, and positive thought patterns are vibrations. One can readily understand then how these vibrations can be transmitted to the essential oils, especially when blending. Activating the light potential in essential oils is done with intent.13



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Through connection with the divine we hope to nourish our souls. Many essential oils have an ability to lift our spirits, clear our minds and enable that deep connection to occur. Prayer is very active—stating our needs whereas meditation is very passive—waiting and listening for a response. Fragrance can accompany our prayers upward as well as be that heavenly scent to help us focus for meditation and act as a conduit. Fragrance opens our consciousness, relaxing our mind and body and enables a receptive space. So, the astute aromatherapist “listens” during their assessment not only for what is needed physically and emotionally, but also spiritually. (This area will be explored in greater depth in a future ebook.)

Creating Personal Perfumes

Hmmm, yes, we can create our own personal fragrance to represent our moods or even to change them. A personal blend should have a focus and not have too many conflicting notes. For instance, if you want a floral focus you

might choose any number of the flowers to reflect the sweetness of life. If you want a warm, exotic, sensual focus, then choose the woody, heart‐warming, oriental, elevating type of oils. Perhaps you want a fresh, bright, citrusy note, then choose the uplifting oils. Just look at some of the more expensive perfumes—many of them start out with essential oils that we might recognize, although the perfumers then re‐create them in the laboratory as perfume fragrances. Be creative—a floral with a hint of spice can be quite interesting—just watch your proportions because you can easily upset the balance.

Most commercial perfumes are diluted in alcohol. For your home‐made perfume, it is best to simply make it from pure essential oils—they will last longer and may be used neat on the skin or used in a bath or a lotion. How do you know if you got it “right?” Through experimenting until your nose tells you—this is the one! However, if you blend and it just doesn’t “smell right” for you, don’t just keep adding more oils—its best to start over.



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Marie Miczak in her book How Flowers Heal the Mind, Body and Soul describes the difference between blending with aromatherapy which uses only pure essential oils and perfume blending which may use pure essential oils plus fragrance oils. When fragrance oils are used, you are primarily blending to create a pleasing effect—perfume oils do not have the same healing effect that is found in aromatherapy blends.14 Only when using pure essential oils are you blending a healing mixture that can affect the body/mind/spirit.

What is the Role of the Blender?

We look for all the different possibilities, selecting oils that will work together synergistically and not oppose each other energetically. We make sure that the oil blend is well‐rounded having top, middle, and base notes and is pleasant smelling to the client. Or, we take the role of chemist creating a balanced blend of chemical compounds according to their molecular weight. Or, we create our well‐balanced blend making sure we have the correct percentages of personifiers, enhancers, equalizers, and modifiers. There are many approaches—the important thing is to find the method that best fits you and enables you to creatively blend. In the words of John Steele,

“Creative blending is an aesthetic alchemical process…learning to ‘listen through the nose’. To listen is to be receptive, to be empty. Every drop shifts the orchestrations of olfactory vibrations, the ‘song of the blend’. A blend is not made at once, rather it evolves, it organically grows and interacts not only within the essential oils, but also with the blender.”15

The value of blending a mixture is to achieve several effects at once. Authors Light and Bryan Miller blend according to the person’s ayurvedic types and condition caused by dosha imbalance,16 other aromatherapists use blends in conjunction with homeopathy, Bach flower essences, energy healing, and even traditional Western medicine.

I like to include the client in the blending process. It is my role to pick the oils that most fit their needs and then work out the math of proportions. But if I do this in isolation of the client, they may not like my suggestions even though my choices on paper are the best ones for them. By selecting the oils and their properties,



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and then allowing the client smell my selections together and letting me know which ones appeal most to them, my chances of success at creating a blend for them are much better. The client is then taking an active role. The blend becomes “his or her” blend, one they are more likely to use since they had a hand in the selection. Don’t forget the power of the mind in all of this. If the client knows the healing properties of the oils, they can in turn invoke those properties in their healing process.

A phrase I have often used in my teaching actually echo’s Valerie Gennari Cooksley and that is “less is more.”17 Americans tend to live by the adage of “more is better”. If one drop is good, we think 10 must be even better. But when it comes to creating synergistic blends that is not the case. The whole oil is therapeutic but it does not work when you mess with its synergy of components, i.e., take out something or add something to it. Cooksley points out in her book that tests have shown that increasing the essential oil dose actually diminished the desired outcome or response. It’s not necessary to overwhelm the body/mind/spirit. Balance and moderation should be your catch phrase in health‐promoting aromatherapy.

Weights and Measures

Not all drops are equal, in fact, there seems to be quite a controversy among aromatherapists on what constitutes a drop. One drop of sandalwood (which is thick) is not equal to a drop of frankincense (which is light and thin). They both vary in volume, weight, and viscosity. According to Jeanne Rose in her Blending Booklet,

“Drops depend on the dropper, the droppee, the size of the outlet of the dropper, viscosity of the essential oil, the specific gravity, weather, humidity, etc.”18

Most texts will quote a traditional 20 drops to a ml (milliliter). Rose suggests it could be anywhere between 25‐29 drops and Shutes and Weaver say it could be



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between 20 and 40 drops to a millileter.19 Rose says the key is that you should always use the same size dropper and the same type dropper for your experiments in blending. Her standard is for 10‐15 normal drops per oz (ounce=30 ml) to create a 2% dilution. If using a reduced orifice, it will take 20‐30 drops per oz to equal a 2% dilution.

Given the difference of opinion on measures, I recommend that you use the traditional 20 drops per ml and always use the same size dropper. For the purpose of our work, I suggest the following estimated equivalents when creating your blends if you are using drops from the reduced orifice in the bottle. The key is to be consistent.

1 ml = 20 drops 5 ml = 1 teaspoon = 100 drops 10 ml = 2 teaspoons = 200 drops 15 ml = 1 tablespoon = 300 drops 30 ml = 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons = 600 drops 120 ml = ½ cup = 4 ounces = 8 tablespoons = 2,400 drops

Essential Oil Dilutions

Carrier Oil 1% 2% 2.5% 5% 10% 1 tsp 1 drop 2 drops 3 drops 5 drops 10 drops ½ ounce (15 ml)

3 drops 6 drops 7‐8 drops 15 drops 30 drops

1 ounce (30 ml) 6 drops 12 drops 15 drops 18 drops 36 drops 4 ounces (1/2 cup)

24 drops 48 drops 60 drops 72 drops (1/2 tsp)

144 drops (1 tsp)

Dilutions for Children and the Elderly

It is only reasonable that when using essential oils with children or the frail elderly, that the dosage is less than the calculated dosage for adults. Here are some standards to go by:

Ages 0‐4 years, use 1/10th of adult dose. Make a 5% dilution for an adult dose then measure out 10 drops of carrier oil and add 1 drop of the 5% dilution.



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Ages 5‐8 years, use 1/6 to 1/3 of an adult dose. Measure out 2 drops of the 5% dilution in 10 drops of carrier oil or 4 drops of the 5% dilution in 10 drops carrier oil.

Ages 8‐12 years, 1/3 to ½ of an adult dose.

Ages 12‐15 years, ½ to 2/3 of adult dose.

For the frail elderly, start with ½ the calculated adult dose.

Dosage Depends On:20

• The problem being treated—is it acute or chronic • The method of application and the area of skin to be covered • Safety information on the oils being used • Skin integrity • Age of the person • Goal of the treatment • Practitioner’s knowledge and confidence • Current accepted dosages

Is there ever a case for using higher dosages? If you look at the literature which primarily comes from the British point of view, the generally accepted dosages for blends is 1‐3%. However, in cases of viral, bacterial, or fungal infections, a much higher dosage is needed, even, 50‐50. For the beginning blender who is short on experience, I suggest you start with 1‐5% dilutions until you gain knowledge and experience and begin to trust the power of these pure essential oils.

Conclusions

Creating a blend takes great care and attention. It can be a sacred, conscious process that should not be hurried. Work with only 3‐4 oils to begin with, choose a blending method and stick with it, use only the purest quality oils, know the properties of your oils and your purpose in creating this blend, write down everything you do while blending, take breaks, never make snap judgments about a blend, include the client in the final selection, and … have fun doing it. In the end, these are the only “rules.”



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Footnotes 1Jeanne Rose, Blending Booklet, Basic to Intermediate, p. 12. 2Kathi Keville and Mindy Green, Aromatherapy, a Complete Guide to the Healing Art, p. 134. 3Julia Lawless, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, p. 44. 4Connie and Alan Higley, Reference Guide for Essential Oils 5Most references refer to Piesse as a Frenchman, however, he lived and worked in London as a chemist and a perfumer. 6 http://acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=30106 also see G.W. Septimus Piesse, The Art of Perfumery 7http://www.1902encyclopedia.com/P/PER/perfumery.html 8Marcel Lavabre, Aromatherapy Workbook, p. 108. 9Jeanne Rose, Natural Perfumery, Blending Exotics Workbook, p. 15. 10ingrid Martin, Aromatherapy for Massage Practitioners, p. 175. 11Higley, Ibid. pp. 22‐23. 12Lavabre, Ibid, p. 109. 13Valerie Ann Worwood, The Fragrant Heavens, p. 35. Also see my ebook on The Physics of Essential Oils. 14Marie Miczak, How Flowers Heal The Mind, Body and Soul, p. 30. 15John Steele, International Journal of Aromatherapy, Vol.II, No.2, p.8. 16Light Miller, and Bryan Miller. Ayurveda and Aromatherapy, p. 114. 17Valerie Gennari Cooksley, Aromatherapy, Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate, and Heal, p. 369. 18Rose, Blending Booklet, Ibid., p. 25. 19Jade Shutes and Christina Weaver, Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers, p. 90. 20Shutes and Weaver, Ibid., p.89.



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Bibliography Cooksley, Valerie Gennari. Aromatherapy, Soothing Remedies to Restore, Rejuvenate, and Heal. Paramus, NJ: Prentice Hall Press, 2002. Higley, Connie and Alan. Reference Guide for Essential Oils. Spanish Fork, UT: Abundant Health, 2012. Keville, Kathi and Mindy Green. Aromatherapy, A Complete Guide to the Healing Art, 2nd edition. Berkeley, CA: Crossing Press, 2009. Lavabre, Marcel. Aromatherapy Workbook. Rochester, VT: healing Arts Press, 1990. Lawless, Julia. The illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils. Great Britain: Element Books, 1995. Martin, Ingrid. Aromatherapy for Massage Practitioners. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2007. Miczak, Marie. How Flowers Heal The Mind, Body and Soul. Lincoln, NE: Writers Club Press, 2000. Miller, Dr. Light, and Dr. Bryan Miller. Ayurveda and Aromatherapy. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press, 1995. Piesse, G.W. Septimus. The Art of Perfumery. Middlesex, England: Echo Library, 2007 (originally printed in 1857). Rose, Jeanne. Blending Booklet, Basic to Intermediate. San Francisco: Herbal Studies Library, 2000. Rose, Jeanne. Natural Perfumery, Blending Exotics Workbook. San Francisco: Herbal Studies Library, 2009. Shutes, Jade, and Christina Weaver. Aromatherapy for Bodyworkers. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2008. Worwood, Valerie Ann. The Fragrant Heavens. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999.

Other Helpful Texts That Discuss Blending Curtis, Susan. Essential Oils. Great Britain: Aurum Press Ltd, 1996. Ericksen, Marlene. Healing with Aromatherapy. Los Angeles: Keats Publishing, 2000. Farrer‐Halls, Gill. Meditations and Rituals Using Aromatherapy Oils. New York: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc, 2001. Jones, Elizabeth Anne. Awaken to Healing Fragrance, The Power of Essential Oil Therapy. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2010. Pitman, Vicki. Aromatherapy, A Practical Approach. Cheltenham, United Kingdom, Nelson Thornes Ltd, 2004.

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