Make good essential oil blends by understanding scent characteristics

As mentioned in the last article (Prolong scents of your essential oils), essential oils are categorized by their notes or scent characteristics. We can classify them into three notes: top notes, middle notes, and bottom notes. The notes of essential oils are separated by the period oil evaporation and odor retention.

Top Notes: Essential oils which are categorized as top notes generally vaporize very quickly and typically have antiseptic properties. They tend to be fleeting, fresh and exhilarating in nature. Normally they are not expensive. Top notes give the first impression of all notes; however they stay not laong lasting.

Middle Notes: The aroma of middle notes do not immediately appear and may take a fell minutes to settle their odor. Normally essential oils with middle notes give warm and soft scents which help relax and balance our mind.

Bottom Notes: Bottom notes generally tend to have more staying power than top and middle notes. The essential oils categorized as bottom notes are normally heavy and have very solid odor. As their heavy weight, they evaporate slower than the other two notes, which means that the bottom notes will be present the more staying power. They normally calming and relaxing in nature, and are most expensive.

Below are the groups of essential oils categorized by their notes:
Top Notes: Basil, Bergamot, Cajuput, Clary Sage, Coriander, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Hyssop, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Neroli, Niaouli, Orange, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Ravensara, Sage, Spearmint, Tagetes, Tangerine, Thyme, Verbena

Middle notes: Bay, Black Pepper, Cardamon, Cassia, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Cypress, Fennel, Geranium, Ho Leaf, Ho Wood, Juniper, Lavender, Marjoram, Melissa, Myrth, Nutmeg, Palma Rosa, Pine, Rosemary, Rosewood, Spikenard, Tea Tree, Yarrow

Bottom Notes: Balsam Peru, Benzoin, Cedarwood, Clove, Frankincense, Ginger, Jasmine, Myrrh, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Valerian, Vanilla, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang

Don’t forget, an essential oil blend of top, middle, and bottom notes gives the best combination of appealing odor with the most staying potential.

Make good essential oil blends by understanding scent characteristics
By Jirayu Jirapinyo
Sponsored by
Gla Nature