Prolong scent of your essential oils

I think most people who use essential oils know that natural botanic essential oils evaporate very quickly - they are so volatile. It challenges natural skincare and soap makers. The fleeting scents of essential oils tend to falls to half-strength after around 24 weeks. Many people prevent weakly-scented products by “making it when it is needed, and “use” or “sell” it as soon as possible. Another method of prolonging scents of essential oils is adding the essential oils in the last step. For example, soap makers always add the essential oils in the last step before pouring the formula into molds.

One of the easiest ways to retain scents of essential oil is adding more essential oils on the products. Soap makers may be required to add up to 1.5 teaspoons of essential oils per one pound of melted soap, whilst they can add only 0.5 – 1 tea spoons of artificial fragrance per one pound of melted soap, for instance. It is common practice to blend the essential oils with a fixative (such as carrier oils, natural clay, or bottom-noted essential oils)

Essential oils scents may generally classified by their notes or scent characteristics. They can be categorized as top notes, middle notes, and bottom (base) notes. The bottom notes tend to have the strongest staying power. The strong staying power of bottom notes play and important role as a fixative. Therefore, the essential oil blend with good combination of top, middle and bottom notes will give the appealing aroma with strong staying power.

For prolonged scent, Jane Sirichai (the Thai aroma therapist), suggests essential oil blend be combined with 15% Benzoin, Patchouli, or Vetiver. Benzoin, Patchouli, and Vetiver exhibit good fixative property. Jane added that almost of her blends are combined with roughly 10% Benzoin, Patchouli, or Vetiver, 20% other bottom notes, 30% middle notes, and 40% top notes. Prapasri Chainara (Thai essential oil expert) uses castor oil as a fixative with a couple of bottom-noted essential oils to improve duration of scent. She keeps all her products in air tight container to prevent evaporation of essential oils.

Next time we will talk about scent characteristics of essential oils and how they should be blended.

Prolong scent of your essential oils
By Jirayu Jirapinyo

References: "Give your Essential Oils More Staying Power", by Kerri Mixon, of Pallas Athene Soap & Natural Skin Care



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