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92WILLOW AND SAGE Winter 2017
E ential OilSolid PerfumeBY MELINDA BARNETTAfter reading the label on my favorite perfume box, I decidedit was time to toss it out and make my own perfume recipes. Iliterally did months of research, but here’s the short version. Ingeneral, a well-balanced perfume will have three notes: a topnote, a middle note, and a base note. The top note is often usedas the “selling point” of a perfume, because it is the fragrance\PI\ PQ\[ aW]Z VW[M Å Z[\ PM [IL \PQVO IJW]\ \WX VW\M[ Q[ \PI\ they don’t stick around very long and dissipate quickly. Themiddle note of a perfume is said to be the heart of the perfume,and normally makes up the largest percentage of the mix. Themiddle note is the second to dissipate. The bottom note is thelongest lasting of the three, and will stick around long after theother two have left the scene, so it’s very important to choosea bottom note you really like. Sounds easy, right? Well, here’swhere it gets complicated.Doing research for solid perfumes, I discovered that noneof the information out there is consistent. I love jasmine andwanted to use it in one of my recipes. Some sites list it as a topnote, while others say it’s a middle note, and still others say it’sa base note. I also love ylang-ylang and found it listed as botha middle note and a base note. I came to the conclusion thatperfume making is truly an art rather than a science, and scentsare very, very personal. That said, I am sharing my recipes here,but it’s also easy to make your own scents. One-note perfumescan be lovely too, particularly lavender or vanilla. PM[M IZM ITT TQOP\ NZM[P Æ WZIT KQ\Z][ [KMV\[ JMKI][M \PI\¼[ what I like. I formulated them by opening the vials of essentialWQT IVL [UMTTQVO \PMU \WOM\PMZ *MKI][M 1 LQL VW\ Å VL I LMMX JI[M VW\M \PI\ 1 TQSML Q\P \PM TQOP\ Æ WZIT IVL KQ\Z][ VW\M[ 1 went with ylang-ylang for the base. Because ylang-ylang is morein the lower to middle range, these are not overly long-lasting[KMV\[ J]\ \W UM \PMa IZM XMZNMK\ 1N aW] LWV¼\ TQSM I TQOP\ Æ WZIT citrus scent, I would encourage you to go to a place where youcan smell essential oils together and make your own blend usingthe basic recipe below. Because perfume is an art rather than ascience, there are no wrong answers, and experimentation is half\PM N]VAfter settling on my essential oil blends, I moved on to theform the perfume would take. I loved the idea of wearing asolid perfume around my neck in a locket so I could refreshit throughout the day. While doing my research about solidperfume suspension mediums, I came upon an interesting fact:Beeswax, one of the main ingredients in a solid perfume, hasa relatively low melting point. It melts between 144 and 147degrees Fahrenheit, and it discolors if it is heated above 185. PQ[ UMIV[ Q\ KW]TL KI\KP WV Å ZM QV \PM UQKZW I M [W 1 LMKQLML \W ][M I UMT\QVO XW\ PQKP 1 [M\ \W PM Æ I[P XWQV\ WN beeswax is 204.4 degrees, which means this is the point at whichQ\ KW]TL KI\KP WV Å ZM 1 O]M[[ \PM XWQV\ PMZM Q[ ][M I LW]JTM boiler or a melting pot, but don’t microwave your beeswax. TYou Wil NeedPERFUME1 TB. beeswax pastilles*1 1 / 2 TB. sweet almond oil25–30 drops essential oil*Melting pot/Double boilerPipettes/Droppers (1 per oil)Lockets/Slide tinsSpoon/Craft stickGlass measuring cup w/ pour spoutMeasuring spoonPACKAGINGCardboard gift boxes: smallChalk paint: Cascade, Glacier, Lilac(Plaid - Folk Art)Decoupage medium: fabric; ultra-matte(Plaid - Mod Podge)Embroidery flossInk: African violet, white, wine(Plaid - Fabric Creations)Muslin bagsPaintbrushPatterned paperRibbon scrapsSewing needleTissue paperTypewriter WILLOW AND SAGEIwillowandsage.com93
To MakePERFUME5MT\ \PM JMM[ I 7VKM \PM XI[\QTTM[ IZM KWUXTM\MTa TQY]QÅ ML ILL \PM ITUWVL WQT IVL KWV\QV]M PMI\QVO NWZ I NM UQV]\M[ 8W]Z UQ \]ZM QV\W I OTI[[ UMI[]ZQVO K]X IVL ILL \PM NZIOZIVKM ;\QZ MTT IZMN]TTa XW]Z QV\W TWKSM\[ PQTM \PM UQ \]ZM Q[ [\QTT TQY]QL 8W]Z ZMUIQVQVO XMZN]UM UQ \]ZM QV\W [TQLM \QV[ TMOONLIGHT JASMINE15 drops ylang-ylang*8 drops Litsea Cubeba5 drops jasmine absolute*ENGLISH ROSE15 drops ylang-ylang*8 drops Valencia orange5 drops rose absolute*EN PROVENCE15 drops ylang-ylang*6 drops lemon*6 drops lavender*94WILLOW AND SAGE Winter 2017
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PACKAGINGPaint the lids of the tins with chalk paint. Allow to dry.Dab corresponding fabric ink onto the surfaces, wipingW ٺ M KM[[ .QVQ[P Q\P I NM [ QXM[ WN PQ\M NIJZQK QVS Allow to dry again. Type the name of your perfumeonto the tissue paper and carefully tear it out. Adhereit to the tin lid using ultra-matte decoupage medium,IVL \PMV [MIT \PM TQL Q\P \PM [IUM UMLQ]U .WZ \PM ribbon band, cut out a piece of tissue paper that willÅ \ IZW]VL \PM \QV WZ JW /T]M \PM MVL[ \WOM\PMZ Q\P decoupage medium. Wrap strips of ribbon around theband, adhering them with fabric decoupage medium.WZ \PM W]\MZ JIO[ \aXM \PM VIUM WN \PM XMZN]UM WV\W a piece of tissue paper and adhere it to a piece ofpatterned paper. Sew the label onto a muslin bag usingMUJZWQLMZa Æ W[[ T WILLOW AND SAGEIwillowandsage.com97
Notesx 3P cY u\O KVVO\QSM Y \OO X ] ] L] S SYX]PY\ RO KVWYXN YSV K\O Q\KZO]OON TYTYLK MYMYX YSV Y\ O OX YVS O YSV 9P OX SWO]MK\\SO\ YSV] K\O MRY]OX PY\ ROS\ ]MOX ]YWKUO ] \O RO ]MOX YP RO MK\\SO\ YSV WK MRO] RO ]MOX cY K\O WKUSXQ x AROX PSVVSXQ RO VYMUO ] ]YWO SWO] ROc VOKUK VS VO AROX RS] RKZZOX] aSZO RO ObMO]]YPP VO RO ZO\P WO RK\NOX SX RO M\KMU] KXN ROX PSVV ROW KQKSX RO\O ]RY VN LO XY VOKU] RO ]OMYXN SWO x 0SVV cY \ VYMUO ] PS\] KXN ROX Z RO\OWKSXSXQ ZO\P WO SX Y SX] Y\ ]WKVV M\OKWTK\] RO VYMUO ] ]O Z ]RYMUSXQVc ]WKVVKWY X ] YP RO WSb \O ]Y KVaKc] RK O]YWO RSXQ \OKNc Y RYVN RO ObMO]] Melinda Barnett lives in Stanwood, Washington, with her husband, horses, dogs,and guinea pigs. More of her work can be seen at LOO]YXZSO LVYQ]ZY MYW.She welcomes email at WOVSXNK O\SMU]YX*RY WKSV MYW.98WILLOW AND SAGE Winter 2017
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After reading the label on my favorite perfume box, I decided it was time to toss it out and make my own perfume recipes. I literally did months of research, but here’s the short version. In general, a well-balanced perfume will have three notes: a top note, a
