Perfume 201

“Nothing brings to life again a forgotten memory like fragrance.”

Christopher Poindexter

I gave a small eulogy at my Nana’s memorial service. I talked about a sense memory that has never left me though it is over 40 years old. Whenever I smell freshly squeezed orange juice, I am instantly transported to my Nana’s breakfast nook, I am 4 or 5 years old and she is serving me breakfast, as always with a small juice glass of orange juice. One of those juice glasses from the 70’s that had the brown and orange dots or stripes on them. Do you remember those?

Scent is so powerful. For each of us there is some scent that resonates with us so deeply, as a memory, as a spiritual or sacred connection, as a communication with a loved one here or gone, or as part of our healing path. Instinctively, we know we are somehow connected to this scent, or need to be connected to this scent. It is sometimes said in herbal writings that if a plant smells foul to you, it may be that that plant won’t work for you. The opposite being also true, that if a plant smells good to you, it is possible that it may be a good match for you. The sense of smell should be taken into consideration on your healing herbal journey.

Essential oils by scent:

Citrus: bright and cheerful scents to energize and perk you up

• Bergamot
• Sweet Orange
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Lime
• Mandarin
• Yuzu

Floral: floral essential oils are evocative and transport one to gardens of childhood

• Neroli
• Rose
• Jasmine
• Ylang Ylang
• Chamomile
• Geranium
• Petit grain

Herbal: fresh and healing, they invigorate, calm and improve focus

• Rosemary
• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Eucalyptus
• Sage
• Yarrow
• Basil

Spicy: sensual and warming, a little goes a long way with these

• Clove bud
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Patchouli
• Vanilla
• Nutmeg
• Cardamom
• Fennel
• Black/Pink Pepper
• Terragon
• Licorice fennel
• Anise

Woodsy: earthy scents that are grounding, strengthening and balancing

• Cedarwood
• Sandalwood
• Juniper
• Pine
• Vetiver
• Spruce
• Bay

Michael Edwards’ Fragrance Wheel

This fragrance wheel by renowned fragrance expert Michael Edwards can help you organise scents into categories and keep the information clear.

Krista’s Herbs Spring Scents

Recipes:

Bright– 2 drops bergamot, 4 drops sweet orange, 1 drop grapefruit, 3 drops rosemary

Sweet– 2 drops neroli, 6 drops Damascus rose, 2 drops ylang ylang

Grassy– 3 drops rosemary, 2 drops mint, 4 drops lavender

Sensual– 3 drops cardamom, 2 drops cinnamon, 1 drop clove, 5 drops patchouli

Earthy– 3 drops patchouli, 4 drops hinoki wood, 1 drop vanilla, 2 drops cedar

Forest– 1 drop mint, 2 drops rosemary, 2 drops lemon, 2 drops sage, 6 drops pine

Heaven– 2 drops lemon, 3 drops lime, 5 drops vanilla

Resources for scents:

http://www.theperfumeexpert.com/notes/

https://www.fix.com/blog/learn-how-to-make-diy-perfume/