*
This was inspired by my love of the scent of — can you love a scent? Okay, my extreme like of – the scent of grapefruit essential oil; but I have never been too fond of lavender. I used to really dislike it, but have come to appreciate its uses with a delicate hand.
I have also come to adore chamomile essential oil. Just hearing about it didn’t thrill me: I thought of cheap chamomile tea, which, from tea bags, dried, ground, and packed who-knows-when doesn’t exactly send me. However, having made chamomile from fresh flowers…Oh, yes, TOtally different taste, fragrance, and experience; so, I had an inkling the e.o. may be different when concentrated. So I tried it. Since then, I have used the essence of chamomile with great success in lotions and personal products, and it is one of my absolute favorites now :). It seems you can rarely go wrong with it. Following is a very simple but lovely combination.
Garden Blossom Perfume:
Organic ingredients are preferable.
Combine:
18d Grapefruit Essential Oil
10d Chamomile (R.) Essential Oil
Allow to ripen 1 week, shaking gently, daily.
Then add:
60d Jojoba Oil, (or other unscented oil, such as avocado, almond, or grapeseed).
Shake gently.
Makes about 1 tsp perfume
Variation: Add 1d Lavender Essential Oil
*~*
Since I liked the the above fragrance, I decided to build on it. I started this about 1 1/2 months ago as well, and it’s perfect now π
My internet friend inspired the inclusion of ginger; so this is named after her: So, to Picks, who I hope is feeling better and getting stronger each day!
Kelleen’s Garden:
18d Grapefruit Essential Oil
10d Chamomile (R) Essential Oil
Let ripen 1 week
Then add:
3d Ginger Essential Oil
1d Jasmine Essential Oil
1d Lavender Essential Oil
Ripen 1 week (at least), gently shaking daily.
Add
60d Jojoba Oil(or other unscented carrier oil) for perfume.
Store in glass; plastic absorbs and interferes with essential oils.
Makes @ 1 tsp.
Alternate: Use the essential oil mixture(sans the carrier oil) in body spritzer below
Or use to make Pixie Dust Take III π
This was actually somewhat of an accident: I did not mean toΒ add Lavender; instead, I accidentally picked it up when reaching for something else. I did not like the fragrance at first; however, after ripening,Β fell for it :D. This is a testament to the need for “ripening” of hand-made products. This actually smells better the longer it sits — meaning, this smells better now at the over 1-month mark than it did at 2 weeks.
Ginger is very difficult to work with, I found! Lots of misses; few hits. It needs to be used lightly; it’s quite strong. However, I’m already thinking of a ginger fragrance for Autumn and Winter, for which I think it is well suited π
.
~***~
My favorite dusting powder is made with Amber, my absolute, hands-down favorite all-time fragrance — and color! I just adore it. I use my Amber powder regularly, as well as an amber fragrance. But, change is good π
So, here is another ginger inspired recipe. This is a much more personal preference recipe — mine, of course, ha!; Fragrance appreciation is such an individual thing π
Pixie Dust
Or should that be “Picksie Dust”?? π
Cornstarch, Arrowroot, Kuzu, and Tapioca Starch can be used interchangeably.
~
1/2 C White Rice Flour/Starch*
2 TB Orris Root Powder
1/2 C + 2 TB Tapioca Starch
10d Chamomile Essential Oil (R.)
1d Jasmine Essential Oil
2d Ginger Essential Oil
Instruction:
Combine powders.
Add the chamomile and whisk well.
Add the Jasmine and whisk well
Add the Ginger and whisk well.
Place in a glass receptacle, cover tightly, and allow to ripen 1Β week, shaking daily. (Or, place in a container with powder puff or a shaker powder container)
Shake gently before each use.
***
Pixie Dust, Take II π
1 C Cornstarch
1/4 C White Rice Flour/Starch*
9d Grapefruit Essential Oil
4d Myrrh Essential Oil
2d Ginger Essential Oil
3d Chamomile Essential Oil (R.)
1d Lavender Essential oil
Instruction:Combine Powders.
Add Grapefruit Essential Oil; whisk well.
Add Myrrh Essential Oil; whisk well.
Add Ginger Essential Oil; whisk well.
Add Chamomile Essential Oil; whisk well.
Add Lavender Essential Oil; whisk well.
Place in a glass receptacle, cover tightly, and allow to ripen 1Β week, shaking daily. (Or, place in a container with powder puff or a shaker powder container)
Shake gently before each use.
*NOTE: White rice flour is encouraged because it has a little graininess which is desirable to disperse the starches more efficiently. Otherwise, it becomes very “dusty,” and concentrated and not easy to apply. An alternative would be finely ground oats; but it’s not quite as fine as rice.
*
*** ~ ***
*
Bonus Recipe: My “Silky” Sub
A Faux “Silky Underwear Dusting Powder” π
This is a copycat of Lush’s, luscious π “Silky Underwear Dusting Powder” — hated the name; but fell for the scent! So I did my best to recreate it π
(LUSH – has some nice products — loaded with vegan goodies;Β vegan-marked for convenience, as well!)
1/2 C Cornstarch
1/2 TB Oat Flour, finely ground, or white rice flour
3d JasmineΒ Essential Oil
1d Vetiver (“Vetivert”) Essential Oil
* Rub in a small amount of fragrant raw, virgin Coconut Oil OR raw Cacao butter (fragrant)
Instruction:
Combine powders.
Add Jasmine Essential Oil; whisk well.
Add Vetiver Essential Oil; whisk well.
Add Coconut Oil/Cacao butter,* melted; whisk well.
Place in a glass receptacle, (or container with powder puff or a shakerΒ powder container) cover tightly, and allow to ripen 1Β week, shaking daily.
Shake gently before each use.
*You can use good-quality, raw, virgin coconut oil (the fragrant kind) or raw (fragrant) cacao butter– either works nicely. As well, a cocoa butter — again, fragrant — would work. Melt gently;Disperse throughout. Start with a teaspoon or so.
You can also leave this out; it’s still fabulous :). But do try to include it. The vetiver — which is *extremely* potent, will be a bit stronger.
**
Easy Body Spritzer General Recipe (adapted from Herb Companion magazine):
1 C Water, Distilled
10d Essential Oil of choice, or combination (or more, to preference)
Shake well and decant into a bottle affixed with a spritzer top.
Shake well before each use.
*
Enjoy :^)
Strix
Kelleen said,
May 20, 2009 at 12:24 pm
I’m feeling better (thank you for thinking of me!), just catching up on reading your posts and was so incredibly touched that you named a fragrance after me! It sounds absolutely divine!! I love essential oil of grapefruit, although I haven’t sniffed any in a while π Love the inclusion of the ginger!! I could sniff ginger and lavender all day.
LL, you have sooo many talents and so much knowledge. Have you ever thought of marketing your own line of products?
poxacuatl said,
May 27, 2009 at 1:54 pm
So glad you’re on the mend, Picks!! Yay π I cannot think of ginger and not think of you now, Lol.
Would be a cool thing to make my own products! However, I’m not really that good π Moreso, I’d lean toward herbal remedy products, such as natural body products. π
Sheila said,
May 1, 2016 at 11:31 am
Does the D in your recipes stand for Dram?
Strix said,
August 6, 2016 at 10:56 am
stands for drops! How many drops to add π
Deb said,
February 4, 2017 at 4:32 pm
I love your site so much, that I downloaded your APP to my phone π
I am fairly much a beginner soapmaker. But each time I make it, I get better and better:)
Coloring is now my next hurdle. I try to use natural colorants, when possible π I have been selling to friends. And they are really happy with them. I have my “wish list”….so each time I make enuff, I go and buy products I want/need. Seems my “lists”…..never seem to find the bottom tho…haha!!!
Thank you for all your share…. I LOVE knowing I can make things smelled wonderful, with herbs alone. And an EO…HERE AND THERE TOO π
Strix said,
February 5, 2017 at 1:26 pm
Thanks, Deb. I should visit my own blog more often! I’m here about once or twice a year lately…oops! :^)
Thanks for stopping by.