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Loading...Natural Scents for Your Type
- Cait Johnson
- December 28, 2006
- 7:31 am
- 32 comments
My friend Mag always smells so lusciously sweet and spicy, but when I asked her what perfume she uses, she laughed and said, “Oh, I make it myself. Artificial scents make me feel sick, so I don’t go near them. Instead I use natural ingredients–and it’s really cheap and easy.” This all sounded pretty fabulous to me. We came up with these terrific all-natural cologne recipes for every type, whether you are a flowery romantic, a crisp sporty, or a spicy earthy-exotic–and they make great gifts, too.
Many people are sensitive to artificial fragrances, which contain suspected neurotoxicants that can give them headaches and difficulty concentrating. It is healthier and more thoughtful to avoid them!
If you were wondering about the difference between a cologne and a perfume, here’s the skinny: perfumes are generally stronger and heavier than colognes, and contain oils and fixatives that make them longer-lasting, while colognes contain botanical essences in an alcohol base, which keep them on the lighter side.
These all-natural formulas are colognes, with botanical materials and alcohol in the form of vodka or rum. They are lighter than their artificial relatives, and they can be used lavishly by most of us with no ill-effects.
The Basic Method
Place dry ingredients in a pint jar with a tight lid. Fill jar with vodka. Cover jar and shake daily for 1 to 6 weeks. Strain out dry ingredients and use the liquid as a cologne on your pulse points.
Romantic
You prefer classically sweet flower and herbal scents. Try any of these ingredients, or a combination:
1 cup fresh or dried lavender blossoms
1 cup fresh or dried chamomile blossoms
1 cup fresh or dried basil
1 cup fresh or dried rose petals
Sporty
You prefer refreshing, crisp scents that don’t cloy. Try any of these ingredients, or a combination:
Lemon peel from an organic lemon
Lime peel from an organic lime
1 cup fresh or dried peppermint leaves
1 cup fresh or dried rosemary leaves
Earthy/Exotic
You like warm and spicy scents that exude grounded sensuality. Try any of these ingredients, or a combination (Mag uses a blend of vanilla, clove, cinnamon, and orange peel):
1 whole vanilla bean, broken in pieces
2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 three-inch piece cinnamon stick
Orange peel from an organic orange
1 cup sandalwood chips
1 cup bay leaves (this traditional formula calls for rum instead of vodka to make Bay Rum)
Read more: Beauty, Make-Up, cologne, fragrance, neurotoxicants, perfume, scent
by Cait Johnson, author of Earth, Water, Fire, and Air (SkyLight Paths, 2003).
Cait Johnson
Cait Johnson, MFA, is the author of six books, including Earth, Water, Fire, and Air: Essential Ways of Connecting to Spirit, Witch in the Kitchen, Celebrating the Great Mother and Tarot Games. She has been a counselor for more than 20 years, and teaches workshops on seasonal elemental approaches to self-healing, conscious eating, and soul-nurturing creativity.
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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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thanks, good tips
From what I've noticed,physical contact means so much because the one making the effort of contact i…
Thanks
All very good tips, thanks much.
Thank you.
32 comments
+ add your ownty
I'm under 21 and can't get vodka to make perfume...
Well, not legally anyway.
Is there an alternative?
Interesting. I really want to try these.
can i use 1 cup of herbs to 2 cups of vodka
thanks
This whole article is why I started my own perfume company. I, too, went natural in January of 2009 and was on the hunt for a natural, phthalate-free perfume that actually smelled goo. Couldn't find one and so had a revelation to make my own. Two years later, Agape & Zoe Naturals is my baby that I am very proud of. Phthalate-free products.
www.agapeandzoe.com
This whole article is why I started my own perfume company. I, too, went natural in January of 2009 and was on the hunt for a natural, phthalate-free perfume that actually smelled goo. Couldn't find one and so had a revelation to make my own. Two years later, Agape & Zoe Naturals is my baby that I am very proud of. Phthalate-free products.
www.agapeandzoe.com
GREATT!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for this article!!
I'm interested in making my own perfume, especially some of them listed on this page. I was recently told that I have skin allergies to fragrance. I was wondering how much vodka is to be used to make your own perfume. Or do I just fill the whole pint jar with vodka? I've heard some people putting glycerin in their vodka and herb/flower/oil mixture; is this recommended? Not sure how I will get a response from this questions, but here's an email jilyta@gmail.com. Thanks!
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