“Perfumes are the feelings of flowers.” - Heinrich Heine
Essential fragrance oils have made a big impact on the world, you’ll find them in many everyday products. Not only because the notes smell amazing, but many are linked to enhancing moods and mental health.
In fragrances, the oils suit top, middle, and base notes — but some essential oils are more popular than others.
First, let's explain a few important details about the oils we use with our fine fragrances.
Essential oils are the “essence” of plants and fruits. The oils in stores are extracted from the source, most commonly by distillation or cold pressing. After the extraction, the chemicals are combined with a carrier oil and then used in products like soaps, candles, and perfumes.
Since essential oils can improve emotional and mental health, moods, and relax the body, they’re a popular choice for aromatherapy. The oils are an “active” ingredient (because they stimulate senses), unlike fragrance oils.
Since you’re considering adding essential oils into your perfume, you should know which scents are the most impactful.
Essential oils can be used in the top, middle, or base notes of a fragrance. You may choose to use them in only one of the three or mix them throughout.
Since they smell divine and may trigger healing or medicinal properties, there are four main essential oils you should know about.
Lavender is one of the most popular essential oils — and scents in general — inside and outside the perfume industry. In fact, lavender was used hundreds of years ago by the Egyptians, who are credited as the first extractors of lavender from the plant.
In a fragrance, lavender is treated as a staple middle note because it blends effortlessly with others, like lemon, peppermint, chamomile, and cedarwood.
Lavender is also known for relaxation: As an essential oil, you can find it in soaps and scents as the calming properties may assist with depression. More specifically, lavender can:
● Relieve stress
● Recall memories
● Improve work productivity
With so many known (and scientifically-proven) benefits, plus the fact that it blends beautifully with other notes, lavender oil remains one of the essential oil ingredients for candles and perfumes.
Eucalyptus is a minty scent. It blends well with wood-like notes in perfumes. You’ll likely come across eucalyptus outside of fragrances, particularly in detergents and epsom salts. It’s a rather distinct and popular scent all over the world.
As an essential oil, eucalyptus may also have healing properties; it’s known to improve symptoms related to the flu, colds, and fevers. It can even help to break up chest mucus, coughs, making it easier to breathe. That’s why it’s an active ingredient in those cold and flu rubs for the chest.
Paired with other notes in a perfume, eucalyptus serves best as a middle note. You can adjust the intensity of the scent (minimize or maximize) in accordance with other notes.
Cedar wood essential oil is one of the most used base notes in perfumes, colognes, and incense. It blends lovingly with middle and top notes. It has a warm, earthy aroma, which makes sense considering the essence is extracted from the leaves, bark, or needles of a cedar tree.
Like the other scents on this list, cedar wood may assist with health because it has antiseptic, anti fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. Since it may also improve sleep and anxiety, cedar wood essential oil is often used in aromatherapy treatments and can be a soothing note in your personal fragrance.
Lemon essential oil was first cultivated during the 15th century. Since then, it has become a natural choice for poison antidotes for civilizations across the ocean.
The lemon scent is fresh, bright, and mixes well with similar scents like citron and lime. It can also be a fantastic sensory stimulant in a fragrance, particularly when used as a top note. Although, it’ll also be the first scent to fade (as top notes do), it will be one of the first recognizable scents when applied.
Now that you know about essential oils in fragrances...
Why not use them in your perfume?
Adding essential oils to a fragrance can dramatically change how your perfume affects the wearer. Plus, it makes for a great brand story! Our experts at turn-key perfumery Privé Label will help you develop the perfect blend of notes for your fragrance. Contact us to learn more.
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