Essential oils are blended for 2 main reasons:

Therapeutic blending – focuses on creating a blend for a specific emotional or physical condition. There is more focus on the therapeutic result than on the aroma of the blend, but naturally it is also important to create a blend that is pleasing in aroma

Aromatic blending – focuses on the pure pleasure of the aroma and creativity. However when creating a blend primarily for aroma, therapeutic benefits can also occur

Safety precautions should be followed for any type of blending. You need to be extremely careful and avoid using all hazardous oils or oils that are contraindicated for the condition involved

Essential oils can be categorised into groups according to their aromas.

Some examples are:

Floral blend – Lavender, Neroli, Jasmine

Woody – Pine, Cedar

Earthy – Vetiver, Patchouli

Herbaceous – Marjoram, Basil

Minty – Peppermint, Spearmint

Medicinal/ Camphorous – Eucalyptus, Cajuput, Tea Tree

Spicy – Nutmeg, clove, cinnamon

Citrus – Orange, Lemon, Lime

Oils in the same category generally blend well together – however there are always exceptions

Some categories that blend well together are:

Florals blend with spicy, citrusy and woodsy oils

Woody oils generally blend with all categories

Spicy oils blend with florals and citrus oils. – be careful not to let the spicy overpower the blend

Blending does not have hard and fast rules – the lack of limits and restrictions is what makes the final result unique

Have you ever noticed that a fragrance smells differently after several hours than when you first applied it?

Minty oils blend with citrus, woody, herbaceous and earthy oils

Some essential oils evaporate quicker than others – in a blend as the oils evaporate, the aroma will change to reflect the aroma of the remaining oils

Oils that evaporate the quickest – usually within 1 – 2 hours are called “top notes”

Oils that evaporate slower – usually within 2 – 4 hours are called “middle notes”

Oils that can take days to evaporate – are called “base notes”

Some Top Note Oils:

Anise

Basil

Bergamot

Citronella

Eucalyptus

Grapefruit

Lavender

Lemon

Lemongrass

Lime

Orange

Peppermint

Tangerine

Some Middle Note Oils:

Bay

Cajeput

Carrot seed

Chamomile – German and Roman

Cinnamon

Clove bud

Dill

Fennel

Fir needle

Hyssop

Jasmine

Marjoram

Nutmeg

Rose

Rosemary

Rosewood

Tea Tree

Thyme

Yarrow

Ylang Ylang

Some Base Note Oils:

Angelica Root

Benzoin

Cedarwood

Frankincense

Myrrh

Patchouli

Sandalwood

Vanilla

Vetiver

Ginger

Essential Oil Blending Tips:

Safety first – avoid essential oils that are known to irritate skin

Start out small – with a total number of 25 drops at the most

Store your blend in a small 10ml amber jar / bottle

After you have designed your blend – dilute it by adding carrier oil

Keeps a note book listing the oils used and the number of drops used – you want to be able to make it again

Keep notes on the names of the supplier you bought your oil – as the aromas and qualities vary according to suppliers

Label your blends carefully

Start of experimenting by creating blends of the following ratio: 30% top note oils, 50% middle note oils and 20% base note oils

Some oils are much stronger than others – you would want to use less of the stronger oils in your blend

Begin by adding 1 drop of essential oil to 4 drops carrier oil – this will result in a 20% dilution – to obtain a 5% dilution add 5 more drops of carrier oil

Once your blend has been created allow it to sit for a few days before deciding if you love it or hate it – this allows the natural chemicals contained within the oils to merge together and settle

Happy blending ……….