Stephanie K's Natural Perfume Blog

Thank you all for entering the Joy In January drawings. I was so pleased to read all your comments. I sincerely hope that for you, this is the start of a bright and happy year.

Winners of the Giveaways are:
Day 1 – Green Sun natural perfume oil – Cheesegan
Day 2 – Bergamot Lime Massage Oil – Lindaloo
Day 3 – Green Sun Or Bergamot Lime Massage Oil – Quotergal

I have emailed each of the winners and for contact info and will be sending the prizes out soon. Thank you to everyone who participated!

I’m so glad to see the comments of the first two days. Many people are sharing their stories of their struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder and many others share how essential oil fragrances do brighten their day. I’m so glad I participated and I hope this does brighten people’s winter blues.

Read more about Joy In January and Seasonal Effective Disorder with Monday and Tuesday’s posts:

• Green Sun Giveaway
• Elevating Your Mood

This is the last of the three days of posts and giveaways. Today I want to offer your choice of either a bottle of Green Sun natural perfume oil or a bottle of Bergamot Lime Massage / Bath Oil.

Green Sun is my citrus centered blend with green and yellow mandarins, grapefruit, kaffir lime leaf, ginger, lavender and petitgrain with a soft amber base. The Bergamot Lime Massage Oil I offer because the bright but rounded scent of bergamot makes me think of a radiant sunrise, and the sharper lime reminds me of a warm summer day.

The Joy in January project is a 3 day event with giveaways across the Natural Perfumers Guild participating blogs. Please visit all the participating blogs and share them with your friends in support of these bloggers and bringing more awareness to SAD.

Tomorrow the winners will be drawn and announced for all three giveaway days. Stay tuned!

To enter for my giveaway of your choice between Green Sun natural perfume oil and Bergamot Lime Massage Oil, comment below including:

1. Name (you may post as anonymous if you wish, but that will make you ineligible for the drawing)
2. Valid Email Address
3. Your comment on seasonal affective disorder, essential oils, natural perfumes, aromatherapy etc.

We don’t want to require you to have to sign up for our newsletters, “like” our Facebook page, or any other commercial endeavor – this is truly just a gift from the heart. But I do want to invite you to join and stay up to date with me.

We’d also really really appreciate you spreading the word about this project through social media.

Please visit all the participating blogs and enter their giveaways as well:

http://perfumebynature.blogspot.com
http://anyasgarden.blogspot.com
http://www.providenceperfume.com/blogs/news
http://www.matriarch.biz/blog.html
http://www.dameclemence.com
http://bellyflowers.blogspot.com
http://www.roseenbos.com/category/blog
http://www.joannebassett.com/natural_perfumes
http://sororiaorganics.blogspot.com/
http://www.aromaticsinternational.com/blog
http://oneseedperfumes.wordpress.com
http://ellenoire.blogspot.com/
http://www.aromatherapycontessa.com

Essential oils and essential oil fragrances are my go-to for whenever I need a lift in mood. I find that the enjoyment of the fragrance brings me happiness no matter what the notes are. But there’s something about the citruses specifically, it’s as if they have irresistible power to brighten me up no matter how down or upset I am.

Though not related to the seasons, I’ve dealt with depression in the past and someone close to me is dealing with it presently. It’s theorized that SAD or depression may have something to do with lack of Vitamin D, which is produced in the skin’s exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet light. When I had low Vitamin D, my doctor recommended a supplement as well as exposure to the sun daily for at least 10-15 minutes. Again this wasn’t associated with SAD, but I found my general mood and stress levels were really improved when I would go out, bask in the light while watching the sun set. SAD sufferers who cannot get enough sunlight can get help with indoor light therapy from specialized sun-simulating lights.

Today I want to giveaway is a bottle of Bergamot Lime Massage Oil. The bright but rounded scent of bergamot makes me think of a radiant sunrise, and the sharper lime reminds me of a warn summer day.

The Joy in January project is a 3 day event with giveaways across the Natural Perfumers Guild participating blogs. Please visit all the participating blogs and share them with your friends in support of the bloggers and bringing more awareness to SAD.

To enter for my giveaway of Bergamot Lime Massage Oil, comment below including:

1. Name (you may post as anonymous if you wish, but that will make you ineligible for the drawing)
2. Valid Email Address
3. Your comment on seasonal affective disorder, essential oils, natural perfumes, aromatherapy etc.

We don’t want to require you to have to sign up for our newsletters, “like” our Facebook page, or any other commercial endeavor – this is truly just a gift from the heart. But I do want to welcome you to join and stay up to date with me.

We’d also really really appreciate you spreading the word about this project through social media.

Please visit all the participating blogs and enter their giveaways as well:

http://perfumebynature.blogspot.com
http://anyasgarden.blogspot.com
http://www.providenceperfume.com/blogs/news
http://www.matriarch.biz/blog.html
http://www.dameclemence.com
http://bellyflowers.blogspot.com
http://www.roseenbos.com/category/blog
http://www.joannebassett.com/natural_perfumes
http://sororiaorganics.blogspot.com/
http://www.aromaticsinternational.com/blog
http://oneseedperfumes.wordpress.com
http://ellenoire.blogspot.com/
http://www.aromatherapycontessa.com

The shorter days of winter may look dark and dreary with their gray skies, but they also can also be the cause of what’s known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD can affect people anywhere, but especially those in high latitudes where the sun barely peeks above the horizon dugin the winter. Symptoms include depressed mood, irritability, hopelessness, anxiety, loss of energy, and social withdrawal. We believe that fragrance can effect one’s mood and emotions in an uplifting way.

To help bring joy to someone in a dark time in their life, I am offering a giveaway of a bottle of my appropriately titled natural perfume oil, Green Sun. This is my citrus centered blend with green and yellow mandarins, grapefruit, kaffir lime leaf, ginger, lavender and petitgrain with a soft amber base.

The Joy in January project is a 3 day event with giveaways across the Natural Perfumers Guild participating blogs. Please visit all the participating blogs and share them with your friends in support of the bloggers and bringing more awareness to SAD.

To enter for my giveaway of Green Sun, comment below including:

1. Name (you may post as anonymous if you wish, but that will make you ineligible for the drawing)
2. Valid Email Address
3. Your comment on seasonal affective disorder, essential oils, natural perfumes, aromatherapy etc.

We don’t want to require you to have to sign up for our newsletters, “like” our Facebook page, or any other commercial endeavor – this is truly just a gift from the heart. But I do want to welcome you to join and stay up to date with me.

We’d also really really appreciate you spreading the word about this project through social media.

Please visit all the participating blogs and enter their giveaways as well:

http://perfumebynature.blogspot.com
http://anyasgarden.blogspot.com
http://www.providenceperfume.com/blogs/news
http://www.matriarch.biz/blog.html
http://www.dameclemence.com
http://bellyflowers.blogspot.com
http://www.roseenbos.com/category/blog
http://www.joannebassett.com/natural_perfumes
http://sororiaorganics.blogspot.com/
http://www.aromaticsinternational.com/blog
http://oneseedperfumes.wordpress.com
http://ellenoire.blogspot.com/
http://www.aromatherapycontessa.com

From Chris:

Hi Stephanie, I don’t have a perfume making advice question as much as a simple yes or no question. Can the 100% cologne oil knockoffs that you can buy from places like thecommonscents.com and haywardenterprises.com be mixed with alcohol to create an edp or edt? I have no idea about perfume making, but was curious if this was the only step that is needed to make the product a spray. I can’t find the answer anywhere. thanks for the help if you can answer. I look forward to your site.

Chris, this is a great question. Only the answer is more of a “Yes, but…”

It depends on the product that’s being sold, and it takes some reviewing of the wording to determine if they are really uncut fragrance or ready-to-wear. Continued… »

Group of Essential Oil from TO-FU on Vimeo.

I stumbled across this motion-graphic that  shows essentials oils in groups of similar scents. They color code the categories and arrange them in a wheel, basically a simplified version of a scent color wheels.

This is a very useful way of looking at and categorizing essential oils. It’s very much like a color wheel where the similar scents are close together, and differing or ‘contrasting’ ones are further apart.

My Lavender Ylang Ylang Massage oil was featured in this lovely Etsy Treasury. Please have a look at these great pampering spa items.

Etsy Treasury: Pamper Me, A Spa Gift Guide
Curated by bnazar

Featuring items by:
carvelcountrysoaps terimckeanlee bovinebubbles SoRelaxing stephaniek
ELIXIA Rilaks serenitysoapworkstx allabouthenna AbbeyJames
Whimsywares forthetiny marikoartstudio whimsyandspice

Today is your last chance to buy your all natural Room Sprays, Roll-on Perfumes, and Simplicity Fragrances at discounted prices! No more of these are being made, get them while you can! You can also get Lip Luv lip balm, Mini Perfumes, and Massage Oils at a discount as well. All natural scents make great gifts for your family and friends.

Orders placed today will receive a free silver gift pouch with on sale Massage Oils and Perfumes!

Starting today, everything at Stephanie K Naturals is on sale! All Room Sprays, all Perfumes in Roll-on bottles, and all Simplicity Fragrances, are clearance prices on our website shop and Etsy shop.  Many of these have been discontinued and no more will be made.  All other items–mini perfumes, massage oils and lip balms–are 10% off as well!  Many of these have been discontinued and no more will be made.

Get your shopping in now to get these great discounts and to assure your gifts arrive in plenty of time. After December 14, we will not be shipping any orders until after the New Year. Remember to buy your Christmas gifts as soon as possible to avoid the shipping rush!

Last day of the sale is Tuesday November 30 so shop now!

In my studio and living space, I strive to keep ambient scents at a minimum. Most people I know prefer to keep a constant aroma in their home by candles or by air fresheners. However, being in constant contact with fragrances, even natural ones, simply overwhelms me. In my home and on myself, I prefer using fragrance one at a time.

Keeping the scents in my home at a minimum also helps me in my blending. Being in a scented environment would dull my ability to evaluate essential oils and perfume blends. A large reason that I appear to have such a sensitive nose is that I start with a clean slate.

You too can help improve your ability to detect scents and all their nuances by removing scents from your environment. Here are a few ways:

Cleaning up your laundry

• Switch your laundry soap to a free and clear type.
• Replace your softener with a cup of plain white vinegar.
• Do not use dryer sheets.

  It usually takes 2 or 3 washings of clothing that has been previously   washed with scented detergents.

Continued… »