Stephanie K's Natural Perfume Blog

My Bergamot Lime massage oil was featured this morning on the front page of Etsy.com!

Patchouli, the ultimate “love it or hate it” scent

Patchouli

• Source – Pogostemon cablin from tropical Asia such as India, Philippines, Indonesia
• Plant parts used - leaves
• Aromatic extract- Steam distilled essential oil

Patchouli was made especially famous in the 1960s and 70s. Its extremely strong herbal scent can cover up anything, and it became a favorite for hippies. Many people still associate patchouli with that era and with hippies. Patchouli is very earthy with woody, mossy notes. It has been used for centuries in the east, and when imported to the west was associated with exotic luxury.

Often people tell me they can’t stand patchouli, but they are surprised to learn they adore a blend that contains it. Even a scent as intense and recognizable as patchouli can be tamed into subtlety.

Looking for awesome local gifts? The Saturday Market has them!

You’ll find a variety of handcrafted items and art to browse while enjoying live music. This is a great opportunity to support your local artists and small businesses.

Saturday December 20 from 12-4pm is next market date. We’ll be having it every third Saturday of the month, so mark your calendars and come back to see what’s new each market!

I’m excited to announce I am adding new mini bottles to my offerings!

Several of my current line of natural perfumes are now being offered in this size in my stores, and soon more will follow.

Full size 10 mL roll-ons will still be available.

The essential oils you buy might not be what you think. In order to keep demand for low prices, essential oils often are in some way adulterated to lower costs. Some unscrupulous companies even sell altogether fakes as the real thing.

Here are a few red flags too look out for when choosing a supplier.

The supplier is not a well known and reputable company. Sellers on eBay are the first to come to mind, but anyone who has not had a strong reputation should be looked into very carefully.

The oils do not have a strong scent. Most essential oils have a quite powerful scent undiluted. They can be quite overwhelming and it is not recommended that you inhale it straight from the bottle (Instead, waft the scent over to your nose). If the scent is not strong, you could have oils that are already diluted.

They are priced much lower than the going rate. The old adage applies—you get what you pay for. If they are significantly cheaper than comparable offerings on other sites, they are very likely poor quality or adulterated.

Essential oils are not clearly marked or separated from fragrance oils. I once visited a health store that had an aromatherapy section of mixed fragrance oils and essential oils. The only way to distinguish them was to find the extra fine print on each bottle. It was a mix-up waiting to happen.

The botanical name of the source plant is not given. This is a biggie. If they don’t tell you what species it is from, perhaps they don’t know themselves. Uneducated vendors sometimes market perfume oils as essential oils and don’t understand the difference.

The seller uses hype and questionable marketing terms. Many of the phrases commonly used to describe essential oils sound great, but really don’t have any concrete meaning. “100% pure” and “therapeutic grade” means only what the supplier decides it means. At least in the US, there is no standardization or system of grading. The producers or suppliers are the ones who make these claims.

They make grandiose claims. Some claim their products are far superior to everything else on the market. They have sources that are “exclusive.” They use special testing that no one else uses. They’ll tell you only their oils are quality oils. Truth is, there are many reputable suppliers who have been in the business for decades. And, often unknowingly, they use the same distillers as the competition.

Always buy from a knowledgeable seller or company with a solid reputation for selling real essential oils. If you don’t know, ask around on the internet. There are a number of forums, groups and mailing lists where you can get great recommendations.

When and why would it be important to have authentic, natural essential oils?

If the only purpose of your essential oils is a nice scent, it may not make any difference to you whether or not your EO is really a pure natural EO. Sometimes though, it’s important to know you are purchasing a pure and high quality oil.

1. Aromatherapy — Aromatherapists insist that only natural plant extracts are appropriate for aromatherapy. Whole oils may have therapeutic properties that synthetic reconstructions do not have.
2. Allergies and sensitivities — You could be allergic or sensitive to certain chemicals in the unknown adulterants.
3. Higher cost — If you pay premium for an essential oil but you get a fragrance oil, you’ve been cheated out of the extra money you’ve paid.
4. Internal use — It is crucial that you know what you are ingesting! If you intend to use oils for culinary use or any other internal purpose, not only must you research, research, research, but you must be certain sure you are using a true essential oil.NOTE: I do not recommend anyone but the most advanced and well-read users try using internally. Please do not harm yourself or those you love by ingesting the wrong essential oils!

So how do you know if your EO is not the real deal? See my next entry…

Have another reason or two? Share them here in a comment!

Bergamot essential oil has a wonderful fresh, uplifting scent. It makes an excellent top note and is another favorite oil of mine.

Bergamot

• Source – Citrus aurantium ssp. bergamia, cultivated in Italy
• Plant parts used – rind of the fruit
• Aromatic extract – expressed essential oil

In perfumery, bergamot is used extensively as a top note and is common to many fragrances and cosmetics. It is very uplifting, and in aromatherapy has been used to treat tension, anxiety stress, depression and more. Bergamot oil is phototoxic, meaning it can cause sensitivity, sunburn and skin pigmentation when exposed to sunlight. The chemical components that cause phototoxicity can be removed through distillation or treatment so that it may be used for leave-on skin products without problems.

The oil is extracted from the rinds of the small pear-shaped fruits. The fruits are called bergamot oranges, but the skin is yellow to green. They are commonly grown in Italy and named for the city of Bergamo where it was first sold. Earl Gray tea is flavored with bergamot oil. The fruit itself is not eaten, and it is cultivated just for its oil.

A Grasse rose farm, run by fourth generation farmers, is having to sell off the precious rose fields.

Natural Misconceptions by Haley Alexander van Oosten

There’s no surprise that few are willing to pay for the luxury of real rose oil, especially when the synthetic alternatives are so much cheaper and the average consumer knows no difference.

It is a terrible shame that a tradition passed on through many generations will be lost. Besides losing the culture, the history, and the beauty of the process, the supply of natural oil will further dwindle. I have not yet had a chance to sample Rose de Mai from Grasse, but it’s one I’d hoped to procure in the future.

My hope is that as the demand for natural products increases, so will the demand for aromatics–and that cultivation and production of botanical aromatics will not become a lost art.

Maker Faire starts tomorrow! If you’re in the Austin area this weekend, come out because it’s going to be fabulous! Saturday it will be from 10am to 10pm, and on Sunday it will be from 10 am to 6pm.

I’m making final preparations for my Maker booth where I’ll be demonstrating perfume blending.

Check out Makerfaire.com for more info! Be sure to come by my booth in the crafts section and say hello!

The Swag Bags are coming soon!

Swag Bags are the perfect way to choose your holiday gifts. Sample items from 10 different EGCG shops including perfume, balms, soap, scrubs and lotions.

Starting Oct 15 you’ll be able to purchase them through the EGCG Etsy Shop. Hurry, because they are limited edition you’ll want to get one before they sell out!