Essential Oils - Blending Scents

Historically, essential oils were put into catagories based on the musical scale system. This classification process, invented by a Frenchman by the name of Piesse, is still followed today though to a lesser degree. The oils are classified as being a top, middle or base note.

Top notes are fleeting. Their scent is highly volitile but provide that first flush of scent.

Middle notes take longer to notice and provide body to the scent blend.

Base notes are rich, heavy scents that are long lasting. They are slow to evaporate and act as a fixative in the blend.

Below is a table with the oils listed under their corresponding note. Some essential oils can belong to more than one catagory and there are many different opinions as to where each belongs, so treat this table as a guideline only.

Top Notes	Middle Notes	Base Notes
Anise	Black Pepper	Benzion
Basil (t/m)	Catnip	Cedarwood
Bay	Chamomile	Frankincense
Bergamot (t/m)	Cinnamon Leaf	Myrrh
Citronella	Clary Sage	Oakmoss
Eucalyptus	Clove Bud (m/b)	Patchouli
Fennel (t/m)	Geranium	Peru Balsam
Grapefruit	Ginger (m/b)	Rosewood (m/b)
Lavender (t/m)	Jasmine (m/b)	Sandalwood
Lemon	Juniper Berry	Vanilla
Lime	Lemongrass	Vetivert
Mandarin	Marjoram, Sw	Ylang Ylang (m/b)
Orange Sweet	Neroli
Petitgrain	Nutmeg
Spearmint	Oregano
Sweet Birch	Palmarosa
Tangerine	Peppermint
	Pine
	Rose
	Rosemary
	Tea Tree (t/m)
	Thyme (t/m)

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Sometimes we want our soap to serve a dual purpose. We want it to not only cleanse our skin but to benefit a particular ailment or have certain qualities.

The list below contains essential oils catagorized by the ailment the oils are reported to benefit or qualities they are said to contain. By carefully selecting your essential oils, you could create an aromatherapy soap that helps to repel insects while also acting as an aphrodisiac....not a bad idea for a camping soap!

• Acne - Bergamot, Chamomile, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon, Palmarosa, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Benzoin, Cedarwood, Clove Bud, Frankincense, Grapefruit, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Patchouli, Pepermint, Petitgrain, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Tangerine, Thyme and Ylang Ylang.



• Anti-Bacterial - Peru Balsam, Black Pepper, Chamomile, Citronella, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Sweet Marjoram, Neroli, Nutmeg, Sweet Orange, Oregano, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Pine, Rose, Sandalwood, Tea Tree and Thyme.



• Anti-Septic - Anise, Peru Balsam, Basil, Bay, Benzoin, Bergamot, Black Pepper, Cedarwood, Cinnamon Leaf, Citronella, Clary Sage, Clove Bud, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Frankincense, Geranium, Ginger, Grapefruit, Jasmine, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Mandarin, Sweet Marjoram, Myrrh, Neroli, Nutmeg, Oakmoss, Sweet Orange, Oregano, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Pine, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Spearmint, Tangerine, Tea Tree, Thyme, Vetiver and Ylang Ylang.



• Aphrodisiac - Black Pepper, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Clove Bud, Ginger, Jasmine, Neroli, Nutmeg, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Thyme and Ylang Ylang.



• Astringent - Bay, Benzoin, Bergamot, Catnip, Cinnamon Leaf, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Myrrh, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Spearmint and Thyme.



• Athletes Foot - Lavender, Myrrh, Tea Tree, Clove Bud, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Lemongrass and Patchouli.



• Chapped/Cracked Skin - Benzoin, Myrrh, Patchouli, Peru Balsam and Sandalwood.



• Dandruff - Bay, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Lavender, Patchouli, Rosemary, Tea Tree, Eucalyptus and Lemon.



• Deodorizing - Benzoin, Bergamot, Citronella, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lime, Neroli, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Pine and Rosewood.



• Depression - Bergamot, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang, Basil, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Geranium, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Sweet Orange, Patchouli, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Rosemary and Rosewood.



• Dry Skin - Chamomile, Jasmine, Sandalwood, Peru Balsam, Frankincense, Lavender and Rosewood.



• Eczema - Bergamot, Chamomile, Lavender, Rose, Patchouli, Benzoin, Peru Balsam, Cedarwood, Geranium, Myrrh, Palmarosa, Peppermint, Rosemary and Thyme.



• Hair Growth (promoting) - Bay, Basil, Grapefruit and Ylang Ylang.



• Insect Bites - Chamomile, Lavender, Tea Tree, Bergamot, Basil, Cinnamon Leaf, Eucalyptus, Lemon, Thyme and Ylang Ylang.



• Insect Repellant - Cedarwood, Citronella, Lavender, Bergamot, Basil, Catnip, Cinnamon Leaf, Clove Bud, Geranium, Lemon, Lemongrass, Patchouli, Pine, Rosemary and Sandalwood.



• Insomnia - Lemon Balm, Lavender, Chamomile, Neroli, Basil, Catnip, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Frankincense, Mandarin, Sweet Marjoram, Petitgrain, Rose, Sandalwood, Tangerine, Thyme, Vetiver and Ylang Ylang.



• Mature Skin/Wrinkles - Frankicense, Neroli, Rose, Carrot Seed, Clary Sage, Fennel, Myrrh, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Rosewood, Rosemary, Jasmine, Manderin, Lavender, Geranium and Ylang Ylang.



• Oily Skin - Bergamot, Geranium, Lavender, Sandalwood, Tea Tree, Bay, Carrot Seed, Citronella, Sweet Fennel, Jasmine, Juniper Berry, Lemon, Lemongrass, mandarin, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Petitgrain, Rosemary, Rosewood, Clary Sage, Thyme, Vetiver and Ylang Ylang.



• Psoriasis - Bergamot, Lavender, Benzoin and Carrot Seed.



• Rashes - Chamomile, Lavender, Peru Balsam, Carrot Seed, Sandalwood and Tea Tree.