Essential oil recipes

[sphinxa]

I've been using a splash of eucalyptus and lavender in the kids' room and some sweet orange downstairs over Christmas. So I now feel like taking the plunge into the world of mixing my own scents.

I've bought an essential oil pack online with: lemon, bergamot, sage, mandarin, geranium, rose wood, grapefruit, lavender, sweet orange and ylang ylang.

What can I mix?

I have read to use salt to mix it with water for room sprays... what quantity should I use?

My favourite for in a roller ball is 2 drops lavender, 2 drops patchouli and 2 drops frankincense, smells gorgeous for a perfume. Topped up with fractionated coconut oil.

I made a lip balm last week using lavender and sandalwood with baby petroleum jelly.

How much carrier solution do you use?

Most Essential Oils don't last very long if you want to use them just as a fragrance, but they have so many other applications.

If you're using them in a water-based solution, you'll need something to make them blend with the water because oil and water don't mix. Usually just a vigorous shake is all that's needed before you spray.

If you want to explore other possibilities, see if any of these books are available in your local library. The Fragrant Pharmacy is a really good introduction to using essential oils for all sorts of purposes in the home, even in cooking.

www.penguin.co.uk/books/101/1010819/the-fragrant-pharmacy/9780553403978.html

I definitely second The Fragrant Pharmacy.

I used salt in a room spray I made this morning. It sprays and smells nice but it looks cloudy.

It is more for room sprays and house fragrances.

I've never used salt with essential oils. Try add adding a tbs of vodka to the water and essential oil mix. The alcohol will help it emulsify

Emulsify... that was the word I couldn't think of!

I saw vodka as a suggestion but I thought it might smell.

Is cheap vodka ok? It's not something we usually have in the house.

How much essential oil to 1 tbs of vodka?