What blend of essential oils will smell like the sweet basil in my garden?

akseattle · Jul 8, 2023

I love the smell of sweet basil and I grow it in my garden every year. When I was transplanting my little basil plants in June, the scent of basil was so amazing, I thought I'd get some basil essential oil for some soaps. When it arrived and I opened it, it had a really strong overpowering smell. I closed the bottle and put one drop on a kleenex. Hours later, the scent would still waft up. It didn't smell like sweet basil. It almost reminded me of motor oil. Eventually, I realized it smelled like anise. I actually started thinking the EO was mislabled and that they'd sent me anise! I sent it back and bought some elsewhere. On arrival, same thing. Overpowering scent of anise. I then read up and as it turns out, basil essential oil is super strong and has "notes of anise." I should have done some research BEFORE I bought the EO. I see that basil EO is supposed to pair really well with various other EO's.
Does anyone use basil EO in their soaps?
Has anyone ever paired basil EO with anything so that the blend comes out smelling like sweet basil?
Does anyone have any suggestions for what I might try?
At this time, I use melt and pour bases, not cold process. So, this would have to work with melt and pour soap bases.
Thanks so much in advance!

lsg · Jul 8, 2023

Apparently there is more than one type of basil EO. Which Basil Essential Oil Is Best?

Obsidian · Jul 8, 2023

I've used basil FO from natures garden. Its still not as basil-y as I'd like but its much better than the EO and it doesn't have any anise notes.
It sticks for a long time but does fade to a lighter, nice sweet herbal scent

Mobjack Bay · Jul 8, 2023

I use basil EO in blends. It‘s so strong that I make my blend first and then add a minute amount of basil eo until I can just barely smell it. I use a toothpick because a drop from a pipette may very well be too much! I like it with citrusy blends (orange, Litsea, lemongrass). My basil EO, from Brambleberry, does have a bit of an anise note, but my peeps smell the blend as citrus and basil. It does stick around forever.

KiwiMoose · Jul 8, 2023

I have basil EO and I think it smells a bit like wacky baccy.

akseattle · Jul 10, 2023

KiwiMoose said:
I have basil EO and I think it smells a bit like wacky baccy.

had to look up wacky baccy...

Mobjack Bay said:
I use basil EO in blends. It‘s so strong that I make my blend first and then add a minute amount of basil eo until I can just barely smell it. I use a toothpick because a drop from a pipette may very well be too much! I like it with citrusy blends (orange, Litsea, lemongrass). My basil EO, from Brambleberry, does have a bit of an anise note, but my peeps smell the blend as citrus and basil. It does stick around forever.

Well glad that someone else this basil EO is really strong, less than one drop from a pipette is a very tiny amount!! But I have orange and I have lemon grass, so maybe I'll try a combo -- using a tooth pick to dispense!! thank you!!

Obsidian said:
I've used basil FO from natures garden. Its still not as basil-y as I'd like but its much better than the EO and it doesn't have any anise notes.
It sticks for a long time but does fade to a lighter, nice sweet herbal scent

Obsidian, thanks for the info on the FO from Natures Garden. If a blend using EO's I already have doesn't work, I'll try that FO!