Which EO go well with what FO?

[LuciePC]

Is there a book that can help me to determine which EO mixes well with FO? I am a newbee and I am trying recipes already on the web, but sometimes I feel the smell is too strong or not enough... Thanks for your help!

 

[lsg]

Wholesale Supplies Plus has blending wheels. http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/fragrance-oils/fragrance-formulator/fragrance-wheel.aspx

 

[dixiedragon]

Get some paper towels or coffee filters. Tear into strips or squares. Put a few drops of fragrance on the square. Seal in a baggie or a small jar (I use babyfood jars). write the blend on a piece of tape on the container. Sniff over periodically over a few days.

So, for example, you decide to try mint, lavender and orange, you might have:

1 drop lavender, 1 drop mint, 1 drop orange (Or shorten it to 1L: 1M : 1O)
2L: 1M : 1O
etc.

Another idea is to just check out handmade soap listings on Etsy and see what combos sound good. Or you can come here and say, "What goes with X FO?" Of course, if you say something very common, like "What goes with Vanilla FO" you'll get a lot of answers!

 

[RobinRogers]

Thanks for posing that question! I am new, also. I’ve taken a class but have ventured out to make my own recipes. I have less trouble with color now but scent is an issue! I tried mixing Leather FO with Clove EO and Orange EO and wound up only with the leather!
Thanks also for the sniff test idea!

 

[MGM]

In theory, FOs are formulated by perfumers to be full fragrances on their own. They have top, middle and base notes and are all good to go out of the bottle, unlike EOs, which may have one predominant fragrance, but then you want to blend more. On occasion, I have pumped up a scent already in an FO with something listed on the label that I didn't smell enough of (add ginger EO to Orange-ginger, etc) but TBH, my attempts have never been better than the professionals'....

 

[dixiedragon]

In theory, FOs are formulated by perfumers to be full fragrances on their own. They have top, middle and base notes and are all good to go out of the bottle, unlike EOs, which may have one predominant fragrance, but then you want to blend more. On occasion, I have pumped up a scent already in an FO with something listed on the label that I didn't smell enough of (add ginger EO to Orange-ginger, etc) but TBH, my attempts have never been better than the professionals'....

For me, I don't do a ton of blending. But when I do, I'm pairing a heavy, dark FO with something lighter. For example, Bay Rum with Lime. Vanilla with mint, lavender, orange...lol almost anything.

Keep safety ratios in mind!

 

[MGM]

For me, I don't do a ton of blending. But when I do, I'm pairing a heavy, dark FO with something lighter. For example, Bay Rum with Lime. Vanilla with mint, lavender, orange...lol almost anything.

Keep safety ratios in mind!

And now that you mention it....I was trying out some new FOs for discoloration in M&P (spoiler alert: they all discolored massively) and so had some nag champa sitting next to what NDA calls "Christmas Eve" but just smells like straight-up cherries to me. I determined that I didn't love the nag champa on its own, but that it was great with something sweet, so will try it with cherries or almond or orange next.
BUT, I'm only mixing FOs and FOs....I've started hoarding my EOs for their properties beyond smell.

 

[LuciePC]

Wholesale Supplies Plus has blending wheels. http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/fragrance-oils/fragrance-formulator/fragrance-wheel.aspx

Thank you. I just ordered them!

Get some paper towels or coffee filters. Tear into strips or squares. Put a few drops of fragrance on the square. Seal in a baggie or a small jar (I use babyfood jars). write the blend on a piece of tape on the container. Sniff over periodically over a few days.

So, for example, you decide to try mint, lavender and orange, you might have:

1 drop lavender, 1 drop mint, 1 drop orange (Or shorten it to 1L: 1M : 1O)
2L: 1M : 1O
etc.

Another idea is to just check out handmade soap listings on Etsy and see what combos sound good. Or you can come here and say, "What goes with X FO?" Of course, if you say something very common, like "What goes with Vanilla FO" you'll get a lot of answers!

Thnak you! Great idea!

 

[dixiedragon]

EOs prices have gone up so much, so I too don't blend EOs and FOs.

 

[IrishLass]

Wholesale Supplies Plus has blending wheels. http://www.wholesalesuppliesplus.com/fragrance-oils/fragrance-formulator/fragrance-wheel.aspx

Oh wow- that is so cool! I had no idea they had those, or that they had a whole Fragrance Formulator line of FO notes to basically become your own perfumer....although one might definitely put themselves in the poorhouse if they get too deep into it. lol

To the OP- there are only 3 blends that I make by mixing EOs with FOs: one is a bay rum scent made by mixing Bay Racemosa EO and Barbershop 1920's FO from Rustic Escentuals, one is a vanilla mint scent I make by mixing spearmint EO with Vanilla Bean FO from Bitter Creek, and the third is a wannabee 4711 cologne dupe made with Bergamot EO and 5 different FO's.

All my other blends are made by mixing FOs with other FOs that my nose just thinks might be fantastic together. Some are wonderful, and others not as wonderful. If my nose thinks a few scents might smell great together, I start out by doing what Dixiedragon instructed in post #3, and if it smells great after some weeks have gone by, I'll make up a small amount of the blend ratio in a 1 oz bottle along with some Everclear (about 10% blend/90% Everclear) and make a test-sprayer out it, and then proceed from there depending how it holds up, i.e., if it still holds up smelling great after some time, I make up a 2oz or larger bottle of just the blend to use in whatever.


IrishLass

 

[dixiedragon]

Blending is also good because at some point you'll end up with an FO you don't care for, and it's worth considering if it will be a good blender. Don't use a good FO to hide a bad one, of course! Identify what you don't like and see if you can't counter balance it.

For example, I have a Plumeria that is too sweet/heavy/floral. Just too much. And I have Lime Leaf & Lily from Bittercreek North that is just very generic. Not bad, but nothing special. They are GREAT together.

 

[jcandleattic]

I would say that probably 80-90 % of all the scents I use in my products are a blend I've created, however, those blends are like @IrishLass and just FO with FO. I don't typically use EO, so usually don't mess with them in blends.

 

[atiz]

I use almost only EOs (they are more expensive but I don't make that much soap). The few FO's I tried were usually way too perfumey / sweet / musky for me. I ended up blending them usually with some kind of citrus (lime and bergamot are my two favorites), and that way they were actually quite good. (I just don't like my body products smelling like perfume, so YMMV.)

 

[lsg]

I do one blend of sandalwood FO and EO's of patchouli, myrhh and frankincense.

 

[lisamaliga]

The only EO/FO combo I've ever done is bay rum FO with a dash of lime EO. It's really nice.

 

[lucycat]

I like sandalwood FO blended with lavender and patchouli EO.