November 9, 2022

Fragrance Oil Blends for Soap Making

Fragrance oils are a complex mix of natural and artificial ingredients used to create a particular scent. They can contain dozens of different ingredients to create unique aromas with an array of different notes. Fragrance oils have the amazing ability to be formulated to either smell as close to something already occurring in nature as possible or to have an aroma that conveys a more abstract concept or feeling. Fragrance oils are complex and can work amazingly on their own, but they can become deeper and more nuanced when blended together. Blending fragrance oils is also a fun way to create a signature aroma that can evoke certain emotions or ideas.

Fragrance oils are comprised of various synthetic and natural scent components. They include top, middle and bottom notes. Top notes are the first fragrances in a blend that are identified by your nose. Lighter, brighter scents fall in this category. After that, your nose identifies middle notes, which are a bit deeper and create a balance within the blend. Base notes are the deepest and earthiest tones in a fragrance. They help to anchor the blend.

Blending fragrance oils is a fun way to create a completely new scent but it can be tricky due to the oils’ complexity. Unlike essential oils, frgrance oils already have different notes and layers to their aroma. When considering fragrances to blend we should consider the different notes in each oil as well as the scent family that the aroma falls into. We can think of words like sweet, earthy, fruity, floral, and fresh to describe the overall scent of a fragrance oil and try to blend it with other oils in that family or ones that may compliment it well.

To avoid waste, it is best to use very small amounts of each fragrance oil when starting the blending process. A single drop of an oil can act as one part. Start with one drop of each oil to be used in the blend and add more as needed until the desired aroma is achieved.

As we mix we can start to determine if the blend is working by considering a few important questions.

Do the notes in each of the fragrances complement each other? Are the aromas well-balanced or does one fragrance overshadow another? Which scents are at the forefront and what notes fall into the background of the blend? Are elements of each fragrance oil noticible in the final blend?

Once we evaluate the aroma with one part of each fragrance oil, we can decide what is needed and slowly add more drops. Add one drop at a time, smelling and assessing the fragrance after each addition. When we reach the perfect balance, we can record the recipe and try it in a test batch to finalize our decision.