Aromatherapy Recipe for Floral Perfume

There's a new perfume recipe at Wavlengths Aromatherapy:

Floral Perfume Recipe With Essential Oils

This is a perfume oil, with essential oils in a jojoba oil base. You can customize it by adding or subtracting essential oils in the given blend, or use a completely different set of essential oils to make your own scent. Natural perfumes are really easy to make using this type of recipe, and they're great gifts.

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Aromatherapy For Acne

A new article posted on Wavelengths Natural Health Aromatherapy - Aromatherapy for Acne - describes how essential oils can be just as effective as other more harsh products for treating acne. There's even research to back up this information!

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How to Make Aromatherapy Body Powder?

Ask the Aromatherapist:

I'm just learning about aromatherapy and I tried a recipe I saw for making body powder. It said to add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to cornstarch. I have tried different variations and the powder still doesn't come out of the holes of the container very well. I also tried adding baking soda but I don't like that "grainy" feeling. Do you have any suggestions on how to make a "soft" body powder. Thanks in advance.

To make an aromatherapy body powder with cornstarch, collect the following items:

• a jar with a tight-fitting lid
• a new, unopened box of cornstarch
• essential oil(s) to scent the powder
• a flour sifter or fine-mesh sieve
• a bowl
• a funnel
  
• a body powder shaker container
  

Fill the jar no more than 2/3 full with cornstarch, and add a few drops of the essential oil(s) you selected for your body powder. Close the jar tightly, and shake it vigorously to mix the essential oils into the cornstarch.

It's best if you can allow the jar to sit for several days so that the essential oils fully infuse into the cornstarch. Shake the jar well at least once a day.

After the cornstarch is well infused with the essential oils, use a flour sifter or a fine-mesh sieve and sift the powder into a bowl. This should help eliminate any chunks, and leave you with a silky, soft powder. Use the funnel to transfer the sifted body powder into the powder shaker container.

Be sure to keep the shaker container tightly closed, especially if you store it in the bathroom where it will absorb moisture. If you notice the powder starting to get lumpy from moisture absorption, you can simply sift it again.

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What Is the Shelf Life of Carrier Oils?

Ask the Aromatherapist:

Do carrier oils spoil or go bad, and do different carrier oils have a different shelf life? Thanks for your help!

Many carrier oils (such as sweet almond oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, apricot kernel oil) can "go off" over time. Many of these oils become rancid, marked by a distinct, unpleasant smell. Depending on how old the oil is when you buy it and how it has been handled, the carrier oil may last years. I have had several carrier oils for more than four years without any perceptible change. Jojoba oil in particular does not go rancid because it is actually a liquid wax.

Store your carrier oils away from heat and light, and with the caps tightly closed. With proper handling you can probably expect that your carrier oils will last two years, and possibly much longer. Be sure to discard them if you detect any rancid smell. If you plan to use only small amounts of carrier oils, purchase the smallest size available so that you don't end up storing large unused quantities that will go bad.

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