The Scents, the Sights of Maui - Natural Perfumery in Every Day Life

View of the Sunset from LaHaina, Maui

View of the ocean from our hotel 

Maui.  The place where I will live someday.  Me and my nose.  Smelling all the yummy Maui air, the salty ocean breezes, wild plumeria blossoms, pikake stars, papaya, sweet gold pineapple, hawaiian roast pig barbecueing somewhere.   This is one place on earth you can make full use of your five senses, actually: see a beautiful ever changing sunset, take a dive into warm clear azure waters, taste the Hawaiian cuisine, from a rainbow of flavors of shaved ice with lihing mui powder, to fresh fish caught in Hawaiian waters like Ono and Mahi Mahi.  Hear the call of exotic birds, the roar of the waves.

A rare blue lotus opens in the sunlight.

Blue lotus closes up shop as the sun dims.

 My favorite are the red plumerias (didn't get a good picture this time around).

Small bushes of plumeria blossoms.

Ppl ask wouldn't I get bored living here?  I would not.  I am a city girl, it is true.  But I could watch the ocean forever.  Whenever I close my eyes to meditate, it is the ocean that I see.  Perhaps in a prior life I was a dolphin.

Back to flowers.  And Paradise (Maui).  For me, the smell of plumeria blossoms puts me in mind of Maui in a nanosecond.  Unfortunately, most plumeria oil is synthetic fragrance oil.  The real deal is hard to get and very expensive.  My dad has a very productive plumeria tree in his backyard from which he will get me a cutting.  Then while I'm scrimping and saving to move to the islands, I can at least have the scent of plumeria in my own backyard to inspire me onwards.

Kids walking to the beach.

If you are lucky enough to get your hands on real plumeria essential oil, you might find it needs little tweaking to become a memorable, sophisticated perfume.  In other words, it's so strong and sweet and airy to stand by itself.  I would add bright citrus notes - yuzu comes to mind, to perk up the floral sweetness, grounded by something unobstrusive like amarys sandalwood, cedarwood, vanilla, or myrrh.

Ava ate bubble gum and cotton candy shaved ice (eww) while I  had lychee, coconut and guava with li hing mui powder, which to her, is eww.

Cinnamon: Tinctures and Oatcakes. Natural DIY perfume good enough to eat.

Cinnamon sticks in tincture (L); filtered tincture (R).

I’ve been in the mood for oatcakes recently, after reading an engrossing adventure story about Anglo Saxons.  They feasted on old world dishes like flummery (pudding), roasted sheep head, and oatcakes drenched in honey.  While I'll pass on the sheep head, I found a Scottish recipe for oatcakes that seemed remarkably simple and easy, using only five ingredients (flour, oats, butter or shortening, baking powder and salt).  Of course, back in the day, things weren’t so quick when you had to do everything by hand (grind the oats, knead the fat in).  Note, there’s no sugar in this recipe, as they are meant to be drizzled with honey, or eaten as a savory side dish.

I decided to added cinnamon and raisins to my second batch.  Cinnamon, in addition to adding a delicate spiciness, is a proven anti-inflammatory and helps to regulate blood sugar, as well as discourage yeast infections.

As I waited for my oatcakes to finish baking, the buttery cinnamony smell filling my kitchen, I realized cinnamon would be a great spice to tincture.  I pulled out my glass jam bottles and filled them a quarter way with broken cinnamon sticks and pre-ground cinnamon, which was what I had on hand. I think the ideal cinnamon would be fresh ground using a spice grinder, but I hadn’t replaced my broken one yet.  Last, I poured in organic alcohol, then sealed tightly.

After a week of shaking my cinnamon tincture, I strained it through a coffee filter.  The color was a deep red amber, the smell was all cinnamon.  Aromatherapists use cinnamon to address sexual disorders.  I can see this tincture blending well with many of the oils used to address sacral chakra imbalances, such as ylang ylang, jasmine, patchouli and myrrh.

For those who’d rather eat their cinnamon than tincture it, here is the Scottish Oat Cake recipe (I added the cinnamon and raisins, for a total of 7 ingredients):

Preheat oven to 375.

Pulse in food processor:

1 c. flour

1 c. oats

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 stick butter (1/2 c), cubed, or shortening

Slowly add cold water, 1 T at a time until dough comes together.  It usually takes me 1-2 T max.  

Mix in by hand ½ c. raisins, or just add to food processor at the end to mix in and pulse in.  Do not overprocess dough or you will have tough dough.  Less is more.

Pat dough into a flat round shape about 8 inches in diameter, cut into 8 wedges and bake for about 15 minutes.  Let cool, then drizzle with honey.

DIY Meyer Lemon Tincture for Natural Perfume - and Lemon Bars Recipe

Shaved lemons, microplaner, and grated peel

My Meyer lemon tree is bursting with fruit.  Meyer lemon trees give you a big bang for your buck.  Mine reaches three feet, max.  I just pulled fourteen lemons off it.    They’re thought to be a cross between a lemon and an orange or mandarin.  Compared to true lemons, Meyer lemons are juicier and sweeter with a peel that is thinner and less pithy.   The peel smells just like the juice tastes – tangy, less sour than true lemon with a roundness like bergamot. 

The fastest way to dry the peel is to use a microplaner.   Simply grate off the skin, being careful not to go too deeply into the bitter pith.  Some sites recommend using your oven or microwave to dry, but I think this destroys some of the essential oils in the peel.  Plus, with the warmer weather we’ve been having, it’s simple just to leave the peel on the counter to dry.  It took a full day for mine to air dry.


You can use the resulting dried peel for cooking, and of course, perfume!  I added the dried peel of fourteen lemons into about 8 oz. of 200 proof organic ethanol.  I’m going to leave it in a cool dark place to tincture, taking out to shake every day. 

Meyer Lemon Bars

Now my only problem is what to do with the bald lemons.  I made lemon bars with two of them.  The others will just have to wait until I get feeling back into my wrist (did I mention there were 14 lemons?).  


Meyer Lemon Bars Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
•  
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Meyer lemons, juiced, (about 1/3 cup)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
4. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool.

Smells Like Easter!

You can identify the holiday by the smells.  Today I smell marshmallows, sugar, bubbles, grass, wet dirt, vinegar, chocolate, jellybeans, and since I happen to be baking banana bread, bananas.  It's Easter!  

Sugared chickadees from Paris

Realist Mermaid's panoramic Easter eggs

Our personalized eggs

Panoramic easter eggs are a tradition in our family.   The ones I had as a kid looked better than they tasted.  I had one as a child that lasted at least ten years and had tiny bite marks where I tried to nibble it through the years.   The eggs haven't changed but now you can get ones made with organic sugar and vegetable based food dyes, so at least your nibbles can be somewhat more healthful.  The ones I chose this year were made by the amazing baker and candymaker, Realist Mermaid.  Her creations are organic, unprocessed and thoroughly unique.  I can personally attest to the deliciousness of her chocolate covered marshmallows.  


A girlfriend just brought back some of these adorable sugared chicks from Paris.  Yes, I ate one of them as well.  These are what Peeps aspire to be.  The other goodies are a chocolate bar dusted with lavender buds and fleur de sel.  At least if I can't go to Paris, at least I can have friends who there, no?  

Much love, fun, and spiritual reflection on your Easter weekend!  

Musings on Buying Essential Oils for Natural Perfumes

I’ve just finished a few custom blends and am ready to start replenishing my supplies.  I need to order more essences.  This can be a hit or miss process since the oils scents can change even among the same suppliers depending on the season, the weather, the alignment of the planets, the wiggle of the earthworms. . .  what I’m saying is shopping for essential oils is not an exact science. 

It pays to shop around.  Different suppliers can have vastly different prices for the same oils.   Reputation matters in this business, since adulteration of essential oils is a big problem, particularly when spectrometers aren’t exactly a household appliance (save for the one on your face).  My favorite suppliers are Mountain Rose Herbs (Eugene, Oregon) and Eden Botanicals (Hyampon, California).  Mountain Rose aims to keep prices reasonable and has a good selection of herbs, teas, and spices in addition to oils.  Eden Botanical’s website provides detailed descriptions of its oils and always includes samples in your order.

I’ve also bought from Essential Oil University–  I am expecting a second order from them next week.  The wonderful natural perfumer Charna from Providence Perfume didn’t love the yuzu she ordered from Essential Oil University – but I found the sample I received to be quite zesty and alive.  Perhaps I was lucky to have received a fresher sample?  Citrus oils lose their quality more easily than others.  Or maybe EOU improved their quality after reading Charna's article?  We’ll see if I still like the yuzu when the full product comes next week.

One product that has been reliable is the frankincense (boswellia frereana) from Edens Garden (different than Eden Botanicals).  It's rich, woodsy aroma doesn't have the sharp edges other frankincenses can have and isn't medicinal smelling.  

If you are thinking of buying from Ebay, make sure you fully question the seller about their oils.  Sellers who purport to sell “essential oils” often sell “fragrance oils” side by side to their EO’s without making a clear distinction.  Let cost be your guide: if a deal’s too good to be true, it is.

Japanese honeysuckle makes a cooling tea, and hopefully a fragrant tincture.

Finally, don’t underestimate the benefits of tincturing your own plants.  Sure, it’s a long wait.  You have to shake the bottle regularly.   You have to find a good source of high proof alcohol, which can be expensive.  But it’s rewarding.  I was at my local Chinese grocery store yesterday and found all sorts of interesting things that screamed to be tinctured.  Dried honeysuckle.  Green jasmine tea.  Star anise.  Dried shiso leaves.  Not sure if they’ll all be successful but the experimentation is part of the fun.  

Yuzu is one of the more expensive citrus oils.

Maybe I can even tincture some yuzu.  

Kewda Flower - (Pandanus Odoratissimus) in Natural Perfumes - Admire From a Distance

Certain things must be admired from a distance.  Tigers, for example.  Or that certain boy from high school whom looked beautiful across the room but upon closer inspection had the complexion of a Domino's, um, never mind.  Kewda blossom is this way.  

But before I explain, a bit of background: pandanus odoratissimus comes from India.  Everything about this tree says keep out, from its dense aerials roots to its long spiky leaves studded with needles that surrounded each of the white dagger-like flowers like barbed wire.  Human curiosity being what it is, someone had to go smell it (probably the patent holder for the Band-Aid) and the rest is history.

Pandanus odoratissimus, a thorny situation

The Indians use kewda in attars (often extracted into sandalwood oil) in scenting personal effects like clothing and soap.  Aruveydic physicians prescribe kewda as an antispasmodic and a stimulant, useful for treating conditions of the skin.  Several cultures in addition to Indians use the pandanus leaf to flavor food, particularly sweets.  I personally associate pandanus with sticky coconut rice I get at my favorite Thai dive.

My first order of kewda absolute arrived last week.  I couldn't wait to smell it.  And now I shall refer you back to my earlier point (certain things must be admired from a distance).  The scent, like a bathrobed housewife, creeps up, then smacks you on the back of your head with a slipper.  For me, the smell called to mind honey, red vine licorice, rotting bananas, rice, and the jungle.  I couldn't wait to experiment. 

The advice I'd been given when working with indolic kewda is to evaluate it in dilution, which I learned is code for "don't put your nose to close to it."  I figure that such a powerful fragrance requires taming with something herbal, green, and/or zesty.  I'm thinking coriander, sage, lime.  Maybe I'll see how it works in synergy with another floral like rose, or ylang ylang extra.  Sometimes stronger florals work better when they they share the stage with other florals.  I'm also curious to see how kewda will behave with lavender absolute, a green floral that adds a certain butteriness to perfume.  If that doesn't work out, I might try taking my kewda in another direction - gourmand - given its usage in the food industry.  Green tea.  Vanilla.  

Will report on results soon!

To browse our selection of natural perfumes, please visit: Mermaid Lane Perfumes

Natural Perfumes - Treasure Natural Perfume for Japanese Quake Victims

The night I heard about the devastating earthquake in Japan, I stayed awake late thinking about what I could do.  The earthquake brought back memories of 9/11 for me.  My fiance was working in New York City whilst I was an overworked lawyer here in the Silicon Valley.  It was two weeks before our wedding date and he was planning to travel here for the last trip before the big day.  We had so many things to do. .  dance lessons, finalizing menus, wedding "stuff" that seems so trivial now that I look back.


The morning of 9/11 he was scheduled to be at a meeting across from the World Trade Center.  He called me as soon as he learned what had happened - thank God he was okay.  I remember thinking I was lucky I didn't have to wait too long to find out.  Of course, NYC was in chaos at that moment, but at least he hadn't been there when the towers were hit.


Back to Japan.  I can't be there to help the earthquake victims, but I thought I could help in the way I knew best - making perfume.  So I created Treasure, a triple floral perfume to raise money for Global Giving on behalf of Japan.  All profits will go to this organization, which has been recommended by the NY Times, Time Magazine, and ABC News for contributions.

Treasure natural perfume, a triple floral with rose, champaca, jasmine grounded by sandalwood

Here's my Etsy description:


Treasure
Rare florals, Grounding
5 ml glass heart bottle with silk pouch

This limited edition perfume is a treasure trove of rare scents. This scent begins with a hint of uplifting lemon and bergamot, superb at lifting negativity and healing the spirit. The heart of this perfume is a trio of florals. The Champaca bud is traditionally worn by Indian women behind the ear and releases its scent as it blossoms. Champaca lends a creamy, almost buttery sweetness. The finest organic ylang ylang extra from Madagascar lifts the Champaca like a sweet breeze. The third floral is precious jasmine sambac, the pikake flower, used by aromatherapists to lift depression and restore joy with its spicy sweetness. Sandalwood waits at the bottom of our treasure chest like a layer of gold coins. 

Sometimes only through severe agitation may the greatest treasures be revealed to us beneath the earth. This earthquake revealed to us the strength of the Japanese people - their resolve, dignity, their love for their neighbors and country, all precious treasures. Let us support this country through our pocketbooks and through a shared sense of community. I will be donating all of my proceeds to Global Giving, an organization recommended by ABC News, Times, and the NY times for charitable contributions: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/

Treasure comes in a clear heart bottle holding 5 ml of precious scent, attractively packaged in a silk embroidered pouch of our choosing. 90% organic, no synthetic fragrances, pthalates, petrols, or parabens.


I tested it out on some of my friends before listing it.  Some comments are: 
"Wow.  It's like you bottled the Garden of Eden after a rainstorm." - Arielle.
"This smells like what I would put on before bedtime if I felt naughty."  - Nira
"Like Mermaid Lane's Pearl, only more sensual."  - Karen
"It smells like daisies!" - Sara, 6 years old.


If you're interested in helping Japan by purchasing this perfume, please click: Treasure Natural Perfume


P.S.  We were able to marry on schedule, though many of our guests couldn't make it due to cancelled flights.  It will be our 10 years anniversary this year!

Part III on Tincturing Fruits - Sticky Experiments in Natural Perfumes

If you've been following my tincture posts, you'll know I've been at it for more than a month now.  


I removed the sugar from my sticky cherry tincture using bowls, rock, sun, and, most importantly, plastic wrap.  Since the weather has been most foul recently, evaporation and condensation processes have taken a good few weeks.  But I now have about 15 ml of tinctured cherry.  Yes!


I've used a 151 proof Everclear for the tincture.  190 proof food grade alcohol is ideal (e.g., 95% alcohol) yet unattainable in California.  I've been itching to get my hands on the stronger stuff.  If all goes well during these experiments, I intend to buy organic grain or grape alcohol from a farm I'd heard great things about in Portland.  Best to experiment with the cheaper stuff first just to get proportions right, etc.  





Back to the tincture.  Since I used 151 proof, I am wary that any essential oils I add will cloud my solution, i.e., not dissolve properly.  I'm first going to add one drop of peru balsam to a tiny vial.  Peru balsam has a lovely spicy vanilla smell I think will make a good base note to compliment the cherries.   

Cherry tincture with bitter orange and peru balsam

Next I begin adding my tinctured cherries, one drop at a time.  As expected, the mixture clouds as soon as the tincture hits the balsam.  After nine drops however, things clear up (so far we have a 10% dilution).  I add a tenth drop just to keep things simple.  Shake.  Things stay clear.  Whew.  At this point, let me just say how important risk taking is in this business.  One drop can make a difference between sunshine and clouds.  You have to be prepared to lose some to win some.  Not to mention, glass vials can be both tiny and slippery.  One wrong move and you could have a jasmine scented house for the rest of the year.   Not a bad thing, but how easily it could have been oakmoss, which smells like pruney cough syrup in its unblended state.

No, those aren't fingerprints, the perfume is cloudy.

For my top note, I've chosen bitter orange, mostly because I just got a new bottle and it smells wonderful.  Citrusy, bright, more complex than sweet orange.  I add two drops.  Clouds on the horizon.  Chase it with twenty more drops of tincture.  Shake.  Cloudy still.  Add ten more drops.  Shake.  Less cloudy. 


So far we have: 1 drop peru balsam, 2 drops bitter orange, 40 drops tincture.  I'm going to wait a few days to see how things shake out, so to speak.  Hopefully this perfume's future is not clouded, but only time will tell.  Ah yes, and how do things smell at this point, you might ask?  I uncap and inhale.  


Like a walk through a field of orange groves as the first rays of sun turn the air golden.  Stay tuned!


To browse our natural perfumery, please visit Mermaid Lane Perfumes.  

Tinctures - Natural Perfumes - When and why to use alcohol in your DIY homemade perfumes

Natural perfumery typically uses one of two "carriers" - the base into which you add your essential oils.  You can use a carrier oil, or an alcohol based carrier (high proof vodka, for example).    I favor Jojoba oil for its rich, skin friendly qualities.  Alcohol can be drying to the skin, not to mention flammable to work with.  Yet, alcohol based perfumes do have their draws.  For one, you can use an atomizer to dispense a given amount of perfume over a wider area, and for two, alcohol based perfumes "lift" the smell of a given blend.   Oil based perfumes sink deeper and stay longer.  The same blend of essential oils, when mixed into an alcohol versus an oil carrier, transform into something more fleeting and airy.

Not all essential oils or absolutes will blend nicely into an alcohol based carrier depending on the proof  and the particular essence you are trying to dissolve.  Higher proof alcohol has less water in it.   Water doesn't blend with oil so you run the risk of clouding your perfume.  Everclear apparently has a 190 proof alcohol, but this isn't available in California so we must settle for their less potent 151 proof version.  It's about $16.99 for a bottle.

Why tincture?  Tincturing (steeping an aromatic in the alcohol) before adding the essential oils helps to "flavor" the carrier in a deeper and more lasting way than simply adding an essential oil and shaking.  Typically "top" notes like citruses can transform into base notes by extracting the oil through tincturing.  I don't know how the magic works.  However, the longer you let your tincture sit (shaking it every day to remix), the more intense the tincture becomes.  You can also strain your tinctured matter through a coffee filter and retincture by adding more of whatever you're tincturing, resulting in a more concentrated base.  Another important reason to tincture is that certain aromatics aren't easy to extract essential oils from (apples, for example).  To knock the scents out of them, so to speak, you would need to tincture.

I decided to try: freeze dried blueberries (no need to dry them yourself, obviously), rooibos tea leaves, dried cherries, dried apricots, and orange peel which I sundried myself.  I also ordered some dried jasmine blossoms but haven't received them yet.

I took glass jars and filled them with my aromatics, then covered the aromatics with my 151 Everclear.  Shook.  I put them in a dark cupboard, taking them out daily for a shaking.  Seven days have passed.

I opened up the bottles.  All of them are pretty strong on the scent of alcohol.  I dabbed some on my wrist.  After the alcohol evaporated (10 seconds), what remained was a lovely whisper of the aromatic.  They need more time, so I recapped.

One thing I should mention - the fruit tinctures leave a sticky residue.  You could eventually dilute the tincture in order to reduce the stickiness, but of course that would reduce the intensity of the scent.  A friend suggested a centrifuge.  I do not have a centrifuge.  So this is one limitation with fruits.

Even the no-sugar added freeze dried blueberries are somewhat tacky.  Not to mention intensely grape colored.  So here is another limitation on tincturing certain fruits - the colors.  I imagine a very light grape color would be pretty in a perfume bottle, but certainly no one wants to wear something that looks like ink.  Will update on this experiment in a week.

To peruse our line of natural/organic perfumes, please visit Mermaid Lane Perfumes