Read Mixing Essential Oils for Magic: Aromatic Alchemy for Personal Blends Online

Authors: Sandra Kynes

Tags: #Body; Mind & Spirit, #Witchcraft

Mixing Essential Oils for Magic: Aromatic Alchemy for Personal Blends (5 page)

There are two types of CO2 extraction products that you may encounter. One is cre-

ated at lower pressure and designated as a select extract or SE. It has a liquid consistency and does not contain as much of the plant fat, waxes, and resins. The other type is called a total extract. It is thicker than the select and contains more of the non-soluble plant material. According to Ingrid Martin, author and instructor of aromatherapy at Ashmead College in Seattle, Washington, lab tests show “significant differences in chemical compositions” between true essential oils and the CO2 products.13 In addition, I have not found information on experiments to determine if they produce auras as pure essential oils do.

Another substance created by standard solvent extraction is called a resinoid. As the name implies, it comes from resinous plant materials, which include resins, balsams, oleoresins, and oleo gum resins. (Refer to the Glossary for information on these substances.) The resinoid end product can be in the form of a viscous liquid, a solid, or semi-solid. A resin absolute is created by a further extraction process using alcohol. Instead of solvent extraction, a few resins such as frankincense and myrrh are actually steam distilled to create essential oils.

13. Martin,
Aromatherapy for Massage Practitioners
, 13

26 Getting Started

Another method of extraction is called
enfleurage
. This is not commonly used today because it is extremely time-consuming and labor intensive, thus making it costly. This process is used to create an absolute from expensive flowers such as jasmine. Instead of extracting the flower essence with a chemical solvent, a fatty substance such as tallow or lard is used. This process involves coating a framed sheet of glass with the fat and then placing a layer of flowers in it. Another frame of glass is placed on top of the flowers, which in turn is coated with fat on which a layer flowers is placed and so on.

Once a day the whole array of glass frames is disassembled, the flowers picked out, and new ones placed in the same fat and then everything is stacked again. This process goes on until the fat becomes saturated with volatile oil. The number of days it takes depends on the type of flower—for jasmine it takes about 70 days. After the flowers are picked out on the final day, the fat is rinsed with alcohol to separate the oil from it. When the alcohol evaporates, an absolute is left. This type of absolute itself is sometimes called an enfleurage.

Another product you may encounter is called an infused oil, however, this is not an

essential oil. An infused oil is created in an easy, low-cost process by soaking plant material in warm vegetable oil to infuse it with a plant’s aroma. A very low amount of essential oil is actually released into the oil. Infusion, also called maceration, is a very old method that was used by the ancient Egyptians to extract fragrance and other plant substances for culinary and medicinal purposes. Infused oil is not a bad thing and in fact it is quite nice for cooking or using on salads. Rosemary in olive oil is one of my favorites. However, keep in mind that this is not an essential oil and it should not be priced or passed off as one.

There are a few things to watch out for when purchasing essential oils. First, there are the synthetic oils. While these are lower in cost they are also lower in quality because they are created chemically, usually with petroleum byproducts, instead of with plant material.

These oils may smell like the real thing but they do not carry the true essence or synergy of the natural world and will do nothing to boost magical intent. Another thing to be aware of is dilution with a carrier oil. A simple way to test for this is to put a drop of the essential oil on a piece of paper. After it evaporates there should be no trace left behind, however, an oily mark indicates the presence of a carrier oil.

Pricing can be a red flag indicating adulterated or synthetic oil if a company’s products all cost the same. Some plants are simply more expensive than others and this is reflected in the price of essential oils. Also, anything labeled “nature-identical” is another red flag that usually indicates that an oil is synthetic or a natural oil has been adulterated with a Getting Started 27

synthetic version. In my mind, nature means the natural world, period. There is nothing

“identical” to it.

A final point to note is that essential oils come from plants and not animals. Musk, civet and other oils from animals should not be classified as essential oils as they do not contain life-force essence.

Let the Blending Begin

The equipment needed for blending essential oils is fairly minimal. After deciding which essential oils you want to use, purchase them in small amounts as it does not take much to create blends for magic work. Store the oils in a cool, dark, and dry environment. Avoid keeping them in a bathroom or kitchen as the humidity and fluctuating temperatures of these rooms may damage the oils. Because essential oils are highly concentrated, you will also need a carrier oil (sometimes called a base oil) into which your blends will be mixed.

(Refer to Chapter 7 for details on carrier oils.) Carrier oils are important because essential oils should never be used on the skin full strength as they may cause irritation. In addition to the essential and carrier oils, other items that you will need include:

• Small bottles with screw-on caps for blending and storing essential oils, and for mixing with carrier oils

• Small droppers to transfer essential and carrier oils into blending bottles

• A dropper marked with a milliliter gauge for measuring carrier oil is a nice conve-nience (optional)

• Small adhesive labels

• A notebook

• Cotton swabs or perfume blotter strips/scent testing strips (optional)

All bottles used for essential oils should be dark in color and made of glass. A dark bottle prevents oil degradation caused by light. Most bottles on the market are usually amber or cobalt blue and come in a range of sizes. Never use plastic because the bottle’s chemical composition can interact with essential oils. The 2 and 5 milliliter size bottles are good for blending essential oils, and the 15 or 30 milliliter sizes work well for combining them with carrier oil. Also, have a separate dropper for each essential oil when transferring them to the blending bottle to avoid even a minor inadvertent mixing of oils. Even a tiny bit of 28 Getting Started

different oil can change the fragrance. Make sure that the bottles and droppers are clean and dry before use. It is best to work on a surface that is washable because essential oils can damage varnish, paint, and plastic surfaces. I also recommend putting down a layer of paper towels to catch any stray drops.

For the moment we will assume that you have chosen your essential and carrier oils

and you have all of your paraphernalia in front of you. Now what?

Because these oil blends are going to be used for magic and ritual, I like to set that intent from the very beginning. After I assemble all my blending gear, I draw a pentagram with a felt-tip pen on the paper towels on my work surface. While I’m doing this I like to chant or say an incantation such as:

“Green world, green world, abundant and pure;

Bring forth your strength, beauty and more.

Green world, green world please assist me;

Manifest my intentions, so mote it be.”

For your first blend it’s a good idea to start with three oils so it will be interesting but simple. In fact, more is not always better and some really nice blends can be made with two to four oils. The first step is to get familiar with the individual scents. Open one bottle of essential oil and dip a cotton swab or blotter strip into the oil. Gently waft it back and forth under your nose. If you are not using a swab or strips, waft the bottle back and forth but hold it farther than you would the blotter strip (no closer than your chin) as the fragrance directly from the bottle will be stronger.

Close your eyes for a moment and allow the scent to speak to you. Does it evoke

any particular sensation, emotion, or image? Take a moment to write your impressions in your notebook and then put the lid back on the bottle or set the swab/blotter strip aside.

You may also want to walk into a different room to clear your senses of the fragrance before moving on to the next oil. Although I have not tried it, I have heard that wafting fresh coffee grounds under the nose can clear the olfactory senses.

When you return to your work space, repeat this process for the other oils. The last step before actually mixing them is to take all three swabs or blotter strips and waft them together under your nose. If you are not using these, set all three open bottles together and move your face back and forth above them. This will provide a little preview of how the oils may blend, but don’t jump to any conclusions. You will only know how the blend works after the oils are actually mixed and they have time to settle and mature.

Getting Started 29

Now, you are ready to blend. Using separate droppers, put one drop of each essential oil into the blending bottle. While Agent 007 may have preferred his martini “shaken, not stirred”, for mixing oils we want to swirl not shake. For most blends, swirl in a deosil direction, however, when blending for banishing, protection, or some other intentions you may want to swirl the opposite way in a widdershins direction. After a few swirls, waft the bottle near your face to preview the blend. Keep in mind the strength of the oils’ initial intensity, which is important so one doesn’t overpower the others. If all three oils are rated at the same strength, it’s not a problem, but chances are, they may be different. If one oil is stronger than the other two, add a drop more of the others. If they are all different strengths, adjust the amounts accordingly. Before taking another whiff, set the bottle aside, walk around the room or into the next room for a few minutes before returning to take a whiff.

As with most things related to blending oils, there are different scales for rating the initial strength of oils. I find a simple 1 to 5 works well for me and it is the one that I have used throughout this book.

Table 2.1 Initial Strength of Essential Oil Aroma

1 = light

2 = mild

3 = medium

4 = strong

5 = very strong

At this point the blend is in its infancy. Take notes about how many drops of each oil you used as well as your initial impression of the mixture. Don’t be afraid to make corrections. If your intuition tells you that a drop more of an oil would be better, try it. This is the way to learn and hone your skills. However, if the mix seems as though it’s almost right or if you are not sure about it, refrain from adding more. Instead, put the lid on the bottle, wash the droppers and let the blend settle for a couple of hours before taking another whiff. Unless you are really unhappy with the blend at that point, don’t tinker; instead, take notes about any differences you may detect.

Give the blend about two days before doing another whiff test. Again, refrain from

making adjustments and let the green world work its magic. Now comes the hard part

of waiting at least a week or more to give the blend time to mature. It takes time for the 30 Getting Started

chemistry of the oils to change and develop as some molecules will break up and re-form new ones with the other oils You may be surprised to find that something you thought needed a tweak has turned into an aromatic jewel.

Taking notes at each step and after each whiff test is important so that when you find the right mix you can duplicate it as well as increase the amount. And on occasion (the author speaks from experience) you may not want to repeat it. It happens and that’s how we learn, although understanding the selection methods increases your chances of producing a winner. I also recommend labeling the bottle with the date and giving it a name such as banishing oil or love potion or simply list the ingredients. Of course, you can also be creative with the names.

Keep the bottle tightly closed, in a cool place away from light. When stored this way, essential oils can remain potent for many years. Also, be sure to keep them out of reach of children.

After your aromatic creation has had a week or so to mature, it can be added to a carrier oil and then used. Be sure to use separate droppers for the carrier and the essential oil blend. As noted in the list of equipment, you might want to purchase a dropper with a milliliter gauge to make measuring the carrier oil easier. These can be found in most pharmacies. Table 2.2 is a measurement conversion chart that includes ounces and teaspoons and it is intended for comparative purposes.

Table 2.2 Measurement Conversion Chart

20–24 drops= 1 ml= ¼ teaspoon

40–48 drops= 2 ml= ½ teaspoon

100 drops= 5 ml= 1 teaspoon = ¹⁄₆ oz

200 drops= 10 ml= 2 teaspoons = ⅓ oz

300 drops= 15 ml= 1 tablespoon = ½ oz

600 drops= 30 ml= 2 tablespoons= 1 ounce

Since we are blending very small amounts for magic work it is easier to think and measure in milliliters for carrier oil and drops for essential oil. Because of the potent energy of essential oils, and magic is all about energy, only small amounts are needed. Also, keep in mind that these measurements are approximate since drop sizes vary especially with thicker oils. This is why I stress the importance of keeping good notes.

Getting Started 31

Table 2.3 Dilution Ratio Guide

Carrier Oil

5ml

10ml

15ml

30ml

Ratio

Essential Oil 1–2 drops

2–3 drops

3–5 drops

6–10 drops