Vera

I first experimented with an EDC, eau de Cologne, in November of 2005. I built the fragrance utilizing a tincture of bay leaves and a synergy combining bay laurel essential oil with spices and citrus. It was the first time I had ever added water to a combination of alcohol, essential oils and tinctured material. Referring back to my meticulous note taking I notice it took a few tries to get the whole darn thing working.
The secret lies in the drop by drop approach followed by filtration. The process definitely reminds one of how closely linked to alchemy perfume making is.

In December of 2007 I decided to attempt a more traditional EDC incorporating the classic herb and citrus combination. This is something I had been sketching and pondering for years. The first perfume I ever wore was an Argentine cologne which my mother and grandmother doused me in regularly. It was fabricated by my grandfathers company Quimica Estrella. My cologne experiment didn’t get very far due to other obligations. However three months later, in February 2008, I was contacted by Sandy Messori of Rivendell Aromatics to be the keynote speaker at the Ojai Lavender Festival. I decided to continue my EDC experiments with the intention of creating a fragrance devoted to Lavender specifically for the event. The EDC path took me to the creation of the botanical perfume Vera, named after true Lavender, Lavandula vera. In nomenclature the term "vera" has now been replaced by angustifolia or officinalis referring to the official plant used in medicinals.

Vera began as a traditional eau de Cologne combining citrus with lavender. The fragrance surpassed the simplicity of an EDC with the addition of several base notes and a fully developed heart. I decided to paint an authentic landscape of Ojai with this fragrance and thus tinctured both Lavender and Sage. Both herbals used in the tincture were grown in Ojai. I also utilized essential oils that were distilled in the region by locally grown plants. Upon studying the history of the area I weaved in notes associated with the first natives and the Chumash Indians. The addition of Orange Blossom in the heart was brought in for the orange groves that have become emblematic with the region.

Vera Botanical Perfume
Roxana at the 2007 Ojai Lavender Festival
Rivendell Aromatics
Ojai Lavender Festival
Roxana Illuminated Perfume™

Image of Bayrum bottle at top and Lavender at bottom are old engravings I placed on parchment in Photoshop ©RoxanaVilla.

Recipe of the Day: #2 Bay Rum continued

Here is an alternate t0 the Bay Rum Aftershave recipe published in yesterdays post. Instead of placing the herbs and spices in rum you can place them in a pure grain or grape alcohol. This process is called tincturing. A tincture is defined as: Prima materia (plant or other material) placed into alcohol to extract its aroma or medicinal properties. Ideally a high proof alcohol without additives. Bay Rum and Bacardi is the alcohol base in the Bay Rum Aftershave. In Botanical Natural Perfumery we use tinctures in our perfumes as a base or in addition to your base alcohol (AOL). An alternative would be to grind the bay leaves, allspice and cloves and place them into a pure AOL in a clean glass jar. Record the names and exact weight of all your materials in a journal or binder. Allow the prima materia to marinate for as long as possible, ideally a full menstruum (30 days) or longer. In some cases material is changed everyday utilizing the AOL over and over so that a strong concentration is achieved. Shake your preparation everyday. When finished, refrigerate and then filter using an unbleached coffee filter until clear. This method can be done with all sorts of material, I encourage you to experiment. To this tincture you can add essential oils to enhance the aroma. For a Bay Rum aftershave or cologne add bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) or bay leaf (Pimenta racemosa) essential oil. Add approximately 60 drops of essential oil to 15 mls or 1/2 oz of AOL. Adding a drop at a time is the best way to access how many drops is necessary. Remember to document your work. Other essences that may work nicely with the bay are spices, woods and citruses. Want to learn more? E-mail me about upcoming classes. (roxana at illuminatedperfume dot com)

"Pilgrims are poets who create by taking journeys." —Richard R. Niebuhr

Here is yet another fun item to create with spices.

LAYERED SPICE OIL by Aztechan Pettus

1) Layer dried seeds and berries in a mason jar
2) Pour cold pressed virgin olive oil to cover
3) Bask in Sun and Moonlight for one month
or Simmer on stove top or crockpot
4) Strain through filter, such as muslin clothe
5) Add essential oils, if necessary
6) Add this mixture to sea salt or other product or Use as an accord in a solid perfume.

This process is called infusion.

Sunrose Aromatics
Sunburst Bottles

Top image: Photograph of bay leaf tincture. Middle: Bowl of dried bay leaves from Santa Cruz. Bottom: Assortment of Roxana's infusions and tinctures.

Mind & Heart Expansion

Lisa Camasi, of the Botanical Perfume Yahoo Group, has challenged all of us on the list. She is encouraging us to consider options to the cultural mind set of consumption on the day after Thanksgiving. Here is a list of her ideas:

1. Instead of consuming, create. Make something. Make a perfume, balm, body butter, soap. Knit a scarf, design your holiday card, write a poem, make a holiday collage.

2. Instead of consuming, experience. Take a long walk. Volunteer at a local shelter. Learn a new dance step. Teach a child how to braid a horse's mane, or her own hair. Play flag football with your siblings/cousins/co-workers. Rake your elderly neighbor's yard. Play hide and seek with your cats. Sing to a baby. Hold someone's hand.

3. Instead of consuming on a grand scale, consider consuming a little more consciously and mindfully. Wherever possible, support small businesses, shop locally, buy hand made, Fair Trade, locally grown and locally produced. Encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Do you have more?

In honor of this terrific idea I will be posting a series of recipes to encourage you all to make a botanical item that day.
The first will be for a Bay Rum After shave, or as my friend Shelley says "Bay Yum". I first made this with one of my Aromatherapy teachers when she journeyed out to LA to do a Gift Making Workshop. Since then, this Ray Rum After shave has become a staple in the Gift Making workshops I now teach.

BAY RUM AFTER SHAVE from Jade Shutes of the IDA

Base ingredients:

Nice glass bottle 6oz
Bay leaves
Allspice
Cloves
Rum (preferably Bay Rum or Bacardi)
Purified water
7-10 drops essential oil of Bay laurel

Directions:

1) Fill 1/2 inch of the bottle with cloves and allspice herb - add Bay leaves - leave enough room so that herbs look nice and the rum can cover.
2) Fill 1/2 of the bottle with Rum, other 1/2 with purified water.
3) Add essential oil.
4) Shake.
5) Leave for one week, shaking periodically, to infuse.

Botanical Yahoo Group
East West School for Herbal and Aromatic Studies (formerly The IDA)

Images above ©Roxana Villa