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Posted in DIYs by Rocky Mountain Oils

Tips & Tricks to Make Stellar EO Blends

Have you ever combined two of your fav essential oils thinking the mixture will smell heavenly, only to find the resulting blend does NOT exude the wonderful aroma you’d anticipated? If so, you’re not alone. There’s an art to blending essential oils, but once you get the hang of it you’ll be making amazing DIY blends in your sleep! We’ve put together this guide to help you master EO blending.

One of the most important aspects of pairing EOs is having a top, middle, and base note present.

Top Notes

Top notes are the most noticeable scent initially, but they evaporate quickly. Citrus oils like orange, lemon, and lime are top note EOs. They’re light, uplifting, and sharp. Other top note oils include:

  • Grapefruit
  • Peppermint
  • Bergamot
  • Lemongrass
  • Sage
  • Basil
  • Neroli
  • Pine
  • Eucalyptus
  • Spearmint

Middle Notes

Middle notes contain a mixture of top and base notes and are used to harmonize a blend. They lend to the richness, fullness, and balance. They aren’t as obvious as top notes and their scents aren’t immediately evident, but they make a blend cohesive and are the main part of the aroma. Here are some common middle note oils:

  • Chamomile
  • Pine
  • Rosemary
  • Nutmeg
  • Juniper
  • Cypress
  • Ylang Ylang
  • Geranium
  • Lavender
  • Tea Tree
  • Oregano

Base Notes

Base notes are warm and grounding. They add a deep intensity to blends, and their fragrance lingers the longest. They help slow down the evaporation of the other oils and often have an earthy scent. These EOs are considered base notes:

  • Cedarwood
  • Vetiver
  • Clove
  • Frankincense
  • Sandalwood
  • Balsam Peru
  • Patchouli

Pairing Essential Oils 

A good rule of thumb is to choose an oil or oils from each category for a well-rounded blend. Start with an EO you already love. What note do you think it has? If you love orange, that’s a top note, so consider adding a middle and/or base note. Before creating the mixture, smell the oils together. Do you like the result? If not, swap out one or two of the oils and keep sniffing until you find a combo you love. Remember that some EOs like Peppermint, Cinnamon, and Tea Tree have strong scents and can overpower a blend if you’re not careful. If you use a strong-smelling oil, we recommend only adding a little to the blend so the other oils can shine, too.

Remember: As you make these blends, keep track of every drop and oil you use as you go. That way if you don’t like a scent, or you absolutely love how a blend is coming along, you can refer back to your recipe notes and add or take away any oils and amount of drop you choose!

Experiment, Experiment, Experiment!

With that being said, you don’t HAVE to have a top, middle, and base note for a blend to be amazing. You may love the combination of Orange and Eucalyptus, but just because they’re both top notes doesn’t mean this blend doesn’t work! Whether or not a blend is a success is subjective. We encourage you to experiment and see what appeals to you.

Here at Rocky Mountain Oils, we have had our fair share of experimenting with EO blends. We’ve been in business for 17 years and have learned quite a bit along the way! Through trial and error, we’ve come up with essential oil blends that our customers love! Some of our top sellers are Immune Strength, Tranquility, Breathe Ease, and Purify. We hope you found these tips helpful! Blend away!