Bergamot (Spicy)

Bergamot is a small, pear-shaped citrus fruit produced in Italy. It is a cross between a pear lemon and a grapefruit. The fruit is sour, but the peel is used to produce an aromatic oil that is used in making the popular Earl Grey tea. It is also used in candy-making, as an aromatherapy to treat depression, as a digestive aid, as well as in many perfumes.

Bergamot is one of the more popular scents in both high end men's and women's fragrances. Bergamot awakens the heart and opens the spirit, offering a sweet, citrus (lemony), pepper-like aroma that is a joy to blend with. Try mixing it with masculine scents for that perfect cologne or with other natural fragrances such as lavender, sage, basil, green tea, grapefruit, and mandarin.

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Garden Mint (Herby)

Garden Mint is an earthy mint that's blended with patchouli and oakmoss. The patchouli and oakmoss give this scent a richness and depth that the other mints (peppermint and spearmint) don't have, without overpowering it's light crisp aroma. Garden Mint is a cool, grounded fragrance sure to win the heart of any Herby personality. Leafy's really like it too.

Garden Mint is one of my favorite scents. I've used it in my WinterMint recipe and in Snow on the Windowsill and in Cool Berry. I think it goes well with almost any of the other oils, adding a sweet gentle tang to any recipe.

I like it because it's not as strong as Peppermint, and it's sweeter than Spearmint. It sort of reminds me of that Orbit brand, SweetMint gum (which is my favorite flavor of gum).

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How Big is Your Scent Circle?

Did you know...

• Everyone has a personal "scent circle": approximately an arm's length from the body. No one should be aware of your fragrance unless he or she steps inside your "circle." Fragrance should be one of the most subtle, personal messages you send to those with whom you come in contact.


• For a long-lasting effect, fragrance should be layered all over the body, starting with a shower gel or bubble bath, then adding lotion and parfum spray. Because fragrance rises, spray or smooth fragrance onto skin from the feet to the shoulders. If fragrance is applied only behind the ears, it will eventually rise and disappear.


• The wearer's diet can affect the way a fragrance smells and lasts on the skin. If the wearer is on a high fat, spicy diet, for example, fragrances will be more intense. A dramatic change in diet can alter skin chemistry, causing fragrances to smell differently.


• Skin type will also affect the way a fragrance smells on a person. Fragrance wearers with oilier skin should remember that fragrances interact withthe oils in their skin to create a more intense scent. Dry skin does not retain fragrance as long as oily skin, requiring the wearer to re-apply the fragrance more often.

Copyright ©1996-2004 The Fragrance Foundation®, Inc.

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Musk (Woodsy)

Urban Botanic has three different musk oils, and although they are all Woodsy scents, they each have their own personality.

White Musk is the lightest of the three musks and closest to the "traditional" 70's musk scent. It adds a lightly sexy note to your recipe without overpowering the other scents.

China Musk is a white musk surrounded with classic, oriental notes for a truly light, fresh and airy aroma. You'll detect hints of vanilla, tonka bean, jasmine, fresh lily and hyacinth notes that round out this beautiful and delicate perfume oil. Blends well with nearly every UB scent.

Egyptian Musk blends several soft musks and mixes well with every single UB scent! It instantly cuts the harshness of any Herby or Spicy and nicely rounds out any other custom blend.

Both the China and Eqyptian Musks add heartiness and depth to a recipe, while White Musk adds a softer, powdery feeling. White Musk also adds a sensual romantic scent to your fragrance.

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Fleur

The scent of Fleur will take you away to a fresh wildflower meadow. It's not like most "floral" fragrances in that this one smells like actual flowers, and not like someone tried to re-create the scent of flowers.

You can purchase it pre-mixed, or mix it up yourself.

Jasmine: 4 parts
Freesia: 3 parts
Mimosa: 5 parts

Use this recipe in any of our bath and body products or as a home scent with our fragrance warmers.

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Only Four Drops!

I knew I was running low on my Raspberry Macaroon shower gel, but I was hoping I could make it last through the end of the summer. I know that as soon as the air turns even the tiniest bit crisp I’ll want to switch to a fall fragrance. There’s no way I’ll use a whole bottle of raspberry shower gel over the next three weeks so it would end up sitting all winter and who knows if I’ll want to be a raspberry macaroon next summer? I may want to be a cool berry, or a macadamia nut, or pina colada. I’m fickle that way.

So yesterday, I ran out. But being the clever penny-pincher that I am, I put a quarter inch of water in the bottle, shook it up and it lasted one more day. Then I forgot I was out. So this morning, when I grabbed my puff scrubby and went to pour shower gel on it, all I had was four watered-down drops. Seriously. I counted the four teensy drops as they fell onto the scrubby. Then I stood there trying to decide what to do. Do I drip all over my house while I make more? Or do I (shudder) use some of the old store-bought gel that I haven’t gotten around to throwing away yet?

In the throes of my dilemma, I suddenly realized I was unconsciously wringing my hands around my scrubby. I looked down and there were bubbles! I am not kidding you. Of course, it wasn’t the super rich, decadent lather that I usually indulge in, but FOUR DROPS produced enough lather to wash my entire body! FOUR WATERED-DOWN DROPS!

This stuff is amazing.

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Gardenia (Floral)

There are approximately 250 different species of Gardenia. They are small evergreen shrubs with white or pale yellow flowers. They are prized for their strong sweet scent.

Gardenia is a key ingredient in many popular perfumes, including J. Lo Glow, Intrusion by Oscar de la Renta, Elizabeth Taylor's Gardenia, Kimora Lee Simmons' Goddess, and others by Givenchy, Gucci, Liz Claiborne, Nina Ricci and more.

Our Gardenia provides a lovely lift to any floral combination. It creates a soft romantic, almost powdery, essence. Also works well in tropical, exotic blends.

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My Dog Doesn't Stink!

With all that hair, my dog comes inside from a hot and sweaty romp just reeking. Sometimes I can hardly stand to be in the same room with him. And I just don't have the energy to bathe him every other day.

But I do have a solution.

Puppy Parfum Spray.

I mix a little lemon, lime, coconut and cinnamon into the Urban Botanic parfum spray, give the dog a few generous spritzes and voilá! I can actually stand to have him around.

He doesn't seem to mind the fragrance. UB doesn't use alcohol, butane, formaldehyde or any of the other harsh preservatives that would irritate his sensitive skin. And the oils are very natural and easy on the nostrils, both his and mine.

Now, if I could just find a toothpaste that would cover up doggie breath...

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Four Delicious Home Scents

Here are four very yummy home scent recipes, guaranteed to make your mouth water.

• Apple Pie: One drop each of Green Apple, Maple Spice, and Cinnamon. You can get creative with this one… Peach Cobbler anyone? Simply substitute our Peach Blossom for the Green Apple.


• Brown Sugar Fig: Two drops Brown Sugar and one drop Fig — this one is a dead ringer for the popular fragrance, and fabulous for fall.


• Almond Cookie: One drop each of Almond and Cinnamon plus two drops Coconut.


• Harvest: One drop each of Vanilla, Allspice, and Maple Spice.

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Surf's Up!

This fragrance comes straight from the islands, with the slightest bit of spicy kick from the plumeria flower. It's my favorite in the form of a shower gel or lotion.

Hawaiian Rain 3 parts
Plumeria 5 parts
Coconut 2 parts

Use this recipe in any of our bath and body products or as a home scent with our fragrance warmers.

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My Laundry Smells Spring!

I've had to use unscented laundry soap for years. I know my clothes get clean, but they just don't have that fresh scent that clean laundry is supposed to have.

The other day I was washing sheets and decided to add a little Garden Mint to my wash water. When I pulled them out of the dryer, the sheets smelled so yummy. Not a heavy perfumy scent, but just a light whiff of heaven. I can still smell that fresh light minty fragrance, ever so slightly, when I crawl into bed.

I add Garden Mint to every single wash load now. I do 3 drops for clothing; and 5 drops for towels and sheets. Now all my laundry smells like spring!

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Honeysuckle (Leafy)

Honeysuckles are not technically flowers, but blooming bushes or vines that twine around posts and rails. That is why they show up in our Leafy family, not Floral. They are grown almost everywhere, but especially in China, Europe and North America. The honeysuckle blooms are bell-shaped with a sweet scent that is this season's favorite in the perfume industry.

Soft and sweet, this flower-like fragrance is a "top note," meaning that it is the first scent you smell when you spray it on, but also the most volatile and the first to evaporate as the day goes by. When mixing your recipe, you'll want to add lower woodsy notes to give it some staying power.

Most of the top perfumeries have a honeysuckle-based scent, or will be introducing one this year (spring 2007). And it's not just for women. Fahrenheit (for men) by Christian Dior has honeysuckle as one of its main ingredients.

Get ahead of the rage and make your own honeysuckle custom scent for spring!

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Blue Moon

I absolutely love this multi-faceted and oh-so-alluring fragrance recipe, it's one of my favorite creations. Dark and sexy with innocent, flirty top notes, you're sure to love its sweet allure.

White Musk: 8 parts
Sandalwood: 7 parts
Oakmoss: 3 parts
Jasmine: 2 parts

Use this recipe in any of our bath and body products or as a home scent with our fragrance warmers.

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This One is Just Right!

I have a friend who loves strawberry scented perfume. She has strawberry and vanilla, strawberry and musk, strawberry and spice. She even has a strawberry and chocolate spray.

The trouble is, she's having a hard time finding one that's just right. They have a little too much musk or not quite enough vanilla.

A lot of women have that problem. Maybe you like Freesia, but all of the Freesia perfumes you try are overpowering. Or maybe you love Green Tea but no one makes it quite strong enough. Or maybe you've found an almost perfect mix of Cedarwood, Pine and Musk for your husband—but you'd like it even more if it had a dash of Cinnamon in it.

That's the beauty of Urban Botanic. With our 66 oils, you can create something that fits you perfectly. You choose the ingredients. You choose the fragrance ratios. You even get to choose the name.

And my friend? She can finally have a strawberry concoction that's exactly the way she wants it!

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Pomegranate (Fruity)

Pomegranate is a sweet, refreshing, exotic fruit with a slight floral smell. Pomegranates are native to Iran and some people believe that it is the forbidden fruit from the Bible. In one version of Greek mythology, Persephone eats a pomegranate while in the underworld and has to spend eternity there as a punishment.

Pomegranate mimics many other fruits and goes well with so many of our oils. Mix it with Mandarin to get a scent of apricots and mangos. Or mix it with Peach Blossom, Strawberry and Raspberry and you will think you mixed up a Cranberry brew for a summer party. Pair it with Cedarwood and China Musk, or...

You get the picture. It is fresh and clean and refreshing—and so willing to be what you want it to be. I mixed pomegranate with juniper and cinnamon and called it Cinnaberry. What do you think would go well with pomegranate?

[Info on pomegranate stolen from Sandra and her Fragrance Designer blog.]

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5 O'Clock Somewhere

This is my current favorite recipe, named after the Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet song, of course.

It adds a little fun to my day and makes me feel like I'm on a beach somewhere instead of land-locked here in Utah.


Pina Colada: 6 parts
Vanilla: 2 parts
Naked: 1 part

This is definitely a scent for Fruities.

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Plumeria (Floral)

Our Plumeria oil has a fresh picked, subtle and sexy fragrance. It is perfect for light and airy blends, but also makes a fabulously darkened fragrance when added to any of the Woodsy scents.

Plumeria is a flowering tree, or bush, discovered by a seventeenth century French botanist named Charles Plumier. It is native to Central America, Mexico and Venezuelaand is also grown in Australia and the Cook Islands. It generally grows no more than 2 feet tall and has dark green, shiny leaves. There are four variations of plumeria: white flowers with yellow centers, yellow flowers tinged with pink, a deep pink flower with yellow centers, and white flowers with yellow centers and red or pink tips.

Plumeria is often called Frangipani because it is reminiscent of a fragrance developed in the sixteenth century by Italian perfumer, Marquis Frangipani. Urban Botanic has both Plumeria and Frangipani—and they are delightfully different.

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Day Dream

Day Dream is one of our all time most popular fragrances. I haven't met a single soul who hasn't gushed over this refreshing, cheerful scent.

Perhaps the reason it's such a crowd pleaser is because it works with just about everything. It's appropriate for ages infant to 101.

It works best in Spring and Summer, but also in Fall and Winter. It won't bug you if you hate those nectar-sweet scents, food scents, or way-too-floral scents.

It's a great fragrance for parfum, lotion, shower gel, bubble bath... do you catch my drift?

If you're new to making custom bath and body products at home, start with this fragrance and you're sure to be pleased.

You can purchase it pre-mixed, or mix it up yourself.

Naked: 5 parts
Green Apple: 2 parts
Violet: 2 parts
Honeysuckle: 2 parts

Use this recipe in any of our bath and body products or as a home scent with our fragrance warmers.

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Frangipani (Floral)

Frangipani, often confused with Plumeria, was developed in the 16th century by Italian perfumer, Marquis Frangipani. He marketed this to women of the upper class as a fragrance for scenting glove boxes 100 years before the plumeria flowers were discovered. However, when these flowers became popular among the elite, it reminded them of the frangipani fragrance, and therefore plumeria was nicknamed "frangipani."

This can make for a lot of confusion in the world of perfumery. Plumeria is more of a floral scent, while Frangipani has a slightly more fruity base. Urban Botanic has both Plumeria and Frangipani—and they are delightfully different.

Our Frangipani oil is very delicate and pretty. It blends well with every single UB scent! Use it to calm a dominating Herby or Spicy, or to cut down excess citrus in your scent.

A funny story: At one of my parties, a guest used Frangipani in her signature scent. She struggled with the pronunciation. When I said "frahn--juh--pah--nee" she responded, "What? French panties?!" Guess what she ended up naming her scent?

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Put de Lime in de Coconut...

Coconut Lime Verbena has always been one of my favorites from Bath & Body Works, so I thought I'd play around with the theme a little bit.

This recipe is very similar, but I don't like to do knock-offs, so all the recipes on this site are original.

I like this one better than B&BW's because it doesn't have quite as much of a lime kick, which means I can wear it as a perfume while also wearing something other than a lava-lava and a swim top, as opposed to only using the B&BW version in the shower as a wake-me-up.

Coconut: 4 parts
Verbena: 1 part
Frangipani: 4 parts
Vanilla: 1-2 parts (can't decide which version I like best)

Use this recipe in any of our bath and body products or as a home scent with our fragrance warmers.

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