For the love of stepping into a room that is filled with long-lasting, beautiful fragrances, who doesn’t? Having been an HBNO oils enthusiast, I’ve put in several hours just experimenting with different storage methods and ways to put the scent on to stretch my favorite oils out further. In this blog, I’m going to share my travels and personal experience with essential oils and more specifically how you can help keep those mighty-smelling potions around as long as possible.
1. Understanding Essential Oils
So, let’s first honor the beauty that is essential oils before moving on to some storage and application tips. Different plants yield different aromas and health benefits; these potent extracts come from many plants. Essential oils can uplift the aroma of HBNO sweet orange or bring you down in the calming scent of lavender… either way, your space and mood can be changed.
The Power of Fragrance:
- Mood Enhancement: Essential oils aren’t just helpful for aromatherapy, it is a wonderful tool for emotional wellness because scents can trigger memories and feelings.
- Therapeutic Benefits: In reality, many essential oils come with therapeutic properties such as invigoration or relaxation. For instance, I find myself striking up a relationship with HBNO eucalyptus oil to clear my sinuses and elevate my mood during the cold season.
2. Proper Storage for Longevity
Proper storage is one of the most important parts when it comes to long-term fragrance. Storing essential oils the wrong way can cause them to degrade. Here are some tips I’ve learned through experience:
Storage Tips:
- Use Dark Glass Bottles: Keep your essential oils in dark glass containers at all times. Dark glass protects them from harmful UV. I appreciate many HBNO oils come in protective bottles like these!
- Keep Away from Light and Heat: Keep your oils in a cold, dark place, such as the cupboard or a drawer. I found out the hard way that after I left some oils sitting on a sunny windowsill, they had gone bad.
Personal Experience:
I remember going out and buying a beautiful bottle of HBNO lavender oil and putting it out on display thinking it would be a nice thing to put in my kitchen. After a few weeks, it smelled like it was beginning to fade. Once in a cool, dark cabinet, I think the fragrance lasted a lot longer than the first time!
3. Think of Humidity and Temperature
Essential oils have their longevity depending on humidity and temperature. To ensure your fragrances last, keep these factors in mind:
Environmental Considerations:
- Avoid Humid Areas: Essential oils can degrade with high humidity. I used to put my oils in my bathroom and the steam and moisture ruined them. So now, they live in a dry, climate-controlled area.
- Temperature Fluctuations: Try to keep your oils at a consistent temperature. Some of their composition can be affected by extreme temperature changes. Keeping my oils away from the heat sources like an oven or radiator to maintain them.
4. Scent Application Techniques
Proper application techniques can lengthen the life of your essential oil fragrances. Here are some of my favorite methods:
Application Techniques:
- Diffusers: One of the best ways to use long-lasting fragrance around your home is using a diffuser. I also always love the few drops of HBNO orange and grapefruit oils in my diffuser, first thing in the morning for a refreshing start to the day!
- Rollerballs: Carry oils and favorite essential oils will be used to create your custom roll-on blends. I like to use a carrier oil like Jojoba or any heavy oil to mix HBNO lavender and frankincense because this creates a calming perfume that stays with me all day.
Personal Experience:
Once I made a rollerbal using HBNO cedarwood and ylang ylang as a grounding scent. It’s deceivingly light, but applies beautifully to my pulse points where the fragrance lingers all day long, sending me down memory lane to peaceful forest walks!
5. Layering for Lasting Impact
The benefit of layering essential oils is that they can create a more complex longer lasting fragrance experience. The nice thing about different oils is you can blend them to give a different depth of scent. Here’s how to do it:
Layering Techniques:
- Start with a Base Note: Find your base note oil — like HBNO patchouli or sandalwood — and start from there. The anchors of this blend are these oils with their rich scents that hold on.
- Add Middle Notes: Middle notes such as HBNO lavender or jasmine will add balance.
- Finish with Top Notes: Add finally a big splash of citrus or herbal oils, such as HBNO lemon or peppermint, for brightness.
Creating a Layered Blend:
As a base I blend HBNO frankincense, followed by geranium which is my middle note and sweet orange is a dab of my top note. It ends up producing a beautiful, balanced-smelling perfume that lasts for hours.
6. Avoid Overapplication
The temptation to dab on more and more of your favorite scents can do more harm than good when you apply it too much. Instead, focus on the following:
Application Tips:
- Less is More: When using potent oils, start with a little bit of essential oil first. I’ve come to discover that putting a couple of drops of HBNO peppermint oil into my diffuser does a nice job of making my atmosphere very alive without being too much.
- Layer Your Scents: With layering, however, you slather on fewer oils and strategically apply them instead. This method will enable you to drink these fragrances longer, without shocking your senses.
7. Revisit and Refresh Your Oils
As with the best regular food, essential oils can lose their potency over time and it’s always best to regularly check your collection. Here’s how to keep your oils fresh:
Refreshing Techniques:
- Check for Changes: Check your oils regularly to make sure they aren’t changing to different colors, consistency, or smells. HBNO oils have occasionally looked more degraded, but I found myself using them more often.
- Rotate Your Collection: Rotate your oils to prevent wasting any. Keep track of your favorite oils and use them more regularly. In one of my everyday routines, I try to apply oils as much as possible to make them fresh and vibrant.
8. Embrace the Journey
Getting scented isn’t just about fragrance, it’s about the experiences that essential oils create. Be the one who enjoys your long-lasting fragrance journey. Every blend you make, and every scent you image creates another layer to your aromatic expedition.
Personal Experience:
I love getting to host friends for essential oil blending sessions. We each brought our favorite HBNO oils and experimented with various combinations for group fun, laughing, and sharing stories as we made up our custom scents. It’s in the decade of moments that I remember are all about scent, but also connection and expression.
Conclusion
Getting long-lasting fragrance out of these oils is not about just how they are stored or applied, it’s about both! If you follow these tips, you’ll help your HBNO oils last longer and enjoy your overall aromatic experience more.
Therefore, it’s time to organize those scents, layer them, and apply them beautifully! Fragrant journey that lasts while making our every moment bright. May your sipping be aromatic.
