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suzannerbanks
scent . intention . consciousness . essential oils
suzannerbanks 
Hi Suzanne
I found you on Australian Perfume Junkies. I’d like to talk to you about creating scents for live performances. I make interactive sensory performances and am based in Melbourne. I am currently working on a couple of projects and need to create some scents. Perhaps we can discuss this in more detail?
Best
Jodie Ahrens
Hi Jodie thanks for contacting me. Please email me at hello@suzannerbanks.com.au and we can exchange phone numbers and have a chat. Sounds interesting and very creative. Suzanne
Hello! I hope this is the correct way to contact you. I am a senior graphic design student at Kennesaw State University. We are creating a 16 page book in my publication design class for school purposes only. The book will showcase my ability to put work together for print. I was wondering if I could get permission to use the image of lemons? The subject of my book is natural beauty remedies and is for personal school use only for my class. I can be contacted at madelinejohnston87@gmail.com.
Thank you!
Hi Suzanne,
Enjoying your Christmas blends. Going to make some as you suggest simply in a bowl with boiling water! Just received a box of oils from Canada with wild black spruce, pines and firs: the holiday starts now. Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! Thanks so much for all your great posts.
xx, Jackie
Thanks Jackie your oils sound wonderful! Let me know if you come up
with some great blends. Happy holidays x
Hello, I came across this site in my search to find out what ratio to use for making an oil blend to apply on the face. I find some of the information a little overwhelming and sometimes confusing when it comes to percentages etc. I hope you can help me by letting me know what quantities to use of the following oils in order for me to make my mixture. Rosehip seed oil, argan oil, carrot seed oil and lavender oil. They are all 100% pure and therapeutic grade. I’m just not sure how many drops I should use to make a safe blend.
I desperately look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards.
Oh no Jan I’ve been away and I thought I replied to this message but maybe not? Please let me know if I have replied via email. I’ll be in transit for the next day then I’ll get right back to you. Thanks, Suzanne
OK Jan I’m back so here’s a little info for you. Firstly yes it can be overwhelming when you first start making oil blends so good on you for having a go!
You may want to read my article Ratios for Blending Essential Oils – A Reminder of the Basics (http://wp.me/p2R7rE-jC) and that should help. You’ll have to convert the quantities from mls to ounces though (25mls is .84 of an ounce and 1/2 an ounce is almost 15mls)
Rosehip and argan oils are carrier oils. Lavender and carrot seed oils are essential oils. Start with a small quantity – say 1/2 ounce so if you make a mistake or you don’t like it you haven’t wasted too much.
I’d use mostly rosehip with a little argan oil as your base of 1/2 ounce. If you are using 1/2 an ounce of carrier oil then you only need to use 4 drops of essential oil. I’d use 3 of lavender and 1 drop of carrot seed. See how you go and get back to me and we can take it from there.
If you want to make an ounce then use 7 drops (4 or 5 drops of lavender and 2 or 3 drops of carrot seed)
Good luck!
Thank you the info. very much appreciated. Whilst I was waiting to hear from you, I carried on my search and I stumbled across various info on the ratios etc. Again I was coming up against different ratios from difference sources, which is what confuses me and trying to decide which formula would be the correct one to use without causing any harm if I added too much – or by adding too little I would not benefit or see results. After looking at all these different ratios (I have in front of me) and doing my conversions/calculations etc. – I have decided to go with the formula you have provided and see how it goes (because yours ended up using less drops of EOs to start with).
Some others sources mention: use a total of 30 drops EOs per 1oz. Another source says: do not exceed 12 drops combined of EOs per 1oz.
I don’t know what you make of that.
I will have to omit the carrot seed oil from my combo because I couldn’t buy it locally – I wanted to smell the aroma of the carrot seed first before I purchase online, because some have mentioned that it smells really strong and quite horrible even after they have mixed it with other oils – so I wouldn’t like to waste my money just in case. I will stick to the 3 for now and use the quantities you have provided. Thank you again for your time.
Kind regards.
Hi Jan, good thinking on the carrot seed oil it smells awful but its good for skin (I rarely use it for this reason – why use yucky smelling oils?)
So working on 1oz (1oz = almost 30mls) I would use for the BODY 15 drops; the FACE/CHILDREN/PREGNANCY 7 drops.
As far as I’m concerned that is a standard ratio here in Australia and that’s what I have used for 20 years. I sometimes add more, but as a beginner, stick to an easy regime and protocol so you don’t get too confused.
Good luck!
Thank you so much for all the recipes. We found some great ones. I have a question that I am not sure if you can help me with. I want to use a blend I saw for lip safe blend and was wondering which Rose you think they used Jasmine, Lavender, Orange, Rose, Ylang (Moroccan or Bulgarian). Also, when I was looking up ingredients for some of your recipes I found Spruce and Sweet Orange. Can they be substituted for Black Spruce and Orange or will there be a big difference?
Thanks for your question Jayden
As far as rose oil is concerned it wouldn’t really matter if you used Moroccan or Bulgarian rose as there are only a couple of kinds of rose produced and these include
Rosa damascena (often referred to as Damask rose, Bulgarian rose, Croatian rose or Turkish rose depending on where it’s grown and produced)
Rosa damascena.miller (depending on wheres it’s grown usually called Bulgarian rose)
Rosa centifolia (often referred to as Rose Maroc)
So it can be a little confusing and most of these are not true essential oils they are absolutes. There is one company in France who steam distills 2 organic rose oil sand they are very expensive and made from Rosa damascena.miller and Rosa alba. Steamed distilled rose oil can be called Rose Otto meaning “Attar of Roses”
When I refer to orange oil it is always sweet orange as the bitter orange oil isn’t very common.
Spruce is fine to use instead of Black Spruce and it is probably Black spruce anyway and the botanical name is Picea mariana.
Hi Suzanner, I was so impressed with all your blends and look forward to trying some of them. I came across a delightful aromatherapy facial mist toner that contained Witch Hazel, Lavender, Peru Balsam, Nutmeg & Rose Hip essential oils which I would like to make. I need your help as to how many drops of each would be required to make this blend. I do have a bottle of Peru Balsam but it is solid and very hard to get out of the bottle. Is it possible to buy Peru Balsam in liquid form? Thanking you in advance.
Hi Deborah thanks for your comment. The Peru Balsam should be liquid unless you have a CO2 extraction (although I’m not sure that exists), or the oil is old. Just do a search for the oil and you should be able to purchase some easily. I wouldn’t use nutmeg in a facial mist at all but if you do, only add one drop. Also the rosehip oil is not an essential oil, it is a cold pressed oil so it may clog your atomiser. If you do use it make sure you shake the bottle well before misting – it still may not work though. As far as quantities goes follow this ratio: 50mls of mist only use 10 drops of essential oil eg 5 lavender, 4 Peru balsam, 1 nutmeg. If you use the rosehip add as much as you like as it’s not a concentrated e.o.
Hoping this answers your questions – good luck!
Thank you so much for your prompt reply. If I don’t use the nutmeg what other EO would you recommend or should I just leave it out? I assume the witch hazel is the carrier for the EOs and would like to know if there is a good brand you could suggest or are the supermarket varieties okay to use? Thank you once again!
Hi Deborah – yes the witch hazel will be the base for the oils but they will sit on top so just shake before use. I’m not sure where you live but I would go to a health shop and get the best one you can. I’d recommend using geranium for your face instead of nutmeg and you could use Lavender 5, Peru Balsam 3 and Geranium 2. Let me know how you get on.
I love your blog and website! I am trying to figure out how to put these 4 ingredients together: Copaiba balsam, camphor, ginger, and wintergreen. I think this would be a great combination for my husband’s sore back. I am not sure how to do the ratio so that the EO work in harmony. What would you suggest? thanks so much!
Hi Cheryl that’s a great question and even more interesting choice of oils. I would suggest in 30mls (1oz) of cream or oil
Copaiba balsam. 5 drops
Ginger. 5 drops
Camphor. 3 drops
Wintergreen. 2 drops
It will smell more camphorous and wintergreeny but the other oils will provide a great base. I’d love to know how it turns out and also change the above drops if you get the vibe while making it. Good luck 🍀
I love your blog and website! It is refreshing and very informative. I am trying to come up with a recipe using copaiba balsa, camphor, ginger, and wintergreen for a massage oil for my husband’s sore back. What ratio’s would you suggest so that the EO work in harmony?
Thanks so much,
Cheryl
hi Suzanne
I have a bottle of CO2 organic rosehip oil but not sure of mixing ratios..
My oil of choice is cold pressed macadamia oil which I would like to use
It is for face and neck… for night time
Just want your opinion on this… you are alot more experienced!
thank you kindly
Angela
Hi Angela the rosehip CO2 is quite dark isn’t it? Interesting that you love macadamia as I’ve never really been into it as a body or face oil. Just use the same ratio of essential oils that you would in your macadamia blends. I hope that helps but if I haven’t answered your question properly please let me know. Good luck!