Help Me Smell Good
September 12, 2007 10:25 AM Subscribe
What are your favorite Fall & Winter fragrances?
I make handmade soap and it's time to order some fragrance oils for the fall and holiday season and I could really use some help figuring out what to buy.
I already have bayberry, peppermint, and a wonderful frankincense & myrrh for the holidays and a very yummy apple cider type fragrance for fall. But there are so many others out there, I just don't know what to choose!
Help!
What are some of your favorite fragrances for this time of year?
I make handmade soap and it's time to order some fragrance oils for the fall and holiday season and I could really use some help figuring out what to buy.
I already have bayberry, peppermint, and a wonderful frankincense & myrrh for the holidays and a very yummy apple cider type fragrance for fall. But there are so many others out there, I just don't know what to choose!
Help!
What are some of your favorite fragrances for this time of year?
Bay Rum is a very sensual, warm scent. I love it for winter soaps and candles.
posted by headspace at 10:36 AM on September 12, 2007
posted by headspace at 10:36 AM on September 12, 2007
Best answer: pumpkin, cinnamon, apple cider, coffee for fall
peppermint, mint chocolate, sugar plum, eggnog, hot cocoa, gingerbread for winter
I'm a big fan of both Demeter and Philosophy, and swap out both seasonally.
posted by librarianamy at 10:40 AM on September 12, 2007 [1 favorite]
peppermint, mint chocolate, sugar plum, eggnog, hot cocoa, gingerbread for winter
I'm a big fan of both Demeter and Philosophy, and swap out both seasonally.
posted by librarianamy at 10:40 AM on September 12, 2007 [1 favorite]
I have a giant rosemary bush in my front yard, and it sounds crazy, but I think I am going to start rubbing some fresh rosemary on myself in the mornings. It smells awesome and piney and good.
posted by mckenney at 10:54 AM on September 12, 2007
posted by mckenney at 10:54 AM on September 12, 2007
It's not a traditional winter scent, but winter is the only time of year that I like wearing perfumes that smell like gardenias. They smell heavenly, but are quite heavy and are only tolerable to me when it's no longer sticky and humid outside. A gardenia soap would be wonderful.
More traditionally, my favorite winter candle is cinnamon-vanilla, which should lend itself well to soap.
posted by gatorae at 11:00 AM on September 12, 2007
More traditionally, my favorite winter candle is cinnamon-vanilla, which should lend itself well to soap.
posted by gatorae at 11:00 AM on September 12, 2007
Response by poster: These are all great suggestions--thanks!
McKenney--from an aromatherapy perspective, rosemary is supposed to help with concentration and memory.
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 11:06 AM on September 12, 2007
McKenney--from an aromatherapy perspective, rosemary is supposed to help with concentration and memory.
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 11:06 AM on September 12, 2007
+1 Gingerbread. I used to have candles in this scent, and the company I like the most stopped selling them.
posted by misha at 11:11 AM on September 12, 2007
posted by misha at 11:11 AM on September 12, 2007
I'm not sure it'd be for everyone, but if you make soap that smells like burning wood I'd buy ten.
posted by GilloD at 11:16 AM on September 12, 2007
posted by GilloD at 11:16 AM on September 12, 2007
I sometimes have trouble finding unscented soap - you may have planned this already, but consider making some with no scent.
Other than that, I sometimes like fruit scents - pear, peach, apple - maybe with nutmeg.
posted by amtho at 11:20 AM on September 12, 2007
Other than that, I sometimes like fruit scents - pear, peach, apple - maybe with nutmeg.
posted by amtho at 11:20 AM on September 12, 2007
Best answer: VETIVER. Hands down favorite for the cold months. It's musky, a tad herbal and very rich. It's especially good on men, but is versatile enough to work on gals as well.
posted by cior at 11:22 AM on September 12, 2007
posted by cior at 11:22 AM on September 12, 2007
Caraway - conjures up stews bubbling, or bread baking.
posted by Wolfdog at 11:24 AM on September 12, 2007
posted by Wolfdog at 11:24 AM on September 12, 2007
Vanilla, ALWAYS vanilla.
posted by blue_beetle at 11:30 AM on September 12, 2007
posted by blue_beetle at 11:30 AM on September 12, 2007
Response by poster: GilloD--believe it or not, I've seen fragrance oils in "Fireplace" scent!
Great info on vetiver, I'll have to check that out.
It's interesting to me that no one has mentioned pine or spruce, though rosemary has been mentioned. Is this just too obvious or overdone?
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 11:37 AM on September 12, 2007
Great info on vetiver, I'll have to check that out.
It's interesting to me that no one has mentioned pine or spruce, though rosemary has been mentioned. Is this just too obvious or overdone?
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 11:37 AM on September 12, 2007
even more info on vetiver (lol)
I do love vetiver, and tonka bean, and ambers, and leather scents for winter. Red apple, cider, plums, pomanders, rums and white chocolates are nice too.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:55 AM on September 12, 2007
I do love vetiver, and tonka bean, and ambers, and leather scents for winter. Red apple, cider, plums, pomanders, rums and white chocolates are nice too.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:55 AM on September 12, 2007
I love pine, but for soap/candles I prefer it when it is blended with other scents like cinnamon, otherwise it reminds me too much like aftershave or floor cleaner.
posted by gatorae at 12:47 PM on September 12, 2007
posted by gatorae at 12:47 PM on September 12, 2007
Juniper
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 1:06 PM on September 12, 2007
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 1:06 PM on September 12, 2007
Amber is lovely. Be careful of cedar- "one man's cedar chest is another man's hamster cage."
For Halloween: black licorice!
posted by Sara Anne at 1:10 PM on September 12, 2007
For Halloween: black licorice!
posted by Sara Anne at 1:10 PM on September 12, 2007
Best answer: I hope you don't mind me mentioning that, as a fragrance junkie, I steer away from pretty much all fall/winter fragrances because nearly all of them are the same thing: cranberry/bayberry with spices, apple/cider with spices, pumpkin with woodsmoke, &c. If you have a few scents in your soap collection that smell like rain on grass, maybe oranges with cardamom and a bit of clove, woods with leaves, or snow and hot chocolate, I'd be pretty intrigued by your soap. Pomegranate and persimmon are also more unusual fall fruits, and can be especially nice with a resiny or chocolate base note. I'm also fond of black tea notes in winter, along with hay, sweetgrass, honey, sandalwood, and vetiver.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:20 PM on September 12, 2007
posted by oneirodynia at 1:20 PM on September 12, 2007
Oooh, I'd wear that oranges and cardamom and cloves idea to DEATH.
posted by padraigin at 2:22 PM on September 12, 2007
posted by padraigin at 2:22 PM on September 12, 2007
"Burning leaves"
posted by Reggie Digest at 4:10 PM on September 12, 2007
posted by Reggie Digest at 4:10 PM on September 12, 2007
Here's my fall favorite:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6451733
posted by medea42 at 5:20 PM on September 12, 2007
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=6451733
posted by medea42 at 5:20 PM on September 12, 2007
Response by poster: Wow, these are all such great suggestions! Thanks for helping me narrow down my choices. I'm definitely going to look into getting some vetiver essential oil--I have a feeling that, in addition to standing on its own, it will be a wonderful base note to blend with other scents.
Oneirodynia--I do have rain and also fresh grass and am expecting a delivery of hot chocolate fragrance tomorrow!
Medea42, funny you should mention Etsy...
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 5:34 PM on September 12, 2007
Oneirodynia--I do have rain and also fresh grass and am expecting a delivery of hot chocolate fragrance tomorrow!
Medea42, funny you should mention Etsy...
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 5:34 PM on September 12, 2007
Best answer: It's entirely possible you've heard of this company already, because they have a somewhat rabid following [wipes foam from corners of mouth]...: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab
I'm not recommending you buy their oils to use for your soap (they frown on that if you're going to sell it) but I think they have some very interesting fragrance combinations for winter smells - very inspirational. Each year they have Halloween and Yuletide blends; I personally own Haloa (from the 2006 Yule blends), for example, whose notes include: "Wine grapes, myrrh, frankincense and olive leaf, and the warm scent of offertory cakes." Let me tell you... it smells like nothing Yankee Candles ever dreamed of, and it is amazing.
They have what is essentially an archive of all their Limited Edition scents (search for Yule and Halloween, you'll find buckets) at their Shiny and New page.
posted by dorothy humbird at 2:42 PM on September 13, 2007
I'm not recommending you buy their oils to use for your soap (they frown on that if you're going to sell it) but I think they have some very interesting fragrance combinations for winter smells - very inspirational. Each year they have Halloween and Yuletide blends; I personally own Haloa (from the 2006 Yule blends), for example, whose notes include: "Wine grapes, myrrh, frankincense and olive leaf, and the warm scent of offertory cakes." Let me tell you... it smells like nothing Yankee Candles ever dreamed of, and it is amazing.
They have what is essentially an archive of all their Limited Edition scents (search for Yule and Halloween, you'll find buckets) at their Shiny and New page.
posted by dorothy humbird at 2:42 PM on September 13, 2007
Response by poster: Thanks for the great link dorothy humbird. I've bookmarked that and can use it as inspiration for blending up my own combinations.
Thanks again, everyone!
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 10:52 AM on September 14, 2007
Thanks again, everyone!
posted by zach braff's mixtape at 10:52 AM on September 14, 2007
My brother who makes model trains once suggested I make a smoke soap to sell with his trains. I found a fragrance called santas pipe and I made that soap for him. It was a pretty cool fragramce and sold well around Christmas
posted by Alabu Soap at 5:24 PM on October 11, 2007
posted by Alabu Soap at 5:24 PM on October 11, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
One of my favorite soaps that I've used was a honey one. I think it's a lovely fragrance for all year round.
posted by triggerfinger at 10:28 AM on September 12, 2007