Understanding Aroma Notes for Essential Oil Blending: Base Notes

A selection of base note essential oils

The art of essential oil blending is a delicate and thoughtful process that I often compare to the individual layers added to a painting. Just as each brush stroke on a canvas gradually builds on the layer of paint underneath to create a harmonious result, crafting essential oil blends applies the same principle. In the world of perfumery and essential oil blending, the three commonly recognized “paint” layers are known as fragrance notes, which encompass top notes, middle notes, and base notes. At the foundation of these blended layers, you will find base notes.

Also referred to as the fixative note, dry out note, or bottom of the aroma, base notes are the rich scents that linger the longest in an essential oil blend. Typically, base notes make up between 5% and 20% of a blend. Although this percentage may sound small, base notes truly make the age-old saying “a little goes a long way” live up to its name.

Vetiver is dropped into carrier oil

Most base notes such as ylang ylang and vetiver are rather tenacious and embody the deep, lasting aroma of a fragrance. On the other hand, base notes such as amyris and copaiba balsam offer minimal aroma on their own but act as a “glue” for the more volatile top and middle notes that allow the scent to last longer.

The long-lasting integrity of base notes is attributed to these oils containing heavier scent molecules, which take longer to evaporate. If youve ever found yourself wondering why the scent of perfume seems to shapeshift (or scentshift in this case) throughout the day, fragrance notes are your answer!

In order to create a well-balanced and lasting fragrance, base notes are a crucial addition to any essential oil blend. To save you the tedious legwork of perusing our vast selection of essential oil offerings to identify each base note, weve created a comprehensive list to help make crafting the foundation of your DIY fragrances a breeze.

Patchouli being dropped into a roller bottle

 

Our Favorite Base Note Essential Oils


*These oils can be used as a middle or base note, depending on the blend.

 

Looking to Find Part 2 of this series?

Check Out This List of Middle Note Essential Oils for Blending

 

You may also be interested in:

 

Mountain Rose Herbs PIN photo

 

 

 

 

 


Topics: Aromatherapy, Natural Body Care, Specialty Ingredients

Hailey

Written by Hailey on March 18, 2024

Hailey grew up on a small rural farm in Oregon surrounded by trees and more animals than you could count on your fingers and toes, and she has always had a strong passion for exploration, art, biology, and animals. These passions have led her through various career paths including veterinary medicine, neurodiverse healthcare, and teaching glazing at a local pottery studio. These accumulated skills brought her to the front steps of Mountain Rose Herbs, where she holds the position of Marketing Coordinator. When she isn’t planning community events, you can find her cooking up nourishing plant-based food, snuggling with her beloved kitty, Indigo, or wandering around mossy creek beds looking for agates and animal bones to breathe new life into her jewelry creations.


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Understanding Aroma Notes for Essential Oil Blending: Base Notes

A selection of base note essential oils

The art of essential oil blending is a delicate and thoughtful process that I often compare to the individual layers added to a painting. Just as each brush stroke on a canvas gradually builds on the layer of paint underneath to create a harmonious result, crafting essential oil blends applies the same principle. In the world of perfumery and essential oil blending, the three commonly recognized “paint” layers are known as fragrance notes, which encompass top notes, middle notes, and base notes. At the foundation of these blended layers, you will find base notes.

Also referred to as the fixative note, dry out note, or bottom of the aroma, base notes are the rich scents that linger the longest in an essential oil blend. Typically, base notes make up between 5% and 20% of a blend. Although this percentage may sound small, base notes truly make the age-old saying “a little goes a long way” live up to its name.

Vetiver is dropped into carrier oil

Most base notes such as ylang ylang and vetiver are rather tenacious and embody the deep, lasting aroma of a fragrance. On the other hand, base notes such as amyris and copaiba balsam offer minimal aroma on their own but act as a “glue” for the more volatile top and middle notes that allow the scent to last longer.

The long-lasting integrity of base notes is attributed to these oils containing heavier scent molecules, which take longer to evaporate. If youve ever found yourself wondering why the scent of perfume seems to shapeshift (or scentshift in this case) throughout the day, fragrance notes are your answer!

In order to create a well-balanced and lasting fragrance, base notes are a crucial addition to any essential oil blend. To save you the tedious legwork of perusing our vast selection of essential oil offerings to identify each base note, weve created a comprehensive list to help make crafting the foundation of your DIY fragrances a breeze.

Patchouli being dropped into a roller bottle

 

Our Favorite Base Note Essential Oils


*These oils can be used as a middle or base note, depending on the blend.

 

Looking to Find Part 2 of this series?

Check Out This List of Middle Note Essential Oils for Blending

 

You may also be interested in:

 

Mountain Rose Herbs PIN photo

 

 

 

 

 


Topics: Aromatherapy, Natural Body Care, Specialty Ingredients

Hailey

Written by Hailey on March 18, 2024

Hailey grew up on a small rural farm in Oregon surrounded by trees and more animals than you could count on your fingers and toes, and she has always had a strong passion for exploration, art, biology, and animals. These passions have led her through various career paths including veterinary medicine, neurodiverse healthcare, and teaching glazing at a local pottery studio. These accumulated skills brought her to the front steps of Mountain Rose Herbs, where she holds the position of Marketing Coordinator. When she isn’t planning community events, you can find her cooking up nourishing plant-based food, snuggling with her beloved kitty, Indigo, or wandering around mossy creek beds looking for agates and animal bones to breathe new life into her jewelry creations.