These are some of the literally thousands of recipes we have collected over the years.  We probably have more recipes than we could ever actually make in one lifetime but we can't resist collecting them. We will continue to add new ones  so check back when you're in the mood to make something new!  

Amazon.com Widgets

Sugary Spice Bath Powder

3/4 cup cornstarch, 1T.  arrowroot powder, 1/4 tsp. powdered sugar , 2 drops cinnamon essential oil (more if desired)

Combine cornstarch, arrowroot and  powdered sugar in a bowl and stir gently until well blended.  Add essential oil, a drop at a time and stir until no lumps remain.  Keep in a cool, dry place.  Package this powder in a small, round box and tie with a fancy ribbon. Affix a few slices of dried apple or orange and a cinnamon stick to the top for an aromatic gift.

  Bay Rum Aftershave and Astringent

Bay leaves, a few whole cloves, allspice berries and pieces of ginger. Essential oil of Bay, if desired.

Pack a wide mouth jar full of bay leaves.  Add a few cloves, allspice berries (crushed) and pieces of ginger root (grated).  Cover completely with rum. Let sit for several weeks.  Strain and re-bottle.  Add a drop or two of essential oil of Bay to strengthen the scent, if desired.

  Lavender-Citrus Bath Salts

1 cup Epsom salts.,1 cup Dead Sea salt,1 T. crushed lavender, 10 drops lavender essential oil, 3 drops tea tree essential oil, 4 drops grapefruit essential oil, 5 drops tangerine essential oil, 4 drops bergamot essential oil

Mix the salts and lavender. In a smaller bowl, add the essential oils to about 4 T. of the salt and lavender combo.  Add this mixture to the rest of the salts/lavender a little at a time until you like the scent.  Store in a glass container.

  Almond and Rose Hand Creme

Nice thick cream for hands for massaging in at day's end!

3T.  Sweet Almond Oil , 3 T. virgin coconut oil (fractionated coconut oil is ok, too) , 2 T. chopped beeswax . 4 T. Vegetable glycerin. 5 drops rose geranium oil (or other oil that suits your fancy)

Melt the almond oil, coconut oil and beeswax in a double boiler or bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.  Add the glycerin, drop by drop, beating with a hand held electric beater, until you have a creamy mass. Add the essential oils, beat well and pour into clean jars.  If you are hard on your hands, it's worthwhile to make a few jars of this rich, emollient cream.

  Skin Butter Recipe (Thick moisturizer for dry skin)

2oz. shea butter, ½ oz. jojoba oil , ½ oz. avocado or olive oil , 1oz. coconut oil .  A few drops of your favorite essential oil Thoroughly mix all ingredients together for a thick creamy skin butter that will absorb well and moisturize even the driest  skin.

  Apricot Butter Cream Recipe

10 oz. apricot kernel oil , 20 drops apricot fragrance oil , 2oz. cocoa butter , 2oz. beeswax , 2 drops rosemary extract or T80 vitamin E (preservatives)

Heat the cocoa butter, apricot kernel oil and beeswax until completely melted. Remove from heat and blend with a hand held electric beater while adding fragrance oil and preservative.  Pour into a nice jar.

  Oil Based Perfumes

At one time all perfumes were made with essential oils.  Commercial perfumes are usually suspended in ethyl alcohol.  However, alcohol can be very drying to the skin so many home fragrancers tend to favor oil based perfumes, which also tend to stay on the skin much longer.  Essential oils can also be suspended in distilled water to make aromatic water or colognes.  There are loads of good recipes out there on the internet and in books.  The basic recipe is ten to twenty drops per ounce of carrier oil or water and alcohol.  Once mixed your perfume needs a week or two to blend and mature.

  Floral Water

Add 10 drops of essential oil to 2 ounces distilled water.  Chamomile is excellent for all sorts of skin conditions, lavender for acne or oily skin. Use any scent of your choice to use as linen water for ironing.

  Sample Eau de Cologne (use only essential oils, not fragrance oils that are synthetic)

10 drops bergamot, 2 drops rosemary, 10 drops lemon, 20 drops orange, 2 drops neroli. 

Pour your essential oils into 2 ½ ounces of vodka, stirring to ensure dispersal.  Leave for 48 hours (I never, do.  Don't have the patience) and then add 2 T. spring water.  Let stand another 48 hours, longer if you want and have the time.

  Gentleman's Delight Cologne

5 drops bergamot, 5 drops sandalwood, 2 drops patchouli, 2 drops lime.

Mix in one ounce allspice or clove alcohol (vodka in which you've steeped whole cloves or allspice berries for a week or so. If you've used clove or allspice, essential oil you may use immediately.)  

Judy's blending service

Got a recipe you want to try but don't want to invest in all the requisite essential oils?  Take advantage of Judy's extensive essential oil collection.  Bring your cream, lotion, carrier oil, etc. out and we can add the correct number of drops, charging you for the drops only based on the 10ml. bottle price.  Call first as Judy needs to be available.

  Country Tarragon Mustard

¼ cup plus 2 T. mustard seed (mix yellow and brown seeds for a nice color), ½ cup plus 1 T. white wine vinegar, 1 tsp. dried tarragon leaves, ¼ cup plus 2 T. water, ¾ tsp. ground coriander, ¾ tsp. sugar, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. ground cumin. 

Put about half the seeds in a small food professor or mortar.  Pulse or crush the seeds until desired consistency is reached.  Add the remainder of the seeds and blend well. Turn the mixture into a small heavy saucepan  and  cook over low heat for five minutes or until it starts to simmer.  Use a pestle or heavy wooden spoon to crush, and stir constantly.  Cool.  If mixture seems too thick, thin it with equal parts vinegar and water.  Jar and cap tightly.  Keep refrigerated.

  A Spanish Olive Oil

Six inches of thoroughly dried orange zest, three to four cups virgin or extra virgin cold pressed olive oil, a few red chilies,  one bay leaf.

Make sure your bottle is thoroughly dry or your  oil will mildew!  Place zest, chilies, and bay leaf in the bottle and use a funnel to pour in oil.  Set in a cool, dark, dry place for at least a week.

  End of Season Vinegar

Branches of decorative herbs (our supermarket sells these year round). Whole, slender, colorful vegetables (red chilies, small carrots), three to four cups white or white wine vinegar.

Cut herbs and veggies at different lengths so each will show to advantage in the bottle. Slide into the bottle one by one, shaking the bottle to move the pieces into place.  Slowly pour vinegar into the bottle through a funnel.  Fill to within ½ inch of the top and cap or cork tightly. 

Recipes that need to "sit" (hence, not of the "last-minute" variety).

Homemade Vanilla Extract

So easy, lots less expensive than store-bought.  Makes a great gift.

 1 vanilla bean, 4-5 ounces of vodka or rum.

Grate, cut or mash one vanilla bean.  Place in a pretty bottle and pour vodka or rum over it.  Let sit, covered for 28 days.  If you don't have 28 days and want to hurry the process along, blenderize the bean with a little of the alcohol.  Return to the bottle.  Strain if  you desire. (I don't) and add a new piece of bean if you wish.

  Ginger Liqueurs (Not for dieters!!)

1 cup white sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, 1¼ cup water, 3 T.  chopped gingerroot, 3 whole cloves, 1 tsp. cardamom seeds, 1 tsp. orange zest, 1 cup 100 proof vodka, ½ cup brandy.

Bring white and brown sugars, water to a boil.  Add ginger root, cloves, cardamom and boil for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand until just warm.  Use a fine mesh strainer to strain out solids.  Transfer liquid to a clean one-quart container.  Add orange zest, vodka and brandy.  Cover and let stand in a cool, dark place for one month.  Strain orange zest.  Transfer to a clean container and let stand for one week more.  Filter into final container. (This and many other delicious  recipes come from a great book Cordials from Your Kitchen by Pattie Vargas and Rich Gulling)