these days i am into mono scented homemade things…

we’ve got lavender spray for clothes & linens, sweet orange for the bathroom & floors and now – japanese mint solid perfume. little gifts for my white room and pendants with vintage lockets.

i’ve tried several options (beeswax, coconut oil…) and proportions, and finally settled with this one. soy wax (flakes) and apricot kernel oil (cold pressed), in equal parts. plus pure essential oil of japanese mint.

now.. here are some stem cuttings of wild mint or field mint from our summer forest walks. i decided to add a pinch of blossoms in every jar, for a mintier look. mentha arvensis and her friend, mentha japonica, pure essential oil from blumenberg brand.

here is my station. child terry towel, folded in half, with everything i need. ’empty’ glass bowl (at the upper right corner) is filled with 40% koskenkorva vodka, for wiping and cleaning. vintage glass 100 ml. laboratory beaker is highly suitable for pouring into small jar and lockets!

i did not plan or measure how much i need, just a small batch, but ended up with the perfect amount of solid perfume for seven 5 ml. jars and seven lockets. only one has spilled out.. !

here are the proportions:

1 tablespoon of soy wax flakes
1 tablespoon of apricot kernel oil
30 drops of japanese mint essential oil

i chose the soy wax instead of beeswax because the structure of finished product seems silkier and lighter, and apricot oil feels less oily and odourless. in addition, i wanted the white shade for a mint scent, breezy cool color rather than warm… and i am completely satisfied with this choice.

i do not use a double-boiler and try to keep the temperatures as low as possible. i have lots of cotton circles and put them at the bottom of the pot as an underwater coaster for a glass beaker. when the wax is fully diluted, i turn the heat off, wait a little and add an essential oil.

too many photos of the hardening and whitening… i really enjoyed the whole process!

мятные твёрдые (сухие) духи!

оказалось, что это несложный и приятный процесс. главное – найти свой рецепт, лучшие ингредиенты и не торопиться. попробовав несколько вариантов, остановилась на соевом воске и абрикосовом масле (масло абрикосовых косточек холодного отжима). из-за лёгкой структуры и первого и второго, и из-за отсутствия сильных ароматов, как, например, у кокосового нерафинированного масла. и ещё свежий белый цвет больше подходит к мятному аромату.. ?)

чтобы духи были именно твёрдые, взяла воск и масло в равных пропорциях. растопила их на водяной бане и потом, убавив огонь и немного подождав, добавила эфирное масло. на каждую чайную ложку (5 мл.) смеси – 5 капель. примерно через полчаса всё схватилось и стало мятным и белым!