Short & Sweet: A Brief Interlude on the Virtues of Essential Oils

Coco Chanel once famously stated that a woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future. Coco did, in fact, “borrow” that quote for the marketing and advertising purposes of Chanel No. 5, however. The true author was French poet Paul Valéry. And though I do adore the smell of my classic Chanel No. 5, the borrowed and often true witticisms of Coco, and French poetry in general, I do not adore the hefty price tag it takes in order for a girl to smell intoxicating these days.

That’s why I’ve turned almost exclusively to essential oils. And that’s probably why you don’t see any fancy advertising on my pages from “delectable” scents-du-jour. Because instead of advocating that you waste your precious dollars on hyped synthetic scents with an overblown price tag due to slick marketing, I recommend that you visit your local health food store and combine fragrances for a do it yourself custom scent that you’ll love at a fraction of the price. It will save you tons of money and permit you to smell exactly as luscious as you choose, on a dime.

And now, a word about essential oils. It’s really not as hard as you think it is, to create a custom signature scent and dive into the wonderful world of essential oils. If you’re a floral person, like I am, essential oils are especially straightforward. Simply go to your local health food store and peruse the delectable scents. I love fragrance combining florals like jasmine, rose, and gardenia. If you want to bring in a bit of earthy notes, try adding Sandalwood, which I happen to adore with a Persian rose. This is my favorite combination….sweet, soft, complex, and hauntingly seductive.

I love Kuumba Made oils from Sprouts and Whole Foods. They are the tiniest little vials of potent essential oils with a rollerball applicator in tons of variety for you to choose from, and they’re just under $11 each. Go with one strong note or mix them up for your own heady concoction; you can’t go wrong.

And remember, the oils will remain fragrant longer than an alcohol-based spray, so you’re getting more fragrance for your buck. After all, doesn’t a girl have enough expenses to worry about in this day and age? Smelling good should not be one of them. Liberate yourself from pricey synthetic fragrances with the world of essential oils! You can thank me later. Jajajajaja.