Earlier this month I had the pleasure of partnering with Biolage as a part of their self-care week series. Living in NYC has many perks, one of them being how I was able to share the power of aromatherapy at Biolage’s NYC studio for our Instagram Live session! I had such a fun time and wish I could be in the studio every day! 🙂 The session was an unscripted 30-minute crash course in aromatherapy including how to make your own Biolage inspired aromatherapy body oil! Below is the video of the Live and accompanying text I wrote for Biolage, including how to make a gorgeous body oil and information about select botanical ingredients! [Above image credit: Biolage.]

Before getting into botanical details, I want to share that Biolage was created in 1990. Its signature Aroma Science fragrance was developed following the principles of classic aromatherapy with specific intention to create a “memorable, energizing and uplifting experience”. The powerful link between scent and memory is deep and one of the many facets of aromatherapy: scent is information and creates memory connections, it can even be used to break habit-thoughts and bring you to the present moment, as well as the past! Think of scent molecules as informational, olfactory-based ques! Another facet of aromatherapy is working with time-honored aromatic-botanicals that have been revered and turned to for generations, for millennia! The botanical extracts that inspired Biolage’s signature aroma are classic, such as Rose, Sandalwood and Mandarin. Let me know if you make the body oil and what you think of it. I’ve been immensely enjoying mine; the way the nourishing Cucumber seed oil lifts the other botanicals and the way the Vanilla infused oil rounds everything together without being “cute” or cloying is gorgeous!

An Exploration of Select Aromatics in Biolage’s Signature Fragrance

Let’s explore some of the botanical inspiration behind Biolage’s iconic Aroma Science fragrance! Each botanical ingredient has its own personality and associated therapeutics. Blended together they create a synergy, something larger than the sum if the “parts.” In my opinion, this blend of 6 botanicals evokes pure bliss! 

First Encounter

Top notes are the first aromas detected in a scent composition. Often described as “crisp” and “fresh,” they are characteristically “fleeting,” light and mobile.  I love working with Mandarin & Cucumber that are part of Biolage’s DNA.

Mandarin (Citrus x reticulata) oil invites playful sun into your world; it’s aromatic notes envelope you with a calming, sweet warm hug to uplift your spirits and help release tension. This citrus fruit is grown in Italy, Israel, Brazil for its oil, which is obtained by cold pressing the fruit’s peel (also called “expression”) rather than traditional steam distillation used to obtain essential oils.

Cucumber seed oil offers nourishing strength and coolness; its aromatic signature is “cool calm and collected.” It is a wonderful ally for skin care after spending time in the summer sun or dry winter air. The oil is cold pressed from the seeds of the cucumber fruit (Cucumis sativus), offering a highly aromatic, regenerative oil that helps protect the skin barrier with its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and strengthening qualities (silica content).

The Heart of the Matter

Middle (“heart”) notes are the bridge, the center, of a blend that hold down the top notes and uplift the base notes. They are often floral notes that are “round,” “full” and often more chemically complex than top notes. Ylang ylang & Rose are beautiful floral essential oils that add heart and sensuality to any blend, and they are at the heart of Biolage!

Ylang ylang (Canaga odorata) essential oil promotes a languid sense of receptive sensuality, inviting you to the joy of releasing and relaxing into your body. Endemic to the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, this essential oil is one of the true florals of aromatherapy and was one of the key aromatic ingredients in the Victorian “Macassar” hair oil.

Rose, a classic middle note, promotes feelings of Centered Compassion. Distilled from the petals of Rosa x damascena, the essential oil offers cooling, softening, anti-depressant, qualities while promoting heart-centered, inner and outer compassion. Mostly grown and distilled in Bulgaria, Turkey & Morocco, Rose has been revered since antiquity. Called the queen of flowers by the poet Sappho, it is a genuine floral “balm to the soul.”

Botanical Notes to Hold and Ground

Base notes are the longest-lasting aroma components to fully emerge once the top notes evaporate & middle notes mellow out. They are often described as “grounding,” help hold, or “fix” the more volatile notes, and provide overall depth. Base notes include “rich” botanicals such as Sandalwood and Vanilla.

Sandalwood essential oil softly opens your body-mind to states of Meditative Expansion. The essential oil is obtained from the sacred wood of Santalum album, grown in the sun kissed lands of India and Sri Lanka. Revered for centuries, this cooling, calming and centering oil supports meditative states and pairs wonderfully with other cooling oils such as Rose essential oil and the pressed seed oil of Cucumber. Important sustainability note: see the video to learn about overharvesting concerns.

Vanilla infused oil offers a sense of Protected Relaxation. Native to Central America (Mexico) and also grown in Madagascar, Vanilla beans are from the orchid Vanilla planifolia. Although an essential oil cannot be obtained (the delicate aromatic molecules cannot hold up to distillation), aromatherapists create an aromatic oil by infusing chopped vanilla pods with in a nourishing base oil such as Jojoba. The result gives an energetically warming, heart-centering, comforting, relaxing, protective and antioxidant delight.

Make your own Mood Boosting Biolage Inspired Body Oil!

Bring uplifting & energizing Biolage botanical vibes to your wellness routine with a gorgeous body oil! Combine the first 4 ingredients in a 1-ounce (30 ml) bottle with flip or pump top (glass is recommended). Swirl the oils to combine. Next, add the Jojoba, Cucumber and Vanilla infused oils to finish it off. Secure the dispenser top and gently shake to disperse the oils. Apply daily and liberally to your body, especially after a shower or bath.

7 drops Mandarin (Citrus x reticulata) essential oil

1 drop Rose (Rosa x damascena) essential oil

3 drops Ylang ylang (Canaga odorata) essential oil

7 drops Sandalwood (Santalum album (sustainable) or Santalum spicatum) essential oil

15 ml Jojoba oil

10 ml Cucumber seed oil

5 ml Vanilla infused oil

Use often and liberally! The science behind aromatherapy is important. Though noticing how you FEEL, all of you: mentally, physically, emotionally is just as, if not more than, important. Sentir, after all, means to smell AND to feel.

Bonus! How to Make a Vanilla infused Oil!

Materials: Organic Vanilla beans (cut up 1 bean per 2 ounces of oil), Organic base oil such as Jojoba or Sunflower, 4 or 8 ounce mason jars with lids, cutting board and sharp knife.

• Slice each bean in half then chop into smaller pieces, ¼ inch (5-6 mm).
• Transfer the chopped bean pods to a clean, sterilized lidded jar, such as a traditional mason jar with a screw top lid.
• Fill the jar with the base oil, nearly filling to the top, leaving ¼ (6 mm) of “head space” for expansion.
• Label the bottle with the ingredients and date. Keep in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar occasionally.
• Let the vanilla & oil mixture macerate/steep for 30-60 days. (I prefer to wait one lunar cycle, starting on the new moon, and ending on the full moon/~90 days.)
• Do NOT open the jar until you are ready to strain out the vanilla beans and seeds.
• Strain using a very fine cheese cloth or the finest tea strainer/sieve.
• Transfer the now fragrant vanilla infused oil to clean bottles and enjoy!