Sandalwood and Jasmine

Been raining pretty much for a straight week now and that little spring teaser feels like a dream rather than a memory. Even lots of snow on the mountains today! Wish I could get a photo.

Had to take a few days off from the rose to work on a couple woodsy blends. I think Sandal is about ready for testing. It’s very woodsy with just some light floral notes, mainly jasmine. Might try increasing the jasmine a tad.

The natural jasmine oils commonly used in perfume are jasmine grandiflorum and jasmine sambac. The sambac is a bit muskier to me, but I love both. You can grow the sambac in a pot on your windowsill – they are sold online and are very generous bloomers, even indoors. The variety called Maid of Orleans is an easy one and has a potent scent.

I also grow star jasmine and pink jasmine in the garden here. Star jasmine has a spicy kick to it, and the pink is a lovely powerful narcotic floral. I think the pink may be my favorite of the ones I grow, but it’s hard to choose. I’ve not seen star or pink offered as natural oils anywhere, though some small natural perfumers probably tincture their own. When you see star jasmine or pink jasmine listed in the notes of a perfume made by a company that is not all-natural, it is most likely to be a synthetic recreation of the flower. They are both quite different from the jasmine grand and jasmine sambac that are more commonly used in perfume. Star jasmine is actually not a member of the genus jasminum; its botanical name is trachelospermum jasminoides.

Back to work. And spring dreaming…