Woodmint Bath Milk
A delightfully refreshing bath to take on a summer's morning or sultry evening. For best results, the water should be comfortably warm rather than hot. The powdered milk (from health stores) will leave your skin feeling silky smooth.
6 tbsp powdered goat's milk
2 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
2 drops pure clary sage essential oil
2 drops pure lavender essential oil
1 drop pure peppermint essential oil
While the bath is running, add the powdered milk. Once filled, add the essential oils and swish around to disperse the oil droplets. Lie back, breathe deeply and dream.
Afterwards, apply Woodmint body lotion (below)
Goddess Milk and Honey Bath
Adding honey and milk to your bath is a fantastic way to moisturise your skin. Apart from the deeply relaxing fragrance, the oils will help clear any spots and pimples.
6 tbsp powdered goats milk
2 tbsp clear honey
3 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
3 drops pure rose otto or geranium essential oil
While the bath is running, add the powdered milk and honey. Then add the essential oils and disperse.
Woodmint Body Lotion
A cooling lotion for hot summer days. Smooth into your skin after a shower, or one of the bath time recipes above.
50ml unperfumed body lotion
10 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
3 drops pure clary sage essential oil
4 drops pure peppermint essential oil
3 drops pure lavender essential oil
Add the oils to the lotion and shake well to disperse the oil droplets.
Rich Hair Shiner
This exotically fragranced conditioning treatment contains jojoba, which is actually a wax although it is naturally liquid at room temperature. Combined with coconut oil, it makes an excellent pre-wash conditioner for dry or sun-damaged hair. Jojoba oil is available from health stores.
15ml jojoba oil
2 tsp coconut oil
5 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
5 drops pure ylang ylang essential oil
The easiest way to mis the solid coconut oil and semi-solid (if stored in a cool place) or liquid jojoba oil is to put them into a re-heated bowl - for example, an earthenware dish heated in a low oven or over a pan of simmering water. Add the coconut oil and jojoba oil an stir well, then add the essential oils. Shampoo your hair with a mild pH-balanced shampoo. Apply the conditioner, massaging it well into the scalp, ensuring the whole length of hair is coated. Wrap your head in a warm towel and leave the conditioner on for 30 minutes before shampooing out.
Aytar Perfume Blend
This sensuously scented, solid perfume is inspired by formulae in ancient erotic texts of India. Buy beeswax from herbal and mail-order aromatherapy suppliers.
1 tsp beeswax granules
4tsp sweet almond oil
12 drops pure sandalwood essential oil
10 drops pure rose otto essential oil
5 drops pure lemon essential oil
4 drops pure coriander essential oil
1 drops pure cinnamon leaf essential oil
Put the beeswax and almond oil in a heatproof bowl over a pain of simmering water. Stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat, and stir in the essential oils. Pour into a glass pot with a tight-fitting lid (it will set in an hour). Apply to your pulse points. Store in a cool, dark place and use within 3-4 months.
Sandalwood Skin Cream
This rich, lightly fragranced cream is excellent for very dry skin. Use sparingly on the face, neck and hands - and more lavishly on dry areas such as elbows and heels. Beeswax and cocoa butter are available from herbal and mail-order aromatherapy suppliers.
25ml sweet almond oil
2 tsp beeswax granules
10g cocoa butter
15 ml distilled water
5 drops sandalwood essential oil
3 drops neroli essential oil
2 drops frankincense essential oil
Put the sweet almond oil, beeswax and cocoa butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the wax and cocoa butter are dissolved. Remove from the heat and slowly add the distilled water, stirring constantly. Add the pure essential oils and keep stirring until the mixture thickens. Spoon into a clean glass pot. The cream will keep for 2-3 months in the fridge.
Hanger Sachet
You can buy sandalwood chips from herbal suppliers and wood curls from craft shops. Make the fillings 2 days ahead so the fragrance permeates the wood. Scrim is thin canvas backing fabric. If you find the open weave makes it hard to cut out, pin a paper template to the fabric to help you.
You will need:
- Small tin
- 30g each of sandalwood chippings and crushed wood curls
- 3tsp dried marjoram
- Few sprigs of dried rosemary
- 15g bay leaves or lemon verbena
- 5-6 drops pure sandalwood oil
- cinnamon stick, crushed
- 4 or 6 19cm x 14cm pieces of scrim, each cut so one shorter edge on selvedge
- scissors
- sewing thread
- elastic bands
- piping cord
- adhesive tape
- In the tin, shake together the chippings and curls, marjoram, rosemary, bay leaves or lemon verbena, cinnamon and sandalwood oil. This quantity fills 2-3 sachets. Seal the tin, shaking it now and again.
- Use a zig-zag or interlock setting and machine stitch the raw fabric edges to prevent fraying. Stitch 2 fabric pieces together, sewing a 1.5cm seam round 3 sides (leaving selvedges open). Turn right side out. Make up the remaining sachets.
- Fill each sachet. Gather the neck and fasten with an elastic band. Tie with cord, making a loop at the back. Neaten cord ends with tape.