On our downloads page, there is definitely a treasure trove of good stuff! DIYs, informational booklets, charts…but what about that thing that looks like a color wheel from elementary school? It’s actually a Fragrance Wheel, which can be a very handy tool when you know why and how you would use it.
The Fragrance Wheel Families
Some aromas that are easy to label — these are usually considered Fragrance Families. They may be herbal, spicy, floral, medicinal, fruity, woody, earthy, minty, green, or foodlike.
Black pepper is identified as a member of the Spice family, and Lime is considered Fruity. But what about Helichrysum Italicum? Or Manuka? Do you know? If not — never fear! That’s what we have a fragrance wheel for!
Helichrysum, for example, is sandwiched in between Copaiba and Ho Wood, so, using that information, you can safely make an educated guess about the aroma of Helichrysum — it’s woody! On the other hand, Manuka is next to Lemon Eucalyptus and Niaouli, which have very medicinal scents.
Within some of these families are subgroups, which help define the scent of an individual essential oil more clearly.
Making your own blends…
If you’re an essential oil blender, the Fragrance Wheel is your friend. If you’re looking for a certain type of aroma, or want to substitute the fragrance of one oil for another similar one, a quick glance at the
Fragrance Wheel will help you out! Add this along with our constituent chart and essential oil substitution chart for a sure fire way to make the blend you’ve been dreaming about! It will also help you get a wonderfully rounded aroma.
Finding your new favorite essential oils…
Are you head-over-heels for that fresh, herbal aroma of Elemi and want to try another oil that has similar aromatic qualities? Just take a peek at the Fragrance Wheel and find another essential oil with a similar odor profile — it’s as easy as that!
You can also look at the Fragrance Wheel to help you understand your own personal favorite scent families. And if you like to arrange your collection of oils by their aroma, this is an excellent guide!
Honestly, it can be very easy to lose yourself in the overwhelming amount of scents that exist. Instead of exploring new essential oils, we may just feel like sticking with the tried-and-true, rather than branching out. Hopefully becoming a little more familiar with the Fragrance Wheel boosts your confidence when choosing new oils for your collection!
