Blending perfumes with carrot seed essential oil? If you’re learning to make your own perfumes and looking for a really unusual element then check out carrot seed oil and get ready for an interesting surprise.
Common name: Carrot seed, a.k.a. Queen Anne’s lace, wild carrot and Bird’s Nest
Genus name: Daucus carota (Umbelliferae) “the name Daucus carota alone signifies, that the source is the cultivated carrot. Oils obtained from wild subspecies should read D. carota ssp carota, the European wild carrot or D. carota spp. maxima, the Mediterranean wild carrot.” (Wild Herbs of Crete)
Supplier: Proxisanté
Note: Heart/Base
Family: Spice
Diffusion: 5
Dilution: 10%
Blends well with: Bergamot, Juniper, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Orange, Cedarwood, Geraniums, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, Cypress, woody/resinous oils
Chemical components: High in Sesquiterpenes: α-longipinene (9.5%), sabinene (8.6%), β-himachalene (8.1%), β-bisabolene (4.3%), limonene (3.5%) α- and β-pinene (2.6% and 2.5%), terpinen-4-ol (1.2%), iso-bornyl acetate (1.3%), trans-β-caryophyllene (1.3%), trans-β-farnesene (1.0%), γ-himachalene (4.3%), δ-cadinene (1%), β-myrcene (1.4%), γ-terpinene (0.9%), and elemicin, cis-γ-bisabolene, caryophyllene<9-epi-trans>, α-himachalene, linalool, α-terpinene, all around 0.5-0.6% each. (Wild Herbs of Crete). Pinene, carotol, daucol, limonene, bisabolene, elemene, geraniol. (Gritman)
Interesting bits: “Remarkable about the wild carrot is, that each plant develops individually, one by one. We never see all of the wild carrots in a population to be at approximately at the same stage of development.” (Wild Herbs of Crete)
Their nose: “rooty, iris-like note with earthy, raw potato/turnip and woody facets, used to provide an earth note to otherwise airy compositions” (Fragrantica).
“the oil has a deep, lasting sweet smell with flowery undertones.” (Wild Herbs of Crete)
My nose: Like most mornings I do my best to begin sniffing at 9am, but then life happens so I usually don’t get to it before 10. Today was no different. To me every note I smell even if I’ve smelled it 20 times before is like opening a new package at Christmas! The top notes of carrot seed essential oil opened refreshing and sweet, this was totally unexpected for me, it’s curious, earthy, silky soft and not at all distracting, even reserved I would say. 15min later and this note is happy, joyful, it totally puts a smile on my face. Well-grounded and peaceful, comforting and assuring. There is such harmony in this note nothing sharp sticks out too much. 30min and now it’s sensual, warm, smooth, sleek – yeah, it’s all that! I can smell it combined with something smokey. After 45min carrot seed is elegant and satisfying like a hearty bowl of soup in autumn, sweet, it’s captivating and inviting, drawing me in. This is a gentle, warm note as it approaches the heart phase of the dry-down. It’s been 1hr now, to me the beginning of the heart, and it approaches with boldness, with a bit of a bitter edge, still sweet though, there is a richness about it as it simmers into it’s prime. After 2hrs I’m going WOW! the heart is bold, warm sweet and bewitching, this is a non-conformist note, it doesn’t smell like anything I know or can place, there is an element of greenery that I can now pick up. 3hrs later and it’s simple as it sits on a bed of green grass, it is thought-provoking as it unfolds into the beginning of the base, tender yet at the same time tenacious. 7hrs into the dry-down and strangely it’s sweeter, sharper, clearer, the tone is crisper, more pristine and silvery. Yes it is definitely more luminous. At 12hrs, holy grip! This is like it’s now in it’s prime! Fully alive, blossomed and even though drier it still has warmth and depth and the power to move me. The next morning, 24hrs later, It is still kicking ass! Strong and addictive. I can smell it going very well with the citruses, it’s absorbing and engaging. There is a sort of soapy quality around the edge to it, but just barely a hint.
Musings: The fact that the Daucus carota grows individually, one by one, gives me an insight that this could definitely be an ingredient to consider if I want to highlight uniqueness, singularity and authenticity. Again, I’m really struck by how my nose and brain are working together to make connections between scents that aren’t even there. When I read that Carrot seed essential oil blends well with the citrus oils I was pleased. Though progress is slow, when you can see yourself putting these pieces together intuitively it sure does give you the sense that you’re heading in the right direction, especially when you’re studying independently. So, yeah, there’s a smile on my face right now.
12/24 comparison: the 12hr strip is much bolder, sweeter and inspiring whereas the 24hr strip mainly just gives references to the glory of 12hrs ago but it still invites you to dream of what once was.
Have a beautiful weekend!
MC
Her Two Scents 