A Rustic Irish Journey: Crafting Your Own Garden Solid Perfume for Summer
The air is thick with the smell of rain, and in the evenings, the scent of turf fire lingers, reminding us that we are deep in the heart of a not-so-great-but-what’s-new Irish summer.
It’s a time when the land is alive, fragrant with the blooms of the season and the wild, untamed essence of the damp countryside. For those of us living close to the earth, off the grid, or simply yearning for a more natural way of life, crafting your own solid perfume from garden and wild plants is a soulful, sensory journey that connects us to our roots—and keeps the midges at bay. The scene is Maam Cross, Ireland, the year 1986. Situation: Living off-grid beneath the mountains.
The Inspiration: A Walk Through an Irish Summer
Imagine walking through an over grown meadow, the soft hum of bees around you, the smell of ivy flowers and gorse in the air, mingling with the earthy notes of damp soil underfoot. The rain has just passed, and everything is fresh and alive. This is where our journey begins—gathering the gifts of the land to create a perfume that encapsulates the very essence of an Irish summer.
Step 1: Gathering Your Materials
Start by venturing into your garden or the wild spaces around you. In a temperate Irish climate, you’ll find a bounty of plants perfect for perfume-making. Depending on what’s in bloom, you might collect:
- Roses: Their delicate petals, bursting with fragrance.
- Lavender: A classic, calming scent that blends beautifully with almost anything.
- Honeysuckle: Sweet and heady, perfect for capturing the essence of summer.
- Heather and Gorse: Earthy and wild, adding depth and character.
- Moss: Soft, earthy, and grounding.
- Linden Blossom: Delicate, with a honey-like fragrance.
- Sweet Pea: Floral, light, and fresh.
- Musk Mallow or Hollyhock seeds: Adding a subtle, musky floral note.
- Bog Myrtle: Known for its midge-repelling properties, it’s a must for any outdoor summer adventure.
Step 2: Traditional Extraction methods – My Favourite is Enfleurage
We’re going to use an age-old method called enfleurage to capture the fragrance of these plants. It’s a slow, gentle process, perfect for those of us who are patient and in tune with the rhythms of nature.
What You’ll Need:
- Rendered tallow or unscented coconut oil (for a vegan option): This will absorb the plant’s fragrance.
- Glass trays or shallow dishes
- Fresh plant material: Rose petals, lavender, honeysuckle, etc.
- Cheesecloth or muslin
- Small spatula or knife
The Process:
- Prepare the Fat: Spread a thin layer of fat (or coconut oil) onto your glass trays.
- Lay Down the Flowers: Gently press your flower petals or other plant materials into the fat. Make sure they’re not overlapping too much.
- Cover and Wait: Cover the trays with cheesecloth to protect them from dust. Place the trays in a cool, dark place for 24-48 hours.
- Replace and Repeat: After this time, carefully remove the old flowers and replace them with fresh ones, repeating the process until the fat is rich with fragrance.
- Scrape and Store: Once you’re satisfied with the intensity of the scent, scrape the fragrant fat into a small jar for storage. This will be your perfume base.
Step 3: Enhancing with Wild-Gathered Ingredients
For a truly Irish perfume, add a touch of the wild. While the enfleurage process is ongoing, take a walk through the woods or along the bog and collect some tree moss, which is abundant and can add a deep, earthy note to your perfume. Make sure you collect only what you need. Leave plenty for the birds, bees and insects.
What You’ll Need:
- Collected moss
- Alcohol (vodka works well)
- Glass jar
The Process:
- Clean and dry the Moss: Gently clean the moss of any dirt or debris.
- Infuse the Moss: Place the moss in a jar and cover it with alcohol. Let it infuse for several weeks, shaking the jar occasionally.
- Strain the Tincture: After a few weeks, strain the moss out, leaving you with a beautifully earthy tincture to add to your perfume.
Step 4: Crafting the Solid Perfume
Now that you’ve got your enfleurage base and moss tincture, it’s time to bring everything together into a solid perfume that’s as practical as it is beautiful.
Ingredients:
- Enfleurage base (from the flowers)
- Beeswax: 2 tablespoons
- Moss tincture: A few drops
- Essential oils (optional, for added depth): Cedarwood, frankincense, or bog myrtle.
The Process:
- Melt the Beeswax: In a double boiler over a medium flame, gently melt the beeswax.
- Add the Enfleurage Base: Stir in your enfleurage base until well combined.
- Enhance with Tincture: Add a scant drop of your moss tincture for that wild, earthy note, but be careful, base notes tend to take over a blend. As a rule of thumb the stronger the scent the less you use, but with base notes they can seem not as strong as top notes because they don’t shout they whisper. But they can really flatten your perfume. Less is definitely more with base notes.
- Optional Oils: If you like, add a few drops of essential oils to deepen the scent. Keep a record of what you are putting in so that you can correct next time.
- Pour and Set: Pour the mixture into small tins or containers. Let it cool and solidify.
Using Your Perfume and Keeping the Midges Away
Your solid perfume is ready to be your summer companion. Apply it to your pulse points for a lasting scent that evolves with your body heat, revealing the layers of your Irish summer. The addition of bog myrtle will also help to keep those pesky midges or mosquitoes away, so you can enjoy the long evenings in peace.
"This rustic, off-grid method is more than just a blog post; it’s a journey back through time, not just for the reader but for me, the writer, as it brings back the memories of living off grid in Connemara, Ireland, making perfumes from the flowers around me."
Final Thoughts
There’s something deeply satisfying about crafting your own perfume from the land around you. It’s a reminder of simpler times, a connection to the earth, and a way to carry a piece of the Irish summer with you wherever you go.
So, take a deep breath of that rain-soaked air, let the scent of turf fires fill your senses, and start gathering the treasures of the Irish summer. With patience and a touch of tradition, you’ll craft a perfume that’s as unique and beautiful as the land that inspired it.
Slán go fóill, and happy blending!