3 Ways You Can Make Your Own At-Home Fragrances With Cinnamon
One amazing way to make your home feel cozier this fall is by filling it with the comforting aroma of cinnamon. You could go the store-bought route and buy a variety of scented candles, but where’s the fun in that?
Instead, why not make it a do-it-yourself project and use the Sense of the Season to get a little crafty. After all, there are plenty of ways to give your home the sweet scent of cinnamon at a really inexpensive cost.
The Quick and Easy Way
Have people coming over and no time to do anything fancy? If you find yourself stuck in a bind and need a quick and easy way to make your home smell wonderful, just follow these three steps:
- Get a saucepan and add a little bit of water to it
- Add a teaspoon of cinnamon
- Set your burner to low heat. If the water evaporates, just add more.
This will fill your kitchen and connecting rooms with a lovely fragrance in no time flat. You can even experiment with adding different combinations of cloves, orange peels and vanilla for the more nuanced nose.
DIY Cinnamon Scented Candles
Scented candles can be expensive if you buy them in stores, and you have little control over the strength of the aroma. However, they are surprisingly easy and inexpensive to make. If you have old candles that you’re not using, you can melt them down and use the wax, or you can purchase candle wax from your local craft store. You’ll also need wicks, cinnamon essential oil, and some type of mold (a jelly jar, vase or milk carton will do quite nicely).
Once you have your ingredients, wrap the wick around a pencil and leave it hanging centered into the mold. Using a double-boiler, heat the wax up to 180 degrees, checking the temperature using a kitchen thermometer. Then, let it cool down to 125 degrees or you’ll risk burning off all of the essential oil. Next, mix the wax, oil and coloring (if desired) and pour it into the mold.
Wait for it to cool, trim the wick, and voila! You have a homemade cinnamon candle.
Cinnamon Scented Perfume
The smell of cinnamon is wonderful in the home, so why not use it to make a delightful fall perfume as well? Its strong scent makes an excellent base note, and pairing it with other pleasant odors like orange, ginger, sandalwood or vanilla can create a really special fragrance. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- Blue or amber glass container
- Cinnamon-scented oil
- Two other oils to pair well with the cinnamon scent
- A solvent like jojoba oil or mineral oil
- Perfumer’s alcohol
Begin by taking your cinnamon oil and adding your solvent and other oils. Then seal the container and let it sit somewhere dark for 12 hours. If you like the scent, it’s time to add the perfumer’s alcohol. If not, tinker with the mixture until you get it just right.
When you get the mixture right, make sure to swish it around every 12 hours or so for a few days. After a few days you’ll have a bewitching fragrance that you’ll be proud to wear!
Interested in more great ideas for your home? Then check out all of our Share the Season content right now!