Recently we had a chance to attend a Jane Eyre play with my husband, it was so well done!
I was interested in seeing it because last year, I read the Jane Eyre novel for the first time ever. I had watched a movie adaptation before, but I don’t think I ever finished it, as it seemed scary and I avoid scary movies in general (they make me have nightmares and my brain seems to memorize the creepiest parts). The book itself was not as scary though.
I had joined a virtual book club and this was their book pick at some point. I ended up liking the novel so much that I watched almost all of the movie adaptations, and bought my favorite one and made a soap inspired by a chapter in the novel that seemed full of fragrance suggestions (chapter 23). Here is a large paragraph for context, but I have put in bold the fragrance notes I tried to use:
“On Midsummer-eve, Adele, weary with gathering wild strawberries in
Hay Lane half the day, had gone to bed with the sun. I watched her
drop asleep, and when I left her, I sought the garden…
I walked a while on the pavement; but a subtle, well-known scent–
that of a cigar–stole from some window; I saw the library casement
open a handbreadth; I knew I might be watched thence; so I went
apart into the orchard. No nook in the grounds more sheltered and
more Eden-like; it was full of trees, it bloomed with flowers: a
very high wall shut it out from the court, on one side; on the
other, a beech avenue screened it from the lawn. At the bottom was
a sunk fence; its sole separation from lonely fields: a winding
walk, bordered with laurels and terminating in a giant horse-
chestnut, circled at the base by a seat, led down to the fence.
Here one could wander unseen. While such honey-dew fell, such
silence reigned, such gloaming gathered, I felt as if I could haunt
such shade for ever; but in threading the flower and fruit parterres
at the upper part of the enclosure, enticed there by the light the
now rising moon cast on this more open quarter, my step is stayed–
not by sound, not by sight, but once more by a warning fragrance.
Sweet-briar and southernwood, jasmine, pink, and rose have long been yielding their evening sacrifice of incense: this new scent is neither of shrub nor flower; it is–I know it well–it is Mr. Rochester’s cigar. I look round and I listen. I see trees laden
with ripening fruit. I hear a nightingale warbling in a wood half a mile off; no moving form is visible, no coming step audible; but
that perfume increases: I must flee. I make for the wicket leading
to the shrubbery, and I see Mr. Rochester entering. I step aside
into the ivy recess; he will not stay long: he will soon return
whence he came, and if I sit still he will never see me.
I wanted a soap that would combine all these fragrances to try and recreate this scene, which is the setting for one of the pivotal scenes in the whole book.
I was not sure how the blend of fragrances would smell, so I made a small batch in case it was bad. The result? Not bad, I was actually pleasantly surprised. Would I blend these fragrances again? Don’t think so, it smelled a bit like a generic soap, a bit like rose Palmolive soap.
This is what I found out about the fragrances listed in the book and my equivalent fragrance oil:
| Sweet-briar: Vigorous species rose about 3.5m tall, with strong, upright, prickly stems bearing apple-scented foliage. | -Rose Fragrance oil from Wholesale Supplies Plus. -Apples and Oak from Nature’s Garden and Candles |
| Southernwood: Southernwood has a strong camphor-like odour and was historically used as an air freshener or strewing herb (from Wikipedia) | Sinus Blend from Wholesale Supplies Plus |
| Jasmine | Sweet Jasmine Vine from Lone Star Candle |
| Pink | Neroli fragrance oil |
| Mr Rochester’s cigar | Fireside from Make your Own |
Here is the list of the fragrances I used:
- Rose Fragrance oil from Wholesale Supplies Plus.
- Sweet Jasmine Vine from Lone Star Candle
- Apples and Oak from Nature’s Garden and Candles
- Fireside from Make your Own
- Sinus Blend from Wholesale Supplies Plus
- Neroli from New Direction Aromatics
Usually, I try not to blend this many fragrances together, but I wanted to gather as many of the notes as possible. Here is what I have learned from blending fragrances in the past…
Some of my tips when blending fragrances
- Be Safe
If you are going to blend several fragrances, first make sure they can all be used at a safe usage rate for soap, which is normally 5% (Check the IFRA certificate for the fragrance to figure out the maximum percentage, as long as it is 5% or higher, you should be ok.)
- Be Cautious
When blending several fragrances, the chances of the soap batter accelerating increase, even if they do not accelerate on their own. So keep your soap design fairly simple.
- Be Mindful
Ideally, try to keep the fragrance notes balanced. In a simplified form, at least 1/3 of top notes (citrus, etc), 1/3 of of medium notes (florals, fruity ones) and 1/3 of bottom notes (vanilla, wood, etc). More details here .
- Be proactive
Instead of leaving it all to chance, you can put drops of the fragrances in your blend on a cotton ball, put that inside a ziplock bag and seal it for an hour or so, then open it and smell inside to see if you like it. This will not be 100% accurate but should give you an idea.
If you have any tips for fragrance blends or book recommendations, make sure to leave a comment below.
Soaps by Glenda 