Playing with Scent

I have had a few of the more interesting essential oils for a while but have not got around to playing with them. Tonight, I bit the bullet and started to work on a blend for a new soap range. I want something that has a slightly dusty/smokey base with a lightness at the top and as this is supposed to be representative of a particular place (to be revealed at a later date) I wanted to add a touch of Violet Leaf.

I love Violet Leaf, but fully acknowledge that it is not to everyone's taste. It can be completely overpowering, and luckily, because it is horribly expensive, you don't need much. I have used the aforesaid Violet Leaf, May Chang, Pettigrain and Vetivert, and have ended up with a rather heady blend which needs to be lightened up a little. At the moment, the Violet Leaf reaches out and slaps you around the face. Next, you get a hit of Vetivert with its green, smokey yet sweet undertones. Then, very faintly you smell the May Chang which is a beautiful, soft lemon sherbety kind of fragrance 
which I think I need increase. I may try a couple of slightly different blends tomorrow, one with just Vetivert and one with just Violet Leaf. It may be that the two together are just a bit much. I think that this will be a long road, but the fun is in the trying!

Once this blend has been finalised, I have one more which I need to work on and then the new soap range can be launched. They will have silk and babassu oil in and will be the height of affordable luxury.