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Anthony

Anthony's Alchemy

June 1, 2004

a

Southern Comfort

Greetings! Hello from my new home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. I’m finally back to the blending room full time, and I am happy to offer this edition of Anthony’s Alchemy, which is all about the comforts of home and the beauty of the Deep South. From feisty Southern women, to the beauty of the Appalachians, to rugged masculine charm, these blends will transport you to a place and time where comfort means home, and the world slows down to take a breath of fresh air and really see the beauty all around us.

For the most part, these blends are simple and easy to make your own. They use fragrance oils that are already a good "blend,” so the simple addition or substitution of your favorite fragrance oil is a snap. So come on in and sit a spell, take your shoes off, and make yourself at home.

Love, light, and peace to all! - Anthony

Miss Annie Bell
2 parts Sweet Cakes Peony Petals fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Bulgarian Rose fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Tuberose Deluxe fragrance

An old-fashioned blend of florals that is so simple, yet so fresh and sweet. Inspired by a true Southern lady who loves her gardens as much as she loves her stories of past times, this fragrance is light and airy, yet with a strong feminine character. The addition of Precious Amber (Maitre Parfumeur type) fragrance would make this more upscale and modern. As is, this is a true Southern delight. Wonderful in any application, this blend would just sing in candles.

On the Front Porch
2 parts Sweet Cakes Honeysuckle Hollow fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Ginger Fig fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Spruce Garland fragrance

The front porch is an American tradition that is still alive and well in the Deep South. The thunderstorms this time of year give a fresh smell to the country air, and neighbors sit and talk about anything and nothing -- just to visit is the key. So I came up with this blend that reminds me of that fragrance after the rain, and the slow easy pace of time on the front porch. Crisp and clean with the smell of mountain woods and honeysuckle drifting by on a lazy afternoon, this unisex fragrance would be wonderful in lotions, shampoo, and shower gel.

Smokey Mountains
2 parts Sweet Cakes World’s Best Magnolia fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Woodsmoke fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Sage, Sweetgrass, and Cedar fragrance

A masculine blend that is dark and mysterious, "Smokey Mountains" is a reflection of the strong silent strength of a Southern man. The sultry smoke and woods of this fragrance is balanced by the citrus sweetness of the magnolia, giving a new meaning to the phrase "steel magnolias." Wonderful for a line of fragranced products for men, this blend would be perfect for candles.

Deep River
2 parts Sweet Cakes Aliage (Estee Lauder type) fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Milk and Honey fragrance

The Tennessee River runs through the middle of Chattanooga, with deep dark waters that bring new life to the parched land. This fragrance is a reflection of that river. An oddball of a blend to be sure -- Unexpected, like the river of life. Cool and crisp, watery and blue. A great blend for unisex applications. Shampoo and soaps will take on a spa-like quality. A candle with this blend would round out the perfect late-night bath (make sure you have plenty of chocolate on hand!).

Mountain Meadow
2 parts Sweet Cakes Clementine fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Leather fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Sapmoss (Aveda type) fragrance

Up in the hills of Tennessee are wonderful mountain meadows that are full of abundant wildlife and an unexpected adventure for those who take the time to wander and see the life all around. This was the inspiration for this country-fresh blend that's just begging to be used in gardener’s soaps and other applications where simple down-home goodness is desired.

Comforts of Home
1 part Sweet Cakes Pecan Pie fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Gardenia fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Fall Foliage fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Precious Amber (Maitre Parfumeur type) fragrance

Dorothy said it, and we all know it's true: There’s no place like home. This blend brings a fragrant end to the collection in this Anthony’s Alchemy. There is no real way to describe this blend except that it encompasses the comfort of home. It's rich and full of deep familiar fragrances that remind you of home, no matter where you are. Warm and comforting in its feel, this blend would be great for soaps and bath salts, and would make a wonderful candle to scent the hearth of home.

Ask the Alchemist

In addition to offering blends as an inspiration for your products, I am offering this space in Anthony's Alchemy as a way to answer some common questions and even give specific blending tips. To join in the ongoing discussion of soapmaking and fragrance, join the Sweet Cakes Fragrance Oils Group on Yahoo (please go to the Sweet Cakes home page for a link that'll shoot you right over there).

In this edition, the question is simple: What makes a "spa" fragrance? I have been asked this question many times lately, and the best answer I've come up with is that spa fragrances tend to be fresh, clean, and to make use of some of the "newest" or "trendiest" notes in the perfumery marketplace. To convert heavier fragrances (Tuberose Deluxe, for example), lighten them and make them crisper and cleaner with the addition of something such as Sapmoss (Aveda type) or Oceania. Heather fragrance is another good "spa" fragrance additive. For the most part, "spa" fragrances tend to be simple in the feel, but very "blendy." Other than typically smelling fresh, clean, and upscale, there are no other hard-and-fast rules of thumb for this type of fragrance. You have to go out there and smell what the new trend is and create something with a similar feel. It’s always good to see what the "big guys" are doing so that you can know where the trend is headed.

Anthony's Favorite Things

In this edition, I would like to introduce you to a fragrance that is wonderful for summer applications: Cool Citrus Basil (type) fragrance. This is a great fragrance on its own, and so simple to blend with. Cool Citrus Basil is a wonderful unisex blend and works well in almost any application. It's delightful in lotions and makes a cool candle for hot summer days. Try blending Cool Citrus Basil (type) with Sweet Cakes' Cucumber Melon (type) fragrance or Sweet Cakes' plain Cucumber fragance -- you’ll be surprised at the result.

Anthony Owens currently resides in Chattanooga, TN. He comes from a long line of hobbyist soap- and candlemakers, and he learned about blending perfumes and scents from his great-grandmother, who loved flowers and fragrance. He has been making bath and body products and blending fragrances for as long as he can remember, and sold his products for many years in his high-end retail store "Luminosity" in Birmingham, AL, and is continuing this tradition in Chattanooga. Anthony's philosophy is that you bring light into people's lives when you offer them beautifully fragranced products.