The Loveliness of Natural Perfumes

I decided to try out an acidic rinse after washing my hair, which I made up with citric acid and Orange Flower water.  (The aim being to neutralise any residues of soap, which is alkaline, and restore the hair's natural pH, thereby improving its appearance and resilience.) It left my hair looking good and smelling fabulous!  All that day and the next I kept getting wafts of Orange Blossom, which is one of my favourite aromas.  It made me think about how easy it can be to make a simple perfume, and that a hair rinse is a great way to wear it.   

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Floral waters are easily obtainable - Orange Flower water and Rose water can both be bought at the supermarket, and there is a wealth of other floral waters available to buy online.  Or, you could try making your own:  lavender, lemon balm and chamomile give up their scents very nicely.  Simply steep a tablespoon of flower/herb per 100ml hot water and then strain well (through coffee filter paper or a couple of layers of muslin) and leave to cool.  Then rinse through the hair after washing.  Unless you intend to add a preservative to your rinse, it's best to use it straight away.  Your imagination really is the limit with such a wide range of flowers, herbs and spices easily available.  Create your own signature scent.  But a word of caution - be sure that any flowers or herbs that you do use are organic or suitable for consumption to ensure that there are no pesticides or other chemicals lurking around.  

Happy experimenting!