We don't particularly care for the aroma of sage on its own (it's a bit reminiscent of poultry stuffing), but in this blend, it's delightful. Russian sage blends with Canadian fir needle at the top of this fragrance, leading midnotes of Canadian cedarleaf and bottom notes of Texas cedarwood, oakmoss, fir balsam, and alpine hay. BOTTOM LINE: A terrific, down-to-earth, unisex scent with a touch of the Southwest.

Flashpoint: 160º F.

A perfectly balanced unisex blend. It mellows gorgeously in soap -- think Sam Elliott in a faded denim shirt. (Younger customers, replace Sam Elliott with Owen Wilson; international customers, please substitute Jude Law, Russell Crowe, and Deepak Chopra.) NOTE: This is *not* a non-discoloring vanilla -- your cold-process soap *will* turn brown.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

Captivating top notes of damask rose and geranium lead to a heart of sweet orange honey. But this fragrance is all about the bottom notes -- a warm, sweet, smoky, comforting accord of vanilla, patchouli, and honeyed pipe tobacco. BOTTOM LINE: A comforting, smooth honey-tobacco blend that's a natural for Christmas, or blend it with patchouli and/or lavender essential oils for year-round use.

Flashpoint: 180º F.

This fragrance came about when two women in marketing at a fragrance oil company were lunching with the senior perfumer, also a woman. The marketers challenged the perfumer to come up with a scent that captured the essence of a sexy man. I'm happy to report that the perfumer rose to the challenge, and luckily for us all, her ideal man is understated, soft-spoken, and a bit of an outdoorsman if her choice of perfumery notes -- citrus, hay, musk, green, fresh air, musk, oakmoss, and patchouli -- is any indication. (More specifically, the perfumer told me she closed her eyes and thought of George Clooney the whole time she was dreaming up this formula . . .)

Important note for CP soapers: In our tests of this fragrance in cold-process soap, the finished soap at cure time was a gorgeous deep plum-purple color. Your mileage may vary, but definitely expect a color change anywhere from pale tan to deep purple.

Flashpoint: 183F.

An irresistibly cool and clean blend. Top notes of Siberian fir needle meld with tart Granny Smith apple, lemon zest, and pineapple. A floral middle of lily of the valley and frosted jasmine petals leads down a big snowy slope to bottom notes of glacial woods and rich patchouli. BOTTOM LINE: Sure to be a best-seller for you during the holidays, but consider working with it year-round, as it truly is one of the most interesting and likable fragrances we've come across in a long time.

Flashpoint: 195F.

Quite simply the richest, most buttery vanilla in the entire universe, and always a top seller here at Sweet Cakes.

Like virtually all vanilla fragrances, this one turns cold-process soap dark brown as it cures (for nondiscoloring vanillas, please see our White Vanilla and Vanilla, Fruity fragrances) and may darken melt-and-pour soap and lotion as well.

Flashpoint: >200°F.

Very realistic -- not overly sweet or synthetic smelling. Great on its own, or combine it with Juicy Lime, Gin Martini, or Kiwi fragrance (just to name a few).

Flashpoint: 152º F.

An amazing duplication of Bath & Body Works' popular blend, with a healthy helping of natural essential oils. Top notes of peppermint and spearmint are believed to reduce fatigue and increase mental alertness. Essential oils of lavender, clary sage,and juniperberry are considered to be calming and uplifting to the spirit. Additional accent notes include laurel leaf, coriander, mandarin, and menthol. A warm and woody drydown is created from amber, sandalwood, jasmine, clove, pine needle, and opoponax resin. BOTTOM LINE: A perennial best-seller here at Sweet Cakes.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

Wonderfully realistic and peachy, which means tart, sweet, and juicy -- with none of that icky chemical smell found in most synthetic peach oils. If you're looking for our "truest," most realistic peach scent, this is it.

Flashpoint: 160 F.

Perfect for spring! This sweet, simple floral begins with green, water-caressed top notes of lily of the valley, summer melon, and apple. A fruity-floral middle of jasmine and rose blended with orange and lemon oils leads to a drydown of white musk and vetiver. BOTTOM LINE: This is one of Bath & Body Works' best-selling fragrances -- irresistibly simple, old-fashioned, and sweet.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

A most unusual rain fragrance, one that sparkles with dancing, upscale florals.

Sparkling top notes of fresh citrus, peach, and plum are balanced by a sweet floral bouquet of jasmine, rose, heliotrope, violet, and iris. Warm vanilla notes and precious woods round out the fragrance. NOTE: Smells very much like Crabtree & Evelyn's "MayFlowers" fragrance.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

A complex, fresh, grassy fragrance with a bit of a sweet note. In Europe, the dried herb was often used to sweeten stored clothes and linens, and a combination of sweetgrass and sage is used in American Indian purification rituals. One Southwestern soapmaker who purchases it assures me it smells just like the sweetgrass braid she purchased at a pow-wow and has hanging in her home. There's something irresistible about this scent . . .

Flashpoint: >200º F.

The Tahitian "tiare" flower is world-renowned for its heavy, white, tropical fragrance (the luxurious Monoi de Tahiti oil is scented with the "tiare" flower). Our version begins with notes of sultry ylang-ylang from Madagascar and neroli, leading to a floral middle of jasmine, lilac, and tuberose, with a clean, long-lasting drydown provided by vanilla absolute, musk, and orange flower. Now tighten the knot in that sarong and go make some soap, candles, and toiletries with this tropical beauty!

Flashpoint: >200º F.

For the adventurous -- try this exotic floral blend:

Thai-phoon
3 parts Sweet Cakes Coconut Lemongrass Fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Tahitian Petals Fragrance

This is an odd blend perhaps, but with a wonderful result! The Tahitian Petals lends an exotic floral note to the already lush "Thai" blend of coconut and lemongrass. Very exotic, this blend takes me away to the warm breezes of distant Thailand!

Sexy, sexy, sexy! A deep, dark modern take on orchid, a mainstay of classical perfumery. Our re-creation of this designer fragrance begins with top notes of ginger, black pepper, and ylang blossom, leading to a spicy floral middle of gardenia, jasmine, orchid, and clove bud. As with all deep, intense fragrances, the bottom notes are key: patchouli, amber, balsam, vanilla, musk, and sandalwood provide a sweet, smooth, mysterious finish.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

Hands down the best rose fragrance we've smelled ever, and a dead-ringer for the pricey, pricey, pricey rose absolute. Rose is the best-selling single-note floral scent year after year, and there's no better rose than this one to be found. BOTTOM LINE: We're not exaggerating -- this fragrance really is that extraordinary; customers call and email us for no other reason than to tell us how thrilled they are with this fragrance.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

Here's a gorgeous True Rose blend that we like to refer to as "not your grandmother's rose fragrance":

Elizabethan Rose
4 parts Sweet Cakes True Rose Fragrance
2 parts Sweet Cakes Lavender Breeze Fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Hyacinth Fragrance

This blend is fresh and new, yet it has a timeless romantic charm. It will transport you into a summer garden on a warm breezy night.

Tuberose isn't a member of the rose family at all -- it has a heavy white tropical floral fragrance like jasmine or ylang-ylang. Tuberose absolute, an ingredient in numerous high quality perfumes, is incredibly expensive -- it actually costs more than its weight in gold. This is a delicious blend of tuberose, gardenia, and jasmine. It smells quite similar to the designer perfumes "Blonde" and "Blue Jeans Couture" -- rich, feminine, and very uspcale.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

Here's a brilliantly upscale Tuberose Deluxe fragrance blend:

Night-Blooming Tuberose
3 parts Sweet Cakes Tuberose Deluxe Fragrance
1 part Sweet Cakes Frankincense & Myrrh Fragrance

The Frankincense & Myrrh gives a smoky, mysterious feel to the the Tuberose -- you'll be surprised at the rich, very upscale, "What's that fragrance?!" blend you'll get.

Another Victoria's Secret scent duplication, and one that no soaper, chandler, or toiletries-maker should be without. A rich, classic vanilla enhanced with top notes of lemon, a floral midsection, and sweet musk on the bottom. BOTTOM LINE: Quite possibly the best, most intoxicating vanilla we've ever smelled.

ADDITIONAL NOTE: This fragrance has been reformulated to minimize crystallizing during cold weather -- with no change whatsoever to its mindbogglingly excellent aroma, thank heavens. If some crystallization *does* occur during shipping (and it may, during the fall/winter/spring months), not to worry -- the fragrance will return to its normal state when you add it to hot soap, hot wax, etc. or you may choose to put the bottle in a cup of warm water to dissolve the crystals too.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

Wow!! A strong, sweet vanilla that did not -- repeat DID NOT -- discolor our cold-process soap one teeny tiny bit. Delicious and delightful on its own, or complement its fruity notes by combining it with peach, strawberry, raspberry, or other fruit favorites.

Flashpoint: 170º F.

Try this updated version of one of perfumery's oldest florals -- violet essence has been used since ancient times as a perfume and in wine, medicine, confections, and love potions. A dazzlingly sweet, rich, single-note floral. INTERESTING NOTE: Many customers have told us in phone calls that they never expected this fragrance to sell well for them and that they initially bought it on a whim, but that it's turned out to be a great seller in their soap and candle lines.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

A dead-on copy of Bath & Body Works' best-selling vanilla fragrance, and it's a doozy! Most vanilla blends conjure up thoughts of cookies and cakes, but not this one. Warm vanilla and brown sugar notes team up with light florals and white musk for a blend that's sexy, fresh, and sparkling -- imagine if a crazed botanist cross-hybridized Britney Spears with a vanilla bean. Perfect for summer, perfect for long vanilla-drenched bubble baths, perfect for people who don't like traditional vanillas.
Important note: Unfortunately NOT perfect for cold-process soap--the scent takes quite a beating in CP soap, although it's wonderful in every other kind of soap and toiletry.

Flashpoint: >200º F.

RECIPE: Sugar & Olive Oil Scrub for Soft Hands
In the palm of your clean hand, mix 1 tbsp. olive oil with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1-2 drops of Warm Vanilla Sugar (type) Fragrance. Rub this mixture thoroughly into your fingers, nail beds, and the back, palms, and heels of your hands. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. The result? Satiny smooth hands. When I'm done applying this scrub, the skin on my hands feels like rose petals (and I don't mean the fragrance oil).