The Scentual Life: Create the tropics, lose the winter blues

Join me each week as I explore the naturally aromatic side of DIY.
herbs, and other botanicals to soap-making, body care products and other useful blends.

As the last days of February approach, I know that I find myself pining away for Spring's arrival. Here in New England, we've had a snow cover since November 20, and I yearn to see turf again.

Reality check: Spring won't be here for another two months, and since I have no tropical vacations planned, I decided to bring the tropics home, in the form of home scents, soap, body butter and lip balm.

There are so many tropical-themed fragrance oils out there, but don't be tempted. With a little creativity and some carefully sourced supplies, it is easy to create tropical scents naturally.


The two staples you will need to make tropical-scented bath and body products are Monoi de Tahiti and virgin coconut oil.

Monoi de Tahiti is essentially macerated gardenia flowers in coconut oil. It has a distinctly floral scent that takes one to the islands. It is rich and moisturizing and you will want to slather this all over your body right out of the bottle. Go for it, but then save some for scenting your home, some soap and some body butter.

Virgin Coconut Oil, available at any natural foods store or online, is unrefined coconut oil, meaning that the glorious scent of coconuts is still intact, as are the skin loving properties. Yes, slather this one all over your body too, and even use it for cooking and baking, but again, save some for lip balm and body scrub.

Tropical Treats for your Home

Melt some Monoi de Tahiti in a wax tart burner. The scent is strong and lasting and you'll want to don your lei, really. With just a few additions, you can tailor your tropical themed scent:

• Add 3 drops of any citrus essential oil (I like pink grapefruit) for a more fruity tropical scent.
• Add 3 drops of vanilla infusion and 3 drops of orange essential oil and cocktails will come to mind.
• Accentuate the floral with 3 drops of ylang-ylang.

Cook with your VCO (virgin coconut oil). Popcorn made with VCO is a delightful surprise, and if you toss a tablespoon or so into your fruit smoothie, you'll get health benefits and a tropical taste.

Island Delights for your Body

Try this simple lip balm recipe using VCO for that tropical taste every time your lips need moisturizing.

• 4 tsp. VCO
• 2 tsp. beeswax
• 6 drops distilled lime essential oil (cold pressed lime has phototoxic properties)

Melt slowly (a double boiler works best but short bursts in the microwave with stirring in-between will suffice), pour into containers, let cool and enjoy. You may want to adjust the ratio a bit so the texture is to your liking (lip balms are a very personal thing) or add 1/2 tsp. of prime-pressed cocoa butter to add chocolate taste too (need I say yum?).

Body Butter is so nourishing to your skin, easy to make and with Monoi de Tahiti, smells like a tropical dream.

• 6 oz. shea butter
• 2 oz. Monoi de Tahiti or VCO
• 1 oz. cocoa butter

Melt slowly, pour into containers and let cool. Let the slathering begin! You can turn this into a rich body scrub by mixing it with sea salt until you get the consistency you like.

If you make cold process soap, you can use about 20-50% Monoi de Tahiti in your recipe (leave out the coconut oil) and the wonderful gardenia scent will come through. Ground it with some patchouli or vetiver, highlight that heady floral with some ylang ylang or rose geranium and you've got a naturally tropical soap.

Even though there is snow on the ground, you can have a tropical paradise in your own home by using these simple recipes.