Potpourri help

Potpourri question -
I was in a store recently and walked by some potpourri that smelled so nice.
I had never bought potpourri before, but I bought a bag of this and put it
in a couple of small containers in my bathroom. For about 3 days, the smell
was wonderful. But, then unless I put my nose right above the potpourri, I
couldn't smell it anymore. I mentioned to a friend that the aroma went away
so quickly. She said that you needed to buy scented oil the same fragrance
as the potpourri and keep adding a few drops of oil to keep the smell fresh.
I bought several brands of scented oil the same as the potpourri. But, it
still does not seem to do any good. Even when I add the oil, the smell does
not return. Is potpourri only really good for a few days?

Hi LB

StL my home town!

It depends on the quality of the oil.

There is a little shop in Ladue on Olive Blvd. named The Sign of the
Arrow. I purchased some Vanilla Oil from them and a single drop lasts
over a month at a delicate barely noticable aroma, but you do notice
it. Three drops and you think someone spilled the whole bottle and
your stuck with it for a whole month if not longer.

Most fragrant oils are 99% oil with only a drop of fragrant oil in
them, very diluted and they use a cheap fragrant oil to start with.
Unfortunately, there are no regulations required they state the
concentration of the fragrance used in their product or if it's pure.
But you can usually tell by the price. Undiluted fragrant oil is
often around 25 bucks a 1/4 ounce on common fragrances.

TTUL
Gary

"Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr." wrote in message
...
Hi LB

StL my home town!

It depends on the quality of the oil.

There is a little shop in Ladue on Olive Blvd. named The Sign of the
Arrow. I purchased some Vanilla Oil from them and a single drop lasts
over a month at a delicate barely noticable aroma, but you do notice
it. Three drops and you think someone spilled the whole bottle and
your stuck with it for a whole month if not longer.

Most fragrant oils are 99% oil with only a drop of fragrant oil in
them, very diluted and they use a cheap fragrant oil to start with.
Unfortunately, there are no regulations required they state the
concentration of the fragrance used in their product or if it's pure.
But you can usually tell by the price. Undiluted fragrant oil is
often around 25 bucks a 1/4 ounce on common fragrances.

TTUL
Gary

Thanks Gary. I know that shop. I have purchased a few things from them.
The oil that I bought was about $7 for 1/4 ounce. It seemed expensive to
me, but from what you say apparently it is not a good oil.

ususally a good pot pourri lasts a few months at least. not knowing
what you actually bought it is hard to say.there is a lot of cheapos
on the market but that is not to say you paid peanuts for it -- the
shops can add on a big mark up. try surfing the net and get a good
recipe and make your own, it is not difficult and you can make your
own favourite smells. have fun.

Hi LB

I imagine they started carrying a cheaper brand because not many folks
would part with 20 to 25 bucks for a small 1/4 oz bottle.

The differences in fragrance oils is not much different than the
fragrances of perfumes, scent strength and longetivity wise that is.

In comparison, you have perfume which is supposed to be pure.
Then you have cologne, which is diluted.
Then you have splash-ons, which are really really really diluted.

A single drop of perfume should last all day, quality cologne about
1/2 a day, and the splash-ons lose their scent before your out the
door.

Ever spill perfume in a drawer, suitcase or handbag?
It seems the fragrance never goes away!

Those quart bottles of scents sold at WalMart have less than 1/16th
drop of pure scent in each bottle.

If you notice, you will never find an ingredients listing on scents or
air fresheners, nor the type and amount of the active ingredient as
you would find clearly printed on pesticide cans.

If one had the CAS number of their favorite fragrance and knew the
amount to use to get a solid week or month of fragrance. The store
shelves would not be loaded down with WAY OVERPRICED scented oils and
sprays.

Sorry about my rant! I hate buying things of undisclosed contents.

TTUL
Gary

"Gary V. Deutschmann, Sr." wrote in message
...
Hi LB

I imagine they started carrying a cheaper brand because not many folks
would part with 20 to 25 bucks for a small 1/4 oz bottle.

The differences in fragrance oils is not much different than the
fragrances of perfumes, scent strength and longetivity wise that is.

In comparison, you have perfume which is supposed to be pure.
Then you have cologne, which is diluted.
Then you have splash-ons, which are really really really diluted.

A single drop of perfume should last all day, quality cologne about
1/2 a day, and the splash-ons lose their scent before your out the
door.

Ever spill perfume in a drawer, suitcase or handbag?
It seems the fragrance never goes away!

Those quart bottles of scents sold at WalMart have less than 1/16th
drop of pure scent in each bottle.

If you notice, you will never find an ingredients listing on scents or
air fresheners, nor the type and amount of the active ingredient as
you would find clearly printed on pesticide cans.

If one had the CAS number of their favorite fragrance and knew the
amount to use to get a solid week or month of fragrance. The store
shelves would not be loaded down with WAY OVERPRICED scented oils and
sprays.

Sorry about my rant! I hate buying things of undisclosed contents.

TTUL
Gary


Gary,

Sorry if I wasn't clear - I have bought a few things from Sign of the Arrow,
but NOT the fragrance oil. I have not been in that store for a few years
now. I bought a couple of 1/4 oz bottles of oil from other places that
cost $7ish per 1/4 ounce. I totally understand what you are saying about
the amount of the fragrance per bottle. I always buy perfume for myself,
not cologne. I guess I did not stop to think that the same principal would
apply to the scented oils. I was just disappointed with my first foray
into the world of potpourri. I happened upon some that smelled so nice and
the fragrance was gone so quickly. Then on the advice of a friend, I
bought the scented oils and they did not have much effect on making the
scent of the potpourri stronger or last any real length of time.

Hi LB

This little tidbit of info may be important to you in finding the
right oils.

There are oils that stay wet, and there are oils that dry.
An oil that normally stays wet can become a drying oil if it is
accelerated with a drying agent.
The most common solvent used with oils is alcohol, which also allows
oil to mix with water by acting as a catalyst. Alcohol is a drying
agent for oil.

So in summary, if you want the fragrance to last it must be pure
undiluted oil with no solvents/dryers of any kind present in the
fragrance oil. Normally, the minute you cut it by dilution with a
known drying agent, you've just set a timer as to how long the
fragrance will last.

TTUL
Gary