VanVan

Since I mentioned my blend of VanVan oil in my last post, and since its use is going to be mentioned in an upcoming post, I wanted to go ahead and make one describing my formula of it.  The reason I went ahead and made my blend is the same reason I've made my own blends of all my oils so far: I can't afford to buy online, and I happen to have most of the supplies needed...usually.

According to the formulary in Illes’ ‘The Element Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells’, VanVan oil is traditionally made from any combination of 5 wild asian grasses:

• Lemongrass (The primary ingredient)
• Citronella
• Palmarosa
• Gingergrass (Interestingly enough, this is simply an old name for the second pressing of Palmarosa, according to Cat Yronwode in ‘Hoodoo Herb & Root Magic’)
• Vetiver

Of course, for max potency one would use all five.  In addition, there is another related herb that can be used for extra power: Patchouli.  Most of the ingredients are known for having spiritually cleansing, protective, jinx-breaking powers.  However, some of them have powers that, when they’re all combined, result in a kind of all-purpose condition oil...which of course is what VanVan is known for.

Here’s the recipe I ended up using:

• ¼ cup base oil (sweet almond, olive, grapeseed, or jojoba)
• Lemongrass EO
• Palmarosa EO
• Patchouli EO

I tended to add the essential oils to the base oil about 3 drops at a time of each one until the oil smelled strong enough for my taste.  Then I added just a little more lemongrass. I swirled them together, left it for a day or two, and it was ready to be empowered.  Before I made it, I thought the palmarosa and the patchouli would balance out the strong lemony smell of the lemongrass...but they didn’t.  In fact, they seemed to enhance the smell of it, making the lemony smell richer, a little smoother, and more solid.  In the case of my blend, I had to rely on patchouli to make up for the other missing grasses, but so far I think it has worked out well.