Vanilla

Vanilla planifolia-- solvent extracted from the fruit.  The green capsules or fruit are picked, cured, and the immature vanilla pod or bean is fermented and dried to turn it into a fragrant brown vanilla bean. It is one of the most popular and well known flavors/aromas.   There is no such thing as vanilla essential oil! You can find Extract, powder, whole pods, etc. Total CO2 extract is the most common form used in aromatherapy. It is costly in comparison to other forms. There are many mislabeled synthetic substitutes. The scent of vanilla is easily created in the form of a synthetic, so do your research before buying.  Other than food grade vanilla extract there are five types of vanilla, none of which are a pure essential oil.

 

1. Vanilla Co2 Extract (Select or Total) (roughly 30 - 200 times stronger than the extract used in cooking.)

2. Vanilla Absolute

3. Vanilla Oleoresin

4. Vanilla Dilution (Co2 or Absolute) blended in a fixed oil 

5.  Vanilla Tincture (beans macerated in an alcohol base)

I have several different forms in my palette of vanillas. 

CHARACTER:  “Good Things” Relaxing, Sweet, Gentle, Relational

ETHERIC COLORS: Orange, Gold, Green, Ivory, Caramel Amber

GEMS/CRYSTALS: Mother of Pearl, Citrine, Amber, Carnelian, Peach Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Unakite, Scolecite, Botswana Agate, Sunstone, Poppy Jasper, Rose Quartz, Pink Opal, Rhodonite, Golden Calcite, Mother of Pearl

MUSICAL: Base D, A flat; warm cello, lullabies; slow dance rather than a march

CHAKRAS: Sacral, Heart, Root

PERFUME NOTE:  Middle to Top             

 

USED FOR THESE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES: Confidence, promises of good things to come, emotional safety, soft confidence, healthy sensuality, 

USED FOR THESE NEGATIVE TRAITS:  Recover from Grief or shock; Disconnected from pleasure

PROPERTIES:  aphrodisiac, sedative, antioxidant, anti-depressant

BLENDS: Brave Heart, Caldera, Captivating, Carnelian, Chocolate Jelly Rings, Citrine, Cream Soda, Deep River, Dreamsicle, Enchantment, Gingerbread, Kachina, Key Lime Pie,  Lemon Meringue, Marzipan, 

Moonstone, Mother of Pearl, Opal,  Palomino, Pink Tourmaline, 

Point Sublime, Princess Bride, Swadisthana, Timberline, 

Valentine, Vanilla Pie Spice,

Blends well with almost anything-- Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon, Mandarin, Orange, Sandalwood, Tangerine, and Vetiver. 

  Its main components are acetic acid, capric acid, eugenol, furfural, isobutyric acid, and vanillin hydroxybenzaldehyde. Most of the flavors that include “vanilla” are not actually derived from proper vanilla at all. They are synthesized from hydrocarbons.

ARCHETYPES: CHILD (ALL), DIVA, EMPATH, GOURMET, PRINCESS, BAKER, NURTURER, GENTLE LOVER, SWEET ALCHEMIST

PERSONALITY: 

+ All about the future and forward movement.

+ Enjoys an air of mystery.  

+ Very much an optimist and that feeds back on the state of the now, leaving a pleasant and calm state that can spiral up with more promises of good things to come.

+ Idealistic risk taker, may rely more on intuition than logic.

+ Generally emotionally expressive and successful in close relationships.

+ Are content. When they fall in love with something, they are happy to be tied to it for a long time without the fear that they are missing out on something better. They're happy with being happy.

+They don't need the approval of others to feel good.

+They don’t need grand gestures or constant entertainment to be happy.  Material possessions and flashy gifts are not the main concern.

 -High achiever who may forget comfort.

(updated Feb. 22, 2026)