Commentary
“Enfleurage “
smart
By: Raymond Sucgang (Senior Researcher, DOST-PNRI)
We often come across sampaguita lei vendors outside the church or near places like SM North. Let’s consider supporting them by buying their sampaguita. In doing so, we’re helping them earn a living instead of resorting to begging.
Once we have the sampaguita, we can soak it in virgin coconut oil or mineral oil. Each time we receive fresh flowers, we can add them to the soaked batch. Over time, as the petals release their essence, the oil will become a fragrant, concentrated sampaguita-scented oil. This method is called enfleurage, a traditional technique for capturing the delicate scent of flowers.
We can then use this homemade sampaguita oil to enhance the scent of our favorite perfumes. Imagine a touch of sampaguita blended with Lacoste, or DKNY infused with this beautiful, distinct fragrance. By doing this, we not only support our local vendors, but also create something uniquely Filipino.
