Fragrance / Tattoo
By Beth Wade — May 20, 2025 Writing Workshop
Written during a Speak Up writing community workshop.
See all the prompts and other writings from this session.
If you had to create a fragrance that reflects who you are, what would it smell like? What’s in it? What’s the name of this fragrance?
This prompt speaks to me because I actually created a fragrance I love from various oils I have. It’s doesn’t have a name though…maybe I can call it “Undercover Hippie”? I start my scent by adding a small amount of oil mixed by a company named Zusa I found in Asheville.
The blend is called Egyptian Goddess and has sandalwood, Egyptian Musk, and other sweet scents along with jojoba and almond oils. After I add Egyptian Goddess, I add about 6 drops of frankincense and spikenard. Both have a very earthy vibe. Finally, I add about 6 more drops of another essential oil I found on Thrive Market. It’s called Defense Blend and has cinnamon, clove, lemon, lime, eucalyptus and other spicy scents. After these oils are in, I top the roller off with more jojoba oil and shake well to get my signature fragrance. I was naturally drawn to these smells and decided to experiment and see how they worked together. And yes, I feel the name I thought of today works…as long as I never add patchouli oil, which could reveal my classified flower child identity.
Thanks to Speak Up, now my cherished sweet and spicy oil blend will henceforth be referred to as “Undercover Hippie”.
If you had to get a tattoo today, what would you get and why?
I currently don’t have any tattoos, but I have considered several over my lifetime. About 5 years ago, I really wanted to get my three kids fingerprints tattooed on my heart. I wanted to get each fingerprint in the corresponding color of my kids birthstones. So Will would be green for August, Charlie blue for March and Alice purple for February. Having their fingerprints touch my heart felt very symbolic of how they have touched my life and helped me grow as a mother.
I was also interested in getting the unalome symbol tattooed somewhere, perhaps my wrist or chest. The unalome is from Hindu and Buddhist traditions I discovered when I started yoga in 2018. It represents the souls journey towards enlightenment and inner peace. The sign starts with a spiral, representing the struggles and twists life can put us through. Then, it goes to a series of back and forth loops, sort of like a pendulum swinging as we begin to handle those struggles with more ease. Finally, the line eventually straightens out, an illustration of the soul being able to handle all of life’s experiences with grace and consistent steady emotional maturity. This line ultimately reaches a single point or dot signifying the soul in a state of complete harmony. Nirvana.
I still love the thought of these tattoo ideas…now if I can just get the courage to face that needle?!