Academics from the Ganesha University of Education (Undiksha) again provided assistance to the Bali Sari Wangi home industry in Sepang Village, Busungbiu District, Buleleng Regency. This assistance is to produce fragrances that can give a fragrant effect to bath soap or other cosmetics. So far, fragrances to give a luxurious impression to cosmetic products have been purchased from perfume shops and chemical supply stores.
This assistance to UKM partners is a creative step taken by Undiksha academics to reduce the use of synthetic fragrances, such as linalool, limonene, geraniol, and benzyl benzoate which incidentally are harmful to the skin.
Regarding this anticipation, the Community Service Team from the State University in North Bali, through the Service Grant to the Community Partnership Empowerment (PKM) scheme, provided assistance in the form of a set of essential oil distillation tools as well as providing education to partners regarding all the processes carried out. Citronella Oil from distilled citronella can later be used to diversify bath soaps, one of which is antiseptic soap.
The resource person who is also a member of the PKM executive, Prof. Drs. I Wayan Muderawan, Ph.D., who has been working on essential oil chemistry for a long time, firmly provided insight to Bali Sari Wangi members about essential oils from citronella, how to refine them and their health benefits.
The Chairperson of the 2023 PKM Implementation Team, I Nyoman Sukarta, M.Sc, Saturday (2/9/2023) said that through the assistance of essential oil distillation equipment that had been provided and upgrading insights by Undiksha essential oil experts, Bali Sari Wang’s partners were expected to be able to start produces fragrances from natural ingredients and uses them to increase the value of the aroma of its cosmetic products and increase sales value. “We hope that this innovation can provide benefits for the development of this business product and can produce higher quality products,” he explained, adding that it is hoped that the assistance for SMEs will continue. (rls/hms)
