Making perfume using essential oils is very easy and can be done with very little oil. You can create your own signature fragrance for yourself or to give to a friend. Visit a store in your area to try some essential oils and find out what scents you like best. By making your own perfume, you are in control of the ingredients and quality of your fragrance products.
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Part 1 of 2: Learning the Basics
Step 1. Learn the order of the oils
When making perfumes with essential oils, you have to follow a sequence: start with the base notes layer, then add the middle notes, and finally the initial scents. The initial scent is what you smell when you first inhale the perfume, after which you can smell the other scents gradually. You need to enter the oil in this order.
The initial aroma (top note) will reach our senses first, but fades quickly. The middle note is basically the "heart" of the perfume. The middle notes add warmth and density to the perfume and the scent lasts a long time. The base notes will develop over time, so it may not be noticeable at first. However, once the other scents have faded, the base notes will remain. The base notes are often more of a refreshing scent such as cypress, musk, cloves, cedar wood, sandalwood, etc
Step 2. Use a dark colored bottle
This is important because a dark bottle will help keep the perfume long by protecting it from light. Be sure to shake the perfume before applying it so that the scent blends in. When storing bottles, try to keep them away from direct sunlight.
You can also use a roller bottle to store essential oils. This sometimes works better because perfumes from essential oils tend to be thicker than regular perfumes, making them a bit more difficult to spray on the skin
Step 3. Let the aromas blend
While you can start using the perfume right away, it's best to let the scent mix and blend before using it. You may decide to put on the perfume right away, but the scent will wear off and there won't be much time for the individual oils to blend together to produce a nice scent. That's why letting it sit for a while will help, because it means you're giving the perfume time to reach its base.
Perfumes made from essential oils smell good right away, but over time the scents can mix into something that doesn't smell very good. Allowing the perfume to sit for a while will allow you to better estimate what the blended scent will smell like throughout the perfume's lifetime
Step 4. Know the benefits of essential oils
While perfumes usually last longer on the skin, essential oils are great products because they are extracted directly from nature. Essential oils don't have many of the chemicals found in commercial perfumes, so if you're looking for something organic and natural, essential oils are the answer. You also have the option of creating a wide variety of scents and fragrances using essential oils.
- Essential oils are also good for people who have sensitive skin or have a negative reaction to perfume products. Essential oils are natural so you can create a variety of scents that your skin will hopefully accept better than commercial perfumes.
- Commercial perfumes contain preservatives and other chemicals that help scents and fragrances last longer. Essential oils, because they are taken from nature, will fade faster. However, if you want your fragrance to last longer, you can add a drop or two of a natural fixative or additive. These usually have a pungent smell, so you won't want to use them frequently or in large quantities, but an occasional drop shouldn't be a problem.
Part 2 of 2: Making Perfume
Step 1. Add the base scent
The first step to creating a fragrance is to include the base notes. Often, the base scent is earthy, which lasts a long time in the perfume and can make up as much as five to 20 percent of the perfume mix (however, this varies). However, some people prefer to use scents such as grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil. This is your own choice and can be experimented with to see which scent you prefer. If you're not sure where to start, you can follow this guide:
- For a fresh and energizing perfume, add 17 drops of grapefruit oil to a perfume bottle or roller bottle.
- For a romantic and floral blend, add 25 drops of rose essential oil.
- For a sensual and earthy perfume, add 20 drops of sweet orange essential oil.
Step 2. Mix in the middle notes
This is the heart of the perfume, which smells after the initial scent has faded. Some people prefer to use floral scents for this part, but this is your personal preference. Often the middle notes make up the bulk of the perfume mix (50 to 80 percent), but again, this varies depending on the individual experiment. Here are some suggestions that continue the previous step:
- For a fresh and energizing perfume, add 14 drops of ginger essential oil.
- For a floral and romantic blend, add 10 drops of lime essential oil.
- For a sensual and earthy perfume, add 15 drops of ylang ylang (Filipino ylang) oil. Ylang ylang is an oil derived from the ylang tree, and is known for its rich floral aroma.
Step 3. Add the initial fragrance
Finally, the last major addition to a perfume is the initial scent, which will fade quickly but will be the first scent to smell when the perfume is opened. This can often be as much as five to 20 percent of the perfume mix, but you can add more or less, if you like. Some people prefer to use a fruity scent, mint, or something refreshing for the initial scent. Try different scents if you're not sure and find out which one you like best. You can also follow these guidelines:
- For an energizing and refreshing mixture, add 10 drops of vetiver essential oil. Vetiver is a weed that is native to India and is often used as a flavoring agent because it produces a thick syrup. This plant also has fixative properties, which help the perfume smell to last longer.
- For a floral and romantic scent, add 10 drops of vetiver essential oil.
- For an earthy and sensual fragrance, add 10 drops of cedarwood essential oil.
Step 4. Experiment with different scents
If you've tried a number of different combinations and don't like them, maybe you should just experiment with different scents. Play around with different scents until you find one you like.
- You may prefer a more woody scent and only want to use vanilla, sandalwood, and sweet almond oils. Or you might enjoy a sharp floral scent and want to use lavender, ylang ylang and grapeseed oils. Maybe you prefer fruity scents and want to use lemon, sweet orange, mandarin.
- If you've created a really nice scent and then ruined it with another oil, don't worry. You can add a drop of orange oil, which will help to remove other scents.
Step 5. Add alcohol as preservative
This step isn't necessary, but it can be useful if you want your perfume to last longer. The size of the bottle you choose will determine how much alcohol you should use. If you use about 60 drops of essential oil, you can add 80 to 120 ml of alcohol. If you're only using 20 to 30 drops of essential oil, you may need to add about 30 to 30 ml of alcohol.
You can use any type of alcohol for this, but you may need a type of alcohol that mixes well with the scent of the perfume. Some people choose vodka because vodka is basically tasteless, but spiced rum might work well. If you're not sure, start with a lighter-tasting alcohol
Step 6. Shake the perfume and apply
After adding all the ingredients to the fragrance, shake it. This will allow the aromas to mix and blend. After that, if you are patient enough, let it sit for a month before using it. You can use it before then, but the aroma will become stronger as you let it sit and the alcohol will fade as well.
Step 7. Make a solid perfume
You can also make a solid perfume using beeswax and jojoba oil. Some people use jojoba oil for liquid perfumes, but if the air is cold, the jojoba oil will harden. So it's best to use it if you are going to make solid perfume.
- One recipe to try is 4 tablespoons beeswax, 4 tablespoons jojoba oil, 27-32 drops sandalwood oil, 27-32 drops vanilla oil, 25-30 grapefruit oil, and 20-25 drops bergamot oil.
- Start by grating and melting the beeswax in a kettle on low heat. Then add the jojoba oil until completely combined. Allow the mixture to cool below 48 C, then continue to add the other oil. Store it in a small bottle or lip balm tube.
