Heidi Norton
Lavender is a popular fragrance, and many high-end perfumes contain lavender essential oil. Fortunately, it's a simple process to make your own lavender perfume, and you can easily create your own distinctive fragrance that won't be overpowering. You can use a variety of carrier oils, such as jojoba oil, fractionated coconut oil, or avocado oil, and add 20-30 drops of lavender essential oil, depending on the desired intensity. You can also add a few drops of alcohol, such as vodka, to help release the fragrance and extend its shelf life.
How to Make Lavender Perfume
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Lavender buds/flowers, carrier oil (jojoba oil, almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, etc.), essential oils (vanilla oleoresin essential oil, etc.), alcohol (vodka), muslin |
| Equipment | Perfume bottle (dark-coloured, opaque glass bottle with a spray applicator), small funnel, pestle and mortar |
| Process | Clean and crush lavender with a pestle and mortar, submerge in distilled water for 4 hours, strain liquid through muslin, add carrier oil and essential oils, shake, add alcohol, let sit for 2 days to a week, transfer to final perfume container |
| Notes | Perfumes can contain up to 40% essential oils, while colognes have far less (about 5%) and a higher alcohol content. The top note of lavender oil is floral, the middle note is woody/herbal, and the base note is camphor. |
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What You'll Learn
Gather dried lavender flowers and buds
To make your own lavender perfume, you'll need to gather some dried lavender flowers and buds. You can grow your own lavender or buy it from a supplier. When you have your lavender, you'll need to clean it and remove any dirt or debris. Spread the flowers and buds out on a clean surface and leave them to dry for a few hours, or until they are completely dry. Once they are dry, you can crush them with a pestle and mortar.
The amount of lavender buds you'll need depends on how strong you want your perfume to be and how many bottles you are planning to make. For a strong lavender scent, you can use up to a quarter of a teaspoon of buds per bottle. If you want a more subtle fragrance, you can use as little as an eighth of a teaspoon.
When your lavender is prepared, you can move on to the next step of making your perfume. This involves infusing the lavender in a carrier oil, such as almond oil, fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, or avocado oil. You can also use sunflower oil, but this may be less effective as it is not a dry oil like the others.
Adding a carrier oil to your lavender perfume is important as it helps to dilute the essential oil and make it safe for the skin. It also helps to extend the life of your perfume, as pure essential oils can evaporate quickly. Carrier oils are usually odourless, so they won't interfere with the scent of the lavender.
Once you've added your carrier oil, you can move on to the next steps of making your perfume, including adding other ingredients such as alcohol or additional essential oils to create a unique fragrance.
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Use a carrier oil like jojoba or grapeseed
To make a lavender perfume, you'll need a carrier oil, such as jojoba or grapeseed oil, as well as lavender essential oil and a glass bottle with a tight-fitting screw cap.
Carrier oils are used to dilute essential oils and "carry" them onto the skin, as applying undiluted essential oils directly to the skin can be irritating. They are typically odourless and do not evaporate quickly, helping to extend the shelf life of your perfume.
Jojoba oil is a great choice for a carrier oil as it is rich in vitamins and minerals, and its anti-inflammatory properties can help to soothe the skin. It is also non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores, so it's suitable for all skin types. Grapeseed oil is another excellent option, as it is lightweight and easily absorbed by the skin, and it can help to balance the skin's moisture.
To make your lavender perfume, simply add your carrier oil of choice and the lavender essential oil to your glass bottle. Shake the bottle for several seconds and test to see if the fragrance is too heavy or too light. Adjust as needed by adding more carrier oil or essential oil.
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Add complementary essential oils
When making your own lavender perfume, you can add complementary essential oils to create a unique fragrance. Essential oils are used to create the top, middle, and base notes of a perfume. The top note is the first scent you smell, the middle or heart note comes next, and the base note is the lasting impression.
Lavender is a versatile fragrance that complements almost any other essential oil. You can use other floral scents to enhance the lavender, or add something completely different for a unique combination. Some common essential oils used in perfumery include vanilla oleoresin, almond, fractionated coconut, sunflower, jojoba, apricot kernel, and avocado. You can also use rosemary or geranium, which have naturally occurring camphor that can serve as a base note.
When blending essential oils, it's important to consider the desired intensity of the fragrance. The amount of essential oil you use will depend on how strong you want the scent to be. Typically, a perfume can contain up to 40% essential oils, while a cologne usually has around 5%.
To create your own fragrance, experiment with different combinations of essential oils and adjust the proportions to find a scent that you like. You can also add other ingredients like dried lavender flowers or vanilla extract to enhance the aroma and create a personalised perfume.
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Include alcohol for a cologne
Making Lavender Perfume
Perfumes are often made using essential oils, such as lavender, and can contain up to 40% of these oils. The more essential oil, the more expensive the fragrance.
To make a simple lavender perfume, you can use a combination of carrier oil, lavender essential oil, and vodka. Firstly, add the carrier oil and essential oil to a glass bottle and shake to combine. Test the fragrance, adding more oil as needed. Next, add the vodka and shake again, then let the bottle sit for a few days before adding the hydrosol and transferring to your chosen perfume container.
Colognes have a much lower percentage of essential oils, at around 5%, and a higher alcohol content than perfumes. The alcohol gives a cooling effect on the skin and creates a more subtle fragrance.
To make a lavender cologne, follow the same steps as for the perfume but use 30 drops (1.5 ml) of lavender essential oil, 6 tablespoons of alcohol, and 3 tablespoons of hydrosol. You can use vodka as your alcohol, but for a better result, use pure (191+) proof ethanol, either undenatured or SDA40B denatured. Ethanol will help with extraction and create a stronger scent.
You can also make your own perfumer's alcohol by mixing 50% alcohol 95% with another 50% alcohol 95%. However, some advise against this, saying that the denaturant added to 95% alcohol is purely for tax purposes and will not help create a better perfume.
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Store in a dark glass bottle
Once you've made your lavender perfume, it's important to store it correctly to ensure its longevity and maintain its scent. It is recommended to store your perfume in a dark glass bottle, as this will help to extend its shelf life. Dark glass bottles are ideal as they prevent light from entering and interacting with the perfume, which can cause it to degrade over time.
Dark glass bottles are available in various sizes and shapes, and you can choose one that suits your preferences and needs. They typically have tight-fitting screw caps or rollerball lids, ensuring that the perfume remains securely contained and does not evaporate or leak.
When transferring your perfume to the dark glass bottle, use a small funnel to avoid spills and messes. Leave about a quarter-inch of headspace between the fill level and the neck of the bottle. This allows for expansion and prevents overflow when applying the lid.
Label your bottle if desired, or decorate it with stamps, adhesive decorations, or bows to give it a personalised touch. You can also recycle and reuse old essential oil bottles if they are made of dark glass.
By storing your lavender perfume in a dark glass bottle, you can preserve its scent, maintain its quality, and prolong its usability.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need lavender buds or lavender essential oil, a carrier oil (jojoba oil, fractionated coconut oil, almond oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, etc.), a small funnel, a bottle with a lid, and a dark-coloured bottle for storage. You can also add a few drops of alcohol, such as vodka, to extend the shelf life of your perfume.
For the lavender, you can use around 1/8-1/4 tsp of lavender buds or 20-30 drops of lavender essential oil, depending on your desired intensity. For the carrier oil, fill the bottle with a little less than 1 oz, leaving about 1/4 inch of headspace.
It is recommended to use a dark-coloured or opaque glass bottle with a tight-fitting screw cap or a spray applicator to store your lavender perfume.
First, fill the bottle with your desired amount of lavender buds or lavender essential oil. Then, use a small funnel to carefully add the carrier oil, leaving some space at the top. Put the lid on the bottle and shake for a few seconds. If using alcohol, add a few drops and shake again. Let the bottle sit for at least two days before transferring the perfume to your final storage bottle.
You can experiment with different types and amounts of essential oils to create unique blends and personalised scents. Lavender complements almost any other essential oil fragrance, so feel free to mix and match to find a scent that you enjoy.
