Seamus Hammond
Creating your own perfume is a fun and rewarding process that allows you to design a unique fragrance that suits your taste. The basic process involves blending essential oils, alcohol, and water to create a signature scent. You can experiment with different combinations of top, middle, and base notes to find a harmony of scents that appeals to you. Once you've perfected your formula, you can bottle your perfume and store it in a cool, dark place to preserve its fragrance. Making your own perfume is an enjoyable way to express your creativity and craft a personalised scent that you can wear or even gift to loved ones.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base ingredients | Alcohol, preferably perfumer's alcohol, or vodka/Everclear |
| Other ingredients | Essential oils, fragrance oils, infused oils, flavour extracts, vegetable glycerin, witch hazel, distilled/spring water |
| Tools | Funnel, measuring cup, pipette, spray bottle, roller bottle, small bowl |
| Storage | Store in a cool, dark place, preferably in coloured glass bottles |
| Notes | Top, middle, and base notes. Top notes include lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, bergamot, spearmint, and peppermint. Middle notes include coriander, palmarosa, marjoram, basil, rosemary, rose geranium, pettitgrain, and lavender. Base notes include patchouli, vetiver, frankincense, cedarwood, and sandalwood |
| Dilution | 2 tablespoons of distilled/spring water for a perfume spray, 5 drops of glycerine |
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What You'll Learn
Choosing a base note
Common Base Notes
Base notes commonly used in perfumery include cedarwood, cistus or rockrose, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, frankincense, and tobacco. Cedarwood has a woody, warm, and slightly sweet scent with a hint of spice. Cistus has a balsamic and slightly floral scent. Sandalwood blends well with other base notes like vanilla and patchouli to create a rich, cosy, and seductive aroma. Patchouli has an earthy, musky, and sweet scent with hints of spice. Tobacco has a rich, smoky, and warm scent with undertones of leather, honey, and vanilla.
Creating Depth and Complexity
Certain base notes can add depth and complexity to a fragrance. For example, frankincense, derived from the resin of the Boswellia tree, has a complex, woody scent with undertones of spice, citrus, and balsamic. Oakmoss, derived from lichen found on oak trees, has a rich, earthy, and woody aroma with hints of leather and moss. Cocoa, extracted from the seeds of the cocoa tree, adds a warm and sweet scent with nutty, chocolate, and vanilla undertones.
Personal Scent Preferences
When choosing a base note, consider your personal scent preferences and how the base note will blend with the middle and top notes. The base note should align with your desired fragrance profile, whether it's warm and sweet or fresh and herbal. Play around with different note combinations and ratios to create a unique and harmonious blend.
Fixing and Longevity
Some base notes, like myrrh, are known for their fixing properties, helping to extend the longevity of a fragrance. If you want your perfume to last longer, consider using a fixed vegetable oil, such as jojoba wax, as your base. This will provide a strong foundation for your fragrance and ensure that it lingers on the skin for a more extended period.
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Adding middle notes
Middle notes are the scents that emerge after the top notes disappear. They last for between 20 minutes and 3 hours before the base notes begin to emerge. Middle notes make up around 50-75% of the blend as they form the heart of the fragrance and provide depth. They are more intense than top notes and include scents like coriander, palmarosa, marjoram, basil, rosemary, rose geranium, petitgrain, and lavender. Middle notes can also include full-bodied floral scents like jasmine and ylang-ylang, as well as spicy scents like cinnamon and pepper, and fruity scents like apple and strawberry.
When adding middle notes to your DIY perfume, you can use the drop-by-drop method, which allows you to create a perfectly balanced scent. Start by adding a single drop of your chosen middle note, then gradually add more drops until the fragrance reaches the desired harmony. This technique ensures that each note complements the others while maintaining the desired perfume longevity.
It is recommended to add the base notes first, followed by the middle notes, and then the top notes. However, you can experiment with different ratios and combinations of notes to create a unique fragrance.
You can also adjust the evaporation rate of the middle notes by using different types of alcohol or materials that evaporate faster or slower. This can help you control how long each note lasts before transitioning to the next one.
Remember, creating a well-balanced perfume requires careful consideration of the different notes and how they work together. By blending various middle notes and experimenting with different ratios, you can design a fragrance that suits your preferences and tells its unique story.
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Blending essential oils
When blending essential oils, it is important to have the right tools. These include droppers, pipettes, or reducer caps; small glass storage or blending bottles; perfume blotters or cotton balls; a pen and paper; and towels. Most essential oil bottles come with a reducer cap, but if not, glass droppers or pipettes can be used for controlled blending. Glass bottles in sizes 1/24 oz., 1/8 oz., or 1/4 oz. are ideal for small-batch blending as the glass won't react with the volatile oils. Perfume blotters or cotton balls are used to observe how the creation transforms as it evaporates, with different aroma notes coming to the fore at different stages. A pen and paper are essential for writing down the amounts of each oil used so that a perfect blend can be recreated. Finally, towels are always good to have on hand in case of spills.
The process of blending essential oils usually starts with choosing a combination of scents that appeal to the blender. It is recommended to start with about 10 drops total, with each oil making up a certain number of drops or percentage of the total blend. For example, a blend could be formulated with 4 drops (or 40%) of organic lavender essential oil, 4 drops (or 40%) of organic clary sage essential oil, and 2 drops (or 20%) of neroli/orange flower essential oil. Once a small test blend is created, it can be put on a perfume blotter or cotton ball to observe how the aromas interact and develop as they evaporate. This is the time to add new oils or boost certain ingredients. The blend can be retested the following day to see if adjustments are needed.
After a blend has been created and tweaked to perfection, a larger batch can be mixed. It is important to keep track of the amounts of each oil used so that the blend can be recreated. Blends can be tested by dipping toothpicks into the oils and then placing them together in a ziplock bag. After a day, the bag can be opened to smell how the scents have blended. It is also important to let blends mature for a day or two to fully develop before deciding if adjustments are needed.
Once a blend is perfected and tested, it can be turned into a perfume by adding alcohol and distilled water. This involves measuring out the desired amount of alcohol and pouring it into a bottle of essential oils, then adding distilled water and shaking the bottle. The perfume should then be stored in a dark place for about a week before testing to make sure the blend is still pleasing. If the alcohol smell is too strong or the blend is off, adjustments can be made, and the perfume should be allowed to sit for a few more days. After about a month, the perfume should be ready to wear, but it will continue to improve with age, with three months being the sweet spot.
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Diluting the fragrance
Step 1: Choose Your Base
Start by selecting a base for your perfume. Commonly used options include vodka, Everclear, or perfumer's alcohol. These act as carriers for your fragrance, enhancing its presence. Alcohol is a popular choice due to its quick evaporation, which boosts the fragrance's 'presence' by carrying the fragrance molecules with it.
Step 2: Add Distilled Water
The next step is to add distilled or spring water to your fragrance. This helps to dilute the intensity of the fragrance and prepare it for application. If you are creating a perfume spray, you may want to add more water to achieve the desired consistency. However, be cautious as too much water can make your perfume cloudy.
Step 3: Include an Emulsifier
To help the essential oils mix with the water, you can add an emulsifier like vegetable glycerin or glycerine. This ingredient ensures that your perfume has a consistent texture and aids in preserving the fragrance.
Step 4: Mix and Store
Once you have added the water and emulsifier, mix your perfume well by shaking the bottle. You can then pour your fragrance into the desired bottle, using a funnel if needed. If you are using clear bottles, cover them with aluminium foil or wrapping paper to protect the fragrance from light, which can cause it to spoil. Store your perfume in a cool, dark place to further preserve its freshness and aroma.
Optional Steps:
You can further customise your perfume by adding a few drops of essential oils for a stronger scent or including fractionated coconut oil or sweet almond oil for a smoother application.
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Storing the perfume
Once you've created your own unique fragrance, it's important to store your perfume correctly to preserve its scent. Here are some detailed steps and tips for storing your DIY perfume:
Sterilise and Prepare Your Bottle
Firstly, ensure your bottle is clean and sterile. If you're reusing an old bottle, wash it thoroughly in the dishwasher. You can also use new bottles, preferably made of coloured glass to protect your fragrance from light.
Choose a Suitable Storage Location
Store your perfume in a cool, dark place. Light and heat can cause the fragrance to spoil or evaporate, so keeping it in a dark, cool environment will help preserve your scent for longer.
Wait for the Right Moment
Before adding the alcohol to your fragrance, it's recommended to wait about a week. During this time, keep your bottle in a dark place. After a week, check if you're happy with the scent. If not, you can adjust and try again.
Seal and Store
Once you've added the alcohol, seal your bottle tightly and return it to the cool, dark storage location. Allow your perfume to sit for at least a month before using it. This waiting period allows the fragrance to develop and mature, and the alcohol smell to dissipate.
Long-Term Storage
After three months, your perfume will be at its best. You can continue to use it and enjoy your unique scent. If you're making perfume in bulk or have multiple creations, ensure you label each fragrance clearly so you can identify them easily.
Storing your DIY perfume correctly ensures that your fragrance remains potent and pleasant. By following these steps, you can enjoy your homemade scent for longer and avoid unnecessary waste.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need a combination of essential oils, fragrance oils, infused oils, flavour extracts (vanilla extract), alcohol (vodka or perfumer's alcohol), distilled water, vegetable glycerin, and witch hazel.
First, add your base notes, then your middle notes, and finally your top notes. Mix the perfume by shaking the bottle. Then, dilute the fragrance by adding distilled water. You can add glycerine to preserve the fragrance and use a funnel to pour the perfume into your chosen bottle.
Top notes are the initial scent that appears when you put the perfume on and then disappears. Examples include lemon, orange, grapefruit, and peppermint. Middle notes appear after the top notes disappear and include scents like coriander, palmarosa, and lavender. Base notes are the foundation of the perfume and include scents like patchouli, vetiver, and cedarwood.
Eau de Parfums are typically ready to wear after about a month, but the fragrance improves over time, with the three-month marker being the "sweet spot".
When mixing your perfume, adding scents from neighbouring families (floral, oriental, woody, fresh) creates harmony. You can also use online resources to identify the different components of brand-name fragrances to imitate your favourite perfume.
