Make Your Own Car Freshies With Aroma Beads

Car freshies are a fun and simple DIY project that can add exciting aromas to your car's interior. They are cute air fresheners that can be hung from your rear-view mirror. To make car freshies with aroma beads, you will need a few supplies, including metal cookie cutters, aroma beads, fragrance oil, and mica powder for colouring (optional). The process involves soaking the aroma beads in fragrance oil, melting them into shapes using cookie cutters, and then decorating them as desired. The baking process is important, as it determines the final shape and texture of the freshies. Overall, making car freshies with aroma beads is a creative way to customise your car's scent and interior décor.

Choosing the right aroma beads

When choosing the right aroma beads for your car freshener, there are a few things to keep in mind. Firstly, decide on the scent you want. You can choose from a variety of scented aroma beads available in the market or make your own by adding fragrance oil to unscented aroma beads. If you're making your own, simply add fragrance oil to the beads in a clean glass jar or plastic container, shake well, and let it sit for about 24 hours to absorb the oil. The amount of fragrance oil you add will depend on the desired strength of the scent, but it's important not to add too much oil at once as this can affect the absorption. Generally, a 4 to 12% fragrance load is ideal, with the beads appearing wet and fully coated with the oil.

In addition to the scent, you can also customize the color of your aroma beads. This can be done by adding mica powder or liquid candle dye to the beads. If using mica powder, start with a small amount and increase gradually until you achieve the desired color intensity. It's important to note that adding too much mica powder can affect fragrance absorption and the melting process.

When purchasing aroma beads, look for those made from EVA plastic, which is known for its high fragrance absorption and long-lasting scents. The size of the beads may vary, but they are typically small enough to fit into metal cookie cutters or molds for shaping.

Lastly, consider the amount of aroma beads you will need for your project. A typical batch of car freshies may use around 3-10 pounds of beads, depending on the number of freshies you intend to make. Unscented aroma beads are a good option if you plan to add your own fragrance and color, while scented and colored beads can be used as-is or further customized.

Adding fragrance and colour

You can buy aroma beads that are already scented, or you can add fragrance to unscented beads yourself. To add fragrance, simply add your chosen fragrance oil and beads to a clean glass jar or plastic container. The amount of oil you add will depend on the desired strength of the scent. Beads can hold a maximum of 20-30% fragrance oil, but you may find that you can create a scent you like with less fragrance. If you are making a different amount of aroma beads, adjust the amount of fragrance you use accordingly. For a 4% fragrance load, you will need about 0.5 oz of fragrance per pound of beads, while a 12% load is about 2 oz of fragrance per pound of beads. Shake the jar, then shake again every few hours to distribute the fragrance evenly. The fragrance will soak into the beads over time, and they are ready to use for projects once they appear dry and no longer stick to the sides of the jar. This can take anywhere from one day to two weeks or more, depending on the fragrance used. Heavier oils tend to take longer.

If you add too much fragrance oil and it isn't being absorbed, you can fix this by adding more (unscented) beads to soak up the excess.

You can also add colour to your aroma beads using mica powder. Simply add a small amount of powder to your beads and shake until it is evenly mixed. You can add more powder to get a more intense colour, but adding too much mica can make it difficult for the fragrance to absorb and for the beads to melt together. You can test out different amounts of mica powder to find the right balance of colour and fragrance.

Liquid candle dyes can also be used to colour aroma beads, but food colouring is not recommended.

You can also create multicoloured freshies by mixing different colours of beads or bisecting a cookie cutter with a comb while pouring the beads to add separate areas of colour.

Preparing the baking sheet

To prepare the baking sheet, first preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). The size of your baking sheet depends on the number of shapes you are baking and the size of your oven. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil. Do not use wax paper as the beads will stick to it and it will be difficult to remove them. Place your metal cookie cutters on the lined baking sheet, ensuring they are evenly spaced apart. The number and size of the shapes you are baking can affect the time it takes to bake them.

Pouring beads into moulds

When pouring the aroma beads into moulds, it is important to use metal cookie cutters that are at least 1 inch deep, and in the shapes that you want your freshies to be. Place them flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (not wax paper). Then, pour the scented aroma beads into the cookie cutters so that they are about halfway full. Without lifting the cookie cutters, gently shift them back and forth to help the beads settle into all the corners and details of the moulds. If you want to hang your freshies, you can place a roofing nail or a medium to large screw in the beads to create a hole.

Baking the freshies

Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (do not use wax paper). Place metal cookie cutters onto the lined baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. You can use any shape of cookie cutter, but a depth of at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) is recommended.

If you want to hang your freshies, create a hole for the string by placing a medium to large-sized screw or nail in each cookie cutter. Place the screw or nail upright, about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from the top of the mold.

Fill each cookie cutter about halfway with scented aroma beads. Gently shift the cookie cutters back and forth to help the beads settle into all the corners and details of the cutter.

Bake the aroma beads for 5 to 10 minutes. Check the beads regularly after the 5-minute mark. They are done when they stick together and do not separate when poked with a toothpick, chopstick, or popsicle stick. The beads will appear glassy and clear when they are done and may have a slightly gummy texture.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the freshies cool for about an hour, or until they are no longer warm to the touch. You can also try removing the freshies from the molds after 30 minutes of cooling time if you prefer.

Once the freshies are cool, gently press down on them with your thumbs to pop them out of the cookie cutters. If the freshies seem stuck, press down around the sides first to loosen them from the cutters. If you used a screw or nail to create a hole, gently push the tip with your thumb to remove it.

Tips and Troubleshooting

• Every oven is different, so you may need to adjust the temperature and baking time. It is recommended to test a small batch first to determine the optimal temperature and timing for your oven.
• Keep the cookie cutters and beads at an even height and spacing to promote even melting.
• If you are using cookie cutters with intricate details, the smaller or narrower parts of the design will melt first. The center of the mold or thicker parts of the design will take longer to melt.
• To prevent loss of scent, do not bake the aroma beads for too long or at a very high temperature.
• If you want to add fragrance after baking, place the freshies in a small plastic bag with a little fragrance oil. Squeeze the air out and squish the fragrance onto the shape to spread it evenly. However, keep in mind that the scent may not be as strong using this method.

Frequently asked questions