Seamus Hammond
Making perfume with essential oils and alcohol is a fun and easy DIY project. It can be challenging to blend essential oils for fragrances, and using only natural ingredients can be especially difficult. However, creating your own perfume allows you to control exactly what goes into it and onto your skin. You can make a natural fragrance with essential oils and a carrier, such as perfumer's alcohol or a natural oil. You will also need a dark-coloured bottle to keep your fragrance from spoiling. To make an eau de parfum, use around 15-20% essential oils and 70% alcohol, with the remaining 10% being distilled water.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To make perfume with essential oils and alcohol at home |
| Equipment | Atomizer bottle, funnel, measuring cup |
| Ingredients | Essential oils, perfumer's alcohol, distilled water, fragrance oils (optional) |
| Bottle | Dark-coloured, amber bottle to preserve perfume |
| Base notes | 15-20 drops, earthy scents |
| Middle notes | 10-15 drops |
| Top notes | 10 drops |
| Alcohol | 7ml of 190-proof grain alcohol, 70% of 200 drops |
| Dilution | 1-4 fl oz of perfumer's alcohol or carrier oil |
| Waiting time | Minimum of one month for flavours to meld |
| Testing | Spritz on pressure points to test if the alcohol smell has dissipated |
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What You'll Learn
Use an amber or dark-coloured bottle to preserve your perfume
When making perfume with essential oils and alcohol, it is important to use an amber or dark-coloured bottle to preserve your perfume. This is because dark bottles help to keep the light out, which in turn helps to preserve your fragrance for longer.
Using a dark, amber bottle also helps to keep your essential oil perfume as fragrant as possible. This is because essential oils are sensitive to light and can break down or degrade over time when exposed to light, leading to a less potent fragrance.
Additionally, always remember to store your bottle out of direct sunlight to ensure the oils stay fragrant. Keeping your perfume in a cool, dark place will help to prolong its shelf life and maintain its scent.
Opaque bottles, such as amber roller bottles, are ideal for storing your perfume as they block out light completely. Roller bottles also allow you to roll the perfume directly onto your skin, reducing mess and waste.
By using an amber or dark-coloured bottle, you can effectively preserve your homemade perfume, ensuring that it retains its fragrance and lasts for a long time.
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Add 15-20 drops of your base note
When creating your fragrance, the first step is to add your base note or the scent that will last the longest in your perfume. Typically, base notes are earthy scents that can make up 5 to 20 per cent of your blend. You can add 15-20 drops of your base note. Examples of base essential oils include cedarwood, vanilla, vetiver, ylang-ylang, and sandalwood.
For an earthy, sensual fragrance, you can add 10 drops of cedarwood essential oil. If you want to make an energizing perfume, add 17 drops of grapefruit oil, 14 drops of ginger oil, and 10 drops of vetiver oil. Alternatively, for a romantic perfume, include 25 drops of rose oil, 10 drops of lime oil, and 10 drops of vetiver oil.
The type of base note you choose is entirely up to you and the scent you wish to create. It is important to remember that blending essential oils for fragrances can be challenging, and you may not always get it right on your first try.
Once you have added your base note, you can then add 10-15 drops of your middle note and 10 drops of your top note to finish your fragrance.
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Add 10-15 drops of your middle note
Middle notes, also known as heart notes, are the scents that emerge after the top notes fade. They form the essence of the perfume and are crucial in shaping the fragrance's story. These notes are responsible for retaining some of the top notes' aromas while introducing new scents to deepen the olfactory experience.
When creating your perfume, it is important to select middle notes that complement your chosen top notes and work harmoniously with the base notes. The middle notes should enhance the overall composition and create depth, balance, and emotion in your perfume.
Fruity notes are commonly used as middle notes as they blend easily and add depth to the fragrance. For example, blackberry adds a rich, musky scent, while notes like apple and strawberry contribute a sweet and juicy element. You can also explore floral middle notes such as jasmine, which offers a fruity and white floral scent, or ylang-ylang for a tropical touch.
Spice notes are another option for middle notes, adding warmth and potency to the fragrance. These notes blend particularly well with floral notes, creating a unique and captivating heart for your perfume.
Once you have selected your middle note, add 10-15 drops of the corresponding essential oil to your blend. This step is crucial in shaping the heart of your fragrance and ensuring that your perfume has the desired depth and complexity.
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Add 10 drops of your top note
When creating a perfume, the top note is the first scent that you will smell. It is bright and fleeting, capturing immediate attention. Typically, top notes will last for about an hour. Examples of top notes include citrus, which brings a fresh and zesty scent, and woody notes, which provide a warm undertone.
When making perfume with essential oils and alcohol, you will need to add your top note essential oil to your alcohol base. To make an eau de parfum, you will need a 10ml atomizer bottle, 7ml of alcohol, and 20 drops of essential oil in total. This means that for every 1ml, there are 20 drops. Therefore, for a 10ml bottle, you will need 200 drops of liquid in total. If your essential oils make up 20% of the 200 drops, you will need 40 drops in total.
For a bright and captivating top note, add 10 drops of your chosen essential oil to the atomizer bottle. This will ensure that your perfume has a strong and memorable opening scent. You can choose a single oil or blend a few oils together to create a unique top note.
Once you have added your top note, you can move on to adding your middle notes and base notes. These will provide depth and character to your perfume, ensuring that the scent lingers and leaves a lasting impression.
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Add 1 to 4 fl oz of perfumer's alcohol or a carrier oil
When making perfume with essential oils, you can add 1 to 4 fl oz (2.0 to 8.0 US tbsp) of perfumer's alcohol to dilute the essential oils. This will help the fragrance to last longer. It is best to use a perfumer's alcohol that doesn't have a scent, so as not to interfere with the fragrance. Alternatively, you can use a carrier oil such as jojoba, sweet almond, or grapeseed, which have minimal odours and work well in rollerball bottles.
If you are using 60 drops of essential oils, use 3 to 4 fl oz (6.0 to 8.0 US tbsp) of alcohol. For 20 to 30 drops of essential oil, use 1 to 2 fl oz (2.0 to 4.0 US tbsp) of alcohol. The amount of alcohol you use will depend on the strength of your desired perfume.
It is important to note that the type of alcohol you use can affect the final product. Avoid using rubbing alcohol as its strong chemical odour can alter the aroma of your perfume. Instead, opt for perfumer's alcohol, 100% natural grain alcohol, or even 100 proof vodka. If you want to make an all-natural perfume, only use essential oils and avoid fragrance oils, which often contain synthetics.
The amount of alcohol added can also be adjusted based on personal preference. Some people may prefer to use less alcohol to create a stronger perfume, while others may want a more diluted fragrance. Additionally, the ratio of alcohol to essential oils may need to be adjusted depending on the specific essential oils used and their respective densities and aromas.
After adding the alcohol, it is recommended to let the perfume sit for several hours or even a week to allow the flavours to meld. During this time, the alcohol and oils will interact and change, so it is important to test the perfume periodically to ensure it is maturing as desired. Some blends may smell better after a few weeks, while others may be ready sooner.
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