Lance Carson
Making your own perfume is a fun and creative process that allows you to design a scent that is unique to your style, mood, and preferences. The art of perfumery involves understanding the different notes of a fragrance and how they work together to create a harmonious scent. The base notes provide depth and last the longest, the middle notes form the core of the fragrance, and the top notes offer the first impression and evaporate quickly. You can choose from a variety of essential oils, fragrance oils, and natural aromachemicals to create your desired scent, experimenting with different combinations until you find the perfect blend. Once you've created your fragrance, you'll need to age it, dilute it, and then package it in a bottle to use and enjoy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Essential oils, fragrance oils, infused oils, flavour extracts, alcohol, carrier oils, vegetable glycerin, witch hazel, distilled/spring water, glycerine |
| Scents | Coriander, palmarosa, marjoram, basil, rosemary, rose geranium, petitgrain, lavender, sandalwood, vanilla, jasmine, orange, bergamot, peppermint, rose, lilac, musk, citrus |
| Notes | Base, middle/heart, top/head |
| Base notes | Sandalwood, vanilla, musk, patchouli, vetiver, frankincense, cedarwood |
| Middle notes | Jasmine, lavender, rose |
| Top notes | Citrus, bergamot, peppermint |
| Aging | Minimum 48 hours to one month |
| Dilution | Distilled/spring water, glycerine |
| Bottling | Glass bottles, preferably coloured |
| Storage | Cool, dark location |
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What You'll Learn
Selecting your base, middle and top notes
The first step in making your own perfume is to select your base, middle, and top notes. These notes are not isolated elements but work together to create a harmonious and evolving scent experience. The top notes introduce the fragrance, the middle notes develop its character, and the base notes provide the lingering memory.
Top notes, also known as head notes, are the first scents that greet your senses when you apply a perfume. They evaporate quickly, lasting only around 5-15 minutes. Common top notes include citrus essential oils like lemon, bergamot, and grapefruit, which provide a fresh and invigorating opening. Other options include orange, lime, spearmint, peppermint, and basil.
Middle notes, also called heart notes, emerge just as the top notes dissipate. They form the core character of the fragrance and bridge the gap between the initial burst and the lingering base. Middle notes are more mellow and complex, often featuring rich florals like rose and jasmine, warm spices like cinnamon and clove, or fruity notes like peach and apple.
Base notes form the foundation of the fragrance, ensuring it evolves beautifully over time. They are often described as deep, rich, and warm, and they help enhance the perfume's complexity and improve its wear time. Common base notes include woody scents like sandalwood and cedarwood, earthy moss, sensual musk, comforting vanilla, and luxurious amber.
When creating your own perfume, it is recommended to blend scented oils from each of the three note types to achieve a balanced fragrance. A suggested guideline is to use about 25% base notes, 45% middle notes, and 30% top notes, but you can always adjust these ratios to your preference. Start by adding a single drop of each chosen note, then gradually adjust by adding more drops until the fragrance reaches the ideal harmony.
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Mixing your perfume
Mixing your own perfume is a creative process that involves blending different scents to create a unique fragrance. The first step in creating your own perfume is to select the scents you want to use. You can choose from a variety of essential oils, fragrance oils, infused oils, or even flavour extracts such as vanilla. These oils can be combined with a carrier oil like jojoba or sweet almond oil, which acts as a base for your perfume.
When mixing your perfume, it is important to consider the different notes that make up the fragrance. The base note is the foundation of your perfume and lasts the longest, so it's important to choose something that you like and that will provide depth to your fragrance. Common base notes include sandalwood, vanilla, cedarwood, and musk.
The middle note, or heart note, is the core of your fragrance. It is important to choose a middle note that complements your base note and creates a pleasant and balanced scent. Floral scents like rose, jasmine, and lavender are popular choices for middle notes.
The top note, or head note, is the first impression of your perfume. It is light and evaporates quickly, so it's important to choose something refreshing like citrus, bergamot, or peppermint.
Once you have selected your base, middle, and top notes, it's time to start mixing. A general ratio to follow is 20% top notes, 50% middle notes, and 30% base notes, but you can adjust this according to your preference. Add your base notes first, followed by the middle and then the top notes. You can also add a few drops of vodka to help preserve the fragrance.
After mixing, you'll need to let your perfume age. Place it in a cool, dark location for anywhere from 48 hours to a month. Aging your fragrance allows the scents to meld and develop, creating a more complex and harmonious perfume. Once it's aged to your liking, dilute your perfume by adding 2 tablespoons of distilled or spring water. If you're making a perfume spray, you can add more water. Pour your perfume into a bottle, preferably coloured glass or covered in foil if using clear glass to protect it from the light.
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Ageing your fragrance
To age your fragrance, you must first choose a dark, cool location, such as a wardrobe drawer or a sealed box, away from direct light and heat. The ideal temperature range for ageing perfume is between 59°F to 68°F (15°C to 20°C). Light and air are detrimental to the ageing process, so it is best to store your perfume in airtight, amber glass bottles or opaque containers. You can also wrap the bottle in aluminium foil to protect it from light. Ensure the area is dry, as excessive humidity can affect the fragrance.
It is essential to maintain a consistent temperature during the ageing process to prevent volatile components from evaporating too quickly and protect stable ingredients. You should also avoid agitation by minimising movement and keeping the perfume bottle upright. Opening the bottle for a short period every two weeks can enhance the blending and balancing of components.
The length of time you age your fragrance depends on the desired depth and complexity of the scent. It can range from a minimum of 48 hours to several months or even a year. After ageing, you may need to dilute your perfume by adding distilled or spring water and glycerine to help preserve the fragrance.
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Diluting your fragrance
One common method of dilution is using a carrier oil, such as jojoba or sweet almond oil. Carrier oils are ideal for creating oil-based fragrances and are often used in aromatherapy and massage. However, they may not be suitable for perfumery as they can affect the evaporation rate and alter the scent profile.
Another popular option for dilution is perfumer's alcohol, which is specifically formulated for making perfumes. It has a quick evaporation rate and effectively carries the fragrance without changing its scent. When using perfumer's alcohol, it's important to choose pure undenatured ethanol to avoid potential skin reactions. Additionally, you can dilute with more perfumer's alcohol to create a lighter scent.
If you're creating an alcohol-based perfume spray, diluting your fragrance materials in perfumer's alcohol is a good option. However, this may restrict the types of bases you can use, as these dilutions are typically only suitable for alcoholic fragrances.
For more flexibility in the bases you can work with, Di Propylene Glycol (DPG) is a common choice. It is a solvent widely used in the fragrance industry to dilute insoluble materials and can be used in a broader range of bases compared to perfumer's alcohol.
When diluting your fragrance, it's essential to consider the desired concentration and the ratios of the different notes in your perfume. A standard mixture might use about 10-30% of essential oil or fragrance oil. For example, you could use 10 drops of base notes, 5 drops of middle notes, 5 drops of top notes, and the remaining 80 drops as the carrier.
Additionally, dilution can be useful when working with raw materials that are difficult to handle in their neat state. It also allows you to experiment with formulas and strong, expensive materials without having to create large batches.
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Storing your perfume
Light
Perfume should be stored away from direct light, as sunlight can damage the fragrance and the bottle. Keep your perfume in a dark place, such as a closet or a drawer. If you are using clear bottles, cover them with aluminium foil or wrapping paper to protect them from light exposure.
Temperature
Extremely high or low temperatures can affect the quality of your perfume. Store your perfume in an area with a consistent temperature, away from heat sources or dramatic temperature changes. Avoid storing perfume in the kitchen or bathroom, as these areas can become very hot. A closet in a hallway or living room is a better option.
Humidity
Humidity can also impact the quality of your perfume. The delicate ingredients in your perfume, such as citrus and floral notes, can oxidize when exposed to humidity, causing the scent to change or the colour to alter. Avoid storing perfume in humid areas, such as bathrooms. If you have a dehumidifier set up in your bedroom, this can be a suitable place to keep your perfume.
Storage Containers
Keep your perfume in its original bottle if it is attractive. If the original bottle is not appealing, you can transfer it to another container, but be aware that exposure to air may cause the fragrance to deteriorate. Store perfume in boxes to protect it from heat and light. Place the bottles in decorative boxes before putting them in a closet or on a shelf. Ensure that the caps on the bottles are securely sealed to prevent leakage.
Other Considerations
- Avoid storing perfume in the refrigerator, as very cold temperatures can damage the scent molecules and cause the perfume to lose its depth.
- Do not place fragile bottles on high shelves to prevent damage.
- Invest in travel containers if you want to take your perfume with you on the go.
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