Seamus Hammond
Making your own perfume is an art that requires patience and practice. Once you have gathered your ingredients and materials, the process of creating a unique fragrance blend can be challenging and may require multiple attempts. After mixing your chosen scents, it is important to let your perfume settle and mature. This process can take time, from a day to a few months, and allows the fragrance to fully develop. During this period, the perfume may change colour, which is a normal occurrence that rarely affects the scent. To speed up the process, perfumers often use alcohol as a carrier for the fragrance, as it evaporates quickly and diffuses the perfume's notes. However, it is important to find the right balance, as too much alcohol can overpower the other ingredients.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Notes | Top, middle, and base |
| Top notes | Citrus, mint, lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, bergamot, spearmint, peppermint |
| Middle notes | Coriander, palmarosa, marjoram, basil, rosemary, rose geranium, pettitgrain, lavender |
| Base notes | Patchouli, vetiver, frankincense, cedarwood, sandalwood, benzion, carrot seed, jasmine, myrrh, vanilla, violet, ylang ylang |
| Scent families | Floral, oriental, woody, fresh |
| Base | Beeswax, candelilla wax, shea butter, coconut oil |
| Container | Dark glass bottles |
| Alcohol | High-quality, 80- to 100-proof (40% to 50% alc/vol) vodka |
| Water | Distilled/spring water |
| Glycerine | 5 drops |
| Maceration | Leave for a day or more to settle |
| Aging | 1 month to 3 months |
| Ingredients | High-quality, organic, natural |
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What You'll Learn
Use a blend of base, heart, and top notes
The key to creating a well-balanced perfume blend is understanding and effectively combining the three main layers of perfume notes: top, middle/heart, and base notes. These notes work together harmoniously to create a unique olfactory experience.
Top notes, or head notes, are the first impression of a scent, offering a fresh and inviting opening. They evaporate quickly, making way for the heart notes. These initial aromas are often bright and uplifting, with examples including citrus fruits like lemon, orange, and bergamot, as well as herbs such as spearmint and peppermint.
Middle notes, also known as heart notes, are the core of the fragrance. They emerge once the fleeting top notes dissipate, usually after 15-30 minutes. Heart notes provide depth and complexity, creating a seamless transition between the freshness of the top notes and the richness of the base notes. Floral heart notes like rose, jasmine, and lavender add elegance, while spices like cinnamon and nutmeg contribute warmth.
Base notes are the foundation of the perfume, providing depth, longevity, and a strong finish. They have a heavier molecular structure, making them the least volatile and allowing them to linger on the skin for six hours or more. Examples of base notes include woods such as sandalwood and cedarwood, resins like amber and frankincense, musk, and vanilla.
When blending these notes, a suggested ratio is 20% base, 50% middle, and 30% top notes. However, this can be adjusted to suit personal preference and the desired character of the fragrance. It's important to pay attention to the strength of each scent and adjust the amounts accordingly to create a balanced blend.
Additionally, the order of adding the notes matters. Start by adding your base note, then the middle note, and finally the top note. This allows the layers to build upon each other effectively.
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Choose your carrier oil
Carrier oils, also known as base oils, are essential in perfume-making. They dilute and carry the concentrated essential oils, ensuring the fragrance is safe for skin application and provides depth, longevity, and balance to the scent. The choice of carrier oil can significantly influence the final aroma of your perfume.
When selecting a carrier oil, consider the following factors:
Skin Type
Choose oils that suit your skin type. For oily skin, lightweight oils like grapeseed or fractionated coconut oil are ideal. Coconut oil is a popular choice as it remains liquid at room temperature, has a less greasy residue, and an indefinite shelf life. For dry skin, opt for richer oils like jojoba, argan, or sweet almond oil. Jojoba oil is highly stable and similar to the skin's natural sebum, making it ideal for blending with essential oils and ensuring excellent absorption.
Scent Compatibility
Ensure the carrier oil complements your essential oils. Neutral-scented oils work well with strong fragrances, while lightly scented oils can enhance delicate blends.
Absorption Rate
Consider how quickly the oil absorbs into the skin. Faster-absorbing oils are better for perfumes you want to wear throughout the day.
Jojoba, sweet almond, fractionated coconut, grapeseed, and argan oils are all excellent options that can enhance your fragrance experience.
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Add alcohol to diffuse the notes
Alcohol is a popular choice for DIY perfumers as it helps to merge the ingredients together. It evaporates quickly and diffuses the perfume's notes. There are a few options for the type of alcohol to use.
Firstly, ethanol is commonly used in perfumes. It acts as a solvent, creating a sprayable consistency and helping the perfume disperse well on the skin. It is important to note that not all ethanol is suitable for perfumes. For example, denatured ethanol is made unfit for human consumption with the addition of poison or bad-tasting chemicals, and should not be used. Cosmetic-grade ethanol, such as Trade Specific Denatured Alcohol (TSDA), is widely used and recommended. Perfumer's alcohol is a loose term for a blend of ethanol and some additives used as a base for perfumes and can be used as a placeholder term for TSDA.
Another option is to use vodka, which can be easily purchased at a high proof. If you are unhappy with the results of using vodka, this may be due to the vodka leaving an alcohol smell. This smell should dissipate over time, so it is important to let your perfume mature for a couple of weeks.
When creating your perfume, it is recommended to follow the “30-50-20 rule”. This involves using 30% top notes, 50% middle notes, and 20% base notes. Top notes are the first impression and evaporate quickly, middle notes form the core of the perfume, and base notes last the longest and give depth.
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Use beeswax to make a solid perfume
Making solid perfume with beeswax is a simple process that allows you to create a unique fragrance for yourself or as a gift. You can use beeswax to make a solid perfume by following these steps:
Ingredients
Firstly, you will need to gather your ingredients. For the base, you will need beeswax and a carrier oil, such as sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, or virgin coconut oil. You can also add essential oils or cosmetic-grade fragrance oils to create your desired scent.
Melting the Beeswax
Next, you will need to melt the beeswax. Measure equal parts of beeswax and carrier oil into a glass measuring cup. Place the measuring cup in a pot with about an inch of water and heat until the beeswax is melted.
Adding Fragrance
Once the beeswax is melted, remove it from the heat and stir to mix the wax and carrier oil. Let it cool for about a minute, then add your chosen essential oils or fragrance oils. Stir gently to mix, then immediately cover the mixture to prevent evaporation.
Pouring and Setting
After mixing in your fragrance, carefully pour the mixture into your chosen containers. You can use small lip balm containers, eye-shadow containers, lockets, or glass jars. Leave the mixture to solidify for a few hours, and your solid perfume will be ready to use!
Applying the Perfume
To apply your homemade solid perfume, simply swipe your finger across the surface and massage the fragrance into your skin. You can apply it to your wrists, neck, chest, elbows, or even the ends of your hair. Always perform a patch test first to ensure the perfume does not cause any skin irritation.
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Store in dark glass bottles
Glass is the ideal material for storing perfume. It is impermeable and chemically inert, preventing outside elements from affecting the fragrance. Glass bottles are available in various sizes, styles, and patterns.
However, not all glass bottles are created equal when it comes to storing perfume. Clear glass bottles, for example, will need to be covered with aluminium foil or wrapping paper to protect the fragrance from light, which can shorten its lifespan.
Dark glass bottles, on the other hand, are ideal for storing perfume because they help protect the contents from light exposure. This is important because light can cause the perfume to "go off". Dark glass bottles are also aesthetically pleasing and can be customised with decorations, turning them into unique pieces of art.
When storing your DIY perfume, it is also important to keep in mind that perfumes need to be stored in a dark place, even when stored in dark glass bottles.
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Frequently asked questions
It is recommended to wait at least a month before using your DIY perfume. However, some people suggest that the three-month mark is when perfumes really shine.
It is best to use dark glass containers to store your perfume as this helps protect it from light, which can shorten its lifespan. If you are using clear bottles, cover them with aluminium foil or wrapping paper.
You can use a combination of essential oils, fragrance oils, and alcohol. Popular essential oils include sweet orange oil, patchouli oil, cedarwood oil, lavender oil, ylang-ylang oil, and bergamot oil. Alcohol is often used as a carrier for the fragrance and to help diffuse the perfume's notes. A common choice is high-quality, 80- to 100-proof vodka.
