How to Make Perfume

Learn about the different fragrance layers. Perfume is a blend of scents, also known as 'fragrance layers'. When you spray perfume on your skin, it moves through these layers in the following order:

• The top note is the first scent you’ll smell. It fades the quickest, usually within 10 to 15 minutes.
• The middle note emerges once the top note fades away. This is the heart of the fragrance and defines the perfume's type – such as oriental, woody, fresh, or floral.
• The base note reinforces and adjusts the middle note, also called the foundation of the perfume. These create the lasting scent of the perfume, lingering for about 4 to 5 hours, depending on your skin.

Familiarize yourself with common top notes. These include basil, lime, grapefruit, lavender, yellow lemon, green lemon, mint, orange blossom, rosemary, and sweet orange.

Get to know the popular middle notes. These include black pepper, cardamom, chamomile, cinnamon, cloves, fir leaves, jasmine, lemongrass, orange blossom, nutmeg, rose, rosewood, and ylang-ylang.

Discover common base notes. These include cedarwood, cypress, ginger, patchouli, pine, sandalwood, vanilla, and vetiver.

Understand the blending ratios. When creating a fragrance, begin with the base notes, followed by the middle notes, and finish with the top notes. The ideal blending ratio is 30% base notes, 50% middle notes, and 20% top notes.

• Some perfumers suggest combining no more than 3 to 4 dominant notes.

Grasp the basic formula. To make perfume, you need more than just the top, middle, and base notes; you also need a base element to blend them together.

• Your process starts with a base oil. Popular choices include jojoba oil, almond oil, and grapeseed oil.
• Next, gradually add a few drops of the top, middle, and base notes to the base oil.
• Finally, you'll add a binding agent to combine all the ingredients. Alcohol is a common choice because it evaporates quickly and helps disperse the fragrance layers. Another option for homemade perfumes is high-quality vodka, with an alcohol content of around 80-100 proof (40% - 50% alc/vol).
• If you're looking for a solid perfume (like a balm), you can use melted beeswax as a base instead of alcohol or water.

Identify the fragrance layers in your favorite perfume bottle. If you're unsure how to create the fragrance blend for your perfume, it's helpful to consider the ingredients in the perfume you love.

• If you're struggling to find ingredients or categorize them into layers, Perfumista is an excellent resource to explore the scents of famous perfumes.

Purchase a dark-colored glass bottle. Many people recommend using a dark-colored bottle as it helps protect your perfume from light, which can shorten its lifespan.

• Be sure that your glass bottle has never contained any food products, as any residual scents could transfer to your perfume.
• The only exception is if you're intentionally looking to use the scent of a previously contained product (Warning: butter – banana – chocolate might smell better than it tastes!).

Purchase a carrier oil. A carrier oil is essential for spreading the fragrance of your perfume blend onto your skin. These oils are typically odorless and are used to dilute concentrated oils and fragrances that may cause skin irritation.

• You can use almost anything as a carrier oil, even olive oil if you don't mind its scent.
• A famous perfumer once soaked rose petals in pure olive oil and then mixed it with vitamin E oil to stabilize it.

Find the strongest alcohol you can get. A popular choice among DIY perfumers is high-quality vodka with an alcohol content of 80-100 proof (40%-50% alc/vol). Others prefer 190-proof alcohol (80% alc/vol).

• Common 190-proof alcohol choices include neutral organic grape alcohol and cheaper grain-based Everclear.

Choose your fragrance. Your perfume can be made from a variety of ingredients. Common scenting agents in perfumes include essential oils, petals, leaves, and herbs.

Decide on a method. The method for making perfume may vary slightly depending on your ingredients. The two most common scenting agents used in perfume making are plant-based materials (flowers, leaves, and herbs) and essential oils; the method will differ for each type.

Purchase a clean glass container. The type of container is less important than the ingredients: just ensure that a) it is clean and b) it is made of glass. The container should also have a tightly fitting lid.

• Perfume makers often recommend dark-colored glass as it can extend the lifespan of the fragrance by protecting it from light.
• Avoid using containers that have previously held food, even if they have been thoroughly cleaned, as glass can retain odors.

Find an odorless oil. Common oils used for perfume making include jojoba oil, almond oil, and grapeseed oil.

Choose flowers, leaves, or herbs with fragrances you enjoy. Remember to collect your plant materials when their scent is at its peak and when the leaves are dry. Drying them out can cause them to wilt, diminishing their fragrance.

• Feel free to collect and dry more plant materials than you need, in case you want to enhance the scent strength of your oil later on.

Remove any unwanted plant materials. If you're using flowers, only the petals should be used. For leaves or herbs, be sure to discard any stems or other parts that might affect the fragrance.

Lightly crush your materials. This step is optional, but it can help release more of the fragrance. Simply use a wooden spoon to gently crush your plant materials.

Add a few drops of oil into a glass container. Only a small amount is needed – enough to cover your flowers, leaves, or herbs.

Add your plant materials into the oil and seal the container. Ensure the lid is tightly closed.

Open the lid, filter the liquid, and repeat. If after one or two weeks, the fragrance isn't as strong as you'd like, you can filter out the liquid from the old materials, add fresh ingredients to the scented oil, and store it again.

• You can repeat this process over several weeks or even months until the fragrance reaches your desired intensity.
• Remember to keep the oil! Only discard the old plant materials.

Store your perfume. Once you're satisfied with your homemade fragrance, you can add one or two drops of a natural preservative, like vitamin E or grapefruit extract, to prolong its shelf life.

• If you want to turn your perfume into a solid balm, you can mix in some beeswax: melt a small amount in the microwave, combine it with the perfume, then pour the mixture into a container to cool and solidify.

Gather your ingredients. You will need the following materials:

• 2 tablespoons of carrier oil (jojoba, almond, or grape seed oil)
• 6 tablespoons of 100-190 proof alcohol
• 2.5 tablespoons of bottled water (not tap water)
• 30 drops of essential oils (at least one for each layer of fragrance: base, middle, and top notes)
• Coffee filter
• Funnel
• 2 clean glass containers

Add essential oils. You will need to add a total of about 30 drops. Start with the base note, followed by the middle note, and finish with the top note. The ideal ratio is 20% base notes, 50% middle notes, and 30% top notes.

• Pay attention to the strength of the scents you're adding: if one is more intense than the others, use a smaller amount to prevent it from overwhelming the other fragrances.

Add alcohol. Use high-quality alcohol with a high proof content. Vodka is a popular choice among DIY perfume makers.

Let the perfume sit for at least 48 hours. Close the lid and let the perfume steep for at least 48 hours. You can steep it for up to 6 weeks, at which point the fragrance will be its strongest.

• Regularly check the perfume to evaluate the scent.

Add 2 tablespoons of bottled water. Once you're satisfied with the fragrance, add 2 tablespoons of bottled water to your perfume bottle.

Shake the bottle vigorously. Do this for one minute to ensure that all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.

Transfer the perfume to another bottle. Use a coffee filter and funnel to pour the perfume into a clean, dark glass bottle. You can also switch it to a more decorative container if you plan to gift it.

• Consider labeling the bottle with ingredient details and the date to keep track of its shelf life. This will help you decide whether to make more or less next time.

Experiment with different options. To create solid perfume (like a balm) instead of a spray or liquid, replace the water with melted beeswax. Add the beeswax to the perfume, and pour the warm mixture into a bottle so it solidifies.

• Beeswax can be found at most health food stores.