Preparing a perfume with essential oils is very easy, just a few ingredients are enough. You can create a unique fragrance to use yourself or to give to someone. Go to a store that sells essential oils and try a few to find out which fragrances you prefer. By making your own product, you can control the ingredients and the final quality.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Learning the Basics
Step 1. Find out the order of the oils
If you want to create a perfume based on essential oils, you have to follow an order, that is to start with a base oil, add the middle notes and finish with the high ones. The high notes are the ones you perceive when you smell a perfume, the others can be felt gradually. You need to combine the oils in the following order:
The top notes are those that come immediately to the nose, but quickly fade away. The middle notes essentially constitute the heart of the fragrance. They allow to give body and warmth to the perfume. Furthermore, their smell is what persists. Base notes evolve over time, so you may not be able to feel them initially. In any case, once all other odors have vanished, these will remain. Invigorating aromas are often used, such as pine, musk, clove, cedarwood, sandalwood, and so on
Step 2. Use a dark bottle
This is important because it will help preserve the fragrance, preventing it from being altered by light. Before applying the perfume, be sure to shake it, so that the aromas mix well. When storing the package, try to keep it out of direct sunlight.
You can also use a roll-on bottle for essential oils. Sometimes it is preferable because the fragrance tends to be denser than a classic perfume, so it is more difficult to spray on the skin
Step 3. Let the aromas blend
Although the perfume can be used right away, it is best to let the aromas combine and blend before use. You can definitely apply it immediately, but the fragrance will be less intense and the individual oils won't have enough time to blend. Consequently, it is useful to let it rest for some time, because in this way the final fragrance can be permanently fixed.
An essential oil-based perfume will probably be pleasant at first, but over time the aromas can combine to create a not particularly pleasant fragrance. Letting the perfume rest will allow you to get a better idea of the smell of the final product for much of its duration
Step 4. Find out the benefits of essential oils
Classic perfumes usually last longer on the skin, but essential oils have the advantage of being entirely natural. They do not contain the same chemicals as the perfumes you find on the market; therefore, if you are looking for an organic and natural product, it is preferable to choose these ingredients. In addition, they allow you to create numerous aromas and fragrances.
- Essential oils are also great for those with sensitive skin or negative reactions to perfumes. By being natural, you can create a wide range of fragrances that your skin is likely to tolerate better than commercial products.
- Commercial perfumes contain preservatives and other chemicals that make the fragrance last longer. Essential oils are plant-based, so they fade sooner. However, if you want the fragrance to be more persistent, you can add a drop or two of a natural fixative or similar substance. These products are usually quite pungent; you don't have to use them frequently or in large quantities, but a drop here and there won't hurt.
Part 2 of 2: Prepare the Perfume
Step 1. Add the footnote
The first step in creating the fragrance is to add the base note. Often it is an aroma that recalls the smells of the earth. It has a lasting fragrance and can make up 5-20% of the blend (but this is variable). Someone decides to use grapeseed or sweet almond oil instead. The choice is up to you and you can experiment to find the fragrances you like best. If you're not sure where to start, try these guidelines:
- For a fresh, energizing scent, pour 17 drops of grapefruit essential oil into your spray or roll-on bottle.
- For a romantic and floral scent, add 25 drops of rose essential oil.
- For a sensual fragrance that recalls the smells of the earth, add 20 drops of sweet orange essential oil.
Step 2. Add the middle note
It represents the heart of the fragrance and will be felt once the high note has dissipated. Someone decides to use a more floral aroma for this note, but the choice always depends on their tastes. Often the middle notes make up the highest percentage of the mixture (50-80%), but even then everything can vary with experiments. Here are some tips that take up the examples from the previous step:
- For a fresh and energizing scent, add 14 drops of ginger essential oil.
- For a floral and romantic scent, add 10 drops of lime essential oil.
- For a sensual and earthy fragrance, add 15 drops of ylang ylang essential oil. It comes from a tree called "cananga odorata" and is known for its intense floral aroma.
Step 3. Add the top note, which will complement the scent
It will vanish quickly, but it will be the first to get to the nose by smelling the perfume. It often makes up 5-20% of the mixture, but you can also use a higher or lower percentage. For these notes, some prefer fruity, mint or refreshing aromas. If you can't decide, try several to determine which one you prefer. You can also follow these guidelines:
- For an energizing and fresh scent, add 10 drops of vetiver essential oil. It is a herbaceous plant native to India, often used as a flavoring agent because it creates a thick syrup. It also has fixative properties, which favor a good persistence of the perfume.
- For a floral and romantic scent, add 10 drops of vetiver essential oil.
- For a sensual fragrance that recalls the smells of the earth, add 10 drops of cedarwood essential oil.
Step 4. Experiment with aromas
If you have tried different combinations and you are not satisfied, it may be necessary to try several times. Do a few experiments until you get the desired result.
- If you prefer woody fragrances, you can choose vanilla, sandalwood or sweet almond oil. If you like floral fragrances, you can use lavender, ylang ylang and grapeseed oil. If you like fruity aromas, you can use lemon, sweet orange, and tangerine.
- If you have created a fragrance to some extent that you like, but make a mistake with another oil, don't despair. You can add a drop of lavender essential oil, which should neutralize the other aromas.
Step 5. Add some alcohol, which will act as a preservative
This step isn't necessary, but if you want the fragrance to last longer, it can be helpful. The size of the bottle chosen will determine the amount of alcohol to use. If you use about 60 drops of essential oil, you can use 90-120ml of alcohol. If you only use 20-30 drops of essential oil, you should lower the amount of alcohol to 30-60ml.
You can use any type of alcohol for this purpose, but you should choose one that goes well with your chosen flavorings. Some people opt for vodka because it is relatively tasteless, but a spiced rum can work as well. If you can't make up your mind, start with a less strong tasting alcohol product
Step 6. Shake the perfume bottle and use it
After mixing all the ingredients, shake the bottle so they can bond better. If you have some patience, don't use it for about a month. Theoretically, you can apply it right away, but letting it sit will make it more intense; furthermore, the smell of alcohol will fade.
Step 7. Make a solid perfume using beeswax and jojoba oil
Some people use jojoba oil only for liquid perfumes, but when it gets cold it hardens. Consequently, it is ideal to insert it in a solid perfume.
- Here is a recipe you could try: mix 4 tablespoons of beeswax, 4 tablespoons of jojoba oil, 27-32 drops of sandalwood essential oil, 27-32 drops of vanilla essential oil, 25-30 drops of essential oil of grapefruit and 20-25 drops of bergamot essential oil.
- First, grate the beeswax and melt it in a double boiler over low heat. Next, add the jojoba oil until you get a homogeneous mixture. Let it cool until the temperature is below 50 ° C and proceed with the rest of the oils. Store it in a jar or lip balm tube.
