WHY CREATE YOUR OWN PERFUME?
I have always loved perfume, however after learning that there are very loose regulations on these beautiful smelling products, I began looking for more natural perfumes. The majority of chemicals in most commercial fragrances are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum and natural gas, known as petrochemicals. These fragrances are allowed to be up to 100% synthetic. Forget smelling like flowers! It is just chemicals. In addition, companies are allowed to withhold ingredients to protect trade secrets, so who knows what is actually lurking in our fragrances?
Perfumes can be a chemical cocktail as the ingredients are not required to be disclosed. They can be potentially toxic to our insides and overall health. Not only are we putting these ingredients directly on our skin but we also breathe them in, as they are normally in a spritz bottle. For that reason, I have been playing with different essential oil combinations. Thankfully, making your own perfume is really fun as it gives you the ability to be creative and tailor the scent to exactly what you want.
THE FORMULA
The formula I like to use is a 3 step process. The base is always a grain alcohol, which I use vodka. But you can also use rum or or other grain alcohol. I prefer vodka because it does not carry a scent with it. Instead it allows the essential oils to really be brought out. Rum, on the other hand, has a very nice sweet scent. This allows the essential oils to have an even sweeter smell to them.
Step 1
Pour your grain alcohol into a 2 oz. dark glass spritz container. Leave about a 1/2 inch space toward the top of the bottle.
Step 2
Add 1/2 teaspoon of either almond, vanilla or orange extract to the alcohol. I like almond extract best.
Step 3
Add 3 different essential oils. Why 3 you ask? It is just my rule of thumb. I have found that 3 scents mixed together have always produced the most beautiful scents. Not only that, but it also keeps it simple. Any more than 3 essential oils and the scent can get really weird.
You will always want to include at least one strong essential oil scent in your combination to ‘carry the scent’. For a 2 oz. bottle of perfume you will use a total of about 50-75 drops of essential oil. I know that sounds like a large amount of essential oil but you will only be using a few sprays at a time. A good way to decide whether or not you will like a perfume combination is to test it first. Add a few drops of each essential oil you want to use to about a teaspoon of carrier oil. This will allow you to try it out before you use a large amount of essential oil for a perfume.
Strong essential oils:
cedarwood
vetiver
ylang ylang
sandlewood
frankincense
myrrh
benzoin
clove
Combine with two of the following:
rose
bergamot
lemon
wild orange or orange
neroli
lavender
chamomile
lemongrass
geranium
Try out this pretty smelling perfume recipe:
Ingredients
- Grain Alcohol (Vodka)
- 1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract
- 25 Drops Frankincense Essential Oil
- 25 Drops Geranium Essential Oil
- 20 Drops Orange Essential Oil
Instructions
- Pour grain alcohol into a dark glass 2 oz. spritz container leaving 1/2 inch at the top.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
- Lastly add essential oils.
- Shake before each use.
Playing with perfume combinations can be really fun. Additionally, using healing essential oils as your perfume can be so much healthier than what is offered in departments stores. The list of essential oils above are just guidelines. There may be certain oils that you absolutely love that are not listed. Do not be afraid to give them a try. Once you find a combination that you love, you will always have that recipe for the future. Try the recipe above or try making your own combinations to find the perfect scent.
Thank you for the ideas. Haven’t played around with diy perfumes yet. I absolutely love the slightly bitter scent of almond, just on its own. 💜