Making your own perfume is super easy to do, and so much better for your body than most store-bought brands, which are often pumped full of synthetic fragrances, chemicals, and other toxins. Plus, you can customise it to your preferred scent (which means an opportunity to get creative!).
Creating perfume blends is one of my favourite activities.
I love pulling out all my essential oils and experimenting with different combinations to find scents that work beautifully together, and by pairing specific blends together, you can create fragrances that are tailored to enhance specific moods or needs.
So how do you know what oils to blend together?
Each essential oil can predominantly placed into one of three categories: a top, middle or base note. I find the best essential oil blends contain oils from each note, as this creates a balanced and long-lasting aroma.
Also, it’s important to keep in mind that, if one scent is very strong, you do not want to combine equal amounts into the blend you’re making or it will dominate and overpower the aroma you’re trying to create.
How to Make Your Own Perfume
Many conventional perfumes contain a lot of chemicals that do not have to be listed on the label, such as synthetic fragrances which contain chemicals like phthalates to help prolong the scent on the skin, parabens, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, acetone, linalool, ethanol, ethyl acetate, benzaldehyde, camphor, formaldehyde, and many more.
As essential oils are quite pricey, some perfume-makers prefer to use cheap copycat synthetic scents instead.
The long-term health impacts of phthalates alone include cancer, human reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, birth defects and respiratory problems.
Most perfumes are a mixture of scented oils in an alcohol or carrier oil base. When smelling a perfume, the first thing you’ll detect are the top notes, followed by the mid tones and then the base notes.
When making perfume, you’ll want to select and add the scents in order from base notes to top notes.
To give a quick overview of what they are:
- Top notes make up 5% to 20% of the blend and are usually where your first impression of the fragrance will come from. They’re typically the lightest of all notes and fade the quickest. These scents include Spearmint, Peppermint, Basil, Coriander, Eucalyptus, Bergamot, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lemongrass, Tangerine, Lime, Orange, Tea Tree, Thyme, Wintergreen, Sweet Orange, and Clary Sage.
- Middle notes make up 50% to 80% of the blend and are the “heart of your perfume.” You’ll often smell these scents once the top notes have evaporated. These scents last longer than top notes and have a powerful influence on the following base notes. Mid tones include Black Pepper, Black Spruce, Clove, Lavender, Geranium, Rose, Peony, Honeysuckle, Rosemary, Cardamom, Cypress, Fennel, Pine, Fir, Helichrysum, Chamomile, Neroli, Juniper, Ginger, Lemon Balm (or Melissa), and Marjoram.
- Base notes make up 5% to 20% of the blend and appear once the other notes have completely evaporated. These blend with the mid tones to create the entirety of your chosen scent, and give body and longevity to the blend. These scents will often last for hours. Some good choices include Vanilla, Musk, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Rose, Patchouli, Vetiver, Valerian, Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Frankincense, Jasmine, and Myrrh.
This is one of the perfume recipes I love to make below, but the key is finding a scent you love.
I recommend adding a few drops at a time of each oil and then keep a note (either on your phone, computer, or in a journal) of how many drops of each you’ve added. Once you’ve discovered your favourite blend and have it written down, you can easily make more of it.
For the base of this perfume recipe, I use a high proof (190 proof) grain alcohol such as organic gluten-free vodka because it is pure and there is no smell to it. Another option is to use a carrier oil such as jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, or fractionated coconut oil as the base, which hold the scent really well.
In the recipe below, I’ve used a top note scent of Neroli, followed by mid notes of Geranium and Jasmine, and I’ve finished with base notes of Ylang Ylang and Patchouli.
When making a perfume, always use a dark (not transparent or clear) bottle to store the perfume in to keep it from going rancid over time, and store the perfume in a cool, dark, dry place that isn’t exposed to sunlight. It’s important to make sure that the lid is firmly attached to the bottle, too, to prevent oxidation, and ensure the alcohol you’re using is pure and organic (if possible).
Test a little of the essential oils on your skin first before making the perfume, to ensure there is no reaction (as some people may find they are allergic to certain types of oils). To do this, mix a little of the essential oil with a carrier oil like coconut oil to dilute it.
Before we get started in learning how to make this homemade natural perfume, if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!
Homemade Natural Perfume
I am definitely not a professional perfume maker – this just covers the basics of making your own perfume, and it works well for me. Feel free to adjust accordingly.
If you want to try many different oils but are concerned about the expense they might bring, ask a friend who’s really into essential oils if you could borrow some of theirs, or collect some tester samples from the store (as you really only need a little of each).
This recipe is for a 20 mL roller or 30 mL spray bottle and is a 2.5% to 3% dilution. For a 3% dilution, I use about 18 drops of essential oil per one ounce (30 mL) of carrier oil or alcohol base. Please be cautious when using photosensitive essential oils.
Ingredients:
- 4 drops Neroli essential oil
- 4 drops Jasmine essential oil
- 4 drops Geranium essential oil
- 4 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
- 2 drops Patchouli essential oil
- 190 proof organic gluten-free grain alcohol or vodka (or a carrier oil if making a roll-on perfume)
- 30 mL amber glass perfume spray bottle
To Make:
- Add the essential oils to the perfume bottle, starting with the base notes, then the mid tones, and finishing with the top notes. For this recipe, start by adding the Patchouli and Ylang Ylang base note oils, then move to the mid notes of Geranium and Jasmine, and finish with the top notes of Neroli.
- Allow the scents to sit for 24 to 48 hours to meld and blend together. Keep the perfume stored in a cool, dark, dry place during this time, away from sunlight.
- After 24 hours, smell the blend and adjust the scent by adding more drops of a specific oil if needed.
- Once satisfied with the blend, fill the bottle with a high proof (190 proof) alcohol. If you choose to make a roll-on perfume, fill the bottle with a carrier oil.
- Before each use, gently shake the perfume bottle and apply the onto to your pulse points on your body.
- To help extend the life of the perfume, keep the bottles out of the bathroom, and make sure to apply the perfume to the right places; pulse points are the best spots to make it last (due to the warmth of your blood).
Homemade natural perfume oil tutorial
As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.
What’s your preferred perfume scent? Floral? Vanilla? Citrus? Does it depend on the day? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
Vanessa
