Making your own natural perfume oil 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!)
I recently went to a vegan market with a friend (she was on a mission to find fresh raspberries before they went out of season), and while I was there I started chatting with one of the ladies selling her own homemade perfume.
I was curious about what she used to make perfume, and why she started making her own in the first place. She shared how in the past, she’d used store-bought perfumes, but she found the specific toxins and chemicals used in the perfumes she was buying were making her really sick, so she started making her own. Ever since changing to a more natural perfume, she’s noticed considerable improvements in her health.
This lead me on the path of how I, too, could make my own perfume.
The skin is the biggest organ in the body, and whatever is put on it will be absorbed into the bloodstream and carried around the body. 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.
The long-term health impacts of phthalates alone include cancer, human reproductive and developmental toxicity, endocrine disruption, birth defects & respiratory problems.
Essential oils like jasmine, neroli, patchouli, lavender, rose, bergamot, sandalwood and ylang ylang, have long been used when making perfume. However, as essential oils are quite pricey, some perfume-makers prefer to use cheap copycat synthetic scents instead.
To make your own perfume at home, all you need are a few essential oils and the right base ingredients, and from there you have endless perfume possibilities.
How to Make Your Own Perfume Oil
Most perfumes are a mixture of scented oils in an alcohol or carrier oil base. Perfume is made up of three different parts; base fragrances, mid-tones, and top notes.
When smelling a perfume, the first thing you’ll detect are the top notes, followed by the mid tones and 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:
- Base notes are the final aromas that appear once the other notes have completely evaporated. These blend with the mid tones to create the entirety of your chosen scent. These scents will often last for hours. Some good choices include vanilla, musk, cedarwood, patchouli, vetiver, ylang ylang, sandalwood, frankincense, jasmine, and myrrh.
- Middle notes are the “heart of your perfume”, and 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 lavender, geranium, rose, peony, lemongrass, honeysuckle, rosemary, cardamom, fennel, pine, chamomile, juniper, and marjoram.
- Top notes are 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, cinnamon, bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, tangerine, lime, orange, neroli, sweet orange, and clary sage.
This is one of the perfume recipes I use 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 used an 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 base notes of ylang ylang and patchouli, followed by mid notes of lavender, geranium, and rose, and I’ve finished with top notes of sweet orange (or lemon essential oil works well, too), and bergamot.
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).
When making a perfume oil, always use a dark bottle (not transparent or clear) to keep the perfume from going rancid over time, and store the bottle 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.
When making the perfume oil, mix the ingredients together in a glass bowl or container to avoid metal or plastic interfering with the scents.
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 Oil
How to make a natural perfume oil at home from scratch with no nasty chemicals, just all-natural ingredients. Making your own natural perfume oil is super easy to do, and so much better for your body than most store-bought brands, which are often full of synthetic fragrances, chemicals, and other toxins. Plus, you can customise it to your preferred scent (which means an opportunity to get creative).
I really love the smell of the natural perfume that I share below, and it’s so simple to make. I am definitely not a professional perfume maker – this just covers the basics of making your own perfume, and it works well for me.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp organic gluten-free grain alcohol or vodka
- 3 drops ylang ylang essential oil
- 6 drops patchouli essential oil
- 4 drops lavender essential oil
- 4 drops geranium essential oil
- 4 drops rose essential oil
- 8 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 2 drops bergamot essential oil
- Amber glass spray bottle
To make:
- To make this homemade natural perfume oil, start by adding the pure vodka to a dark glass bottle, then add the essential oils starting with the base notes, then the mid tones, and finishing with the top notes. Top notes tend to be light and fresh, and are usually the first to evaporate, so they don’t last for as long as the middle and base notes. For this recipe, start by adding the patchouli and ylang ylang base note oils, then move to the mid tones of lavender, geranium, and rose essential oil, and finish with the top notes of sweet orange (or lemon essential oil) and bergamot.
- Add these oils to the bottle with the vodka, then cap the lid tightly and shake well to combine. Allow the scents to meld and infuse together for at least one month. Keep the perfume stored in a cool, dark, dry place during this time, away from sunlight.
- Once ready, shake the perfume bottle before each use and apply to your pulse points.
How to make Perfume Last Longer
Keep perfume bottles out of the bathroom. Make sure to apply perfume to the right places; pulse points are the best spots to make it last (due to the warmth of your blood).
For more tips, see my post on how to make perfume last longer.
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 are your favourite scents? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
🖤 Vanessa