Perfume Materials

Perfume consists of a mixture of essential oils in a base oil, together

with alcohol and water.

 1/2 ounce jojoba oil or sweet almond oil

 2-1/2 ounces ethanol (e.g., vodka)
 2 tablespoons spring water or distilled water (not tap water)
 coffee filter
 dark-colored glass bottle
 25 drops essential oils (buy them at a health store or online or
distill your own)
 7 drops base note essential oils
 7 drops middle note essential oils
 6-7 drops top note essential oils
 couple of drops of bridge notes (optional)

The essential oils that you use form the basis of your perfume. These
essential oils are called the 'notes' of the perfume. The base notes are the
part of the perfume that lasts the longest on your skin. The middle notes
evaporate a little more quickly. The top notes are the most volatile and
disperse first. Bridge notes have intermediate evaporation rates and
serve to tie a scent together. Sometimes other substances are added to a
perfume, such as sea salt (ocean scent), black pepper (spicy), camphor,
and vetiver. Since the essential oils evaporate at different rates, the way
a perfume smells changes over time as you wear it. Here are some
examples of common base, middle, top, and bridge notes.

 base notes: cedarwood, cinnamon, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla,

moss, lichen, fern
 middle notes: clove, geranium, lemongrass, neroli, nutmeg, ylang-
ylang
 top notes: bergamot, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lime, neroli,
orchid, rose
 bridge: vanilla, lavender

The order in which you mix your ingredients is important, since it will
affect the scent. If you change the procedure, record what you did in
case you want to do it again.

Create Your Perfume

1. Add the jojoba oil or sweet almond oil to the bottle.

2. Add the essential oils in the following order: the base notes,
followed by the middle notes, then finally the top notes. Add a
couple of drops of bridge notes, if desired.
3. Add 2-1/2 ounces of alcohol.
 4. Shake the bottle for a couple of minutes then let it sit for 48 hours
to 6 weeks. The scent will change over time, becoming strongest
around 6 weeks.
5. When the scent is where you want it to be, add 2 tablespoons of
spring water to the perfume. Shake the bottle to mix the perfume,
then filter it through a coffee filter and pour it into its final bottle.
Ideally, this will be a dark bottle with minimal airspace, since
light and exposure to air degrade many essential oils.
6. You can pour a little perfume into a decorative bottle, but in
general, store your perfume in a dark sealed bottle, away from
heat and light.
7. Label your creation. It's a good idea to record how you made the
perfume, in case you want to duplicate it.

Perfumery Notes

It takes experimentation to get the scent you want, but you can get
started in the right direction by keeping in mind the type of scent
associated with essential oils:

 earthy: patchouli, vetiver

 floral: geranium, jasmine, neroli, rose, violet, ylang-ylang
 fruity: bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mandarin,
orange
 herbal: angelica, basil, chamomile, clary sage, lavender,
peppermint, rosemary
 sea: sea salt
 spicy: black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, coriander,
ginger, juniper, nutmeg
 woodsy: cassia, cedar, cypress, pine, sandalwood

If the perfume is too strong, you can dilute it with more water. If you
want your perfume to retain its scent longer, add a tablespoon of
glycerin to the perfume mixture.