How to Make Perfume

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by ChrysN 936
411

Intro: How to Make Perfume

Why spend a fortune on perfume or cologne when you can make your own for cheap.
Brand name perfume/cologne can cost from $50-100, why spend that much when
you can create your own fragrance with vodka and essential oils.

Instead of wearing a fragrance that everyone else wears you can make your own
unique blend. Your own aromatic creations also makes a thoughtful gift.

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STEP 1: What You Need:

Ingredients:

Vodka (the higher percentage alcohol the better) or Everclear if you can get it
Essential oils*, fragrance oils**, infused oils, even flavour*** extracts (make sure it's
pure) such as vanilla extract
distilled or spring water
glycerine (this can be found in pharmacies)

Other stuff

pretty glass bottles to put the finished product in, preferably coloured glass, reuse
bottles or find them at the dollar store.
glass jar for mixing fragrance in
measuring cup/spoons
a dropper if you have one
funnel
aluminum foil or wrapping paper if you are using clear glass bottles
a pencil and paper for jotting down your recipe
a discerning nose is helpful

*You can also make your own perfume oil Be a Romantic Scientist: Distill your own
perfume oil.

**Fragrance oils are synthetic and are less expensive than essential oils.

***Quite a few perfumes use food flavours in them, so extracts are an easy way of
incorporating them into your own creations.

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STEP 2: Preparing Bottles

Sterilize the bottles and jars in the dish washer, especially if you are reusing bottles.
They need to be clean and sterile.

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STEP 3: Add the Alcohol

Measure 1/4 cup of vodka/Everclear and pour into jar.

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STEP 4: A Note About Scents

I've included a few words about scents, if you want to launch right into concocting
your perfume skip ahead to the next step.

Notes:
In perfumes the fragrance can be divided into three different notes depending on
when they arise.

Top note: The initial scent when you put the perfume on, then disappears, they
include; lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, bergamot, spearmint, peppermint and others.

Middle note: This scent appears just after the top note disappears. Scents like;
coriander, palmarosa, marjoram, basil, rosemary, rose geranium, pettitgrain, lavender
and others.

Base note: This appears after the middle note and is the base of the perfume, they
include; patchouli, vetiver, frankincense, cedarwood, sandalwood and others.

When you are mixing your perfume start by adding your base notes, then middle then
your top notes.

Families:
Scents can be divided into different families such as floral, oriental, woody and fresh
(such as citrus, etc) See wheel below. This is lovely but why do we need to know this?
When you are mixing your perfume,adding scents from neighboring families creates
harmony in you perfume.

Brand name perfume/cologne

There is a website which identifies the different components of brand name
fragrances, so if you would like make an imitation of your favorite perfume/cologne
check it out; basenotes Fragrance directory

For example:
Obsession Fragrance Notes

Top Notes
Mandarin, Bergamot, Jasmine, Rose, Orange Blossoms.
Middle Notes
Coriander, Tagete, Armoise.
Base Notes
Amber, Oakmoss.
Some of these scents may be a bit hard to find. (?armoise)

Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy involves using scents to affect mood and well being, if you would like
to consider this when blending your fragrance, check out Aromatherapy for
Emotional Well-Being

Men's Cologne
Guys, don't feel left out, try scents from the woody or fresh families to make a nice
manly cologne.

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STEP 5: Add You Scents

This is where the magic begins...

Add approximately 25 drops of essential/fragrance oil.

Take one scent ;

add a few drops
swirl
smell
add more or continue on
write down the oil and number of drops
Take the next scent and repeat as above until you have added the approximate
number of drops. Feel free to add more or less to create the desired fragrance.

If you are just starting out and don't know which scents to try. You can divided the
alcohol into smaller volumes and try different combination, experiment, be creative,
have fun with it.

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STEP 6: Let It Age

Once you are happy with the fragrance that you've created it is time to let it age.
Place it in a cool dark location for a minimum of 48 hours, up to a month.

Aging your fragrance allows the scents to mingle, and also become stronger. Once
you have aged your fragrance for the desired length of time, smell it again, the
mingling may have changed the overall scent, so feel free to add a few more drops of
scent to tweak it (don't forget you will need to age it again, if more scent was added).

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STEP 7: Add Water and Glycerine

Now that the fragrance is ready, it needs to be diluted.

Add 2 tablespoons of distilled/spring water. If you are making a perfume spray, add
more water.
Add approximately 5 drops of glycerine, this helps preserve the fragrance.
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STEP 8: Finishing Up

Pour the perfume into your bottle, use a funnel if you need to. If you are using clear
bottles, you will need to cover them with aluminum foil or wrapping paper (your
fragrance needs to be protected from the light or it will go off).
Add a label, decorate it, give it a fancy name and be happy that you saved a lot of
money!

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347 Comments
vanshkrishna17 11 months ago
Hi, can any one suggest net link of Source selling synthetic fragrance oil
because essential oils having therapeutic values do not serve the purpose
for making perfumes.
Thanks
Vimal
India

Fellana 11 months ago

After mixing the fragrance am I going to preserve it for 48 hour before
adding water or glycerin

vanshkrishna17 1 year ago

In example for preparing perfume at home,
How much is the 1/4th cup of clear Alcohol I.e how much ml.
secondly, what is the ratio between essential oils used for base note,
middle note and first note.
Thanks,
Vimal
India
KarenC370 2 years ago
Hello everyone, I'm trying to make sweet smelling scents for my bed and
breakfast guest. Things like cotton candy candy apple banana if you get
where I'm going I have the basics from here but do I just add Carmel for
Carmel smell?

Sirevicious 2 years ago

Can anyone help me with the ratio for how much fragrance oil and
perfumers alcohol needed for 2 oz Glass bottle (60ml)?

Chajoks 2 years ago

I live in my home country Nigeria, can you give me a link where to buy the
basic tools and the raw materials for production

abehery00 2 years ago

Hi, what percentage would Glycerine make up of a fragrance spray? We
currently mix Perfumers Alcohol (70%) with our synthetic pure oil mixtures
(30%). How much should glyercine make up if we start to add it and which
should be reduced in it's place, alcohol or perfume oil? Thanks, Adam.

jaberi.uni 2 years ago

2% OF DPG
I think DPG is more efficient than glycerin

jaberi.uni 2 years ago

I have bought fine fragrance and mix it with ethanol 96% and DPG.
40% oil fragrance
69% ethanol
1% DPG
but it hasn't any "silage". so i need to add some "fixative". could you please
suggest me?
thank you guys...

trinikrystle 3 years ago

Like. Most persons here I am struggling. I use ethanol and fragernace oils
only. The scent carries well, and it blends wells.

I'm trying to get a better way. Suggestions?

ChrysN 3 years ago

Store bought perfumes have a lot of additives that extend the scent.
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/what-chemicals-are-in...

You can try this.

https://www.fragrancex.com/blog/make-your-perfume-...

residualchoice 4 years ago

I know which ingredients to put in my perfume. How do I know how much
drops of what?
MisterJayJay 3 years ago
I don't go by drops. I use very specific measurements in mL. This is much
easier and way more accurate.

trinikrystle 3 years ago

You seem to be a wealth of information. Help me. I use ethanol and
fragernace oil.

Is there another way.

The scent carries well, no separation etc.

I would like to use water instead of alcohol and or the right fixative to allow
the scent to stick around longer.

Rachel Tang 3 years ago

Anyone knows how to mix absolute rose otto ton perfume alcohol?

Anike_ade 3 years ago

How do I extract flavours

Sumdaz 3 years ago

Hey guys! I want to start producing my own brand oil based and alcohol
based perfumes, how do I go about it..? Again, where can source for the
raw materials..? Do I need some machineries like perfume mixing machine,
filling machine etc, for a start..?

SahbandiM 4 years ago

can we use white rum like barcadi

MisterJayJay 3 years ago

Use perfumers alcohol. It's nearly 100% pure. Any other alternative is not
pure enough to create a high quality fragrance.

yassi.memar93 3 years ago

I made my oil perfume, but when I mixed it with alcohol, they did not
mixed.oil is under alcohol.how can I mix them?

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