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“Perfumery,” or the art of developing perfume, has been around since the days of ancient Egypt and was furthered by the Roman Empire, Persians, and Arabs. Fast forward to 2013, and there are too many perfume brands and scents to count worldwide.
It’s no secret ladies, it’s easy to spend $200+ for a designer perfume. And there’s no getting around the mounting evidence that numerous popular perfumes are toxic enough to escalate major and minor health issues.
According to a 2010 study by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, some ingredients have been linked to allergies, headaches, hormone disruption (commonly linked to various cancers, thyroid disease, obesity, and diabetes), and even sperm damage in men.
Keeping both cost and your health in mind, maybe it’s high-time you consider making your very own perfume at home.
How It’s Done
To create a pure and delicious scent, you will need to begin with an essential oil–basically the ‘notes’ or the various scents within the scent. “Base” notes are those you want to last the longest on your skin. “Middle” notes evaporate a bit faster. “Top” notes are the strongest and most potent, yet they are the first to disappear. There are also “Bridge” notes that tie the entire scent together.
You can also add other substances to give the scent a unique flair. For example, you can use sea salt to gain an ocean scent or black pepper for some spice. Once you begin formulating your perfume, you will notice it will change as it developes. You will probably want to test it and add or subtract ingredients until you are completely satisfied.
The following are common base, middle, top, and bridge notes as provided by About.com:
- 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 Notes: vanilla, lavender
Main Ingredients & Tools
- 1/2 ounce jojoba oil
- 2.5 ounces vodka
- 2 tablespoons distilled water (don’t use tap water)
- Coffee filter
- A perfume bottle that inspires your soul
- Essential oils
- 7 drops base note
- 7 drops middle note
- 7 drops top note
- 2-3 drips of bridge notes (these are optional)
Formulate Your Scent
It is important you follow the exact sequence. The order in which you mix your ingredients is vital, since it will affect the scent. Remember to record what you do as you go, to accurately document your perfect outcome.
1. Pour the jojoba oil into the bottle of your choice.
2. Add the base notes, the middle notes, and then the top notes (in that exact order). Add your bridge notes of choice (optional).
3. Add the Vodka.
4. When the scent is where you want it to be, add 2 tablespoons of spring water to the perfume.
5. 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. Let the mixture sit for two days to six weeks. The longer you leave it sitting, the stronger it will become. You can keep it in this bottle or pour it into a more decorative one.
7. Name and label your new scent : 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. It’s also a good idea to record how you made the perfume, in case you want to duplicate it.
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