LUX DIY: How to Make Your Own Perfume

Aug 20, 2013
Marisa Machak • Beauty

If you’re in need of a brand new fragrance, why not just create one yourself? Luxury brand perfumes can be very pricy, so save some time and money when you concoct your own. Whether made as a gift for a friend or a little something for yourself, this homemade and heartfelt perfume will add a smile to your face. Follow these simple steps to create the perfect scent that will be unique to you!

Perfumes and colognes are usually made with harsh synthetic ingredients and oils, some of which can be toxic or harmful when inhaled. Make sure that you are only using ingredients that offer therapeutic properties, enhance your health and improve your sense of well-being all at the same time.

Perform a small sample test on your skin to make sure that you do not have allergies or sensitivities to any of the essential oil ingredients that you will be using. Many essential oils must be diluted in a carrier oil because they may be too potent to the nose or irritating to the skin.

The basic rule for creating perfumes with essential oils is five drops of essential oil to every one teaspoon of carrier oil. This rule is fundamental to the art of perfume-making and also understanding the way essential oils can be blended together for a complimentary aroma.

DIY Make Your Own Perfume

Perfumes consist of:

Top notes are the notes that first come alive just after application, like peppermint, grapefruit, lemon, lavender, orange, anise, mandarin, eucalyptus, lime and teatree.

Middle notes are the heart and soul of the perfume and will take half the amount of drops of the perfume. These oils come from lavender, clove, rose, chamomile, juniper, ylang ylang and cinnamon.

Base notes are the strongest notes that tie the entire scent together. They are made up of cedar wood, patchouli, jasmine and vanilla.

When creating the perfume, add the carrier oil, the base note, the middle note and finally the top note. The ingredients must be stored in a dark glass bottle that can be sealed tight. As you add in each note, sniff as you go to make sure the scent is just how you want; not too strong and not too faint.

Begin creating your own signature scent by adding some jojoba oil and a carrier oil into a dark bottle. A carrier oil will allow the essential oil to mix more easily to create the perfume. These oils are absorbed into the skin for a lasting scent effect. Some carrier oils are coconut oil, sweet almond oil, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, camellia oil, evening primrose oil, hazelnut oil, macadamia oil, rosehip oil and soybean oil.

Add 2 ½ oz. of rubbing alcohol, shake for one to two minutes and then let sit for 48 hours and up to six weeks. The longer it sits, the stronger the scent will be.

After your fragrance is just how you like it, pour it in a pretty glass bottle, give it a name and voila! You’ve just created your very own perfume!