How to Make Perfume with Essential Oils
Making your own perfume has many benefits, like being cost efficient, and allows allows you to create your own custom fragrances. Learn how to make perfume is this simple, easy to follow guide.
Creating your own perfume may seem complicated, and something that should be left to the professionals. However, it is really quite simple. The most difficult part of the process is gathering the herbs that you need to extract the essential oils. Although the famous commercial perfume makers talk of the 12,000 pounds of jasmine flowers to produce even 2 pounds of oil, it is easier than it sounds. Large quantities of flowers are needed to produce the precious pure oil, to create fragrant water and oil right from the flowers and herbs that you can grow in your backyard.
One of the easiest ways to extract oil is to soak the petals or oils in oil. Oil attracts oils and will bring it out of the leaves and flowers that they are soaked in. The most vital part of the process is to not use metal containers or covers. The metal will change the fragrance. Glass or ceramic works best. Simply pour in either pure olive oil or safflower oil to cover the fresh flowers and herbs. Let it steep in the oil for 24 hours, then strain. As you strain, press gently on the flowers and leaves to release more fragrant oil. You can repeat this process as many times as you wish to strengthen the fragrance of the oil.
Personally, I always have scented oil steeping and use it as a decor item as well. By using clear bottles and making my own cork covers I have a section of my counter that is not only purposeful but essential in always having fragrant oil to work with. The oil will keep for up to 9 months in a tightly sealed bottle.
Another simple method is to soak the plants in undenatured ethyl alcohol. Don’t use rubbing alcohol. If you can’t find the proper alcohol use vodka. The process is exactly as it is above. Most perfumes purposed from a store contain alcohol because it evaporates quickly from the skin and sends out a blast of fragrance. If you want to remove the plant oil from the alcohol put it in the freezer. Vodka does not freeze but the oil solidifies and then can be skimmed from the vodka. This solvent method is particularly good for flowers such as jasmine.
Pure essential oil that your purchase from the store can also work for the following recipes. However, to create your own unique scents, the joy is in extracting the plant oils for yourself.
I really like to use Rocky Mountain Oils, because their essential oils are 100% pure, natural and authentic. They’re also backed with a 90 day satisfaction guarantee. You can also find a wide variety of essential oils on Amazon though, if you prefer to shop there.
To make a simple perfume all you need is the essential oil (either the purchased or the homemade), alcohol (either undenatured ethyl alcohol or vodka), a fixative (orris root or sandalwood oil) and some water. First you need to create the perfume around a main scent. Do not over add scents, allow one group of fragrances to sit for at least 4 weeks before attempting to add additional scents.
How to make perfume
A simple scent of roses is a blend of the favorite flower of many. Mix the following items into a clear bottle and shake well before setting aside for at least 4 weeks.
- 1 cup of alcohol
- 1/4 cup rose water
- 1 tablespoon rosemary oil
- 2 tablespoons rose oil
- 1 tablespoon of orris root
For a lavender perfume combine the following.
- 1 pint of alcohol
- 1/2 cup lavender water
- 2 tablespoons of lavender oil
- 1 tablespoon of orris root
