So how do you go about making your own perfume?
Alcohol as an ingredient
As with all homemade toiletries, testing each ingredient on a small patch of skin is advisable to check for allergies. Perfumer’s (or perfumiere’s) alcohol is a key ingredient for perfume making but can sometimes be difficult to source. If a perfume is created for public sale, perfumer’s alcohol must be used, as it is blended with a fixative designed for skin contact.
As long as homemade perfume is just for personal use, the alcohol can be replaced with 100 per cent proof vodka. The blend of alcohol, distilled water and fragrant oils in the blend determines the strength of the fragrance, depending on the ratio. A single drop less or more of essential oil – the key ingredient in perfumery – can change the essence of a perfume.
Perfume oils
The oils used in perfume making are either essential oils or fragrance oils. The difference in price between the two is noticeable, with the former being much steeper. This is because essential oils are more often a natural derivative from plants or flowers – some of which are said to carry natural health benefits. Fragrance oils, on the other hand, are a blend of ingredients, usually artificial, diluted with oil. A significant number of plants are needed to make a single bottle of essential oil, creating a higher impact on resources and the environment.
Although essential oils will create a better quality perfume, the lower price range of fragrance oils makes them ideal for first-time perfumery dabblers. Fragrance oils are also an alternative for those who are allergic to essential oils and they also come in scents that aren’t available in essential oil form.
The basic trio of perfume ingredients