How to Make Perfume

In this post, I'm going to cover the basic how to make perfume instructions. There's no special skills involved in making perfume, just follow the procedure and you will get a great smelling fragrance.

Since Perfumer's Alcohol can be hard to find in most cities, I'm going to suggest using Vodka in these recipes. As long as it's for personal use and you aren't selling the perfume, The Department of Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms won't come and hunt you down. Use only 100 proof alcohol and be sure to test a single drop on your skin to make sure you aren't allergic to any ingredient.

The strength of the perfume is dependent on the ratio of fragrant oils, alcohol and water in the blend. Each blend will smell different and the amount of essential oil is critical. A single drop too much, or too little, will change the characteristic of the perfume completely.

The basic procedure for making perfume is the same whatever the blend.

Most simple perfumes are a mixture of alcohol, essential of fragrance oils and distilled water. Don't be tempted to use water from your kitchen faucet for this, it must be distilled. The oils are stirred slowly into the alcohol, one drop at a time. Stir slowly but long enough for the oils to be completely dispersed.

Let the blend of oil and alcohol stand undisturbed for 48 hours. Now add the distilled water, again stirring slowly until completely dispersed.

Perfume is like fine wine, it needs to stand and mature before it reaches perfection. Leave your perfume to stand for at least three weeks in a cool dark place.

After the perfume has matured, filter it through a coffee filter to remove any sediment and bottle it into a colored glass bottle with a stopper.

Part of the fun of making your own fragrances is being able to experiment and make one that is yours alone. You may need to experiment for a while before you discover the perfect scent, so make notes of everything you do including the exact quantities used. Remember that a single drop of an essential oil can change the smell of the perfume completely.

Here are some recipes to get you started:

Rain Shower

This is a very light scent reminiscent of a lingering rain shower.

5 drops Bergamot
3 drops Sandalwood
5 drops Cassis
1 cup distilled water
5 teaspoons of Vodka

Blend the ingredients as described above.

English Country Garden

5 drops Valerian
5 drops Chamomile
3 drops Lavender
1 cup distilled water
5 teaspoons Vodka