How to Make Perfume at Home
Mar 7th 2023
Please close your eyes, and let’s go down the nostalgic lane. Think of all the beautiful flower smells you can recollect – the first smell you vividly remember as a kid, the lovely rose for or from that first crush. I bet you are already smiling. What if we can capture these fragrances and make some perfumes at home? The idea crossed my mind, so I researched how to make perfumes from the flowers I was thinking of planting.
For me, the flowers I associate with my nostalgic memories are:
It’s springtime, so it’s a great time to plant some of your favorite fragrances. (However, don’t forget to water those plants and consider our Rose and Shrub Irrigation kit for your watering needs)
Researchers have found several benefits of homemade perfumes:
Most DIY recommend using essential oils in perfume making, as they are widely available, but you must buy them. If you plan to use essential oils, understand they are made up of three variants:
- Top Notes (notes your smell first – 30%): Basil, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Lime, Mint, Rosemary, and orange fall in this category.
- Middle Notes (core fragrance – 50%): Germanium, Chamomile, Fennel, Nutmeg
- Base Notes (these enhance the middle notes – 20%): cypress, ginger, pine, sandalwood, vanilla.
With essential oils, you can customize perfumes to suit your taste (below are some recommendations)
- Relaxation - Lavender, Musk, Neroli, Cedarwood
- Refreshing - Citrus Fragrances Like Orange, Lemongrass, Lemon, Lime
- Fresh - Grapefruit, Ginger
- Romantic - Rose, Lime, Lavender
- Sensuous - Sweet Orange, Sandalwood
- Sweet - Lavender, Chamomile, Cardamom, Geranium
- Bright - Peppermint, Rosemary, Lemon, Sage
- Wild & Woody – Juniper, Cedarwood, Bergamot
- Rich – Lavender, Clove, Nutmeg
Now let’s get started to make some perfume:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of rose petals.
- 1 cup of distilled water
- 3-4 tbsps. carrier oil like sweet almond, coconut, or jojoba
- 1/4 cup of vodka or witch hazel
- Essential oils (optional) – 30 drops (i.e., 9 drops top notes, 15 drops middle notes, and 6 drops base notes)
Instructions:
- Pick fresh, fragrant flower petals from your garden. Please make sure they are clean and free from any insects or dirt.
- Rinse the petals in cold water to remove any debris or dust.
- Put the flower petals into a glass jar and cover it with distilled water.
- Add 3-4 tbsp of carrier oil. Stir gently to ensure all the petals are submerged.
- Cover the jar with a lid and let it sit for 24-48 hours. This will allow the fragrance of the flower to infuse into the water.
- Strain the liquid through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer to remove the petals.
- Add 1/4 cup of vodka or witch hazel to the flower water. This will help preserve the scent and keep it from spoiling.
- If you want to add scent to your perfume, you can add essential oils.
- Transfer the mixture to a small glass spray bottle or perfume atomizer. You can also use a rollerball bottle if you prefer.
- Label your perfume with the name of the scent and the date it was made. Store it in a cool, dark place and shake well before using.