# How to make my own perfume



## Spice (Jul 15, 2015)

I was asked to make a perfume of eo for someone, I am right in the process of blending Patch, Lemon, Frankincense and Ylang Ylang. Then I thought, am I to add a carrier old?If so how much oil to how much eo? :wave:


----------



## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jul 16, 2015)

Are you making an eau de perfume or perfume oil?


----------



## lsg (Jul 16, 2015)

Here is an old link to Snowdrift Farms about perfume making:

http://web.archive.org/web/20110811061238/http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/form_perfumes.html


----------



## shunt2011 (Jul 16, 2015)

I make roll on perfume oils. I use fractionated co. I also make a fragrance balm. They are basically a lotion bar with more fragrance.  Check the IFRA usage for max usage in this type of product.  One I make would be 1oz oil and .50 fragrance.


----------



## Spice (Jul 17, 2015)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Are you making an eau de perfume or perfume oil?


  I'm making a perfume oil.


----------



## Spice (Jul 17, 2015)

lsg said:


> Here is an old link to Snowdrift Farms about perfume making:
> 
> http://web.archive.org/web/20110811061238/http://www.snowdriftfarm.com/form_perfumes.html


Wonderful page! I got a lot of good info. This should get me on a good start. Thank you.


----------



## Spice (Jul 19, 2015)

So I have my patch anhored with frankincense, I used lemon, ylang ylang, cedarwood, in varies amounts and will smell to see how it works. My next question is the container, I know I am making this harder then it should be, but......is there one better then an other when it comes to either a roll on or orifice bottles?


----------



## doriettefarm (Jul 19, 2015)

Don't know if you need this quantity of bottles but someone on the forum is trying to unload their stash.
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=55109

I've used the plastic roll-on bottles because I got them on closeout.  They work just fine but aren't as pretty as the glass.  The ones I have are like this but solid grey instead of the clear plastic.
http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/4-ml-Plastic-Roll-on-Bottle.html


----------



## shunt2011 (Jul 19, 2015)

I use those from Elements and they work really well. I actually have 100 being delivered tomorrow. I've never had any not work or leak.  I use the glass for selling but the grey ones I use as testers and samples. HTH


----------



## Spice (Jul 19, 2015)

ok, roll-on is the preferred typed.  I too like the idea of roll-on. Thanks. People ask for this and that, never realizing that I can either pour it into their hands and they can take it that way or I can package it and charge for it. Thanks for all the help. So far I'm ok with all that is involved with doing perfume oils. :razz:


----------



## Spice (Aug 3, 2015)

I know its been awhile, so I have this blend for the base:
Patch 3 parts
Ylang Ylang 2 parts
Frankincense 2 parts
Lemon 2 parts

Then I have either:
bergamot 3 parts

or 
Lavender 3 parts

My question is how do I measure out the carrier oil, because I wanted to use 14 grams in total. Just confused on this.:shock:


----------



## lionprincess00 (Aug 3, 2015)

3+2+2+2+3 (bergamot or lavender being the last 3) is 12 parts. 14 grams divided by 12 parts is 1.16 grams per part. 
3.5 grams patch
2.32 grams ylang ylang
2.32 frankincense
2.32 lemon
3.5 grams bergamot or lavender.
13.96 total grams


----------



## green soap (Aug 3, 2015)

Are you using the essential oils at about 10% dilution in carrier oil?  This has been a good start for my perfumes, which are not perfume oils but solid perfumes (just in shea butter)

If your total carrier oil + essential oils = 14g
Than this would be about 12.6g (or 13g) carrier oil and 1.4g essential oil blend.

1.4g divided by 12 parts is .1166g a part, so
Patch = 0.35g
ylang ylang = 0.233g
Frankincense = 0.233g
lemon = 0.233g 
and either bergamot or lavender = 0.35g

As most scales do not measure in fractions of grams you will need to measure these in drops.  

Essential oil conversions are a bit different (different density and viscosity than water) but for water, one drop weighs 0.05g so we can use this number as a 'close enough' approximation.

So this works to 7 drops patchouli, and either bergamot or lavender; and 4.7 drops of the ylang ylang, Frankincense and lemon.  So up to you, round out to either 5 drops or 4 drops.  

Good luck with it.  Making small quantities is harder!  Are you sure you only need 14g total?  




Spice said:


> I know its been awhile, so I have this blend for the base:
> Patch 3 parts
> Ylang Ylang 2 parts
> Frankincense 2 parts
> ...


----------



## lionprincess00 (Aug 3, 2015)

Here I was thinking I was being so mathy..I missed the carrier oil part. Sorry!


----------



## Susie (Aug 3, 2015)

I am so very glad that there are people who can do math and explain it!  I was wondering about making solid perfumes for Christmas presents, and this helps quite a bit.


----------



## green soap (Aug 3, 2015)

lionprincess, you could have easily missed the carrier oil part since no one really answered on the first page.  I am suggesting 10% but YMMV.  It also depends on which EOs we use, some are really strong.

Spice, i wanted to warn you about the phototoxicity of lemon and bergamot.  Not to alarm you, but it would be better to use the lavender, since bergamot is pretty bad this way.  However, you can tell you customer to only wear it at night, or on an area of the skin covered by clothes or hair.  Not sure everyone has issues - I have used lip balm at 2% lime EO on sunny hikes without a problem - but better safe then sorry.

Orange and tangerine have very little of the substance responsible for the phototoxicity (bergaptene).


----------



## zolveria (Aug 3, 2015)

Oh Spice  I have jumped in the world of perfumery.. ARRGH such i complex world that is.. i find myself so confused. and yet amazed at how making perfumes is compared to music. ... 

and how you can spend hours smelling and sampling..

But i think according to my husband how is a music producer.. that music is an emotion. when he created he begins by playing the keys. then the keys or his emotion moves the keys. ? does this make sense.

PERFUME IS LIKE MUSIC A FEELING AN EMOTION THAT EVOKES WHEN SMELLED.

So i am learning to smell with my heart? make sense.


----------



## Spice (Aug 4, 2015)

zolveria said:


> Oh Spice  I have jumped in the world of perfumery.. ARRGH such i complex world that is.. i find myself so confused. and yet amazed at how making perfumes is compared to music. ...
> 
> and how you can spend hours smelling and sampling..
> 
> ...


That is beautiful. I was trying to think of a way to inspire when it comes to doing this. I am not a composer, but I am a dancer and music moves me. Thank you.


----------



## Spice (Aug 4, 2015)

green soap said:


> Are you using the essential oils at about 10% dilution in carrier oil?  This has been a good start for my perfumes, which are not perfume oils but solid perfumes (just in shea butter)
> 
> If your total carrier oil + essential oils = 14g
> Than this would be about 12.6g (or 13g) carrier oil and 1.4g essential oil blend.
> ...



OMG, this is so awesome. I was feeling negative about what I was going to do, the I see this. The reason why I am only doing a small amount is because I didnt know what I was doing. I wanted to make this for a friend; then I thought about it and wondered if there would be a market. 

I have never heard of solid perfume! I am so interested now. I am going to make this.


----------



## biarine (Aug 4, 2015)

This is the two of my favourite, I don't use grams in my perfume. I check by my nose how strong or light I like. 

Christmas perfume
20 drops cinnamon EO
12 drops Ginger EO 
30 drops may Chang 
40 drops tangerine EO
40 drops sweet orange EO
100-150 ml perfumer's alcohol

Luscious Lavender
30 drops Frankincense 
35 drops rosewood 
45 drops lavandin 
50 drops lavender ( English) 
100-150 ml perfumer's alcohol


----------



## Spice (Aug 5, 2015)

green soap, first time I have heard of solid perfume. How does that work. I mean, does it melt in the heat? Can it be placed in a aluminum tin? 

Why do you like it better then the other liquid stuff?


----------



## Susie (Aug 5, 2015)

Back in the 1960's(yes, I know I am old), They put solid perfume in every type of jewelry:  lockets on necklaces, rings with "secret" flip tops, bracelets with large "stones" would actually have a "secret" compartment.  It meant you could take your perfume with you with no one the wiser.  Needless to say, everyone knew what those were, but it intrigued me.

I am thinking about pouring solid perfume/lotion bars into large lip balm type tubes as part of everyone's Christmas goodie bag/box.


----------



## biarine (Aug 5, 2015)

Spice said:


> green soap, first time I have heard of solid perfume. How does that work. I mean, does it melt in the heat? Can it be placed in a aluminum tin?
> 
> Why do you like it better then the other liquid stuff?




I put mine sometimes in aluminium tin or even in plastic or glass


----------



## green soap (Aug 5, 2015)

Spice said:


> green soap, first time I have heard of solid perfume. How does that work. I mean, does it melt in the heat? Can it be placed in a aluminum tin?
> 
> Why do you like it better then the other liquid stuff?



I will try to find a picture for you...they are called solid scented lotion on the label, technically a balm or solid perfume.  (Some people will get these for Christmas).  I just happen to have a lot of these containers, little tins will work just fine too.  These do make it easy to apply without getting your fingers into the can.


----------



## Spice (Aug 5, 2015)

green soap said:


> I will try to find a picture for you...they are called solid scented lotion on the label, technically a balm or solid perfume.  (Some people will get these for Christmas).  I just happen to have a lot of these containers, little tins will work just fine too.  These do make it easy to apply without getting your fingers into the can.


 
fabulous, do you use bees wax too? If so how do you calculate the amounts?

Just saw the picture and yes you use beeswax.


----------



## Trix (Aug 6, 2015)

Once I put a lot of solid perfumes (I made mine with candelilla wax and carnauba wax, and castor oil, so that the 'carrier' stays on the skin for as long as possible)
In lipbalm tubes, and believe it or not the ppl I gave these to as opposed to the ones who got them in tins or deodorant containers, are the ones who ask me to send them more, if I ever do them again. They were small, easy to carry, and being concentrated in such a tiny space, the scents lasted longer and were more evident and powerful.

Just remember essential oils are volatile, and most of them don't last as long as fragrance oils, or perfume complexes, if you decided to go the 'I want to become a professional perfume maker' route....which is also a very fun thing to do.


----------



## shunt2011 (Aug 6, 2015)

I put my solid perfume in an oval lip balm container.  People love them since they fit right in their purses.


----------



## Dorymae (Aug 6, 2015)

I use the regular lip balm tubes but with rounded tops, my lip balm has the flat tops.


----------



## Spice (Aug 10, 2015)

Trix said:


> Once I put a lot of solid perfumes (I made mine with candelilla wax and carnauba wax, and castor oil, so that the 'carrier' stays on the skin for as long as possible)
> In lipbalm tubes, and believe it or not the ppl I gave these to as opposed to the ones who got them in tins or deodorant containers, are the ones who ask me to send them more, if I ever do them again. They were small, easy to carry, and being concentrated in such a tiny space, the scents lasted longer and were more evident and powerful.
> 
> Just remember essential oils are volatile, and most of them don't last as long as fragrance oils, or perfume complexes, if you decided to go the 'I want to become a professional perfume maker' route....which is also a very fun thing to do.


I was thinking of doing solids, then I thought about ppl carrying the lip balm tubes in purses and the heat (now that its summer), wont that melt or change the EO? When something like that happens, it seems ppl blame the makers for whatever goes wrong with the products.:!:


----------



## Trix (Aug 11, 2015)

Spice said:


> I was thinking of doing solids, then I thought about ppl carrying the lip balm tubes in purses and the heat (now that its summer), wont that melt or change the EO? When something like that happens, it seems ppl blame the makers for whatever goes wrong with the products.:!:



Depends on the waxes you use. Beeswax would melt fast...but that wax mix I used ended up being as hard as a rock....the worst is it would soften a tiny bit in hot weather.
The climate I was in was hot humid desert where it was normal to reach 110% and for the most part the solids stayed..solid lol.

but then again, it was so hot ppl would go from their cars, to indoor places, then home...so not a lot of walking around in the outdoors.

Experiment with the harder waxes, and see if you mange to find one that would stay put if you place it near a window with a lot of sunlight, and then use the one you like th best.
I hope this helps you decide a bit more!


----------



## Spice (Aug 14, 2015)

Trix said:


> Depends on the waxes you use. Beeswax would melt fast...but that wax mix I used ended up being as hard as a rock....the worst is it would soften a tiny bit in hot weather.
> The climate I was in was hot humid desert where it was normal to reach 110% and for the most part the solids stayed..solid lol.
> 
> but then again, it was so hot ppl would go from their cars, to indoor places, then home...so not a lot of walking around in the outdoors.
> ...


This certainly keeps my mind running. The more info on the subject the better for me to see what I need to so. Thank you.


----------

