Home-made Perfumes

Disclaimer: This information is in no way intended to be a substitute for modern medical care. Do not self-treat any medical complaint without the guidance of a licensed health care provider.
August 7, 2000

The word perfume derives from Latin meaning "through smoke", and indeed, the first perfumes were incenses used to sweeten one's prayers for the gods. It has since been shown that the sense of smell is linked to the brain's limbic system - which affects sexual behavior, emotion and even memory - and that scents can trigger different responses in different people. To create your own personal perfume fragrance, you can try making your own perfumes at home. Find out which fragrance family, or category of aroma, most of your favorite scents belong to by testing different oils. floral fragrances tend to be popular among women, but Oriental, fruity, spicy, green and citrus are other aromatic options.

Jojoba oil for a perfume base
This medium-weight, golden oil is a liquid plant wax. Produced from cold-pressed jojoba seeds, it makes an excellent base for natural perfumes since it has a very long shelf-life, is easily absorbed by the skin and is non-greasy.

Citrus oil for refreshment
Gently uplifting and soothing, citrus oils, such as neroli and bergamot, provide a fruity, floral freshness to a perfume's fragrance.

Jasmine oil for intense richness
Used to make many fine perfumes, jasmine flowers are picked before dawn to prevent any of the soft and sensuous oil from evaporating.

Geranium oil for harmony and balance.
This delicate, rosy fragrance is very effective in treating stress, fatigue and anxiety, and it is an inexpensive alternative to genuine rose oil.

Ylang-ylang oil for relaxation
Possibly the most erotic aroma on earth, this sweet, tropical scent is a reported aphrodisiac. It calms the senses and relaxes the muscles.

Patchouli oil for prolonging a fragrance
This warm, earthy fragrance acts as a fixative, slowing evaporation and prolonging the scent.

Perfume Maturation
To make a balanced perfume, the scent components must mature and be combined in a glass bottle. For a fragrance made at home, this process takes at least 2 weeks. The scent should be stored in a dark place and shaken from time to time. Check the scent once a week and begin using it when you like the results.

Components of Perfume
Every perfume consists of 3 scent levels, or "notes," which support each other and create the overall scent. Essential oils, classified as either tip, middle or base notes, give each perfume its own special character. Here are a few basic terms:

Top note:
This is the scent you notice first, but it doesn't last long because it evaporates the quickest. Top notes are a small portion of the final blend and include fresh, light citrus scents using such oils as bergamot, neroli, lemon, lime, rosemary, orange or mint.
Middle note:
This links the base and the top scents and determines the fragrance family. Middle notes include flowery essential oils, such as rose, jasmine, geranium and ylang-ylang.
Base note or fixative:
This scent lasts the longest, adds fullness and carries the other scents. Derived from balsams, roots, resins and wood, bases include such oils as sandalwood, vetiver and patchouli and tend to be dark, heavy and sweet.

Make Your Own Perfume

Floriental Nights

2 tbsp. jojoba oil
3 drops bergamot oil
2 drops neroli oil
8 drops jasmine oil
12 drops geranium oil
8 drops ylang-ylang oil
4 drops patchouli oil

Pour the jojoba oil into a dark glass bottle with a glass rod applicator. Add the essential oils drop by drop, and shake thoroughly. You can vary the proportions of the essential oil according to personal preference, but note that the geranium oil is what gives this blend its floral flavor. Be careful - too much patchouli oil will easily overwhelm the scent; too much bergamot oil will often irritate skin that's sensitive. CAUTION: Bergamot oil should not be used by pregnant women or epileptics.

Enhance your body lotions and bath oils with homemade perfume. Add 1 to 1¾ tsp. of perfume to ½ cup of lotion or oil. As fragrance evaporates, it rises, so be sure to apply lotion behind your knees and ankles so you can fully enjoy the scent.

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Sources:
All information provided in this article is the result of research using (but not limited to) the following books and guides: Herbs for Health and Healing, Rodale; Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham; Magical Herbalism, Scott Cunningham; The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers; Earthway, Mary Summer Rain; Teach Yourself Herbs, Susie White; Natural Beauty from the Garden, Janice Cox; Nature's Prescriptions, Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing, and The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies, Joe Graedon and Theresa Graedon, Ph.D