Meadowsweet Herbs

Did you know that most perfumes on the market are made with toxic chemicals known to cause neurological and respiratory disorders? Making your own natural perfumes can be a fun, easy and healthy way to discover the scents of nature!

To make your own natural perfumes, all you will need is 100 percent pure, therapeutic grade essential oils and a base of either water and alcohol, preferably vodka, or oil. While some specialty perfumes are composed of many scents combined—sometimes over 200!—a beautiful aroma can be made from a blend of just two essential oils.

The first thing you will want to do is determine the strength of the scent you are looking to create.  The ratio of essential oils to the base can range anywhere from 1–30 percent, and is determined entirely by personal preference. Next, determine the type of scent you are looking to create; for example, whether it will be flowery, spicy or masculine.

Essential oils are divided into different “notes,” which are base, middle and top. This is based upon how volatile they are, or how quickly they evaporate. If the oil evaporates quickly it is a top note, slow evaporation makes it a base note, and middle notes are somewhere in between. When creating a formula using all three notes, your perfume will smell differently after one hour than when first applied. First you will smell the top notes, which will fade, revealing the middle note, which will evaporate to reveal the base. Bear in mind that different oils react differently with different types of skin.

You will first want to determine a base note, then middle, then a top note. Many essential oils fall into more than one category, and can be used as both a middle and a top note, or as a middle and base note. Some common base notes are the resins, such as Frankincense, Myrrh and Sandalwood. These can also be used as your middle notes, or with middles such as Clary-sage, Jasmine, Lemongrass or Neroli. Clary-sage, for example, can also be used as a middle-top note. The top notes include volatile oils like Basil, Chamomile, Cumin, Lavender, and Lemon. There are many books and charts available to help the novice perfume maker decide what oils to use, and which scents are compatible, but experimenting with two or three of your favorites is a great way to start! Alternatley, you may choose to take one fo our Natural Perfumery classes.

When combining your oils, the most important things to remember are to stir slowly, and to give the oils time to mature. When mixing in a vodka/water base, add the oils to the vodka and gently stir until fully dispersed, then let sit for 48 hours. Add the spring water, again stirring gently, then let mature for at least another 48 hours. Many professionals let their scents mature for up to six weeks. Once mature, strain your new perfume through a paper coffee filter, and bottle!