So I was rocking out listening to Nirvana while I was cleaning my bathroom. Nirvana is always, and I do mean always, the right choice when you’re trying to clean up a Winter’s worth of crap. I started straightening up my medicine cabinet and noticed that I have a ton of essential oils. It’s kinda crazy, but hey, I really do put them all to good use in my natural beauty recipes.
Anyway, just as I was about to start putting all those cute little bottles back into alphabetical order (don’t judge me), my Nirvana playlist got to the song “Scentless Apprentice.” The song is based on this bizarre novel about a murderous perfume maker. I cranked the music up super loud and started rearranging the essential oils. Just then, the sky got a little bit bluer and the sun got just a little bit brighter. Okay, it wasn’t quite that dramatic, but I did get a really good idea. I decided to make my own perfume!
I had to do a little research on perfume making and I was surprised and thoroughly thrilled that some recipes already existed that simplify the process for us novices. If you’re interested (of course you are!), you should check out this totally informative article about blending essential oils. I highly recommend reading it, so that you can get an idea of some of the nuances of mixing fragrances.
DIY perfume is definitely my new obsession. I’ve made a few blends already and I can honestly say that this is quickly becoming one of my favorite homemade beauty DIYs. Check out the basic recipe and some of the blends I made to get you inspired!
HomeMade Perfume
Ingredients
- glass mason jar or glass bowl
- amber perfume bottle, find it here
- 1/2 cup vodka
- 10-12 drops top note essential oil
- 6-8 drops middle note essential oil
- 3-5 drops base essential oil
Directions
- mix the essential oils and vodka in a mason jar, or glass bowl
- seal the container tightly and store in a dark place
- allow the mixture to sit for about 2 days (the longer the mixture sits, the stronger the scent will be)
- use a dropper to transfer into your amber perfume bottle
- shake before using
Try These Essential Oil Combinations
Eau de Parfum No. 1
- 12 drops eucalyptus
- 6 drops rosemary
- 5 drops cedarwood
Eau de Parfum No. 2
- 4 drops eucalyptus
- 8 drops grapefruit
- 6 drops juniper
- 4 drops oakmoss
- 2 drops cedar
Eau de Parfum No. 3
- 12 drops grapefruit
- 8 drops juniper
- 5 drops oakmoss
***be sure to use glass rather than plastic when mixing essential oils.
***essential oils will lose their potency after a couple of months, so don’t try to make a year’s supply ahead of time!
***for more information on top notes, middle notes, and base notes be sure to visit AromaWeb.
image and recipe via themerrythought