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Making your own perfume oils is a rewarding experience. It is fun to mix and match your own scent blends.
Perfume oils are great because they can be more concentrated than volatile fragrances, and they are really easy to make, with only 2 ingredients - a base oil and essential oils. A rollerball (a glass perfume delivery bottle) works especially well for application.
In this article you will learn:
- How to choose your own essential oils for a perfume blend
- Essential oil scent categories
- A basic perfume oil recipe that you can customize
- 10 perfume oil blend recipes
- Where to get your supplies
Making Your Own Scents
Creating your very own, unique scent blends is easy with a little knowledge.
It is best for beginners to start with a maximum of three essential oils when creating their own scent blends.
Why? It will allow you to get a really good feel for what different scents smell like together and keep your perfume from getting too complicated.
Once you get the hang of it, you can start adding more.
A well structured perfume has deep notes (bottom or base notes), middle or complimented (heart) notes, and top notes.
Base Notes
Should make up 20% of your blend. These are the aromas that will linger through out the day.
Middle notes
These bond the top and bottom notes together. A good proportion for middle notes is 50%.
Top Notes
Lighter fragrances. These are the notes that your senses will pick up on first. They will then fade into the deeper notes. These should be 30% of your blend.
Base Note
- Balsam Peru
- Cassia (to middle)
- Cedarwood
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Frankincense
- Ginger (to middle)
- Jasmine
- Myrhh
- Oakmoss
- Patchouli
- Rose
- Rosewood (to middle)
- Sandalwood
- Valerian
- Vanilla
- Vetiver
- Ylang Ylang
Middle Note
- Bay
- Black Pepper
- Cardamom
- Chamomile
- Cypress
- Fennel (to top)
- Geranium
- Ho Leaf
- Ho Wood
- Hyssop (to top)
- Juniper
- Lavender
- Marjoram
- Melissa (to top)
- Myrtle
- Nutmeg
- Palma Rosa
- Pine
- Rosemary
- Spikenard
- Spruce (to high)
- Yarrow
Top Note
- Basil (to middle)
- Bergamot (to middle)
- Cajuput
- Cinnamon
- Clary Sage (to middle)
- Coriander (to middle)
- Eucalyptus
- Grapefruit
- Hyssop (to middle)
- Lemon
- Lemongrass (to middle)
- Lime
- Mandarin/Tangerine
- Neroli (to middle)
- Verbena
- Niaouli
- Orange
- Peppermint
- Petitgrain
- Ravensara
- Spearmint
- Tagetes
- Tea Tree (to middle)
- Thyme (to middle)
Sourcing Essential Oils
I want to make sure you are buying high-quality essential oils. That is why I spent a ton of time researching to find the best essential oil brand. You can read about them here.
Essential Oil Categories
Essential oils fall into scent categories, knowing these will help you get an idea for what a particular oil smells like, as well as what it could pair well with.
Camphoraceous
Similar to camphor; strongly aromatic, almost medicinal. Includes eucalyptus, frankincense, hyssop, marjoram, rosemary, sage and camphor.
Blends well with citrus, woodsy, herbaceous, earthy.
Floral
Derived from flowering botanical sources. Examples include clary sage, jasmine, chamomile, lavender, rose, ylang ylang, and geranium.
Blends well with other florals, woodsy, spicy, citrus.
Mint
Strongly aromatic and cooling. Includes peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen and pennyroyal.
Blends well with citrus, woodsy, herbaceous and earthy oils.
Musky
Robust, earthy scents. Includes myrrh, citronella, and patchouli.
Blends well with woodsy and minty.
Spicy
Invigorating and aromatic, they can liven up any blend. Includes anise, basil, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, oregano, cardamom.
Blends well with floral and citrus.
Earthy
Smells of earth or wet dirt. Includes oakmoss, vetiver, and patchouli.
Blends well with woodsy and minty.
Woodsy
Scents of walking through the woods. Includes pine, spruce, cypress, cedarwood, and fir.
Blends well with all categories.
Herbaceous
Pungent and slightly woody. Plants found in the garden. Includes lavender, basil, clary sage, geranium, marjoram, peppermint, and rosemary.
Blends well spicy, floral, woodsy, citrus.
Citrus
Smells like citrus fruit. Uplifting, fresh, vibrant. Includes lemon, bergamot, petitgrain, lemongrass, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, and mandarin.
Blends with floral, exotic, woodsy, minty.
Exotic
Pungent, sweet and warm. Includes clove, ginger, patchouli, sandalwood, and ylang ylang.
Blends well with floral and citrus.
Resinous
Deep, buttery, and soft. Includes frankincense, peru balsam, myrrh, and vanilla.
Blends well with citrus and floral.
Want to Learn how to Safely Blend your own Perfumes?
In this book you will learn:
- What are essential oils?
- Safety and essential oils - phototoxicity and photosensitivity
- Dilution rates for different essential oils
- How to do patch testing
- What equipment you will need
- How to create unique perfume blends using essential oils
- How to test your scent blends
- DIY perfume recipes to get you started
DIY Customizable Perfume Oil Recipe
You Will Need
- 3 Tablespoons (50 ml) carrier oil (Jojoba or Fractionated Coconut Oil work best)
- 20 drops of essential oils (1 ml)
- 50 ml roller-ball or dropper bottle
If you want to make 10 ml of perfume, use 5 - 10 drops of essential oils and fill container with carrier oil.
Instructions
- Add your essential oils to your container. Pour the Jojoba oil into your small roll-on container or a dropper bottle until it is full. Cap the lid, and shake well. Let the oils sit and fuse for a couple days.
- Place a couple drops of your perfume behind your ears or on the inside of your wrists. Enjoy!
*Note: Be sure to preform a patch test to make sure your perfume blend will not irritate your skin
To get a well-rounded blend
50 ml carrier oil
- 4 drops base note
- 10 drops middle note
- 6 drops top note
10 ml carrier oil
- 2 drops base note
- 5 drops middle note
- 3 drops top note
Scent Blend Recipes
If you don’t want to experiment with making your own scents, use these recipes below to get you started. They all add up to 20 drops. Just add these scent blends to the 50 ml DIY Perfume Recipe above.
Spicy and Floral
- 12 drops lavender
- 3 drops clove
- 2 drops nutmeg
- 2 drops vanilla
- 1 drop ylang-ylang
Flower Garden
- 7 drops sweet orange
- 4 drops patchouli
- 4 drops cedarwood
- 2 drops lavender
- 2 drops ylang ylang
- 1 drop bergamot
Calm and De-Stress
- 9 drops grapefruit
- 4 drops sweet orange
- 4 drops lavender
- 2 drops clary sage
- 1 drop roman chamomile
Robust Manly Blend
- 6 drops bergamot
- 6 drops patchouli
- 3 drops bay laurel
- 3 drops vetiver
- 1 drop ginger
- 1 drop neroli
Woodland Escape
- 8 drops spruce
- 4 drops fir
- 4 drops cedarwood
- 2 drops vetiver
- 2 drops bergamot
A Romantic Night
- 10 drops rose
- 5 drops lime
- 5 drops vetiver
Give Me Energy
- 12 drops grapefruit
- 8 drops ylang-ylang
Simple Men’s Blend
- 10 drops cedarwood
- 6 drops bergamot
- 4 drops sandalwood
Sensual Woman
- 5 drops coriander
- 6 drops bergamot
- 4 drops neroli
- 2 drops jasmine
- 3 drops rose
Forest Fairy
- 10 drops sweet orange
- 5 crops cedarwood
- 3 drops peppermint
- 2 drops rosemary
Where to Buy Your Supplies
Essential Oils
My favorite brand of essential oils is Rocky Mountain Oils. They sell high-quality, therapeutic-grade essential oils and do third-party testing to verify the potency and purity of their oils. [Learn why they are the best essential oil brand].
Amazon has a large selection of essential oils. The best brands on Amazon are Eden’s Garden and Plant Therapy.
Containers
A roller-ball will be the most convenient way to transport and use your perfume oil. A dropper bottle works as well, but is harder to use. Make sure you buy bottles that are made of dark glass, to protect your perfume from light.
I like Infinity Jars from Amazon. They are super dark glass and come in a variety of sizes. Another good brand is Vivaplex.
Rocky Mountain oils carries 10ml roller-balls.
Carrier Oils
The best carrier oils for perfumes are jojoba and fractionated coconut oil. These oils are slow to go rancid and have no odor that will compete with your essential oils.
On Amazon I recommend Leven Rose brand of Jojoba oil and Molivera Organics Fractionated Coconut Oil.
Rocky Mountain Oils also carries Jojoba Oil and Fractionated Coconut Oil
Want to Learn how to safely blend your own perfumes?
In this book you will learn:
- What are essential oils?
- Safety and essential oils - phototoxicity and photosensitivity
- Dilution rates for different essential oils
- How to do patch testing
- What equipment you will need
- How to create unique perfume blends using essential oils
- How to test your scent blends
- DIY perfume recipes to get you started
Do you have any recipes to share?
Leave any questions you may have in the comments below and I will do my best to help you out!
Wow, very detailed explanations for those of us (me) that has no clue about skin care. I think I have a few friends who would really appreciate the formulas you’ve posted there. That’s really cool that so many different products can be made in your own home just through mixing different ingredients. Thanks!
-Wing
It is pretty cool what you can make yourself. Skin care is one of those things that can be really simple to make yourself.
Thank you so much. This article gave me ideas to make and create my own patchouli cologne.
Also, I’m interested in making soap for care and refreshing of the body. I’m not happy with the items at the store. I like the idea of natural ingredient’s. I will love to hear any recommendations. Thank you again.
Hello Alejandro, we just wrote a post about making soap! Check it out here. I love shea butter in soap, as well as aloe vera and goats milk.
As I know on the other sources that the ratio between top-middle-base is 3-5-2. And your is 2-3-5. What is the difference please. Thanks Andrea and have a good day! 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping in and leaving a comment Khanh! I am so glad you pointed this error out to me, I must have read or gotten the wrong information when I was researching for this article! I am going to change it now because you are right, the proper ratio is 3-5-2.
Hi Andrea,
I’m interested in making perfume out of organic coconut virgin oil. Can you please contact me on my email address. ngtambeana@gmail.com
Regards
Nixon Garae TAMBEAN
Will do 🙂
Thank you so much for the recipes. I have several of the oils at home that a bought from a near by health food store. I didn’t know that Amazon also sells organic essential oils. I have been using the oils as repellents for myself, the dogs and the house, but I have yet to try them for perfume purposes. Thanks again!
You are welcome 🙂
Ok first off, organic anything is an interest of mine so I followed you guys on google+ and twitter! So excited to learn more from you. 🙂
I’ve been looking into essential oils to help me with day-to-day activities and also to de-stress, so this is very useful. I especially am interested in the Calm and De-Stress, Forest Faerie, and Give Me Energy recipes. I’ll definitely try them out someday.
Thanks for the informative read!
You’re welcome 🙂
Really eye opening article you have here. I have never thought of making my own perfumes. Not even counting the fact that it is an activity that can save you money, there are other benefits too. Using ingredients knowing their quality is top notch. Furthermore, mixing and matching to make a unique aroma of your own liking, something you can’t find elsewhere, is an opportunity you can’t find everywhere.
Yes, making your own scent can be really rewarding 🙂
Hey, thanks for such a detailed explaination on how to make our own perfume oil. I attended a workshop before and they just told us to mix whatever flavors (3 selections) that we like into our massage oil.
Your explanation on the 3 notes help me to understand the kind of depth that we can achieve with the scent. Now I know where all the proportion come from and why some of my selection smells stronger than the others.
It makes selecting your oils so much easier when you know what note each of the oils belong to 🙂 That way, your scent will be well rounded and last much longer.
Excuse my confusion, each of these reciepes are mixed in the 50ml of jojoba oil? If this is the case, wouldn’t the 20 drops (1ml) not fit into the 50ml containers you’ve recommended? I want to try a few of these so want to make sure I have a proper understanding. Thanks!
Hi Katie, I guess they won’t quite fit (they will be 1 ml over) I would mix them in a bowl and then transfer it to the bottle. The little bit you have left could maybe be used right away? Otherwise you could buy a larger container. Another option would be to use just a little less jojoba oil 🙂
Just put your essential oils in the bottle first, then top it off with the carrier oil.
Hi Mary, that is a great idea!
Thanks Andrea, this was a great read! I’m hoping to make my own blend to help me stay focused and calm during the day. I have found cedarwood and vetiver particularly helpful when I add them to a bath or an infuser. Would you be able to give me any tips on making a blend that uses both of these while also smelling great?
Other scents that I love are neroli, frankincense, sandalwood, rose geranium, lavender and ylang ylang. If any of these blend well with the two I mentioned above, I would love to add them to the mix. Though I am not sure which to choose. I would welcome any advice that you might have.
Hi Tash, Thanks for your kind words 🙂 Here are some basics on creating your own blends:
The basic premise to scent blending is to choose a base note oil, a middle note oil and a top note oil.
The base note is the longest lasting scent, it forms the base of your blend. The middle note is the heart of your blend, it creates a balance. The top note is the quickest to evaporate, and gives the first impression.
Blends are generally made of about 50% base, 30% middle and 20% top notes.
Vetiver is a base note, and Cedarwood is a middle note. These two scents go well together. Out of the other scents you said you enjoy, Lavender may work well. It is a middle to top note and goes well with Cedarwood. Let us know how it works out for you 🙂
Hi Andrea. Great info. Just wondering two things. Not all your blends above are in accordance with your base/middle/top notes guide ie some have no base notes. Also what does this mean? > Use one of these blends as your essential oil blend in your basic recipe
Thanks
Chris
Hi Chris, You are right, the blends I have listed do not all have a base/middle/top note. I found these blend recipes on the internet and didn’t realize that they did not follow the basic formula I wrote out above. The basic formula is good if you want to start making up your own blends, the blend recipes are good if you just want to try a blend that will smell good. Some of the recipes I have listed do contain base/mid/top notes, just not in the ratio that I have suggested.
“Use one of these blends as your essential oil blend in your basic recipe” means that you can make the basic recipe (at the top of the page) but use one of the essential oil blends as your 20 drops of essential oil, not worrying about it being the proper base/mid/top note selection. Blending perfumes is all about having fun, there are no strict rules, just guidelines that can be broken! I hope that answers your question and clears up any confusion you may have had. Let me know if you need any help 🙂
Hi there thank you for your blog post I have made your mans fragrance and like it a lot but I’m just wondering about its strength. Your recipe says 20 drops (1ml) in 50 ml carrier oil – so roughly 2% aromatic oils, which from what I can see places it in the splash and after-shave category of strength.
If I wanted to create an Eau de Parfum version of your recipes (which is 15-20% aromatic oils) I would have to multiply your recipe by 7 to a total of 140 drops per 50 ml carrier oil.
Is my logic correct as that seems excessive to create an EDP? Is that how much the designer fragrances are using and why they charge so much for their blends? And do you think that level of strength would stay on the skin for longer?
Thank you for your time on my multi-faceted question. 🙂
Thanks for your questions Paul, yes the recipes I shared are a 2% dilution, this is the recommended dilution for daily use on the skin. I wanted the recipes to be safe for people to use daily, so I stuck with a lower dilution. The 2% dilution rate is used in skin care recipes so that the essential oils do not damage the skin. Perfumes do need to be stronger so they can release their fragrance into the air around us, however, you have to be careful with essential oils, as using too much can cause skin irritation, especially with “hot” oils such as cinnamon. I have read recommendations that state you should only use a 5% dilution rate for perfume oils, but I have also read that you can use a 15-20% dilution.
I would suggest starting with a 5% dilution and seeing if the scent is strong enough. That would be 7 drops of EO in 1 teaspoon of carrier oil or 22 drops EO in 1 tablespoon carrier oil.
If you find the perfume is not strong enough, try mixing a 10% dilution and testing it on your skin.
Thanks for stopping in! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
I love that I stumbled onto this site! Do you have a recipe that would just be considered “clean”? I am looking to make myself something that smells super, just-showered fresh, as we’re not allowed to wear perfume at work. Any “recipe” I find contains SO MANY OILS. Do you have a suggestion for this, without using this many oils?
Online recipe: Orange, lime, pink grapefruit, passion lily, rose, geranium, sandalwood, musk.
Hi Linda, I think rosewood blended with either cedarwood or peppermint could work for you. It is a simple blend with a fresh scent.
Citrus oils such as lemon or orange are great at providing a fresh scent, but they are photo-toxic on the skin, so I wouldn’t recommend wearing them during the day. Rosewood has an almost citrusy smell, without being photo-toxic. It is also slightly sweet, fruity and floral.
Thanks so much. You rock!
Is that the same with Lemongrass?
Lemongrass is not phototoxic 🙂
so can u use lemongrass and whats it best with thanks
Yes Pamela, you can use lemongrass 🙂 Lemongrass is a middle note fragrance that blends well with citrus oils, chamomile, clary sage, cypress, lavender, palmarosa, peppermint, sandalwood, vetiver, and ylang ylang.
Hi Andrea,
Loved this article and I have also been perusing some of your posts about adult acne; all very informative. Let me say that I am fairly new to organic alternatives. After a complete jump to organic household & cleaning supplies, I just began dabbling in DIY replacements… Super-excited but only in the learning faze at this point. Reading your how-to & recipes for do-it-yourself fragrances, I have a few quick questions.
1. I see that you suggested “fractionated” coconut oil.
° What about using plain old coconut oil?
° Is scent an issue-factor?
° What other possible risks would I be looking at if I were to use regular coconut oil?
° Would any MCT oil act as a successful carrier oil?
2. My mind is set on DIY scented perfumes and I am determined to attempt my 2 favorite scents. With that said, I checked out RMO’s selection (thank you for the suggestion!) but I think I need to explore other suppliers for two reasons – A) MRO only offers like-scents or actual blends to what I’m truly trying to find an B) I am interested in finding a distributor that offers the like-quality as MRO & Invivo Essentials (for the MCT Oil or coconut oil) but at a much less expensive cost. Mainly because I expect some trial & error and also I’m interested in eventually growing my DIY beyond fragrances to lotions, bath bombs, hair shampoos & conditioners, soaps, gels, bubble bath and possibly even candles.
° Do you have any dealings with cheaper suppliers that didn’t end bad?
Now for my 3rd and final question(s)…
3. These entirely revolve around my absolute two favorite scents – blood orange chocolate and japanese cherry blossom (the top, mid, and base notes for both are listed at the end). Albeit, I realize the complexity with having multiple top, mid, and base notes; I am still gung-ho on giving them a try (I don’t give up easily, hence the trial & error comment LOL!).
° Are either or both possible Andrea?
° If so, how would I go about making these?
° Do you possibly have like-recipes that would get the job done without needing more than a handful or so of all the notes listed? (Regardless of whether or not you can provide how-to for 3.b)
In other words… HELP! This path for organic health, wellness, and beauty has been a true eye-opening experience for me. I’ve spent a great deal of time learning about organic products and am looking forward to DIY products. In all honesty, need a nudge I think. So, thank you for this post and the others I’ve read (look forward to reading MANY more)?! I really appreciate any additional info you provide, definitely above & beyond for sure ?!
My two favorite scents:
1. Japanese Cherry Blossom (think Japanese Cherry Blossom by The Body Shop)
° Top Notes: Fuji apple, Chinese magnolia, & Osman thus flower
° Heart Notes: Star jasmine, Japanese cherry blossom, & Japanese persimmon
° Base Notes: Sandalwood, Hinokiwood, & Fruity musk
2. Blood Orange Chocolate (think Blood Orange Chocolat by NOTE Fragrances)
° Top Notes: Blood orange, Lemon honey, & Hazelnut
° Heart Notes: Sugar cane, Cacao nib, Caramel drizzle, & Coconut pulp
° Base Notes: Vanilla, Milk chocolate, Sandalwood, & Tonka bean
Hi Charissa,
1. Fractionated coconut oil is liquid at room temperature, whereas coconut oil is semi-solid. This is one of the reasons we recommend fractionated coconut oil. Fractionated coconut oil has had its long-chain fatty acids removed via hydrolysis and steam distillation. This makes the oil liquid and extends its shelf life, it also makes it less likely to clog your pores. Regular coconut oil can be pore-clogging and not good for those with acne-prone skin. I wouldn’t recommend using MCT oil as a carrier oil, as it is quite expensive.
2. A couple of good essential oil companies that are available on Amazon are Plant Therapy and Eden’s Garden. I think they are a bit cheaper than RMO
3. The scents you are looking for cannot be found as essential oils, you would have to buy synthetic fragrance oils to get the aromas you are wanting. You can buy Jasmine, sandalewood, vanilla, Hinoki wood, Magnolia, and blood orange essential oils, the rest would be fragrance oils.
Let me know it you have any other questions!
Andrea
Hi Andrea! Thanks so much for replying and for the suggestions. Getting excited and cannot wait to delve in! I do have a few additional questions though…
1. For the fragrances you said synthetic only, is there any way to get the result by mixing certain essential oils? (Ex. Mixing essential oils A + B = lemon honey)
2. Is the general recipe good for either Japanese Cherry Blossom or Blood Orange Chocolate?
3. Spray-on or roll-out?
Thanks again!
Charissa
Hello Charissa, you could try mixing essential oils to see what scents you can come up with, but the specific scents you are looking for might not be easy to mimic with essential oils. Lemon and Vanilla may produce a lemon/honey type smell. Another option is to look into pre-blended essential oils. Rocky Mountain Oils has a big selection of blends, some of them smell really nice ( Although this takes the fun out of mixing your own scents).
I did find some essential oils that might work for you:
– cocoa absolute
– blood orange
– jasmine absolute
– hinoki wood
– vanilla
As for spray-on or roll-on, that is up to your preference! I prefer roll on, because I can get a more concentrated scent on my pulse points. A spray would be nice for using in the bathroom or car as an air freshener.
Hello, I’ve been wearing Clinque Happy for over 20 years now. I love it and hate wearing another scent, but would like to make the switch to a healthier option. Do you have any recipe suggestions to closely match it possibly?
Clinque Happys description-A hint of citrus, a wealth of flowers. Vibrant notes-Ruby red Grapefruit, bergamot with soft sensual ones-Hawaiian wedding flower and spring mimosa.
Hmmm, that is a good question Lisa. Clinique Happy uses the following fragrances in their perfume:
– Top Notes: Ruby Red Grapefruit, Bergamot, West Indian Mandarin Tree Blossom, High Altitude Laurel
– Middle/Heart Notes: Boysenberry Bush Flower, Morning Dew Orchid, Melati Blossom
– Base Notes: Hawaiian Wedding Flower, White Crinium Lily, Chinese Golden Magnolia, Spring Mimosa Blossoms
Not all of these scents can be found in an essential oil. Based on the scents above, I would try:
– Top Note: Ruby Red Grapefruit, Bergamot and Red Mandarin
– Middle Notes: Jasmine (to replace Melati)
– Base Notes: Vanilla (to add sweetness), Rose (for a floral scent)
Most of the floral scents in Clinique Happy are not available as essential oils. You will have to play around with other florals and see if you can find something you like 🙂
Let us know how it goes!
Hi Andrea,
Interesting & informative article, thank you. This will all help in making my own Kali.
At first I bought it then started making it but it appears to be strong to others but of course not strong for me.
Kali is made with patchouli, jasmine and orange. Would you give me your suggestion on the best way to make this so the three blend well together. Thank you
Hello Tanya Rose, patchouli and jasmine are both base notes while orange is a top note. I would try a blend of 50% patchouli, 30% jasmine, 20% orange and see how you like it. Another option would be to use 50% jasmine, 30% patchouli and 20% orange. Or you could try 40% patchouli, 40% jasmine, and 20% orange. I hope that helps, let us know how it works out for you! It sounds like a lovely blend.
Great info! Thank you! I just wondered if you have ever tried (& would these recipe measurements work added to the base of oil + beeswax) making these in the solid forms in tins (kind of old timey way to do it)? I want to try making solid perfumes, as I’ve seen in a few pins on Pinterest (some even done in pretty lockets!)….especially since I already have a little experience making herbal salves.
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Christy, you could totally turn these into solid perfumes by adding beeswax. I am not sure what the measurements would be, you would have to experiment 🙂
Hi this is not about perfume persay hower im a ot sure what oils to use and what kinda more natural products to use to make this i do know how to make loation but thee so many things in this i never hard of and my bff wants me to try to mqke it and wanted to know does any eo give a cream smell she wants a rose and cream soap i can do tge rose but im not sure what to add with it to give the smell she wants tyia
Vanilla might be a good option, it has a sweet, creamy smell 🙂
Hi Andrea – this is an awesome article! I’m looking for something natural to replace the perfumes I use (4-7-11 cologne and Pacifica Sandalwood and Aqua di Parma Colonia) – I am guessing Sandalwood, Neroli and Begamont – any thoughts on this? Thank yoU!
Hi Anna, thanks for the kind words! Sandalwood is a base note, Neroli can be a top note, and Bergamot is a mid- top note. These three would blend well together in a perfume. Use 10 drops sandalwood, 6 drops Bergamot, and 4 drops of Neroli to 50 ml of carrier oil.
Thank you for posting all of this information! Like many of your readers, I am trying to recreate a scent that I love (that unfortunately has been discontinued) – Arbonne Unwind Aromassentials. It has chamomile, ylang ylang, mandarin oil, lemon oil and several extracts – ginseng and clover. Any advice to recreate this scent? It seems that when I try, the ylang ylang is too overpowering. Thank you!!
Hi Anne, ylang-ylang is quite a strong aroma, that lasts a long time. The citrus oils are quite light and dissipate quickly. I would try using less ylang-ylang (a base note) than the basic recipe calls for. So maybe try 5 drops ylang-ylang, 7 drops chamomile, 4 drops lemon, 4 drops mandarin. As for the ginseng and clover, I don’t think you can get essential oils of those. If the ylang-ylang is still too powerful, drop it down to just a few drops, say 2 or 3. Then up the amount of citrus in your blend.
I hope that helps, let me know if it works for you!
I’m definitely going to try it! Thank you so much for your reply – great website!
Hi Andrea,
Very informative, thank you!
One question for you. I see a lot of brands that have perfume oils but use clear bottles. Is it a must to use the dark amber bottles or a recommendation?
Will not using the amber bottle make the product unsafe to apply to your skin?
Thank you!
Hi Edwina, thanks for your question 🙂 The dark amber bottle just help keep light from degrading your oils. Your perfume oils will stay good for longer in a dark bottle. They will be slower to go rancid, and the antioxidants in them will stay intact for a longer period of time.
It will not make the product unsafe if you use a clear bottle 🙂
Hope that makes sense, let me know if you have any other questions!
Very informative article… let’s say i have these oils available: patchouli, cedarwood, bergamot, lavander, lemon, rosemary, jasmine…
Any suggestions to make a nice manly perfume?
Hello Jinho. Cedarwood, bergamot, lemon, and rosemary are good scents for men. You could try a blend of 5 drops cedarwood, 3 drops rosemary or bergamot, and 2 drops lemon in 10 ml of carrier oil. Let us know how it turns out!
I have a question, I’m sure it’ll sounded naive, but I’m new in Perfume world, I adore Perfumes and I want to make my own, but honestly, I’m very cnfused about the pyramid notes, I mean I know what is top, heart and base note means and how long it supposed to be appears
My confusion is how to implement these notes, I mean should I add the base note and wait for a certain time to add the other notes? or as the notes already determined as you and most of perfumers listed I should put all together?
Thank you in advance
Khaled
Hello Khaled, thanks for your question. There is no need to wait to add the other notes. The base note is just the deepest scent. Top notes dissipate quickly, they are the first scent your nose picks up, but also the first scent to evaporate and essentially leave the blend. You can add your essential oils one after the other 🙂
Sorry Andrea, I forgot to thank you for the very, very, very honest and useful information you gave
I wish you all the best of luck
Khaled
You are very welcome Khaled!
Hello Andrea,
As you know, EO are very expensive and hard to get especially for me living in Malaysia. However, I do have some and really wanted to try to DIY my own perfume. Please help me create a fresh scent out of these:
Lavender, Tea Tree, Sweet Orange, Peppermint, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Lime, Bergamot, Spearmint, Patchouli, Pink Grapefruit, Rosemary and Clary Sage.
I really like White Musk by Body Shop but I realized that I don’t have any musky or woody EO. So if I can create a fresh scent, it would be good enough for me. But if you have a recipe for that, it would be great too. Thanks!
Hello Wann, thanks for stopping in! Out of the EO’s you have listed, Patchouli and cinnamon are your only base note oils, so I would use them as a starting point. Patchouli blends well with clary sage, grapefruit, sweet orange, and lavender. You could make a blend that incorporates patchouli as a base note, lavender as a middle note, and grapefruit, clary sage or sweet orange as a top note.
Cinnamon blends well with bergamot, rosemary, tea tree, grapefruit, lavender, and lemon. If you wanted to make a blend with Cinnamon as its base note, I would use lavender or rosemary as your middle note, and either bergamot, tea tree, grapefruit, or lemon as your top note.
The Body Shop’s White Musk perfume is a blend of rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, patchouli, vetiver, vanilla, oakmoss and some other scents.
Wow this is great. Thanks a lot! I will try all combinations that you proposed. Wish me luck! Have a good day, Andrea 😀
You’re welcome Wann, and good luck! Tell us how you make out.
Can you recommend anything to make a coconut like scent? I have used a cheap holiday perfume which smells of coconut or cocoa butter and reminds me of holidays. Can you suggest how I can make a similar coconut or cocoa butter type scent. A perfume to go with my cocoa butter. Thanks.
Hi Laura, you could make a coconut oil body butter using virgin coconut oil, it has a faint coconut scent. Other than that, I am pretty sure you can only get a coconut scent with a fragrance oil.
This article is great and very informative! I’m not much of a perfume wearer, but adore scented hand cremes. I usually do a 50/50 blend of coconut oil and raw shea butter for my DIY cremes. Would these blends work well in that medium? I do love citrusy scents, but worry about the photosenstivity of the citrus oils on my hands (don’t want to get burns as I live in South Texas with lots of sun!). Is there a substitute for the citrus scents that I can use? Thanks for your help!!
Yes, these blends will work well in a cream. There are some citrus oils that are not phototoxic, these include:
Mandarin (Green) Essential Oil – Citrus reticulata
Steam-distilled Lime Essential Oil – Citrus aurantifolia
Orange (Sweet) Essential Oil – Citrus sinensis
You can also just omit the citrus oils and use more of the other oils in the blend.
I’m liking the the recipes and will definitely be trying some if not all – I’m just having a problem with the concentrations – you put 20 drops (1 ML) in 50 ML which make that around 1 % to 2% which is far below the concentrations of perfume it’s actually below cologne splash – when I make mines (yours) think I’ll teak them up some because I generally do around 15% /20% because I fine that’s a good range for longevity and silage – but please keep them coming and thanks
perfume (30%);
eau de perfume (15%);
eau de toilette (8%);
cologne (5%);
cologne splash (3%).
Thanks so much for those percentages Ulysses, that is really helpful. I tired to keep my recipe percentages low so that people don’t experience skin irritation. Our ebook on safely making perfume talks about safe percentages for individual essential oils 🙂
Very inspiring !
How about patchouli with violet leaf and bergamot for men ?
Would it work ?
Thank You.
Hi Daniel, I bet that would smell amazing! Let us know how it turns out.
Hi Andrea,
For my bathroom I am getting one of those Air Wick Freshmatic automatic mist sprayers, Cherry Blossom scented.
I did however want to either have a diffuser of some kind or a candle as well.
But I am a new to essential oils and scent mixing.
I’m just after a few options of complimentary scents to go with the cherry blossom.
Thank you
Hi Rachel, thanks for your question, cherry blossom is a floral scent, so it blends well with other florals, these include lavender, ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine, etc. Florals also blend well with:
– Woodsy oils: examples are pine, cedar, juniper, and cypress.
– Citrus oils: some examples include lemon, lime, orange, bergamot, and neroli.
– Spicy oils: these include black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Andrea-great website and tons of info. I have been trying to formulate the beautiful fragrance of the Chrism Oil used at Catholic baptisms etc. It is a peaceful and beautiful scent. I have tried all the suggested recipes with no luck. Peru Balsam, clove and olive oil seem to be the overwhelming blends but Peru Balsam is very hard to liquefy and blend plus the fragrance is not even close. I have tried multiple floral oils as well with no luck. If you have any suggestions it would much appreciated. Have you ever tried to use White tea oils in your recipes? Thank you
Hi Daniel, thanks for your questions. Peru Balsam is a very thick oil, so it can be tricky to blend. I found some information that Chrism oil is a mixture of frankincense, eucalyptus, balsam of Peru, myrrh and lavender, as well as a blend of florals, including lilac, gardenia, and lily of the valley. It would take some serious trial and error to make a blend that smells just like Chrism oil, as I assume the exact recipes are not shared with the public. Keep playing around with your recipe and I am sure you will get to something you like eventually!
I have not used white tea oils, as they are fragrance oils and not essential oils. I tend to stick with essential oils for my scent blends 🙂
I found a Chrism oil blend on Etsy if you are interested.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing this information.
I look forward to making my own blend.
Working with young children I need to be very careful but also want to have a clean and fresh fragrance I can use it and when needed.
Any specific recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Elizabeth! Some safe oils for children are:
– chamomile
– distilled lemon
– dill
– Eucalyptus (make sure it is Eucalyptus radiata, not Eucalyptus globulus)
– lavender
– mandarin
– tea tree
What would you be using the fragrance for? Spritzing a room? Or would you be applying it right on the children?
Do you have any idea what The Body Shop recipe for their patchouli perfume is? I’ve tried lots of brands of patchouli looking for that scent and realize the scent I like in The Body Shop patchouli is probably a mix of oils.
Hi Tom, I have tried to find information about what is in The Body Shop patchouli perfume, and all I have found is that is contains patchouli. We have a patchouli perfume recipe on the site if you would like to give it a try and see how you like it.
Hi Andrea,
I was excited when I found this tutorial. Your passion for this really comes through in how detailed you are in explanations.
I have been dabbling in perfumology for about a year mostly because it seems every scent I fall in love with gets discontinued & I’m always interested in others’ ways in creating scents.
I have 2 questions:
1) I noticed you do not suggest using grain or perfumers alcohol. Is the reason behind it to keep the recipes all natural?
2) I’m having trouble creating a scent somewhere between Black Poison & RL’s Hot. I’m trying to use Peru Balsam as a base & would like to incorporate orange or Mandarin & vanilla. Would Vanilla be too much with the Peru? & What would you use for a middle note?
Thank you so much!
Laura
Thanks so much for your kind words Laura!
I didn’t include grain alcohol in this article because the article is specifically how to make perfume oils 🙂 But I may have to make another article about different types of perfumes! Or add to this one….. haha. Stay tuned for more info 😉
I think that sounds like a lovely blend! Peru Balsam and Vanilla are both base notes, as well as scent fixatives. They go well together. For a middle note, I would choose maybe a floral scent? Lavender or rosewood would pair well.
Hi all,
Me planning for some natural perfumes diy, since I am new to fragrances, what about mixing oudh with some spice oils and floral extracts, if OK send me the correct recipes
Hello Aspirantperfumer 🙂 I am not sure what you mean by oudh? Spice oils and floral extracts would work for perfumes, unfortunately, I don’t have any recipes for those at the moment. I do have an ebook for help with making your own perfumes! Let me know if you have any other questions, I would love to help.
Hi Andrea,
This is a great post and I love your site!
I really only wear Ralph Lauren Romance but I’d like to try to make something similar smelling but without all the chemicals. They list the ingredients as: Sungoddess rose, Marigold, Ginger, Chamomile oil, Yellow freesia, white violet, lotus flower, day lily, Patchouli, oak moss, musk.
Do you have any recipe suggestions on how to closely match it?
Also, I’ve looked for yellow freesia and sungoddess rose but can’t seem to find them. What’s the difference between sungoddess rose and say English rose? Or yellow freesia and regular freesia?
Hi Janna, thanks for your questions and sorry it took me so long to reply!
I would try using rose, ginger, chamomile, patchouli, and oakmoss. These are available as essential oils. The other scents would have to be fragrance oils, as they do not come in essential oils.
Oakmoss, patchouli, and rose are base notes, while ginger and chamomile are middle notes, I am not sure what you would use as a top note for this blend, something spicy or floral possibly? Maybe cinnamon or neroli?
I am unsure what the differences in sun goddess rose and English rose are, I assume they are different varieties of rose. They may have a slightly different aroma.
Let me know how the blend turns out! And let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Hi Andre, really enjoying all the info I’m receiving from your website, thank you. I have decided to start making my own perfumes I have one that I would like to try but I cannot work out what % are needed and it doesn’t look like there is a carrier oil in these ingredients. Can you make essential oil perfumes without carriers? Also if you were looking at these ingredients how many drops might you use:
white fir, violet leaf, jasmine petals, white woods, vanilla, musk flower 🙂 Really appreciate you help. I am finding it difficult to locate some of these ingredients – white woods, musk flower, white fir, violet leaf. Thank you
Hi Mary, thanks so much for your questions. You can definitely make perfumes without carrier oils. We have a recipe for a patchouli perfume that uses alcohol instead of carrier oils. You can adjust it to include the essential oils you prefer.
The patchouli oil perfume recipe uses 6 different oils, which is the same amount you want to use! I would suggest using vanilla as your base (20 drops), then 10 drops of violet leaf, 10 drops of jasmine petals, 5 drops of white fir, 5 drops of musk flower, and 5 drops of white woods. This is just off of the top of my head, so please play around with the proportions and see what you like best.
As for the essential oils you are trying to find, some of them may not be available as essential oils, but rather come as fragrance oils. I found violet leaf absolute on Amazon, though I am not sure what white woods is…is it a blend of tree oils? Doterra has a white fir essential oil. I found a fragrance oil of Egyptian musk on Amazon as well.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂 And let me know how your perfume turns out!
Hi! when the recipes call for vanilla, is it an absolute or an extract?
Hi Leslie 🙂 Thanks for your question. For perfume making or anything where you are wanting a scent, you need to use Vanilla absolute, as it is the most concentrated form of vanilla.
I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!
Andrea
Hey, Andrea
First of all, thank you a lot for this thread, it is definitely of great help to me especially since I am very inexperienced when it comes to this stuff.
I have one question, if I follow the same instructions but I replaced the carrier oil with alcohol so that it becomes a spray perfume, would it be okay? And will there be a difference?
Thank you a lot!
Best regards, Hayat
Hello Hayat, you can for sure replace the carrier oils with alcohol to make a perfume spray. I want to write an article on making perfumes that way, but for now, I will give you a recipe:
2 tablespoons vodka
1 tablespoon distilled water or orange blossom water
40 drops Essential oils
Let me know how that works for you, and stay tuned for another perfume-making article!
Hey Andrea, Thank you a lot for the recipe. I will trying it out today. But, before I take any risks I wanted to ask you regarding the 40 drops of essential oil.
8 drops vanilla
20 drops jasmine
12 drops sweet orange
Is that right? Because when I tested it, I put a drop of each on a cotton pad, but the sweet orange scent was too overpowering? I don’t really know, especially since I’ll be using 12 drops of it (if the distribution was right) or is it going to evaporate since it is a top note. Thank you.
Of course I’ll be adding 30 ml alcohol and 15 ml distilled water.
Hello Hayat 🙂
Did you test just one drop of each? That would give you an idea of the scent combination, but it will be off due to the fact that your final blend will have less sweet orange than jasmine. In your test, you would notice the sweet orange scent first because it is a top note and will dissipate the quickest. You could start with a smaller blend and see what the scent is like. Try making a quarter of the amount. That would be:
0.5 tablespoons vodka
0.25 tablespoons distilled water
10 drops essential oils – 5 drops jasmine, 3 drops sweet orange, and 2 drops of vanilla.
Hello, Andrea. This thread has really been helpful to me, especially since I am very inexperienced yet pretty interested in perfume making. So thank you a lot!
I have three questions:-
1) Is it okay if I follow the same exact instructions but substitute the carrier oil with alcohol?
2) Will 10 drops of rose absolute and 9 of jasmine work well together?
3) After my perfume is ready, can I transfer it to a clear bottle?
Best regards, Hayat
Hi Hayat 🙂 Rose, and Jasmine will work well together. You can transfer your perfume to a clear bottle, yes, but a dark bottle will keep your perfume fresh for longer.
Hie Andrea, l would like to know more about oil based perfumes and fragrances, l am in Africa and because of the weather here can l use any type of fragrance to make my perfume
Hi Alice, what exactly do you want to know? Oil-based perfumes are great for a subtle scent that won’t infiltrate the space around you, they are a more intimate perfume. Only you and those who get close to you will be able to smell it. A spray on perfume will be more noticeable by those around you.
I would love to try the pain relief oil Rocky Mountain helichrysum. But too expensive for me.
Hi Kathryn, I know that helichrysum is a very expensive oil and not everyone can afford it. Are you looking for something to help relieve pain? RMO has a Relieve Me Blend that contains helichrysum and other oils for massaging aches and pains. They also have a Joint Support Blend that helps relax overused muscles and joints. These blends are much more affordable.
Thank you for everything, Andrea. You are a LIFE SAVER!
I have bergamot, sweet orange, jasmine, lavender, vanilla, and will be buying frankincense and rose soon. Any suggestions for recipes that smell amazing with these? Thank you again and sorry for all of these questions 😊
You are so welcome 🙂 I love all of the oils you are wanting to play around with, they would all smell great together! Rose, frankincense, jasmine, or vanilla can be your base note, lavender can be your middle note, and bergamot or sweet orange can be your top note.
Another trick you can do is to simply hold the essential oil bottles of the scents you want to combine and wave them together under your nose. This will give you an idea of how they smell together without having to pour any essential oil out.
Here are some blend testing tips that I have found helpful:
1) To test scent blends, take some clean dark 5ml bottles and add 1 drop each of your base note choices. You can choose more than one.
(2) To your base notes you can now add your mid note choices: just add 1 drop of your mid-note choices into the same bottle.
(3) Add 1 drop of your top note choice to each blend.
(4) Cap it and roll it in your hands for about 30 seconds to warm up the oils and mix them well.
(5) Open the bottle and smell your blend by waving it back & forth under your nose.
(6) As you smell your blend, decide if there is anything missing or any scent that you want to add.
(7) Add 1 or 2 drops of the essential oils you feel are lacking. They can come from any note group, even a base note if you feel the blend needs more grounding.
(8) Cap it and put it aside for a few hours. Smell it again after this rest and add more essential oils if need be.
(9) Remember to write everything down!
Once you have found a combination you like you can multiply the amount of drops to suit the amount of perfume you are making 🙂
I hope that helps! Let me know how it goes 😀
Hello,
I never used fragrance essentiel oil, I’m beginner and I need you help and suggestions:
1- you insert 5 receipts, do you have another link when I can found more perfume receipts ?
2- do you know where find ingredients of perfume brand like: Gucci, Lacoste, Channel… ? We can do it by essentials oils ? For men & women.
I’m waiting your answer and help as soon as possible.
Best regards,
Thank you.
Hi Anna, thanks for stopping in 🙂 We have a patchouli perfume recipe on the site, otherwise you will have to do an internet search to find more 🙂
There is a website called, Perfume Society where you can look up perfumes and they tell you what scents in contains. It is hard to find exact ingredients lists for perfumes, as they are kept secret by the companies making them.
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Thanks for explaining that the base notes should make up 20% of the blend. I’ve been wanting to by a fragrance oil with Oudh. Your article prepared me to evaluate the ratios of different fragrances.
You are very welcome, Daphne! Thanks for stopping in 🙂
Hi Andrea !
I would need your input !
I when to a yoga festival and I smelled a perfum and it was Magnolia and Patchouli ..
Since I don’t have Magnolia I read that ylang ylang would be a good substitute.. but seems like patchouli and ylang ylang are both base … would you do a perfum with 50/50 ? How much drop of each on a 10ml roll on ? And maybe you would have a recipe suggestion ?
Thanks and have a great summer !
Hi Annie, thanks for stopping in 🙂 I would try a 50/50 blend for those oils. For a 10 ml bottle, use 5 drops of patchouli and 5 drops of ylang-ylang. Let me know if you need any more help!
Hi Andrea,
You’ve done a great job with this article. I love all your recipes. Do you have a recipe that features lavender as the primary scent? I’ve seen lavender-vanilla. Or can I just use lavender with a carrier oil?
Hi Janice, thanks so much for your kind words. You can for sure use lavender oil with a carrier oil 🙂 Lavender mixes really well with citrus and woody scents, a lovely blend could include lavender mixed with geranium, lemon, ylang-ylang, rosewood, sandalwood, sage, frankincense, chamomile, myrrh, neroli, or spruce. You could try a blend such as:
3 Tablespoons (50 ml) carrier oil
4 drops of ylang – ylang as your base note
10 drops lavender as a middle note
6 drops lemon as your top note
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions 😀
Hey Andrea,
I love the whole content and very excited with the recepies. 😍
Can you suggest me 2-3 more recepies for men
And also i would like to know which blend/ recepie do you use/prefer for yourself. Your favourite.
Thanks in advance
Harika
Hello Hakira, thanks so much for your kind words! You would like some more recipes for men?
Sweet, Spicy, and Uplifting:
2 tsp (10 ml) carrier oil
3 drops vanilla
3 drops nutmeg
2 drop basil
2 drop grapefruit
Invigorating, Sweet, and Peppery:
2 tsp (10 ml) carrier oil
3 drops frankincense
3 drops cumin
2 drop cypress
2 drop eucalyptus
You can find more manly scented recipes on our beard oil post. You will have to adjust the amounts of each essential oil to get a perfume dilution, but you can get an idea of some essential oils that go well together.
As for my favorite, I really like the Calm and De-Stress and Romantic Night. I love anything with lime in it, and I am a huge fan of relaxing scents.
Great article with all the info one would need to get started on the adventure of perfume-crafting. I love the Romantic Night blend and usually gravitate towards simple blends with high-quality natural ingredients e.g. honey amber resin+ylang-ylang or vanilla absolute+ black pepper.
Thanks for stopping in!
Please assist me with guidance of making oil perfumes for men and women. I will be manufacturing for retail purposes.
Hello, Mlamli, what would you like to know?
Hi! I need to create the scent Japanese Cherry Blossom for a body butter – what oils and fragrances do I require? I found the below excerpt in one of your posts – should I use all of the oils per note and if yes, what quantities?
1. Japanese Cherry Blossom (think Japanese Cherry Blossom by The Body Shop)
° Top Notes: Fuji apple, Chinese magnolia, & Osman thus flower
° Heart Notes: Star jasmine, Japanese cherry blossom, & Japanese persimmon
° Base Notes: Sandalwood, Hinokiwood, & Fruity musk
Thank you so much!
Hi Rene, You could use all of the oils you have listed, or you could simplify it to one from each note category. Remember to use 20% base notes, 50% middle notes, and 30% top notes. For example, If you want to make a 50 ml perfume, you could use 4 drops of Fuji apple, 10 drops of Japanese Cherry Blossom, and 6 drops of sandalwood. I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions!