How To Make Essential Oil Perfume (+7 Recipe Blends)

If you’ve been using essential oils for a while, you know that they smell amazing! (Of course, they do so much more than smell amazing.)

But summer months are coming up, and wearing natural fragrances is usually part of my summer routine. I love smelling great, but I also want to be respectful to everyone around me. Being inside all winter, I usually dial it back on the front of perfume.

But as we head outside more, I wear more essential oils oils that I love, solely for their beautiful scents.

Let me show you how to make your own essential oil perfume. I have some quick tips for you, easy-to-follow steps, and 7 essential oil perfume recipes to choose from so you can find your own unique scent.

Why Essential Oils Perfume?

Perfume is often seen as a luxury item, something expensive that you can only buy from fancy stores. No longer true! Using your favorite essential oils, you can create a unique, long-lasting perfume that suits your personality and budget.

Many traditional perfumes use cheap imitation synthetic scents. When you spritz that over your skin, you absorb AND inhale potentially harmful substances.

By making a perfume with your very own essential oil blend, you’ll know that you’re using natural products, and can enjoy your creation with 100% confidence.

Understanding Essential Oils in Perfumery

Before we dive into the DIY recipe, let me explain how essential oil work in blending for a desired scent.

Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts and as such, they retain the essence, aroma, and flavor of the plant. For perfume-making, the essential oil combination you choose will determine the overall fragrance and longevity of the perfume on your skin.

You’ll need to know these three terms: base notes, middle notes, and top notes. Each type of note plays a unique role in the overall scent of the perfume.

Essential oil perfumes are free of chemical fragrances and smell heavenly.

Base Notes

Base notes, often known as “deep” and ” lower ” notes, are the foundation notes in aromatherapy and last the longest. They are typically made from essential oils that have deep, earthy scents, such as sandalwood, cloves, vanilla or patchouli.

A perfume should have about 20% base notes.

Middle Notes

Middle notes, also called “heart” notes, provide a balance between the base and top notes. They have moderate intensity and in a blend, they support and enhance the top and base notes. For example: Lavender, Lemongrass, Geranium, Rose or Ylang ylang essential oils.

The mid notes are usually the largest portion in a DIY fragrance. Try to achieve 50%.

Top Notes

Top notes are the initial scent that you can smell right after spraying the perfume. These notes evaporate quickly, which is why it’s important to bind them with a base note in your perfume. Examples of top notes include citrus, peppermint or bergamot.

When you create an essential oil perfume, you plan to add a 30 % top note.

DIY Essential Oil Perfume Recipes

To make your own essential oil perfume, you need to start with a base note, followed by middle and top notes. Make sure to layer them in order, i.e., start creating your blend at the base note.

I prefer making perfume using roll-on jars. The scent is simpler and quicker than a spray perfume. The application is also very simple. You can just put a little pressure on your pulse.

You can apply your perfume easily if it’s made in a roller bottle.

Here is a simple recipe for you to try at home:

• 10 mL (about 1 tablespoon) of carrier oil (jojoba, sweet almond or grape seed oil)
• 2 drops of essential oil base note
• 5 drops of essential oil middle note
• 3 drops of essential oil top note

That’s it! That’s the whole magic.

Mix all the ingredients together in your roller bottle, and you have your essential oil perfume!

Always give the bottle a little shake before using.

Your DIY perfume bottle will have a shelf life of about 6 months. Longer if you refrigerate it.

Remember to test the perfume on your skin before use, and if you want the scent to last longer, increase the amount of essential oils in the recipe.

Homemade Perfume Blends

The blending possibilities for homemade perfume are endless, and you can experiment with different essential oils to create your own unique scents.

Of course, now I’ll show you which essential oils I think smell nice together. Here are my handcrafted blends for you:

1. Summer Sweetness

• 5 drops Vanilla
• 3 drops Geranium
• 2 drops Grapefruit

2. Enchanted

• 5 drops Frankincense
• 3 drops Jasmine
• 2 drops Orange

3. Flirty Florals

• 5 drops Bergamot
• 3 drops Lavender
• 2 drops Clary Sage

4. Meditation

• 5 drops Cedarwood
• 2 drops Ylang Ylang
• 3 drops Bergamot

5. Citrus Delight

• 5 drops Cinnamon
• 2 drops Citronella
• 3 drops Grapefruit

6. Warm Hug

• 5 drops Frankincense
• 2 drops Tea Tree
• 3 drops Lemon

7. Earth Goddess

• 5 drops Patchouli
• 2 drops Hyssop
• 3 drops Eucalyptus

If you are looking to craft a scent for men, please head over here to learn about which oils men typically enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I apply perfume oil?

Use your pulse points. These are areas of the body where your pulse is near the surface, and you can feel it strongly. For example, popular pulse points are on your neck, or your inner wrists.

How long does essential oil perfume scent last?

Natural perfume has its downside in the sense that its fragrance tends to dissipate more quickly. The scent usually disappears within ten to fifteen hours.

How do you make perfume with essential oils last longer?

Layering your scents properly can help create strong aromas in essential oil perfumes. Make sure you use the correct combination of base, middle and top notes.

Also, don’t rub the perfume into your skin. Rubbing breaks down the delicate top notes, and can make your natural perfume disappear more quickly ².

Final Thoughts

Making your own essential oil perfume is easy, cost-effective, and fun. By understanding the different types of aromatherapy notes, you can create a scent that is truly unique to you.

Remember to test the perfume on your skin before use, as everyone’s body chemistry is different.

With a little practice and experimentation, you can create a perfume that will help you stand out from the crowd.

So go ahead, get started on your essential oils perfume-making journey today! If you run into any questions or hiccups, leave a comment below.

Resources

¹ Top, Middle and Base Notes: www.planttherapy.com
² How to make Natural Perfume last longer: www.oneseedperfumes.com