Fragrance Wheel
Perfumes are made up of base perfume oils -- plant, animal or synthetic. Most are then watered down with alcohol (Ethanol) to make them light. Although you can make some from just fresh flower parts and water such as Recipe #1 below.
PLANT:
The flowers and blossoms are mostly used. However, other parts such as leaves, twigs, roots, rhizomes, bulbs, seeds, fruit, wood and back can also be used. You can make your own or buy essential oils which are simply the "oil of" the plant material. Essential oil is also known as ethereal oils.
Other Plant Sources include Lichens such as oakmoss and treemoss thailli and seaweed. Seaweed is not often used due to the high cost and low potency.
ANIMAL:
Perfumes are also made from the musk of some animals such as Asian Musk Deer or Civets; Ambergris aka Amber, a fatty compound secreted by sperm whale; Honeycomb from the honeybee; Castoreum from North American Beaver odor sacs.
SYNTHETIC:
Several chemical compounds can also be used through organic synthesis to produce perfumes including: Terpenes, Coumarin, Linalool and Calone. These produce smells not know in nature.
Water
Alcohol
Essential oils
It is important to understand the terminology. For instance, perfume and perfume oils are two different things. Our modern, store bought perfumes traces its beginnings to perfume oils.
In ancient Egypt, perfume oils were given as special gifts to royalty. Today, perfume oils have degraded down to what we know as perfume which we can buy at perfume counters in our favorite shops and department stores.
The basic difference between the two is in the strength and concentration of scent. Perfume oils are highly concentrated and will yield a purer fragrance which will last much longer than its modern counterpart.
This makes perfume oils much more valuable and expensive than regular perfumes.
Some individuals find that they develop allergic reactions to the high concentrations of essential oils so it is prudent to test just a little on your skin. After all, a little is all you need.
Essential oils are used as the base of perfumes. Basically, they are extracted concentrated scents from plants.
What's really interesting to me is that sometimes, the different parts of a particular aromatic plant can produce different smells and the nuances of each can be used and blended along with other essential oils from totally different plants to create that wonderfully unique fragrance.
I was never good at chemistry so I was surprised just how easy it is to make my own perfume. I purchase the essential oils I use instead of extracting them myself from the plants. You decide which you'd rather do.
If you purchase essential oils, however, make sure you get them from a reputable source so that you can be sure that you get 100% essential oils rather than those with additives. The higher the concentration of the essential oils, the more aromatic it is.
Carrier Oil
Such as Almond, Apricot Kernel or Jojoba. Jojoba is a little more expensive but is especially nice. Experiment with each to determine which you like best.
Essential Oils
Choose your recipe below to determine the essential oils you need.
Using a musical metaphor, it is said that perfumes have 3 Notes -- Top notes , Middle notes and Base notes -- which form the harmonious "chord" of the scent. The scents used in a perfume evaporate at different speeds.
is used -- that of notes. There is said to be 3 Wikipedia.com says, "Perfume is described in a musical metaphor as having three sets of 'notes', making the harmonious chord of the scent."
The notes unfold over time, with the immediate impression of the top note leading to the deeper middle notes, and the base notes gradually appearing as the final stage. These notes are created carefully with knowledge of the evaporation process of the perfume.
Top notes: These are also known as "head notes" and gives the first or immediate impression. These are made up of the molecules which evaporate the quickest.
Middle notes: These are also known as the "heart notes" because they form the main body of the perfume. They emerge as the top notes dissipate.
Base notes: The base notes emerge as the middle or heart notes disapate. The main theme of the perfume is made up of the middle notes and the base notes together. The base notes are said to bring depth and solidity to a perfume. They are not perceived until 30 minutes after the perfume is applied.In 1983, Michael Edwards, a perfume industry consultant, created a new classification method which simplified fragrance classification and naming.
The 5 family classifications are: Floral, Oriental, Woody, Fougere, and Fresh. The first 4 are considered classic and the Fresh family is made up of citrus and other clean smelling fragrances such as oceanic.
The equipment is pretty simple and easy to find. You will find them in grocery, hardware, kitchen and DIY (craft) stores. Here's what you'll need:
1. Medicine droppers (some essential oil bottles don't come with them).
2. Measuring spoons.
3. Measuring cup.
4. Small Funnel.
5. Roller bottles.
6. Small Colored Bottles (Cobalt blue or amber glass)
7. A box or bag to store the items in.
8. Cheesecloth
For this recipe all you need are: Water and chopped flower blossoms.
Combine:
2 cups of water (preferably distilled)
2 cup fresh chopped flower blossoms. Good choices include lavender, lilac, orange blossoms or honeysuckle.
Day 1:
Place cheesecloth over a bowl and fill with your flower blossoms.
Pour water over them until they are completely covered.
Cover the bowl and let it sit overnight.
Day 2:
The following day, life up the edges of the cheesecloth and gently squeeze the now scented water into a small pot. Simmer until there is about 1-1/2 teaspoons liquid.
Let the liquid cool then pour into a small, dark bottle.
since this perfume is made without alcohol, it has a shelf life of approximately 1 month.
This wonderfule blend of soothing flower scents will relax you.
Combine:
2 cups distilled water
3 tablespoons vodka
5 drops lavender essential oil
10 drops chamomile essential oil
10 drops valerian essential oil
Mix all the ingredients together and shake well. Place in a dark color bottle. Allow the perfume to settle for at least 12 hours. Store in a cool dry area.
All you need is sandalwood to act as the base note, bergamot to act as the middle and cassis which will serve as the top note. (These can be purchased separately in 10 ml bottles then mixed together in a glass bottle.)
Combine:
10 ml sandalwood
10 ml bergamot
10 ml cassis
3 tablespoons of vodka
2 of cups of distilled water
Seal with a tight lid.
Leave it to settle for 24 to 48 hours before transferring into a sprayer bottle.
It's ready to use.
The perfume may last for a month if this is used daily. Before this runs out, it will be a good idea to prepare a new batch so this will just be refilled into the container.
were judged by men to be 10 years younger than when the same women did not smell of grapefruit.
From: Lensmaster Margo_Arrowsmith
This recipe will bring the smell of the orient to you. (These can be purchased separately in 10 ml bottles then mixed together in a glass bottle.)
Combine:
4 drops of Sandalwood
4 drops of Musk
4 drops of Frankincense
2 teaspoons of Jojoba oil (is a carrier oil)
Mix together in a dark bottle and shake well
Leave it to settle for at least 12 hours then store in a cool dry are.
It's ready to use.
This perfume will be more fragrant since it is mostly essential oils.Combine these ingredients for a perfectly wonderful scent.
Combine:
2 tablespoons ethyl alcohol
5 drops of lavender
5 drops of bergamot
1 cup of distilled water
2 teaspoons of Jojoba oil (is a carrier oil)
Mix together in a dark bottle and shake well.
Leave it to settle for at least 48 hours then store in a cool dry area.
It's ready to use. Test it and if you like it, great. If not, try adding a little more lavender to see if you like it better.
You can, as with the other recipes, double it.A perfume smells different in the bottle, on your skin and on everyone else.
This recipe produces a perfume that makes you feel tranquil.
Combine:
4 drops of Cedarwood
2 drops of Clary Sage
1 drop of Grapefruit
2 drops of Mandarin
1 teaspoon carrier oil (Jojoba, Almond or Apricot Kernel)
Mix together in a small dark bottle. Shake well and store in a cool, dark place for 12 days. Shake the bottle a 3 times a day. After the 12 days, enjoy!
Want to get in that loving mood? Try this recipe then.
Combine:
3 drops of Jasmine
3 drops of Neroli
4 drops of Orange
1 tesapoon carrier oil (Jojoba, Almond or Apricot Kernel)
Mix together in a small dark bottle. Shake well and store in a cool, dark place for 12 days. Shake the bottle a 3 times a day. After the 12 days, enjoy your creation.
This perfume combines the romantic scent of vanilla with the fresh and tangy fragrance of lemon.
Combine:
6 drops of vanilla extract
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup distilled water
Mix ingredients together and boil covered for two minutes after it has reached a boil.
Place boiled mixture in the fridge for five minutes. Take out and boil the same way again.
After 2nd boiling, immediately transfer it into a glass container and put it in the refrigerator for an hour.
Finally, transfer into a bottle and you're set to enjoy this fresh and seductive fragrance.
Vanilla is known to be a seductive scent that permeates the subconscious. Here's a wonderful vanilla perfume.
Combine:
1 vanilla bean cut into several pieces
1/3 teaspoon of sugar
3 ounces of Vodka
Tightly seal these ingredients in a glass jar. Shake the jar everyday for 30 days. After 30 days, it is ready to entice!
This recipe is very simple lavender perfume made from lavender flowers from your garden:
Combine:
Lavender flowers cut from your fresh-picked plants
Carrier oil (Jojoba, Almond or Apricot Kernel)
Simply fill a jar 3/4 full of the carrier oil you choose. Cut the flowers off the plant quickly. Add the freshly cut flowers to the jar of oil and let set for several weeks.
After a couple of weeks, you can strain the perfume through cheesecloth to get rid of the plants. Then it's ready to use!
when smelled by women in REM sleep was reported to cause positive dreams. Whereas, rotten egg smell caused negative dreams.
From: Small study in Germany
Danny Seo, author of 
What a great gift for a friend or yourself! Here's his recipe:
Used makeup compacts, thoroughly cleaned
1/4 cup of solid beeswax
3 tbs jojoba oil
Approx. 60 drops of essential oil
Pyrex measuring cup
Melting the beeswax in a Pyrex measuring cup in the microwave. Add the jojoba oil and the essential oil. Stir the mixture and pour into the compacts. Allow to cool completely. Dab your fingers over the wax and apply.
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My suggestion:
The above recipe should make several containers of solid perfume. I suggest that you make a smaller amount the first time to test your recipe. The following amounts should make 1 container:
1 tablespoon of beeswax
1 tablespoon of jojoba oil
8-14 drops of essential oils**
**Try 2 or 3 different essential oils together.
1. How about a push up solid perfume? To do that, pour the solid perfume mixture into a cleaned out chap stick tube.
2. You could use petroleum jelly in place of the beeswax.
3. Find a very thin item to stir the ingredients because the mixture will stick to anything you use.
4. Melt the wax in the microwave. If on the stove-top, then set the pyrex measuring cup in water. As the water boils, the wax will melt.
5. There are some lip gloss and lip salve sold in cute little round tins that are perfect for solid perfume.
Ever wondered what scents are in the famous perfumes? Well, here's a list. I'll add more as I find them:
Halle by Halle Berry
* freesia * hybiscus * driftwood
Jeanne Lanvin
* blackberries * raspberries * pear
Island Michael Kors Bermuda
* passionflower * white tiare blossom
Space.nk Jasamber
* citrus * amber * sandlewood
Flirt! Flowerific
* freesia * frangipani * syringa blossom * water lily * magnolia * rose
Badgley Mischka Couture
* jasmine * sweet gardenia * violet
Essential oils are the primary ingredient in your perfume and therefore you should know the following things about them: