By Katie Vance
I make most of my own personal products, but I couldn’t find a natural perfume I was comfortable with. So I made my own DIY Perfume!
Why I Make My Own Perfume
Since switching to natural products, I have yet to find a store-bought perfume I can use.
Some are made with vague ingredients, others are way too expensive! I’m a person who uses perfume sparingly, so it will take me a very long time to use even a small bottle. I generally only use perfume on special occasions.
However, lately, I’ve been looking for a subtle, natural perfume that will last longer than an essential oil roll-on. I also wanted something slightly stronger and sweeter smelling.
I’m not a fan of harsh perfumes as most give me a terrible headache! It could be the chemicals or the type of scent, but when I smell someone with a strong perfume I just can’t stand it.
Tip: you may also be interested in our DIY solid perfume recipe.
DIY Perfume with Essential Oils
Since I was having trouble finding something that would fit the bill, I decided to formulate my own personal, DIY perfume.
I started by reading this exceptional article on “Effective Use of Alcohol for Aromatic Blending” on the Tisserand Institute’s website. I highly suggest reading it before trying to make your own DIY perfume or spray blends. That is how I knew I would need to properly solubilize and preserve (or dissolve completely) my essential oils in alcohol.
Once I knew what medium would carry my perfume, I needed to decide on my fragrance. I absolutely love sweet smells, so I knew I wanted to use vanilla oleoresin as a fixative. Vanilla oleoresin is not actually essential oil, but a resin that has been chemically extracted from vanilla beans using a solvent. You can read more about that in this post: Vanilla Essential Oil & Homemade Vanilla Infused Oil.
DIY Perfume Essential Oils I Enjoy
Vanilla oleoresin is deeply sweet, warm, and relaxing. It is a lovely base note to ground fragrances. I love that it smells just like vanilla beans.
Another smell I adore is lavender. Quite often lavender essential oil on its own can be too strong and sharp for me, so blending it with vanilla softens its scent. I love the floral notes of lavender and how these two aromas combine to make a peaceful and romantic perfume. It makes me breathe deep and relax.
I chose to limit this DIY perfume to just these two essential oils, although you could certainly add more to develop the scent profile. Patchouli essential oil would give this perfume some extra body and earthiness, clove bud essential oil would give some spice, bergamot would give it some bright and citrus notes, and sandalwood essential oil would make it even more sensual.
DIY Perfume: Lavender Vanilla
I make most of my own personal products, but I couldn't find a natural perfume I was comfortable with. So I made my own DIY Perfume!
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Active Time
- 5 minutes
- Resting Time
- 3 days
- Total Time
- 3 days 10 minutes
- Servings
- 1 ounce
- Estimated Cost
- $2
Ingredients
- 8 drops vanilla oleoresin
- 10 drops lavender essential oil
- 1 ounce 151 proof grain alcohol or higher (I used 151 proof Everclear)
Instructions
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Measure 1 ounce of grain alcohol (151 proof or higher) into a clean 1-ounce amber bottle.
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Add in 8 drops of vanilla oleoresin and 10 drops of lavender essential oil.
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Cap and swirl to combine.
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Allow your DIY perfume to sit for several days.
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Measure into a 10 mL atomizing spray bottle.
Notes
Occasionally I will spray this DIY perfume on my skin, but most often I spray on clothing. I am always surprised that I can still catch the aroma hours later when I am out and about. It’s like a breath of fresh air and always helps me stay calm.
Made this recipe?
Mention @diynatural or tag it #diynatural!
This DIY perfume also makes wonderful gifts! Add it to a decorative box with some tissue paper and it could rival those fancy department store perfumes.
You can also experiment with the number of drops of each essential oil to find the perfect blend for you. It is very easy to customize!
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The price to make this is outrageous. $71.50 for one ingredient? The had to be a less expensive brand that works well if not in site the majority of us will not be making this.
Susan, there are certainly less expensive brands. Try Plant Therapy or Eden’s Garden. Both should have what you need.
Wow, the vanilla is REALLY expensive at the Mountain Rose website you provided. Is there an alternative maybe?
Edens Garden Vanilla Oleoresin 5 ml 100% Pure Undiluted Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil GC/MS Tested
I got it on Amazon for under $10. Smells heavenly.
Edens Garden is a great recommendation! Plant Therapy also has a lovely Vanilla Oleoresin.
Can I use an amber roller bottle & Fractionated Coconut Oil instead of alcohol? I want to be able to apply the perfume on my pulse points.
Hi Pam, you certainly can use this in a roller blend, but the aroma will not last as long.
I’m not partial to the scent of vanilla and want to use a rose essential oil. Is there another fixative you can recommend? I’m really excited to try this! Thank you very much! 🙂
Hi Diana – you could try using Sandalwood or even Patchouli. Vetiver has a somewhat offputting aroma, but it actually may blend nicely with the Rose and give it a subdued aroma. All three are great fixatives.
Can I use Bacardi – 151 proof – Rum instead of 151 proof Everclear?
Hi Deborah, generally ethanol (the type of alcohol in vodka) is the choice of perfumers. I’ve never heard of rum being used in perfumery so I am not sure how it would turn out.
No distilled water at all?
Hi Sari – that’s right, no distilled water at all.
I love this. Always wondered about a simple, homemade perfume, but never looked any further. I do like to use a brand called love and toast. Woodsy and spicy scents seem to be my chemical meld. I use one called pomme poivre and it costs $27 and lasts all year. They make a really lovely sweet one called paper flower as well.
Thank you for sharing!