Looking for a Quick Method to DIY Essential Oil Perfume?
Whether you’re looking for a toxin-free perfume to support your natural lifestyle or find the store-bought options that give you headaches, creating your own perfume is a rewarding experience.
Essential oils are derived from plants and are perfect for making DIY essential oil perfume. They are more concentrated than fragrance oils as they pack a powerful punch straight from the source. Not to mention most fragrance oils contain carcinogens and endocrine disruptors (FDA 2011).
There are many ways to make perfume with essential oils – today, we’re going to start with the basics of perfume making, and then I’ll show you the fastest way to make essential oil perfume for immediate use!
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Related: Common Essential Oil Mistake
Related: How to Dilute Essential Oils
Where to Start
Creating your very own unique essential oil blends for perfume is easy with a little knowledge in hand. You see, some essential oils don’t blend well with others, and the scents they create are not pleasing to anyone’s nose.
The key is understanding that essential oils fall into aroma categories. So first, take a brief look at the aroma categories below. Then, open a bottle of essential oil in each category to get a feel for what the category smells like.
Essential Oil Aroma Category Examples
Citrus Aromas: bergamot, orange, grapefruit, and lemongrass
Herbal Aromas: fennel, angelica, and clary sage
Resin Aromas: frankincense, balsam fir needle, and myrrh
Spice Aromas: clove, cinnamon, and ginger
Woodland Aromas: juniper, eucalyptus, cypress, and pine
Floral Aromas: jasmine, geranium, and neroli
Exotic Aromas: ylang-ylang, sandalwood, and palmarosa
Take a look at this detailed list of essential oils in each aroma category to create smooth, complimentary essential oil blends. Print out this essential oil perfume notes chart and a blending wheel from Oily Chic Library or pin for later use as a quick reference for what pairs well together.
What Essential Oils Can be Used as Perfume?
Just about any essential oil can be used to make perfume, but a well-structured perfume has a base note, middle, and top note. Keep in mind some essential oils can overlap between note levels.
For example, rose catches you at the first sniff, yet it doesn’t dissipate quickly. Instead, it stays with you. This is why it is used as a top and base note. So, be on the lookout for these dual-note oils, giving you more flexibility.
Base Notes
Also referred to as a deep note or bottom note. These notes are the aromas that will linger the longest. A base note ideally should be 20% of your perfume blend.
Angelica
Cedarwood
Cinnamon
Clove
Frankincense
Ginger
Hyssop
Jasmine
Myrrh
Patchouli
Rose
Sandalwood
Spruce
Valerian
Vanilla
Vetiver
Ylang Ylang
Middle notes
Lovingly known as heart notes, the middle note lasts longer than a top note and bonds together the top and base notes. A middle note should make up the biggest proportion of your DIY essential oil perfume. Aim for a 50% ratio.
Basil
Bergamot
Black Pepper
Cardamom
Chamomile
Cinnamon
Clary Sage
Cypress
Fennel
Geranium
Hyssop
Jasmine
Juniper
Lavender
Lemongrass
Marjoram
Melissa
Myrrh
Myrtle
Neroli
Nutmeg
Oregano
Palmarosa
Pine
Rosemary
Spruce
Tea Tree
Thyme
Yarrow
Ylang Ylang
Top Notes
These are the notes our senses pick up first. If you open up a bottle of a top note, you might think I’m crazy – wondering how could this be a top note?! As the scent immediately hits you and gives you the illusion of being strong like base notes. It is strong, but top notes are the first to fade in any perfume yet are the key to a great blend. When creating your DIY essential oil perfume, plan for the top note to make up 30% of the blend.
Anise
Basil
Bergamot
Black Pepper
Cinnamon
Clary Sage
Coriander
Eucalyptus
Fennel
Grapefruit
Hyssop
Jasmine
Lavender
Lemon
Lemongrass
Lime
Melissa
Tangerine
Nutmeg
Neroli
Verbena
Orange
Peppermint
Pine
Spearmint
Tea Tree
Thyme
How to Make DIY Essential Oil Perfume Spray:
For beginners, I recommend starting with just three essential oils. One for the base note, one for the middle note, and one for the top note. Keeping it simple is always a good way to start.
Speaking of keeping things simple, we’re going to make perfume spray because it’s the fastest way to make perfume. Plus, did I mention – it’s easy! And you can use it immediately, unlike solid perfume and other options.
I made this DIY essential oil perfume for a 30 ml diamond perfume spray bottle. But, I’ve also made it in a 6 ml perfume atomizer bottle so I could carry it in my handbag. You can choose any size perfume bottle to make yours. Take a look at the Oily Chic Look Book for lots of pretty options!
Perfume Ingredients & Supplies:
30 ml perfume spray bottle
2 parts Distilled or Purified Water
1 part Witch Hazel
25 to 30 drops of Essential Oils
DIY Essential Oil Perfume Spray Recipe:
Select your base, middle, and top note. Aim for a total of 25 to 30 drops of essential oil for small bottles. And 35 to 50 drops for large bottles.
Using a mini funnel fill your perfume bottle (this is the diamond perfume spray bottle I used) with 1 part witch hazel. Then add your base note at 20%. Followed by 50% middle note and 30% top note. Last, add 2 parts of distilled water.
Here’s a quick example what I my DIY essential oil perfume spray is made of.
- 5 ml coconut witch hazel
- 5 drops Angelica Essential Oil
- 15 drops Valor Essential Oil
- 10 drops Stress Away Essential Oil
- 15 ml distilled water
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How to Make Essential Oil Perfume Last Longer
Here’s a tip I recently learned to make perfume last longer. Before you apply perfume, use an unscented oil-based moisturizer to hydrate your skin. Grapeseed oil and jojoba oil work great for this as both are practically scent-free and absorb faster than other carrier oils like coconut.
Once the oil absorbs into your skin, apply your perfume as usual. You see, dry skin doesn’t hold fragrance well; moisturized skin, on the other hand, can hold the scent up to 30% longer!
There you have it, a simple, quick full-proof method to make DIY essential oil perfume spray with only five ingredients. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
I don’t know about you, but simplicity is huge for me! I got started with essential oils years ago with this carefully curated essential oil kit. It comes with 12 versatile essential oils perfect for any beginner! Are you ready to get oily?
Pin these easy-to-make DIY essential oil perfume sprays, and don’t forget your printable essential oil perfume notes above.
Have you made essential oil perfume? Tag #oilychic on Instagram to share yours with us.
How will the oils and water blend?
The witch hazel helps to emulsify the oils. You can skip the distilled water and replace it with all witch hazel too.
Thank you!