How to Make Perfume with Fragrance Oil and Alcohol

Creating your own perfume involves mixing fragrance oil with a suitable alcohol base. The quality of both the fragrance oil and the alcohol significantly impacts the final product.

Key Components

1. Fragrance Oil: This is the concentrated scent component.
2. Alcohol: Used as a carrier to dilute the fragrance oil and help the scent project. High-quality perfumer's alcohol (usually 95% ethanol or higher) is recommended as it is denatured and designed for perfume making, often containing a small amount of Dipropylene Glycol (DPG) to help solubilize the fragrance and fixatives to help the scent last longer.
3. Distilled Water (Optional): A small amount can sometimes be added, especially for lower concentrations like Eau de Cologne, but it's often omitted in higher concentrations.

Mixing Ratios (Concentration)

The ratio of fragrance oil to alcohol determines the type and strength of the perfume. Here are typical ranges:

• Eau de Cologne (EDC): 2-4% fragrance oil
• Eau de Toilette (EDT): 5-15% fragrance oil
• Eau de Parfum (EDP): 15-20% fragrance oil
• Perfume (Parfum/Extrait): 20-40% fragrance oil

For example, to make 100ml of Eau de Parfum with a 20% concentration, you would mix 20ml of fragrance oil with 80ml of perfumer's alcohol.

Process

1. Measure your desired amount of fragrance oil.
2. Add the perfumer's alcohol to the fragrance oil. Mix gently but thoroughly.
3. (Optional) If using water, add a very small amount of distilled water (usually no more than 5-10% of the total volume) after mixing the oil and alcohol.
4. Pour the mixture into a dark glass bottle.
5. Maturation (Aging): This is a crucial step for quality. Store the perfume in a cool, dark place for at least 2-4 weeks, or even longer (several months), to allow the ingredients to meld and the scent to develop fully. Shake gently every few days during the first week.

Example Fragrance Oils

You can use various fragrance oils like Strawberry (Fragrance Oil), Jasmine Fragrance Oil, or Neroli Fragrance Oil, among many others, to create different scents.

Always test a small batch first to ensure you achieve the desired scent and performance.