Improving Your Air Freshener Spray

It sounds like you've encountered a common issue with alcohol-based sprays: the alcohol evaporates quickly, leaving a strong initial scent followed by a rapid fading of the fragrance and a lingering alcohol smell.

Here's why this happens and how you can improve your formula:

1. High Alcohol Content: Your formula uses a high percentage of 95% alcohol (87%). While alcohol is necessary to dissolve the fragrance oil and create a spray, a very high concentration can lead to fast evaporation and a prominent alcohol odor.
2. Lack of a Fixative: Fragrance oils contain many different aromatic compounds that evaporate at different rates. Without a fixative, the lighter, more volatile notes disappear quickly, leaving behind the heavier notes or just the alcohol smell.

Solutions:

To reduce the alcohol smell and make the fragrance last longer, consider these adjustments:

• Use a Perfumer-Grade Alcohol: Ensure you are using a high-quality ethyl alcohol specifically designed for perfumery, such as Ethyl Alcohol (99.9% , 200 Proof, Research/Perfumer Grade) or Ethyl Alcohol (96% , Perfumer Grade, Low-Odor). These have very low odor profiles compared to general-purpose alcohol.
• Add a Fragrance Fixative: Incorporating a fixative helps to slow down the evaporation rate of the fragrance compounds, making the scent last longer and reducing the harshness of the alcohol smell. A common and effective fixative is Dipropylene glycol.
• Consider a Pre-made Fragrance Base: Products like 8 Hours Fragrance Spray Base (Musk-Free) are specifically formulated to extend fragrance longevity in alcohol sprays and can simplify the process.

Suggested Adjustments to Your Formula:

Instead of 87% alcohol, you could try reducing the alcohol content and adding a fixative. Here's an example using Dipropylene glycol:

• Fragrance Oil: 10%
• LipidSoft™ Deo: 3%
• Dipropylene glycol: 5-10%
• Perfumer-Grade Ethyl Alcohol (96% or 99.9%): Adjust to make the total 100% (e.g., 77-82%)

Alternatively, you could use a dedicated base like the 8 Hours Fragrance Spray Base:

• Fragrance Oil: 10%
• LipidSoft™ Deo: 3%
• 8 Hours Fragrance Spray Base (Musk-Free): Adjust to make the total 100% (e.g., 87%)

Note on LipidSoft™ Deo: LipidSoft™ Deo is primarily an emollient and a deodorant active that works by inhibiting bacterial enzymes. While it has a light texture, its main function is not as a fragrance fixative in an alcohol spray. The issue you are experiencing is related to fragrance evaporation and alcohol perception, which are best addressed with fragrance fixatives or specialized bases.

By adjusting the alcohol content and adding a suitable fixative or using a dedicated base, you should be able to reduce the strong alcohol smell and achieve a longer-lasting fragrance in your air freshener spray.