Pillow Mist Formulation: Addressing Initial Pungency and Choosing a Gentle Base

Question

I'm experimenting with making a pillow mist using the following formula: Ethyl Alcohol 99.9% (perfume grade) 68%, Essential Oil 30%, Mild Preserve 2%. 1. The scent is slightly pungent when first sprayed, but becomes pleasant after a while. How can I adjust this? (I'm unsure if the pungency is from the Essential Oil or the Alcohol). 2. Can Ethyl Alcohol be used as a base for pillow mist? I am concerned about its gentleness on the skin. If a more skin-friendly base is needed, what alternatives do you recommend and in what percentage should they be used? Thank you.

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

Pillow Mist Formulation Advice

Based on your current formula and questions, here are some suggestions to improve your pillow mist:

Addressing the Initial Pungency

The strong smell when first sprayed is likely due to the high concentration of both the alcohol and the essential oil.

High Alcohol Content: Alcohol evaporates quickly, carrying the fragrance intensely upon initial spray.
Very High Essential Oil Content: A 30% concentration of essential oil is extremely high for a mist and will contribute significantly to the initial overpowering scent.

Recommendation:

Significantly reduce the percentage of Essential Oil. For a mist, a concentration between 1% and 5% is usually sufficient, depending on the specific essential oil and desired intensity.
Consider slightly reducing the Ethyl Alcohol percentage as well, which will lessen the initial alcohol vapor and strong scent burst.

Ethyl Alcohol as a Base and Gentler Alternatives

Ethyl Alcohol is a common base for fragrance sprays as it helps disperse the scent and evaporates cleanly. However, at high concentrations like 68%, it can be drying or potentially irritating to sensitive skin.

If skin gentleness is a primary concern, especially since the mist will be on pillows and linens that contact skin, you might consider a gentler base.

Gentler Alternative Base:
A water-based system using a solubilizer is a good alternative. This allows essential oils to mix evenly with water.

A typical gentler formula structure could be:

Distilled Water (as the main base)
Solubilizer (to blend oil and water)
Essential Oil (at a lower, appropriate concentration, e.g., 1-5%)
Preservative (essential for water-based formulas)

Your current formula uses a "Mild Preserve" at 2%. Based on the linked product and common formulations, this likely contains ingredients like Ethylhexylglycerin and Caprylyl Glycol. These are considered mild ingredients often used in preservative blends, and 2% is a standard usage rate for such blends. If you switch to a water-based system, you would still need a preservative like this blend to prevent microbial growth in the water phase.

By reducing the essential oil concentration and potentially switching to a water-based system with a solubilizer, you can achieve a more balanced scent profile and a gentler product.