Methods of Making Perfume

For more information about essential oils please visit http://HealWithOil.com.

Making perfume is an art that’s been around for many centuries. To many, it’s much more than an art. It’s a creation of thought, inspiration and care, resulting in some of the most beautiful fragrances imaginable.
Although there have been different methods implemented through the years, the general principle and purpose of making perfume is the same: extracting a desired scent. In an earlier chapter we covered many methods of extracting fragrances from various plant parts. There are actually two methods of scent extraction today: effleurage or distillation.

• Effleurage is a process where a glass plates are filled with highly purified and odorless animal or vegetable fat, where petals of your choice are placed. The petals of fresh flowers are pressed into the fat and will stay in the grease for a few days so the essence has a chance to disperse and leak into the compound.

After a few days, the petals are removed and replaced with freshly picked ones. This process continues until the greasy compound is saturated with the essence. This process is repeated several times. Once the saturation point has been reached, the petals are removed and the grease and fragrant oil mixture, also known as effleurage pomade, is washed with alcohol so that extract can separated from the grease.

The remaining grease is used to make soap and, once the alcohol evaporates, you have the essential oil you need for perfume. Effleurage is not only very time consuming but an expensive way of extraction as well. This process is often used for Jasmine and tuberoses.

• Distillation is a process where steam is used to capture the fragrance. The plants or flowers are put in the top part of a sill on perforated trays, with the bottom part filled with water. The water is brought to a boil, as it’s the steam that brings out the fragrances and scent-bearing components, which are transferred into an attached glass-cooling worm to be refrigerated and condensed.
The essential oil and water mixture is placed in bottles, where the essential oils will rise to the top leaving the scented water on the bottom. While the scented water is used for toilette water and other purposes, the essential oil is made into the finest perfumes.
Although technology has provided perfume makers with state-of-the-art equipment to make their perfume quickly and efficiently, the methods are still basically the same. Once they have the desired perfume, they don’t stop there. Being chemists as well as artists of the trade, they’re able to mix them with other essential oils to create exotic and beautiful fragrances.

Ancient Uses for Perfumes and Essential Oils

For more information about the biblical essential oils please visit http://HealWithOil.com.

In ancient times, essential oils and other aromatics were used for religious rituals, as well as for the treatment of illness and other physical and spiritual needs. According to the Essential Oils Desk Reference compiled by Essence Science Publishing, “Records dating back to 4500 B.C. describes the use of balsamic substances with aromatic properties for religious rituals and medical applications. The translation of ancient papyrus found in the Temple of Edfu, located on the west bank of the Nile reveals medicinal formulas and perfume recipes used by the alchemist and high priest in blending aromatic substances for rituals performed in the temples and pyramids. As well, Hieroglyphics on the walls of Egyptian temples depict the blending of oils and describe hundreds of oil recipes. Within these writings tell of scented barks, resins of spices, and aromatic vinegars, wines and beers that were used in rituals, temples, for embalming and medicine. Thus, the Egyptians were credited as the first to discover the potential of fragrance and were considered masters in using essential oils and other aromatics in the embalming process. They created various aromatic blends for personal use, placing them in alabaster jars – a vessel specially carved and shaped for holding fragrant oils. In fact, when King Tut’s tomb was opened in 1922, 350 liters of oils were discovered in alabaster jars. Amazingly, because of the solidification of plant waxes sealing the opening of the jars, the liquefied oil was in perfect condition.
In the upper region of Egypt, a sect of Jews, called Essenes, were known for their healing arts and use of essential oils. Both Philo and Josephus writings indicated that at the period in which John the Baptist and Jesus were born, the Essenes were scattered over Palestine, numbering about four thousand souls. The Essenes or Therapeuts (used interchangeably) refer primarily to the art of healing which these devotees professed, as it was believed in those days that sanctity was closely allied to the exercise of this power, and that no cure of any sort could be imputed simply to natural causes. (Source: http://sacred-texts.com, http://bopsecrets.org)

The Holy Scriptures record over 1,035 references to aromatics, ointments, savors, fragrances, plants and incense-most implying essential oils. Twelve of the most highly-praised fragrances in the world mentioned in the Bible include: Frankincense, Myrrh, Spikenard, Hyssop, Cypress, Myrtle, Aloes, Sandalwood, Galbanum, Cinnamon, Cassia, and Onycha. Many were in the prescribed preparation of the Holy Anointing Oil and Holy Incense for Temple services, as well as for anointing and healing the sick. The people of the ancient world understood the importance of maintaining wellness and physical health, as well as the oils’ ability to enhance their spiritual state of worship, prayer, and for the purification from sin. King David alluded to this in Psalm 51:7 when he wrote, “Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” While David’s Psalm may have been speaking of a “spiritual purification” from his own sin of adultery with Bathsheba, today we know that the chemical constituents of essential oils including hyssop are able to penetrate the cell wall and transport needed oxygen and nutrients to the cell nucleus. Most essential oils can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled into the lungs where they then make their way into the bloodstream. The sense of smell affects the limbic region of the brain, which controls emotions, memory and the hypothalamus, which regulates the pituitary, which in turn balances the entire hormonal system of the body.

History of Perfumery using Essential Oils

For more information about using essential oils please visit http://HealWithEssentialOil.com.

Historical records reveal that people’s use of scents, aromas, fragrances and essential oils have been used in almost every culture for millenniums. The Egyptians used aromatics in embalming, while the Greeks attributed sweet aromas to their gods by burning incense and the Babylonians perfumed the mortar with which they built their temples. In fact, Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt drenched the sails of her ships with the most exotic fragrant essential oils so that their essences would herald her arrival along the banks of the Nile. The Hebrews scattered fresh leaves, twigs, and stems of fresh mint, marjoram and other herbs on the dirt floors of homes and synagogues. By walking on these, the fragrant essential oils would be released into the air. This practice was also common in the temple, where they sacrificed animals where the scent acted as a disinfectant as well as an air freshener.
Both the Assyrian’s and Egyptians used scented oils. Because of this, the demand for the raw materials necessary to produce both fragrances and remedies led to the discov-ery of new ways to extract scents from the plants used. Such techniques as pressing, decoction, pulverization and macera-tion were developed and mastered by both the Assyrian’s and the Egyptians. They even made attempts to produce essential oils by distillation. These methods will be discussed in the next chapter.

Slowly, the use of perfumes spread to Greece, where not only were they used in religious ceremonies, but also for personal purposes as well. When the Romans saw what the Greeks were doing, they began to use fragrances even more lavishly. There are many manuscripts that ascribed to how herbs were brought from all over the world to produce the fragrances they used.

After the Roman Empire fell, so the use of aromas for personal use declined. However, during the Middle Ages, perfumes again were used, this time only in churches in Europe for religious ceremonies and to cover the stench of disease and death which abounded at that time.

When trade with the Orient was reestablished at the beginning of the 13th Century, exotic flowers, herbs and spices became more readily available around Europe. Venice quickly became the center of the perfume trade. It was not long before perfumery soon spread to other European countries. The perfume trade then developed even further, as those returning from the crusades reintroduced perfume for personal use.

By the late 18th Century, the synthetic material for fragrances was being produced, which led to the beginning of perfumery in the modern age. Thus, with the introduction of synthetics, perfumes would no longer be exclusively used by the rich and famous. Now with synthetics readily available to produce perfumes, they could be made on a much larger scale, although natural oils were still being used to help soften the synthetics. Today, natural products still remain a very important part of the production of perfumes in modern formulations.

More and more people today are turning away from the industrial techniques of producing perfume, preferring to make it themselves. Most find it is not only easy to do, but a great source of pleasure and fun.

Ancient Uses for Perfumes (essential oils)

For more information about therapeutic grade essential oils, please visit http://HealWithEssentialOil.com.

In ancient times, essential oils and other aromatics were used for religious rituals, as well as for the treatment of illness and other physical and spiritual needs. According to the Essential Oils Desk Reference compiled by Essence Science Publishing, “Records dating back to 4500 B.C. describes the use of balsamic substances with aromatic properties for religious rituals and medical applications. The translation of ancient papyrus found in the Temple of Edfu, located on the west bank of the Nile reveals medicinal formulas and perfume recipes used by the alchemist and high priest in blending aromatic substances for rituals performed in the temples and pyramids. As well, Hiero-glyphics on the walls of Egyptian temples depict the blend-ing of oils and describe hundreds of oil recipes. Within these writings tell of scented barks, resins of spices, and aromatic vinegars, wines and beers that were used in rituals, temples, for embalming and medicine. Thus, the Egyptians were credited as the first to discover the potential of fragrance and were considered masters in using essential oils and other aromatics in the embalming process. They created various aromatic blends for personal use, placing them in alabaster jars – a vessel specially carved and shaped for holding fragrant oils. In fact, when King Tut’s tomb was opened in 1922, 350 liters of oils were discovered in alabaster jars. Amazingly, because of the solidification of plant waxes sealing the opening of the jars, the liquefied oil was in perfect condition.
In the upper region of Egypt, a sect of Jews, called Essenes, were known for their healing arts and use of essential oils. Both Philo and Josephus writings indicated that at the period in which John the Baptist and Jesus were born, the Essenes were scattered over Palestine, numbering about four thousand souls. The Essenes or Therapeuts (used interchangeably) refer primarily to the art of healing which these devotees professed, as it was believed in those days that sanctity was closely allied to the exercise of this power, and that no cure of any sort could be imputed simply to natural causes. (Source: http://sacred-texts.com, http://bopsecrets.org)

The Holy Scriptures record over 1,035 references to aromatics, ointments, savors, fragrances, plants and incense-most implying essential oils. Twelve of the most highly-praised fragrances in the world mentioned in the Bible include: Frankincense, Myrrh, Spikenard, Hyssop, Cypress, Myrtle, Aloes, Sandalwood, Galbanum, Cinnamon, Cassia, and Onycha. Many were in the prescribed preparation of the Holy Anointing Oil and Holy Incense for Temple services, as well as for anointing and healing the sick. The people of the ancient world understood the importance of maintaining wellness and physical health, as well as the oils’ ability to enhance their spiritual state of worship, prayer, and for the purification from sin. King David alluded to this in Psalm 51:7 when he wrote, “Purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” While David’s Psalm may have been speaking of a “spiritual purification” from his own sin of adultery with Bathsheba, today we know that the chemical constituents of essential oils including hyssop are able to penetrate the cell wall and transport needed oxygen and nutrients to the cell nucleus. Most essential oils can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled into the lungs where they then make their way into the bloodstream. The sense of smell affects the limbic region of the brain, which controls emotions, memory and the hypothalamus, which regulates the pituitary, which in turn balances the entire hormonal system of the body.

The Perfume Makeup

For more information, please visit my website http://HealWithOil.com for essential oils and other useful information on how to use pure essential oils for healing.

If you carry out a search on the internet on “making perfume,” you will find there is a wealth of knowledge on the many processes.  You will find different recipes to experiment with, but the most important thing you should consider is what sort of perfumes you would like as your finished product.

First, you need to consider what sort of perfume you would like to make?  Would it be an eau de cologne, per- fume concentrate or even an aftershave?

Second, you need to decide what it should smell like? Do you want it to be soft or strong, sweet or manly or unisex?  Does it have to be long lasting?

After answering these questions as to what kind of perfume you would like to make, you need to start making a list of the ingredients that you need. When making the list, think about the characteristics of the various ingredients you want to include in your recipe.

If you already have a recipe that you would like to use, it may mean you do not need to bother experimenting with the ingredients you have (it may be wise to adjust the quantities of the ingredients you are using in order to make the perfume more personalized).  If you do not have your list of ingredients already prepared, there are a couple things that you should know prior to making your list.

When making perfume it is important that you ex- periment as much as you can.  It should be remembered that perfume making is an art, and imagination and a great sense of smell will help you to overcome any lack of knowledge or experience.

 The next most important thing in relation to perfume making is that there are 4 key ingredients you will need to produce perfume:

 1.  Essential Oils (these have been extracted from various plants (organic or non-organic) and when combined give the smell of the perfume you are trying to produce.  The three different categories of oils include: Base notes, Middle notes, and Top notes. Each note ultimately influences the scent of your perfume over time. Perfume is seldom made with just one fragrance. They’re usually a blend of up to three or more fragrances. This will be discussed in more detail in the next chapter.

 2.  Pure Grain Oil

If you plan to resell your perfume to the public, then you will need to use Perfumer’s Alcohol (which can be hard to find locally, but available online) because the Department of Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms does not allow selling products with Vodka in them. However, if you are only making your perfume for personal use, you can substitute

100-Proof Vodka in most recipes calling for Perfumers’ Alcohol or Grain Alcohol.

 Be sure to do a “skin patch test” to make sure you are not allergic to any of your ingredients by placing a drop on your skin and watching to see if a rash or irritation occurs.  If so, discontinue use immediately.

3.  Water

Use distilled water if any recipe calls for water. Never use tap water in its place. 

4.  Fixatives

 Fixatives are used with the other ingredients in order to lower the rate of evaporation of the fragrance or essential oils.  The reason why a perfume may lose its fragrance faster than normal is because only a little amount of fixative was used when preparing the perfume.

 In some cases, you may want to use a vegetable oil in addition to a carrier oil with the essential oils.  This will make up 10 to 35 percent of the finished perfume.  Many perfum- ers recommend using Jojoba oil, as it has a long shelf life and is healthy for the skin. For those that don’t know what Jojoba or a carrier oil is, it is to help dilute and blend your three fragrances together before they can be applied to your skin.

History of Perfumery

For more information about essential oils, please visit my website http://HealWithOil.com.

Historical records reveal that people’s use of scents, aromas, fragrances and essential oils have been used in almost every culture for millenniums. The Egyptians used aromatics in embalming, while the Greeks attributed sweet aromas to their gods by burning incense and the Babylonians perfumed the mortar with which they built their temples.  In fact, Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt drenched the sails of her ships with the most exotic fragrant essential oils so that their essences would herald her arrival along the banks of the Nile. The Hebrews scattered fresh leaves, twigs, and stems of fresh mint, marjoram and other herbs on the dirt floors of homes and synagogues.  By walking on these, the fragrant essential oils would be released into the air.  This practice was also common in the temple, where they sacrificed animals where the scent acted as a disinfectant as well as an air freshener.

Both the Assyrian’s and Egyptians used scented oils. Because of this, the demand for the raw materials necessary to produce both fragrances and remedies led to the discovery of new ways to extract scents from the plants used.  Such techniques as pressing, decoction, pulverization and maceration were developed and mastered by both the Assyrian’s and the Egyptians.  They even made attempts to produce essential oils by distillation. These methods will be discussed in the next chapter.

Slowly, the use of perfumes spread to Greece, where not only were they used in religious ceremonies, but also for personal purposes as well.  When the Romans saw what the Greeks were doing, they began to use fragrances even more lavishly. There are many manuscripts that ascribed to how herbs were brought from all over the world to produce the fragrances they used.

After the Roman Empire fell, so the use of aromas for personal use declined.  However, during the Middle Ages, perfumes again were used, this time only in churches in Europe for religious ceremonies and to cover the stench of disease and death which abounded at that time.

When trade with the Orient was reestablished at the beginning of the 13th Century, exotic flowers, herbs and spices became more readily available around Europe. Venice quickly became the center of the perfume trade.  It was not long before perfumery soon spread to other European countries.  The perfume trade then developed even further, as those returning from the crusades reintroduced perfume for personal use.

By the late 18th Century, the synthetic material for fragrances was being produced, which led to the beginning of perfumery in the modern age.  Thus, with the introduction of synthetics, perfumes would no longer be exclusively used by the rich and famous.  Now with synthetics readily available to produce perfumes, they could be made on a much larger scale, although natural oils were still being used to help soften the synthetics. Today, natural products still remain a very important part of the production of perfumes in modern formulations.

More and more people today are turning away from the industrial techniques of producing perfume, preferring to make it themselves.  Most find it is not only easy to do, but a great source of pleasure and fun.

Making Solid Perfume – A Simple Recipe Using Essential Oils

The Simplicity of Making Solid Perfume

For more fun recipes and uses for essential oils, please visit http://HealWithOil.com. 

While filling up your little perfume containers with your favorite homemade perfume is fun, easy and exciting, you’ll find that making solid perfume is even easier.

Most of the supplies for making solid perfume can be found at a craft and health food stores. Therefore, read this list and get to the store so we can get busy making your favorite scent solid perfume.

•     A small glass bowl for mixing

•     1 saucepan

•     1 stirring stick or straw

•     A glass, stone or ceramic container for your perfume

•     Essential oil of your choice

•     Beeswax

•     Almond or jojoba oil or vitamin E

Put 1 tablespoon of almond or jojoba oil and 1-tablespoon wax in the small glass jar. Put about an inch of water in the saucepan and put the far in the water. Bring the water in the saucepan to a boil to allow the wax to melt. When it’s completed melted and liquid, remove it from the stove.

Add about 8 to 12 drops of essential oils into the mixture. Stir it with a straw or stirring stick, allowing as little as possible to stick to them so as not to waste any of your precious perfume. Make sure it’s thoroughly mixed.

Pour your liquefied wax into your glass or stone container and let it cool for at least 30 minutes. The mixture you’ve made will make about one half ounce of solid perfume. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll want to make a larger amount.

When you’re ready to use the perfume, all you have to do is rub your finger on the surface of the perfume and rub it on your neck, wrist or any place you desire. You’ll find that solid perfume is easy and fun to make, you’ll want to experiment with many different fragrances. It’s great for traveling and can be put in a small container of your choice and carried in your purse or glove compartment.

Different fragrances can be made for medicinal or special purposes. For instance, a mixture of lavender or chamomile oils makes a very relaxing scent. Applying solid perfume of cypress or cedar is great for a foot rub. You’ll find that you not only will want to have several of these unique perfume scents in your home but they make great gifts as well.

Methods of Making Perfume

Making perfume is an art that’s been around for many centuries. To many, it’s much more than an art. It’s a creation of thought, inspiration and care, resulting in some of the most beautiful fragrances imaginable.

Although there have been different methods implemented through the years, the general principle and purpose of making perfume is the same: extracting the desired scent.  In an earlier chapter we covered many methods of extracting fragrances from various plant parts.  There are actually two methods of scent extraction today: effleurage or distillation.

•     Effleurage is a process where a glass plates are filled with highly purified and odorless animal or vegetable fat, where petals of your chosen are placed. The petals of fresh flowers are pressed into the fat.  The petal will stay in the grease for a few days so the essence has a chance to disperse and leak into the compound.

After a few days, remove the petals and replace them with freshly picked ones. This process continues until the greasy compound if saturated with the essence. You’ll have to do this process a few times to get to this point. Once the saturation point has been reached, the petals are removed and the grease and fragrant oil mixture, also known as effleurage pomade, is washed with alcohol so the extract can separate from the grease.

The remaining grease is used to make soap and, once the alcohol evaporates, you have the essential oil you need for perfume. Effleurage is not only very time consuming but an expensive way of extraction as well. This process if often used for jasmine and tuberoses.

•     Distillation is a process where steam is used to capture the fragrance. The plants or flowers are put in the top part of a sill on perforated trays, with the bottom part filled with water. The water is brought to a boil, as it’s the steam that brings out the fragrances and scent-bearing components, which are transferred into an attached glass-cooling worm so it can be refrigerated and condensed.

The essential oil and water mixture is put into bottles, where the essential oils will rise to the top leaving the scented water on the bottom. While the scented water is used for toilette water and other purposes, the essential oil is made into the finest perfumes.

Although technology has provided perfume makers with state-of-the-art equipment to make their perfume quickly and efficiently, the methods are still basically the same. Once they have the desired perfume, they don’t stop there. Being chemists as well as artists of the trade, they’re able to mix them with other essential oils to create exotic and beautiful fragrances.

For more information about the use of essential oils, please visit http://HealWithOil.com.

Essential Oils: Understanding Notes When Making Perfume

For more information about how to make perfumes using essential oils, please visit my website http://HealWithEssentialOil.com to purchase my bestseller, The Art of Making Perfume.

When planning to make your own perfume, it’s important to understand the basics. When we think of expensive perfume, we automatically think of France, since France is the perfume capital of the world. Although the French did not discover perfume, they were the ones that turned making perfume into a Science.

While the perfumers in France were not the original creators of perfume, they were the geniuses that figured out a way to make the fragrances last longer than a few minutes. Their method was by layering the different fragrances. They started using the three layers that we now call “notes.”

If you’ve never made perfume before, you may not know the importance of using the different notes. For the best fragrances, you can’t just throw together several essential oils and hope for the best. Some fragrances are stronger and longer lasting than others. Knowing what essential oils are in each note group will help you to make some beautiful and interesting creations with your perfume. Notes are what make up the difference between perfume and cologne.

Perfumery is a science.  Today’s perfumes are made with synthetic copies of essential oils as real oils would be too expensive to use in the mass production of perfume.

You will find most perfumes on the market today are diluted with alcohol and water. In your own laboratory, you may also want to use oil to dilute your perfume, although using alcohol will make them last longer.  As you begin to blend your fragrances, you will want to experiment with a variety of different aromas.  Most perfumes fall into one of the five categories:

* Woodsy

* Floral

* Oriental

* Spicy

* Citrus

It takes a bit of experimenting with essential oils to get the scent that you want.  Making perfume is definitely an art and, like any art, the result will depend on the time, inspiration and imagination that go in the product. Perfume is seldom made with just one fragrance. They’re usually a blend of up to three or more fragrances. These fragrances, in the perfume world, are called “notes.” Perfume consists of base notes, middle notes and top notes.

Base notes, usually the backbone of the perfume, is what the users will remember most about this particular fragrance. This scent of base notes will last the longest in the air. Examples of base notes are Vanilla, Sandalwood, Lichens, Cinnamon, mosses or other woodsy scents. The middle notes are usually the inspiration for the perfume and often a floral scent such as Geranium, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Lemongrass or Neroli. Top notes are usually the selling point for the perfume as well as the first name listed. Common top notes include Rose, Lavender, Orchid, Lemon, Bergamot or other citrus or herbal scents.

As with any good creation, it’s combining the right mixture of ingredients that counts. Using notes that go well with each other will give you a beautiful fragrance you’ll never tire of wearing and your friends will never tire of smelling. Your friends will constantly be asking you what you’re wearing and where you got it. Imagine their surprise when you tell them it’s your own creation!

One of the keys to successful perfume making is in mixing the right blend. Don’t just assume because you happen to like two different fragrances that they’ll make a good mixture for perfume. Before you waste a lot of time and money on essence oils, make some samples. Although making your own perfume is a lot cheaper than buying perfume, essence oil can get costly as well.

If you’re considering blending a couple different oils together, put them on a cotton swap or perfume tester strip and let them sit overnight. In the morning, check out what they smell like and if you’re pleased with the results, you have your new perfume fragrances and you’re ready to start creating your own masterpiece!

A.  The Base Oil (Base Notes) – This will produce the scent that stays longest on the skin and for this reason it is usually added to the mixture first. Some of the fragrances with a base note include: Sandalwood, Vanilla, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Clove, Cinnamon, Mosses, Lichens, Ferns and Frankincense.

Base notes are what you smell after about 30 seconds of applying it to your skin. The based and middle notes are what make up the main fragrance of the perfume. However, for a perfume to be successful, they must have a combination of all three notes.

B.  The Middle Oil (Middle Notes) – This also influences the smell of the perfume for quite some time, but not as long as the base notes does. Some of the fragrances with a middle note include: Lemon Grass, Geranium, Rosewood, Neroli, Jasmine, Rose, Hyacinth and Ylang-Ylang.

Middle notes are what we smell when the scent from the top notes disappears. It is generally considered as the heart of the perfume and often server to cover up any unpleasant scents that may come from the base notes. This scent often evaporates after 15 seconds.

C.  Top Oils (Top Notes) – This is added to the mixture after the middle notes, and may then be followed by some other substance which will help to bridge the scents together. Some of the fragrances that are top note include: Orchid, Rose, Bergamot, Chamomile, Lavender, Peppermint, Lemon, Orange and Lime.

Top notes are the scents that you smell as soon as you apply it. If you’ve ever sprayed a perfume in a store, the smell you get immediately after spraying is coming from the top notes. The top notes, although they quickly evaporate, are what give us our first impression of a perfume.

Your fragrance will contain one or more from each of the above categories: base note, mid note and a top note. Some perfumers recommend using a four note, a bridge notes such as Lavender or Vanilla. The bridge is what will help the other three blend together well and is often Vitamin E oil, Jojoba oil or carrier oil, which you can get at a health food store.

The top note is the first to evaporate on your skin.  It is also the first impression that you have of the fragrance.  The mid note stays on a little bit more and the base note is what will remain on your skin for hours.

The base note will react with your skin to form a scent of its own.  This is why no two perfumes smell exactly alike on any two people.  It is also the reason why you should test out a perfume for about a half an hour by putting a dab on your wrist, doing your shopping and then taking a sniff to see if you still like the scent.

It is very important that when you are making perfume, you mix the extracts in the above order starting with base, then the middle and finally adding the top note. Typically, you add equal amounts of each type in order to produce the right sort of perfume.

The nice thing about using “therapeutic” perfumes that you make yourself is that the essential oils can actually help heal anything troubling you, or even give you energy, while also giving you a pleasant scent.  Because regular perfumes they are made with synthetics, they cannot boast of this power.

When using pure essential oils, there will be quite a difference to ratios when making perfumes, however, and are meant to be used sparingly.  For instance, you will dilute the perfume with one tablespoon of carrier oil or alcohol to about 30 drops of essential oils.  As you can see, the ratio between essential oils and either carrier oil or alcohol is almost equal.

For floral notes, use Rose, Lavender or Geranium.  For woodsy notes, you can use Sandalwood, Myrrh or Frankincense.  For Oriental notes, use Mandarin, Jasmine or Ylang Ylang.  Spicy notes can be Ginger, Neroli, or Nutmeg.  The citrus notes are Orange, Lemon, Lime and Grapefruit.

It takes a bit of experimenting when mixing blends at home. Perfumery is an art unto itself and takes years to practice.  Perfumers today still practice this art and make scents that fail.  It is all a matter of personal taste and seeing what blends well with what.

One nice perfume recipe that you can use is very simple and combines woodsy with oriental:

Basic Perfume Recipe – Oriental

1 tablespoon Carrier oil

15 drops Sandalwood Essential Oil

5 drops Jasmine Essential Oil

4 drops Ylang Ylang Essential Oil

This particular fragrance is a very romantic perfume!  Perfumes were commonly used as aphrodisiacs to attract a mate.  This one is no different. It has a unique scent with a pleasant base note, but again, perfume scents are very subjective.  Be sure to experiment a little before you decide to open up your own perfumery.

For this perfume, you will only want to use just a dab on your wrists and behind your ears to carry the scent with you throughout the day.  Because the essential oils are so concentrated in this blend, you do not want to use too much.

There is an old saying that your perfume should not walk in the room before you do.  You want people to remember a pleasant scent, not be overpowered with fragrance.

In addition to being a pleasant perfume, the above aromatherapy fragrance also works to promote energy as well as putting you aiding in creating a romantic mood. Both Jasmine and Ylang Ylang are powerful aphrodisiacs, so only use this blend with caution.

You will find the recipe listed above is also beneficial for relaxing as well. The benefits of using aromatherapy in your own perfumes are the following:

* Completely natural products and non toxic

* Have healing powers as well as a pleasant fragrance

*You can have a scent that no one else has (don’t underestimate this one – there are people who pay plenty to create their own scent at perfumeries in Paris).

* Much less expensive in the long run.

The disadvantages?  You have to play around with scents for a little bit before you hit on what you like.  Make sure that you write each ratio of every essential oil used in a particular scent as nothing can be more frustrating than actually coming up with the fragrance of your dreams and then not remembering how you ended up making it.

Keep in mind, when making your perfume, that you can mix and match different essential oils to get the scent that you want. The purpose of using the specific notes is to ensure you have a fragrance that’s not only appealing but one that lasts as well.

Making Your Own Perfume

Who says you can’t make your own perfume? Why pay hundreds of dollars for a large bottle of your favorite perfume when you can easily make your favorite fragrances in the comfort of your own home. Have you ever put your two perfume bottles side by side and wished you could combine them? By making your own perfume, that’s exactly what you can do. Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to begin the art of making your own perfume.

•     Dark bottles to store your perfume

•     3 fragrance or essential oils

•     Cotton swabs or perfume tester strips

•     At least 4 Glass droppers or pipettes

•     Jojoba oil or another carrier oil

•     Plastic sheeting or old newspaper to protect your work space

•      Labels for your bottles

Now that you have your favorite fragrances, also called notes, in front of you, you’re ready to get started. You’re going to want to choose one fragrance from each category: top, base and middle. This will make for the perfect blend.

For those of you that don’t know what Jojoba oil or carrier oil is for, it’s to help dilute and blend your three fragrances together before they’re ready to apply to your skin.

It’s a good idea to do a test sample of the mixture you want to make before actually making the perfume. Choose the fragrances you’re considering using, put a drop of each on a cotton swab, and let sit overnight. If it’s what you want in the morning, you’re all ready to start. A good selection would be Sandalwood for the base, Orchid for the top and Honeysuckle for the middle.

Before you begin, cover your workspace with plastic or old newspaper as the oils can easily stain your table or countertops. You’ll want to use a separate pipette or dropper for each note you use. You should use a basic combination for the perfect blend. This combination consists of one part top, one part middle, two parts base and one part jojoba oil or other carrier oil. For instance, you’ll use one part honeysuckle, one part orchid, one part carrier oil and two parts sandalwood. Keep in mind, each part may be up to 40 drops, depending on your container size.

Using the pipette and squeeze bulb, suck each essence oil into the bulb so it can be put in your storage bottles. You may need to squeeze more than once to get the amount you want. Just make sure you use the right ratios. Remember to use a separate pipette or glass eye dropper for each oil. You will not be using the carrier oil at this time.

When you’re oils are all mixed in the container, put a lid on the container and let them sit for at least a day in a cool dark place. After sitting, the fragrance will intensify. Take the cover off and see if they have the desired scent. If so, you’re ready to add your carrier oil. If not, you can add more essences oils and let it sit longer until you get the desired smell. If you’re satisfied, cover it tightly once again and let it sit. This time you may want to let it sit for at least a week so the fragrances can really get to work. At the end of this sitting period, you should have the perfume of your dreams!

For more information on essential oils visit http://HealWithOil.com.

The Art of Perfumery

The art of making perfume is an art anyone can master. If you have the supplies and a little imagination, you’ll find making perfume is fun and very easy. Whether it’s something you want to tackle on your own or as a way to bond with your daughter, making perfume is a great way to spend an afternoon or evening. As easy as it is to make perfume, there are certain myths about making perfume or little hints that may help you to achieve the fragrance you desire.

 Essential oils are extracted from a plant and although “one drop” may not seem like very much, keep in mind that these oils are in their pure undiluted form. A few drops goes a long way so unless you want a perfume that’s overwhelming and overpowering, follow the directions carefully. If it says five drops, use five drops. It’s much easier to add more drops if you desire a stronger scent than it is to remove drops when the perfume is too strong!

 While we’re on the subject of overwhelming perfumes, you may notice that your nose may not be working as it usually does after you’ve smelled so many different essential oils. In other words, what’s actually a very strong smell your nose may not be picking up as such.  There’s a very simple way to correct this problem. Hold coffee grounds or fresh coffee beans a couple inches from your nose and inhale several times. You’ll soon find your nose working once again!

 To avoid making perfumes with weird and off-the-wall fragrances, make sure you stay with a base, middle and top note. As much as you may like many different fragrances, not all of them will go well together. It’s also imperative that you put in the oils in a specific order, which is base, middle and top is last.

 If someone tells you that you can use tap water instead of distilled water, don’t listen to him or her. Using distilled water is necessary for your perfume venture to be successful. The one thing you can substitute is Vodka instead of alcohol. In fact, Vodka works excellently with perfume as it enhances the fragrance, making it last longer. You may want to try brandy but keep in mind that it will not blend well with all oil fragrances.

 Take notes while you’re making your perfume. There is nothing more frustrating than making the perfect creation only to find out you couldn’t do it again if you tried!

For more information about essential oils, please visit http://HealWithOil.com.