Perfuming is such an artform. It’s difficult, but it’s so satisfying when you find a blend that smells amazing. So I thought I’d share one of mine today.
Whenever I make this diy solid perfume it always reminds me of summer flowers. So decided to call this recipe ‘Summer Bloom’, as most of the floral essential oil in this blend are from flowers that bloom in the summer.
Introduction
While I don’t always use this blend in a solid perfume recipe, I’ve found it works amazingly here. There are a lot of benefits of using an all oil and wax perfume, especially if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Alcohol perfumes can be a little drying, which is your worst enemy if you’re prone to dryness or can’t tolerate any amount of alcohol.
Besides, oil perfumes hold the scent quite close to you, which makes it last longer and is quite intimate.
But what to do if you’re vegan? Ordinarily, most solid perfume recipes call for beeswax. So today I decided to mix things up and show you how to use vegan candelilla wax instead.
I usually make a pot in late spring so that I’ve got some ready and waiting in my bag as the sun comes out.
This is a light and airy feminine fragrance that has a wonderful floral scent.
What’s In The Summer Bloom
Candelilla Wax
Candelilla wax is a yellow, all natural, vegan friendly wax that is slightly harder than beeswax. It has very little odor so it’s a great choice for a solid perfume base.
I’ve found it to have about double the stiffening power of beeswax, so if you want to take this wax and replace it with any of your other wax recipes, you’ll want to use half as much.
Candelilla wax is a plant based wax so no worries for anyone who may have allergies to bees or honey. And the vibrant color of this wax also gives the perfume its lovely golden finish.
If you prefer to use beeswax in this recipe will still work, but it will be a bit softer and I would always use the white cosmetic pellets as the yellow tends to be more sticky and can often carry a strong waxy odor that transfers into the perfume. Just use half the amount.
Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil is a great carrier oil for perfume making due to its minimal odour. If you have a nut allergy, try jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil.
Ylang-Ylang
Ylang Ylang is always a favourite in perfumery and rightfully so. It has a deep, exotic scent that is floral and yet a little spicy. Ylang ylang is also known for its wonderful properties that can keep you feeling relaxed and happy throughout the day.
Geranium
Geranium is a middle note fragrance which will blend beautifully with the ylang ylang and rose within this recipe.
Geranium essential oil is a floral scent which gives the perfume a subtle undertone of rose with a hint of lemon. It is another mood balancing essential oil that blends perfectly with the Rose and the Ylang-Ylang.
Rose
Rose essential oil is known as the queen of essential oils, with its rich and powerful aroma. It is also a favorite when it comes to perfume making.
It is an expensive essential oil, but it’s worth it for the wonderful scent it will add to your perfume. To keep the price down I would recommend using a rose absolute.
Absolute essential oils use a different extraction method than regular essential oils. Solvents are used as an extraction method, rather than steam distillation.
The argument about which method is better is more relevant in skincare, as absolutes generally have larger molecules of plant matter and can be a little more irritating if used in high concentrations in leave-on products.
For the very little amount we’re using here for it’s fragrance, you need not worry about this.
Palmarosa
This essential oil will bring a mild, rosy scent to your perfume as well as a burst of citrus. This fresh and light essential oil blends perfectly with all our other oils, giving the finished perfume the aroma of fresh summer flowers.
Notes
I’ve chosen to put this solid perfume into a clear glass lip balm container so that you can see its golden color. I would normally use an aluminium tin or colored container to preserve all the goodness of the essential oils.
I’ll be sure to keep these ones in a dark place or in my handbag, as sunlight will degrade our essential oils and damage the fragrance.
How To Make Solid Perfume Without Beeswax – Summer Bloom Recipe
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Ingredients
- 22 grams Sweet Almond Oil (1½ tbsp)
- 9 grams Candelila Wax (2 tsp)
- 4 drops Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil
- 4 drops Geranium Essential Oil
- 12 drops Rose Absolute Essential Oil
- 20 drops Palmarosa Essential Oil
- 2 Cosmetic Jar (1/2 oz jars, tins, or lip balm tubes)
Video
Instructions
- Place the Candelilla wax into a heat proof container and add the almond oil.22 grams Sweet Almond Oil, 9 grams Candelila Wax
- Heat the ingredients until melted using either a microwave or double boiler/bain marie. Once wax has completely melted, remove from the heat.
- Once cooled to around 40c/104f, add the essential oil drops to the mixture. It will start to solidify very quickly so ensure you work fast.4 drops Ylang-Ylang Essential Oil, 4 drops Geranium Essential Oil, 12 drops Rose Absolute Essential Oil, 20 drops Palmarosa Essential Oil
- Give it a thorough stir.
- Pour the liquid into a lip balm style container. You might need to heat gently before pouring if it has already started to solidify, although this is not optimal.Then set aside and leave the mixture to harden. Once completely cooled you can pop the lid on. It is best to leave your perfume for approximately two weeks before using to allow time for the essential oils to mature.2 Cosmetic Jar
Choosing your own essential oils
- As a basic rule, choose 3 or 4 essential oils using at least 1 from each note, top, middle, and base from the perfume scents Piesse Scale below.
- Place a few drops of your chosen oils in the proportions that you wish to use them onto a strip of blotting paper. Leave for about 5 minutes then take a sniff to see if you have reached your desired effect, then correct if needed.
- Put the Candelilla wax into a heat proof container.
- Add the almond oil.
- Heat until melted using a microwave or double boiler/ ban marie.
- Once cooled to around 40c/104f, add the essential oil drops to the mixture. It will start to solidify very quickly so ensure you work fast.You will need about 20-40 drops of essential oil in the proportions you have worked out.
- Mix well using the stirrer and sniff to test, correct if needed adding only one extra drop at a time until you reach your desired fragrance.
- Pour the liquid into a lip balm style container. You might need to heat gently before pouring if it has already started to solidify, although this is not optimal.
- Set aside and leave the mixture to harden. Once completely cooled you can pop the lid on. It is best to leave your perfume for approximately two weeks before using to allow time for the essential oils to mature.
Perfume Scents – The Piesse Scale
For more info on essential oils and their uses: Essential Oil Use Chart
Top Notes:
Are light and fresh smelling, they are usually the first scent that you will detect in a blended perfume, and often the most volatile.
Anise, Bergamot, Eucalyptus, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin, Spearmint, Peppermint, Sweet Orange, Petitgrain.
Middle Notes:
Form the main body of the perfume. They have a lasting fragrance that becomes noticeable after the top note.
Angelica, Bay, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Chamomile, Cypress, Clary Sage, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Neroli, Palmarosa, Pine, Rose, Rosemary.
Base Notes:
Are rich and heavy, although they are the last to detect in a perfume they linger the longest and work as a fixative to the lighter top and middle notes, helping them to retain their aroma for longer.
Benzion, Carrot Seed, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Jasmine, Myrrh, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Violet, Ylang Ylang.
Final Thoughts
Summer is just around the corner, so there’s no reason not to give this perfume a try. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I will this summer.
But perfumery is not about following recipes. Be brave, and try developing your own fragrance. I’ve put together a thorough guide, detailing everything you need to know before you start perfuming. Take a look at it and let me know what you think.
If you’re interested in all the other ways you can make use of your lovely essential oils, take a look at our essential oil guide. They do more than smell nice, they have many different benefits for both mind and body.
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Hi angela,i love your making home made product im from Fiji in the Pacific island known as tropical weather as we used to be here i am starting my homemade business recently i love to know more from you i love reading your website thank you and stay blessed. Best regards♥️🇫🇯
Lovely, I do love the blooms of summer!