Here’s how to make your own parfum with a wonderfully rich and rustic fragrance that only gets better as it matures. This is one of my favorite blends, and every time I make it, I’m reminded how beautifully the scent deepens over time.
As with all perfumes and colognes, whether store-bought or homemade, every fragrance smells a little different on each person. I once heard a perfumer suggest spraying the perfume into the air and walking through it rather than applying it directly to your skin. It gives a softer, more balanced spread of scent that lingers beautifully.
About This Eau de Parfum
Eau de parfum is one of the most popular types of homemade perfume. It uses about 15 to 20 percent essential oils, which gives it a strong, lasting aroma that typically stays noticeable for around five hours. It’s the perfect fragrance strength for brunch with friends or an evening out.
I always find that Eau de parfum strikes the perfect balance. It is not as intense as a pure perfume, but it lasts longer than an Eau de toilette or cologne, making it a versatile choice for any occasion.
Why Alcohol?
I have used alcohol in this perfume recipe, however, if you would prefer not to, take a look at my all oil perfume recipes.
Most designer perfumes on the market are made using alcohol. The reason for this is to dilute the ingredients so that they are suitable for use on the skin. Alcohol is less likely to affect the formula and also helps to disperse the perfume molecules. The alcohol will allow your perfume to be smelled by others more effectively, as opposed to an all oil perfume that stays close to the body.
The Essential Oils
In this recipe, I will be working solely with essential oils to keep it as natural as possible. Most store-bought perfumes contain a mixture of essential oils and synthetic aroma chemicals, mainly to keep the price down!
A Fruity Citrus Blend
- Lemongrass
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- Bergamot
- Orange
The citrus notes within this perfume bring a fresh and zesty scent which is ideal for springtime. Citrus fragrances are known for making you feel happy by relieving stress and anxiety as well as aiding digestion.
Resinous
- Benzoin
Benzoin comes from the bark of styrax trees and has a rich sweet and smoky aroma. It is a great fixative and so is very popular within the perfuming industry.
Woody
- Cedarwood
Cedarwood Is one of the oldest essential oils to be used in perfumery. It’s a very grounding oil that combines wonderfully with citrus notes by providing a warm undertone.
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- 30 grams Perfumer's AlcoholPour your alcohol into the container
- 30 drops Lemon Essential Oil, 20 drops Bergamot Essential Oil, 20 drops Orange Essential Oil, 10 drops Grapefruit Essential Oil, 10 drops Lemongrass Essential Oil, 8 drops Benzoin Essential Oil, 4 drops Cedarwood Essential OilAdd the essential oils to the alcohol
- Stir slowly ensuring the oils are completely dispersed
- Leave for around 3 weeks to allow the perfume to mature. It's best to use a tinted glass jar with a lid for this, otherwise store in glass or PET plastic and out of direct sunlight (somewhere cool and dark is best)
- Filter the perfume through a coffee filter to get rid of any sediment, I found that sometimes it has some sedimentand sometimes not, so best to filter to be on the safe side.
- 1 30ml (1 oz) Glass Perfume BottleUse a funnel to pour your perfume into your glass perfume bottle. Your perfume is now ready for use.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know How It Was!Making Eau de Toilette
Eau de toilette contains a lower percentage of essential oils, usually between 5-10%, making it a cheaper option.
It is also a very popular type of perfume but it does not last as long, probably around three hours.
If you would prefer to try an Eau de toilette then you will need the same ingredients and the method is the same. You just need to amend your drops of essential oils as below:
- 15 drops Lemon essential oil
- 10 drops Bergamot essential oil
- 10 drops Orange essential oil
- 5 drops Grapefruit essential oil
- 5 drops Lemongrass essential oil
- 4 drops Benzoin essential oil
- 2 drops Cedarwood
Making Cologne
Cologne is predominantly used for masculine scents as it has a lower essential oil percentage, about 3-5%, which produces a lighter fragrance. However, any perfume can be made milder by reducing the essential oil content.
A cologne typically lasts for around two hours. The general method for this is no different from any of the other perfume recipes on this page. I have a full tutorial and video on how to make a cologne, but for the purpose of this recipe, you just need to amend your drops of essential oils as below:
- 8 drops Lemon essential oil
- 5 drops Bergamot essential oil
- 5 drops Orange essential oil
- 3 drops Grapefruit essential oil
- 3 drops Lemongrass essential oil
- 2 drops Benzoin essential oil
- 1 drops Cedarwood
Final Thoughts
The Eau de parfum should be strong and long-lasting due to its high percentage of essential oils and alcohol content.
It’s great for the springtime with its elegant and refreshing top-note citrus. The citrus top note blends perfectly with the woody base note bringing richness and warmth to the fragrance.
If you want to learn more take a look at how to make perfume in many other ways.
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this is so cool! im thinkinhg about making my one perfume with essential oils, I’m only wondering what the shelf life sor something like this is, and how would you choose which of your preferred oils would be the top middle and bottom notes? is there a technique involved with that or a way to tell which order is better? thanks 🙂
In Greece we also use a solvent along with alcohol and essential oils so that we do not have to pass it through a filter. Have you tried this method?
Hello there! Your recipes are so fascinating. I just have a question if that’s alright, I’m a candy corn fanatic, could I do the alcohol version like the citrus wood one you posted, but with plain candy corn fragrance? Can I get a good candy corn fragrance at Michael’s or hobby lobby? I know you are probably very busy so of you don’t answer I’ll understand, Please and thanks Madam ????!! – Ann ????
I don’t see why you couldn’t! The only thing is finding a good quality fragrance note for this particular aroma. I haven’t come across a candy corn fragrance note, but I’m sure you’ll be able to track one down or make use of a fragrance oil instead.
Hi Angela,
could I use perfume base (Perfect Portion) in the same exact measurements as Perfumer’s Alcohol?
Hi Helen,
I don’t see why not. Providing it does the job of perfumers alcohol, you should be fine. I would recommend following some of the manufacturer guidelines though. Hope this helps
Any way to get the precise measurement in grams or ounces instead of drops?
Dear Angela Madam,
Greetings. Hope you are keeping safe and everything is well with you.
I am planning to do a start-up business with Perfumes. Can you kindly send me a recipe of homemade perfume without using Alcohol since I am residing now in the Middle East. Essential oils are available here.
Thanks in advance and stay blessed.
Matthew Philip
00973 32256444
Hi Matthew,
We have a few perfume recipes that do not contain alcohol, please follow the links to view them.
https://www.savvyhomemade.com/fruity-perfume-with-essential-oils/
https://www.savvyhomemade.com/roll-on-essential-oil-perfume-recipes/
https://www.savvyhomemade.com/solid-perfume-recipes/
https://www.savvyhomemade.com/enfleurage/
Very cool have you ever extracted essential scents with alcohol from a hot plate, stirrer and glass beads incase it boils too much? I have made several long-lasting aromas.
https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Make-Aromas-or-Perfumes-With-a-Soxhlet-Extr/
https://www.instructables.com/Making-Excotic-Aroma-Scents-From-Common-Herbs-and-/
Both requiring heatings denatured medical-grade ethanol.
Hi Chan,
Unfortunately not. Although it does sounds very cool indeed! I think, if I were to take this further, I would try my hand at steam distillation. There’s so many youtube videos to follow, I just need to get round to it at some point.