How to Make Vanilla Perfume

Vanilla is a scent that nearly everyone loves because of its calming and soothing effect. It may remind you of your childhood, making cookies with your grandma or even your first perfume. Unfortunately, many mass produced vanilla perfumes smell more medicinal or acidic than they actually smell of pure vanilla. If you want a perfume that actually smells of real vanilla your best bet must may be to make it yourself. The process takes less than an hour and will have your friends and loved ones wondering where you found it.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Vanilla beans
• Vodka
• Glass container
• Strainer
• Jojoba oil

Instructions

How to Make Vanilla Perfume

1. Take your knife and gently cut down the middle of the vanilla bean lengthwise. Scrape your knife along the inside edge of the bean to release the paste. Drop the paste into a large glass container. Cut the rest of the vanilla bean into small pieces and drop those in the container as well. You can use as many vanilla beans as you wish.

2. Pour vodka directly into the glass container, on top of the vanilla beans. Add enough alcohol to cover all the bean pieces. This allows the alcohol to soak into the beans and absorb the scent of their oils.

3. Place the container in a warm, dry place and let stand for at least two weeks. Remove the lid every few weeks to test the strength of the scent. Use when ready. Strain out the small pieces of vanilla. You’ll want the perfume to be nice and smooth without any chunks that might irritate your skin.

4. Add you strained alcohol mixture back into your glass container and top it off with jojoba oil. You’ll want to use 2-3 times as much jojoba oil as vanilla bean oil. It distills the scent, but also makes the mixture last longer.

5. Store your mixture in a cool, dry place. This will last for several months as long as you keep it from getting too hot.

Tips & Warnings

• For the best results, use your vanilla beans within 1-2 days of purchasing them.

• If you don’t have a lot of time to wait for results, place the alcohol and vanilla bean mixture on the stove and let simmer for 30-40 minutes. You can also place the mixture in the microwave. The heat causes the beans to release their fragrance. However, the scent may not be as strong as if you let it sit for several weeks.

• For gifts you may want to leave a small amount of vanilla beans inside the glass container. It looks nicer and adds to the scent.