How to Mix Perfume Oils
Mixing is the easy part, deciding what to mix is the difficult part when it comes to learning how to mix perfume oils. Perfumers spend years learning and perfecting their art, but fortunately, there is plenty of information available to help you get started. Here's a basic guide on how to mix perfume oils. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Oil(s) for bottom note
- Oil(s) for middle or "heart" notes
- Oil(s) for top notes
- Dilutant, such as Vodka
- Clean perfume bottle
- Funnel
Instructions
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Choose an oil for the bottom note. Bottom notes are typically "intense" scents that last a long time like sandalwood, cedarwood, vanilla, jasmine, ylang ylang and cinammon. The bottom notes will set the tone for the rest of your creation, so choose carefully. There are a couple of ways to make a decision. One way is to simply choose the scent you like the best and start with that, another is to choose your bottom note scent based on aromatherapy principles, and finally, you can choose based on the bottom note of a favorite perfume. Simply search the company site of your favorite perfume to find the base note(s).
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Choose an oil or oils for the middle or "heart" note. This is the scent that will add dimension to both the bottom and top note(s). Heart notes are typically warm and soothing, and not quite as intense or rich as bottom notes. They also don't last quite as long as the bottom notes. Some common middle notes are rose, hyssop, cardamom, geranium, chamomile and lavender. Pick a middle note that will blend well with, but also provide a slight contrast to the bottom note. This can take some experimentation and practice. One good way to be sure that a middle note will work well with the bottom note you have chosen is to once again review the notes in your favorite perfumes and then choose the same or similar scents for the middle or heart notes.
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Choose an oil or oils for the top note. This is the fragrance that adds the finishing touch to your perfume or cologne and gives off the most noticeable scent on first application. The top note also wears off the fastest, leaving behind the scent of the middle and bottom notes. Top notes are usually light and "airy." Commonly used top notes include lemongrass, verbena, bergamot and orange. You can really let your creativity go wild with top notes. Try different combinations and amounts, of one, two, three or more top notes.
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Mix the oils with the dilutant. For perfume or cologne, use the funnel to add 1/4 cup vodka (or a dilutant of your choice) to a clean perfume bottle. Then add two drops of your base note oil, three drops of your middle note oil and three drops of your top note oil. Keeping in mind that the scents have not yet had an opportunity to really blend, make any adjustments you feel might be necessary, such as adding an extra drop of the top note oil. Shake the bottle well and place it in a cool dark place for at least 48 hours to allow the scents time to blend. Test the fragrance again and make any desired adjustments.
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Tips & Warnings
If you aren't up for experimenting, or want to try a tested combination, you can use a recipe for creating your perfume. Simply search "perfume recipes" or visit the Essential-oil-recipes website or Pioneer Thinking.
There are many ways to use essential and fragrance oils besides perfume and cologne. If you create a scent you really love, consider making soap, shampoo, body wash and other beauty care products and incorporate your new fragrance.
