The Art of Making Perfume by Karlyn Rayne

I came from a unique family, my father interested in rocks and my mother flowers, my grandmother who had died years before my birth was into herbs. I did it all.

I wanted to start with a few recipes for different types of perfumes and then give you the combinations for some perfumes on the market. Thus giving you the ability to make a perfume you will enjoy wearing and other will want your secret recipe. So Lets get started. The first two use only freshb flowers or herbs.

Toilet water

Makes almost 8 oz of toilet water

This one is limited to the flowers you have on hand. Makes a great childs cologne or a misting fragrance after a bath, or even a body splash

1 cup water
1 cup fresh flowers

Bruise the flowers and cover with water while bruising the flowers even more. allow to sit 6-12 hours and pour through a sive and bottle. This will last about a month. Want it to last 6 or more months add 1/2 tsp of either 90 proof vodka or witch havel.

Basic perfume

Makes 1 teaspoon of perfume

1 cup distilled water
1 cup fresh chopped flowers blossoms you like such as lavender, lilac, orange blossoms or honeysuckle.

Bruise the flowers and cover with water while bruising the flowers even more. allow to sit 12 hours
Squeeze the scented water into a small pot while allowing the water to simmer until one teaspoon remains. Cool and pour into a small bottle and you will see that it lasts a month.

Moving on

The above are my first perfumes I ever made. I was five years old when I made the toilet water and 7 when I made my first perfume. Since then I found that peerfume could be made all year around by switching to essential or fragrance oils.

Essential oils have the medicinal power besides fragrance. Fragrance has only smell. You choose. I always opt for essential oils if I can except for when I make monster vanquishing spray. (That will be another blog entry.)

So moving onto making great perfumes in one of three types, water based, oil based, and solid.

Solid perfume

1 teaspoon Jojoba oil
2 tablespoons Almond oil
2 tablespoons melted Beeswax
30-40  drops (1/3 tsp) essential or fragrance oils

Place a small bowl, preferably glass or stainless steel, into a saucepan filled with hot water.

Melt beeswax separately (can be done in a cup in the microwave by heating a few seconds at a time until melted). Pour in jojoba oil and almond oil and mix well. mic another 15 seconds remove from microwave and stir in essential oils or fragrance.
Continue to stir while the mixture cools down.
Pour in to suitable small jars as soon as it starts to thicken.
Put lids tightly on jars once your perfume creme has cooled down completely and label.
Allow the jars to rest in a cool, dark place for 2-3 weeks before use.

Oil based perfume

5 teaspoons carrier oil (Sweet almond oil or Jojoba oil)
up to 3/4 teaspoon (75 drops) essential or fragrance oils

Simply add the carrier oil into the perfume bottle you are using and add the essential oils. Allow to sit in a dark place for 1 week to blend.

Water based Perfume's

2 oz water for perfume - 4 ozs water for cologne - 8 ozs water for toilet water
1 tsp 90 proof vodka or witch hazel
1/4 tsp lecithin liquid (it holds the oils to the water)
up to 1 tsp essential or fragrance oils (100) drops

mix together either in a perfume bottle or spray bottle. mix well and allow to sit a few days before using to blend the fragrance.

To complete these three types of perfume above, here are the essential or fragrance oils in perfumes you may already love but hate paying for. What an exciting endeavor to be able to make your own fragrance or any of the ones listed below. And what a wonderful gift.

Keep in mind that the order is determined by the amount in the perfume. so the first on the list is the one you use most of and the last on the list you use the least of.

Accenti (by Gucci for her) fruity floral tangerine floral rose, lily of the valley, jasmine, sandalwood, vanilla Tonka bean, peach raspberry

Angel perfume sandalwood, vanilla, patchouli, with a little citrus, melon, peach and plum
Aramis Bergamot, cumin, patchouli, leather, sandlewood

Baby Phat Fabulosity Plum, orange blossom, purple violet, tiger lily, tasmanian honey, patchouli, amber, vanilla

Baby Phat Golden Goddess blue lilies, vetiver bubbling champagne, caramel, vanilla flower patchouli, night orchid

Baby Phat Seductive Goddess citrus, patchouli, labdanum, bergamot, purple violet, black rose, vanilla, leather

Black Orchid (for her) Patchouli, Sandalwood, Truffle, Dark Chocolate, Ylang-Ylang, Black Currant, Bergamot, Orchid, Fruity Notes, Incense, Vanilla, Vetiver

Burberry (for him)  peppermint, pomelo, lavender, tonka beans

Burberry (for her) black currant, green apple, jasmine, vanilla

California (for men) citrus, patchouli, cedarwood, oakmoss

Calvin Klein Man Nutmeg, Mandarin, Bergamot, Violet leaf, Rosemary, Bay, Spearmint, Sandalwood, Incense, Cypress, Guaiac, Amberwood

Chanel No 5 Jasmine, Rose, Iris, Amber, Patchouli

Christian Augigier (for him) Blackberry,pomello, asian pear, rum, cinnamon bark, vetiver, leather, suede

Dawn Sarah Jessica Parker Citrus, orris, vanilla, violet leaves, musk, vetiver, oakmoss, orchid

Delicious Mandarin, rose, jasmine, sandlewood

Design Peach, gardenia, honeysuckle, lilac

Drakkar Noir Cologne (for him) lavender, citrus, spice berries, sandalwood

Endless Sarah Jessica Parker apple, pineapple, plum, patchouli, peony, suede musks, magnolia, oakmoss, pink jasmine, sandalwood, vetiver, ivy leaves

Fancy Love Bergamot, peach blosson, goji leaves, lotus, peony, amber, musk

Forever  while floral with lotus blossom, green appleexotic musk, tuberose, gardenia

Giorgio yellow (for her) Bergamot, orange flower, jasmine, tuberose,gardenia, ylang ylang, sandlewood, vanilla

Goddess Gardenia, lily, rosebud, musk, exotic woods

Grey Flannel orange, bergamot, oakmoss, sandalwood  patchouli

Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker amber, lavender, orchid, musk, apple.

Nautical Blue lavender, amber, lemon rose, sage, moss, musk

Obsession Night (for him) water notes,  pear, black suede, nutmeg, musk

Obsession Night (for her) citrus, fresh flowers, vanilla, amber, wood

Odori (for him) oriental amber, bergamot, patchouli, ylang ylang, orange, vetiver, ginger, Tuscany honey, birch

Passion for him ginger, clove oil, nutmeg, jasmine, vanilla

Play Intense Cologne patchouli, mandarin, bergamot, vetiver, coffee flower, tonka bean, labdanum, Caribbean amyris wood

Polo Black tonka bean, iced mango, patchouli noir, spanish sage,  silver armoise

Rumeur white rose, jasmine, musk, magnolia, patchouli 

Shi (for her) water lily, fig leaves, orange blossom, frangipani

SJP NYC white osmanthus, honeysuckle, strawberry, mandarin, sandalwood, mimosa, gardenia, creamy musks, vanilla absolute, rose, rum

Sun moon stars blood orange fruit, oriental floral, orange blossom, amber, musk

True Religion (for him) citrus, basil, moss, patchouli

VIP (by Usher) Melon in a base of blue lavender, white pepper, sandlewood and musk

Yardley Lavender, pomelo, orange, mandarin, tangerine and lemon

Z-14 (for him) cedar, amber, citrus