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Homemade Perfume – Part 2


In part 1 of the homemade perfume series, we discussed ways you can develop a nose for fragrances. (Click here [1] to go to part 1) Today we are going to discuss the classes of fragrances and a little about synthetic fragrances.


For your homemade perfume, choose a fragrance class

Before you begin to make a homemade lotion, a homemade cream, a homemade linen spray or a homemade anything, you need to decide what result you want out of your creation. With homemade perfume it is often the mood it invokes. Do you prefer a heavy sultry scent or a light delicate scent? If you go on walks in the woods and love the scent, a woodsy fragrance might be what you prefer in your perfume. Maybe you enjoy the smell of roses, carnations or other aromatic flowers. Maybe you enjoy all these scents, but at different times. You can design your homemade perfume around any or all of these “notes.” “Notes” here does not refer to the volatility of a specific scent, but to a combined effect of a perfume.

Here is a list of the main scent characteristics found in perfumes:

Did you notice a couple of crossovers? They are woody oriental and oriental floral?

When you’re on a quest for the perfect homemade perfume, choose first what you think you might like based on what natural scents please you the most. That’s a good starting place. Once you decide, it’s time to determine what ingredients you will need for your perfume.

Your homemade perfume might include natural essential oils, synthetic formulations that simulate specific fragrances or a combination of both. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Advantages to synthetic fragrances

Disadvantages to synthetic fragrances

Advantages to natural fragrances

Disadvantages to natural fragrances

This week there’s a brand new homework assignment. During the week, wherever you go, close your eyes and let your nose send you messages. (I strongly recommend against doing the closing your eyes part if you’re driving.)

There, that’s it for part 2 of homemade perfume. If you are new to perfumery and think it would be totally fun to create homemade perfume, be sure and read all parts of this series. We’ll get you going in the right direction.

Now go relax and have fun.