How To Make Your Own Perfume At Home – 16 Easy Methods

Don't despair if you can't find your favorite fragrance in a store; instead, develop one.

Reviewed by Cláudia Camacho, Creative Perfumer
Written by Esha Saxena, MA (Mass Communication & Media Studies)
Edited by Subhrojyoti Mukherjee, MA (English)
Fact-checked by Joyce Joyson, MA (Mass Communication & Journalism)  • 

If you are wondering how to make your own perfume, we have got you covered!. A woman’s signature fragrance must be her own and instantly recognizable. Even a small whiff of the best perfumes can be a magical experience, and a little goes a long way. If you want to do something super creative, make your perfume right at home by blending your local grocery store ingredients. This article explains the guide to making your DIY perfume with easy-to-follow directions. They make for great handmade gifts and are one of the simplest DIY projects out there! Scroll down and take a look.

Top 16 DIY Perfume Recipes For Every Woman

  1. DIY Perfume Recipe Using Essential Oils
  2. DIY Perfume Recipe Using Flowers
  3. DIY Citrus Perfume Recipe
  4. DIY Jasmine Perfume
  5. DIY Natural Vanilla Perfume Recipe
  6. DIY Solid Perfume Using Coconut Oil
  7. DIY Patchouli Perfume Recipe
  8. DIY Summer Perfume Recipe
  9. DIY Fruit Roll-On Perfume Recipe
  10. DIY Rose Perfume Recipe
  11. Natural Scented Beeswax Solid Perfume Recipe
  12. Lavender And Vanilla Spring Perfume Recipe
  13. DIY Bergamot Eucalyptus Roll-On Perfume
  14. DIY Peppermint And Grapefruit Perfume Recipe
  15. DIY Vanilla Rose Perfume Recipe
  16. DIY Cedarwood Perfume Recipe

1. DIY Perfume Recipe Using Essential Oils

How to make perfume using essential oils
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 2 tablespoons carrier oil (grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond or anything of your preference)
  • 6 tablespoons of vodka (100 proof vodka)
  • 2.5 tablespoons bottled water
  • 5 g of essential oil (0.45g for your top notes, 0.75g for your middle notes, and 0.30g for your base notes)
  • A small funnel
  • Coffee filter
  • 2 clean dark glass bottles with airtight lids
How To Make Perfume Using Essential Oils
  1. Pour your preferred carrier oilinto one of the glass bottles. Add your base, then the middle, and then the top notes.
  2. Add the alcohol.
  3. Secure the lid, and let your perfume sit for a solid 48 hours. (Remember, while making perfume with essential oils, the longer you let it sit, the stronger the scent, so you can leave it for up to 6 weeks if you wish.)
  4. Once you’re satisfied with the strength of the scent, add the water for dilution, and shake the bottle vigorously for 1 minute.
  5. Use your filter and funnel to transfer the scent to the other bottle.

2. DIY Perfume Recipe Using Flowers

How to make perfume using flowers
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 1 1/2 cups of chopped flowers
  • A medium-sized bowl with lid
  • 2 cups of distilled water
  • Cheesecloth
  • A small saucepan
  • Washed and sterilized, small glass bottle with an airtight stopper
How To Make Your Own Perfume With Flowers
  1. Start by gently washing your flower petals, and removing any dirt with water.
  2. Soak the flowers overnight in a cheesecloth-lined bowl and cover it with a lid for infusion of the plant extracts.
  3. Squeeze the pouch of flowers over a saucepan for extraction and simmer the extract over low heat until you are left with about a teaspoon of the liquid.
  4. Pour cold water into this liquid and bottle it up.
  5. Leave it to set overnight!

3. DIY Citrus Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with citrus
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 1 tablespoon of jojoba oil
  • 5 g of essential oils – grapefruit, sweet orange, peppermint, and a chamomile/lavender blend
  • 2 tablespoons of vodka
  • 1 tablespoon of distilled water
  • A dark glass container
  • A small glass container
  • A glass perfume bottle
Steps
  1. Add jojoba oil to the glass container and then add alcohol.
  2. For your essential oils, follow this order: For the base note, use 0.5 g of grapefruit oil, 0.5 g of sweet orange oil for the middle note, and then 0.25 g of peppermint oil. For top note, use 0.25 g of chamomile/lavender oil blend or just lavender oil.
  3. Use a dropper to add distilled water.
  4. Mix these ingredients well and transfer them to a glass container. Let this sit for 48 hours or longer, as per your preference.
  5. Transfer to a perfume bottle once it has reached the desired scent.

4. DIY Jasmine Perfume

How to make perfume with jasmine
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 2 tablespoons of vodka
  • 1 tablespoon of distilled water or orange blossom water
  • Essential oils – 5 g of jasmine, 0.25 g of lavender, and 0.25 g of vanilla
  • 1 glass bottle
  • Cheesecloth
Steps
  1. Mix your essential oil blend with the vodka in a glass bottle.
  2. Leave the mixture to sit for two days.
  3. Add distilled water or orange blossom water to the mix and shake gently.
  4. Leave for about four weeks in a cool, dark spot.
  5. If you see any sediment, use a cheesecloth for filtering and pour the perfume into a spray bottle.

5. DIY Natural Vanilla Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with natural vanilla
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons of organic sunflower oil
  • 2 g of bergamot essential oil
  • Cedarwood and anise essential oil
  • Glass containers
Steps
  1. Start by slicing open a vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds from the pod, and cut them up nicely into tiny pieces.
  2. Place these pieces in a glass bottle and add your organic sunflower oil.
  3. Close your bottle tightly and let it sit in a cool, dark place for two weeks (shake the bottle gently once every 3-4 days). This process of allowing the fragrance of the ingredients to blend with the solvent is known as maceration.
  4. After two weeks, add bergamot, cedarwood, and anise essential oil to a glass spray bottle.
  5. Use a dropper to get the vanilla-infused oil out without getting the seeds.
  6. Add this to your glass spray bottle and finally, gently shake the blends together.

6. DIY Solid Perfume Using Coconut Oil

How to make solid perfume using coconut oil
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 2 tablespoons of beeswax
  • 2 tablespoons of fractionated coconut oil
  • 1 g of your favorite essential oil
Steps
  1. Add fractionated coconut oil and beeswax to a glass jar.
  2. Place the jar in a saucepan with about 2 inches of boiling water.
  3. Stir ingredients until combined.
  4. Once it has melted, remove from heat and let it rest for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add your essential oil and stir well.
  6. Pour this into a container, and to use, apply a small amount to your skin.

7. DIY Patchouli Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with patchouli
Image: Shutterstock

What You Need

  • 2 tablespoons of vodka
  • 1 tablespoon of distilled water
  • A dark glass bottle
  • Essential oils – 1 g of sweet orange oil, 0.5 g of patchouli oil, 0.5 g of cedarwood oil, 0.25 g of lavender oil, 0.25 g of ylang-ylang oil, 0.25 g of bergamot oil
Steps
  1. Start by combining your alcohol and distilled water into the dark glass bottle.
  2. Add a drop of your essential oil, and stir that drop into the mixture (the idea is to stir each drop slowly into the alcohol, so the oils thoroughly disperse in it.)
  3. Once you finish, let it sit for about two days.
  4. Gently shake it before you use the perfume!

8. DIY Summer Perfume Recipe

How to make a perfume for summer
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 65 g of peppermint essential oil
  • 65 g of rosemary oil
  • 25 g of lemon essential oil
  • 25 g of sage essential oil
  • 3 tablespoons of vodka
  • 2 cups of distilled water
Steps
  1. Mix all your essential oils in a glass bottle that contains your 100-proof alcohol.
  2. Gently shake and let the bottle sit for about two days.
  3. Add the distilled water, mixing slowly until it’s completely dispersed.
  4. Leave your perfume to sit for 2-3 weeks in a cool, dark place.
  5. After your perfume matures, remove any kind of sediment using a filter and store it in a pretty glass spray bottle.

9. DIY Fruit Roll-On Perfume Recipe

How to make a fruit roll-on perfume
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • A 5 ml roll-on bottle
  • 15 g of mandarin essential oil
  • 1 g of sweet orange essential oil
  • 15 g of neroli essential oil
  • 1 g of cedarwood atlas essential oil
  • 1 teaspoon of liquid carrier oil (grapeseed oil or fractionated coconut oil)
Steps
  1. Start by dropping your essential oils into a bottle and gently swirl around to mix.
  2. Add your carrier oil.
  3. Transfer this to a roller bottle.
  4. Put the lid on and roll between your hands to mix.
  5. Roll onto your wrists and behind your ears to use.
protip_icon Trivia
Unlike deodorant sprays, roll-on perfumes do not form patches or stain your clothes.

10. DIY Rose Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with rose
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 3/4 cup of fresh rose petals
  • 1/2 cup of 100-proof vodka
  • 2 1/2 cups of distilled water
  • 1-0.15 gramsof rose essential oil
  • A big glassjar with a lid
  • A glass perfume bottle
Steps
  1. Start by placing your rose petals at the bottom of your glass jar and pour the vodka over it.
  2. Cover this up and let it sit for a day in a cool, dark place.
  3. Use a spoon to squish the petals and add the distilled water into the jar as well as the essential oils.
  4. Cover the bowl and leave it to sit for 5-7 days, making sure you mix it once a day.
  5. Once this concoction has been sitting for a week, strain the mixture into a glass perfume bottle. Shake well, and it’s ready to use!

11. Natural Scented Beeswax Solid Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with natural scented beeswax
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 1 tablespoon of carrier oil (almond)
  • 2 teaspoons of beeswax pellets
  • 5-2 g of essential oils of your choice
Steps
  1. Place a glass bowl on top of a pan partially filled with water. Simmer over medium heat. Place the oil and beeswax in the glass bowl, and allow the beeswax to melt.
  2. Remove the bowl from the heat source, and stir.
  3. Pour the liquid into a container or tin.
  4. Once your liquid begins to cool, add the essential oil(s) of your choice. Gently stir and place the lid back on your container to keep the oils from evaporating.
  5. Allow the perfume to solidify before use. And as the perfume matures, the scent intensifies.

12. Lavender And Vanilla Spring Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with lavender and vanilla for spring
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 1/2 cup of 100-proof vodka
  • 1 cup of dried lavender flowers
  • 2 vanilla beans
  • 2 tablespoons of vegetable glycerin
  • 75 g of lavender essential oil
  • 5 g of vanilla extract
Steps
  1. Start by slicing open the vanilla beans using a knife.
  2. Place the beans and the lavender flowers in a glass jar.
  3. Pour your alcohol into the jar and secure it with a lid.
  4. Let this mixture infuse for seven days.
  5. Strain and discard the beans and flowers.
  6. Add glycerin, lavender essential oil, and vanilla extract to the reserved liquid and stir.
  7. Allow the perfume to age for four to six weeks.
  8. Strain the perfume and transfer it to a spray bottle.

13. DIY Bergamot Eucalyptus Roll-On Perfume

How to make a bergamot and eucalyptus roll-on perfume
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • 2 teaspoons ofJojoba oil
  • 15 g of eucalyptus essential oil
  • 1 g of bergamot essential oil
  • 05 g of rosemary essential oil
  • 05 g of pine essential oil
  • 05 g of mandarin orange essential oil
Steps
  1. Add the essential oils to your roll-on bottle.
  2. Use an eyedropper to add jojoba oil to the shoulder of the bottle.
  3. Replace the roll-on ball and lid, and shake the bottle gently until the contents are properly blended.

14. DIY Peppermint And Grapefruit Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with peppermint and grapefruit
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • A small glass container
  • A dark glass container to store
  • A glass perfume spray bottle
  • 1 tablespoon of jojoba oil
  • 2 tablespoons of pure grain vodka or perfumer’s alcohol
  • 5 g of essential oils– grapefruit, peppermint, sweet orange, and a chamomile/lavender blend
  • 1 tablespoon of distilled water
Steps
  1. Add the jojoba oil to the glass container and then add your alcohol.
  2. Add the essential oils in the following order: base note – 0.5 g of grapefruit oil, middle note – 0.5 g of sweet orange oil and 0.25 g of peppermint oil, top note – 0.25 g of chamomile/lavender oil blend.
  3. Use a dropper to add distilled water.
  4. Mix this well and transfer it to a dark glass container. Store this for two days or up to six weeks.
  5. Transfer your perfume to a pretty glass spray bottle once it reaches your desired scent.

15. DIY Vanilla Rose Perfume Recipe

How to make perfume with vanilla and rose
Image: Shutterstock
What You Need
  • A handful of fresh or dried rose petals
  • A handful of fresh or dried lavender
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 100 proof vodka
Steps
  1. Combine your flowers and vanilla in a clean, glass mason jar.
  2. Pour enough vodka to cover the dried flowers until they float.
  3. Put the lid on and let it sit for four to six weeks, then strain the flowers. The resulting liquid is known as a tincture, which is a concentrated extract of the flower.
  4. Strain the liquid and pour it into a glass spray bottle.
protip_icon Quick Tip
Store the perfume in the refrigerator to make it last longer.

16. DIY Cedarwood Perfume Recipe

Cedarwood perfume in a dark glass bottle
Image: Shutterstock

What You Need

  • 2 tablespoons of vodka
  • 1 tablespoon of distilled water
  • Essential oils – 1 g of cedarwood oil, 0.5 g of clear sage oil, 0.5 g of rosemary oil, 0.25 g of lemon oil
  • A dark glass bottle

Steps

  1. Start by adding vodka and distilled water into the dark glass bottle and let it sit for a bit.
  2. Then, add all the essential oils into it drop by drop. Continuously stir the mixture as you add the oils to ensure they thoroughly disperse into it.
  3. Once done, close the bottle and let it sit for at least two days in a cool and dark place.
  4. Gently shake the bottle before you use the perfume.

Tips: Making And Storing Your Homemade Perfume

A woman formulating perfume at her home
Image: Created with Dall.E

You don’t have to spend a ton of cash to smell good. Now that you have a bunch of exciting perfume recipes to try out, here are a few tips that you should keep in mind while making and storing your creations.

  • Set up a proper workstation – it doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but a clear table where you can measure ingredients with ease is important.
  • Prepare your bottling supplies by buying glass bottles with airtight lids and spray dispensers before you start your project.
  • Always use perfumer’s alcohol (96% denatured alcohol) or 100 proof vodka for your perfumes because – the higher the percentage of alcohol, the better the outcome.
  • It’s best to use only glass containers and bottles while making your perfume because essential oils will break down the plastic, which in turn can destroy the oil.
  • Perfume oils with a strong aroma work best in the manufacturing of perfumes.
  • The effectiveness of your perfume completely depends upon the ratio of essential oils, alcohol, and drinking water used in blending the mix – so make sure you measure well before adding anything, because a little less, or not enough, will change the entire sign of your perfume.
  • Perfume is like fine wine, and it needs to remain and mature before it reaches excellence.
  • You can also extract essential oils from raw materials like flowers and herbs using the process of distillation. It involves boiling the raw material and collecting the steam which contains the perfume oil.
  • If making perfume in big batches, you can use fixatives like resins, balsams, or musk ketone, which bind to the fragrance compounds and extend their lifespan. Finish off with labeling and packaging to launch your own homemade perfume brand.

Sarah, a blogger, shared her experience of making her own fragrance. Reflecting on the process, she said, “In the process of making it, a genuine intuition arose. After many initial experiments, I gained a significant sense of what to drop in next, or what proportions to alter. It was no longer a random trial. This experience has given me a great drive to play at perfumer again (i).”

Infographic: DIY Perfuming: 5 Amazing Ingredients To Try

Who doesn’t love a good fragrance? But it can be tricky when you don’t find a scent that intoxicates your senses and leaves you smiling all day long. Well, it’s time to change that by making your own perfumes.

Check out the infographic below to learn the best ingredients to curate your fragrance with!

diy perfuming 5 amazing ingredients to try (infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

Making your DIY perfume in the comfort of your home is a great thing to do. You can get creative with the ingredients you use and come up with a unique scent. When you make perfumes at home, you can customize the product as per your needs and likes. Besides, you can also avoid using harmful chemicals and ingredients that may cause allergies. The DIY perfume recipes listed above will help you make a unique fragrance that suits your personality. These are simple recipes that you can try with easily available ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

What ingredient makes perfume last longer?

The correct ratio of essential oils and alcohol makes perfume last longer.

Can I mix alcohol with essential oils?

Yes, you can mix perfumer’s alcohol or vodka with essential oils to make perfume.

What are the best-smelling essential oils?

Lavender, sandalwood, lemon, and frankincense are some popular essential oils that smell nice.

Key Takeaways

  • Customize and add uniqueness to your homemade perfume with essential oils.
  • Always use 100-proof vodka or perfumer’s alcohol while making perfumes at home.
  • Storing perfumes in glass containers in refrigerators or dark, cool places helps them last longer.
  • Measure the ingredients properly before you pour them to get the desired results.

Want to make your own perfume? Watch this video on easy ways to create your own signature scent using simple ingredients!

Personal Experience: Source

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