Making Perfumes

Making Perfumes

First choose the strength you wish, then consider the essential oils. Several recipes are offered here to get you started. If you wish to copy a famous fragrance, A German publication the H and R Fragrance guide by Goss lists the key ingredients of 800 perfumes. Although these are only a fraction of the odors in their secret recipes, it is fun to attempt rough "copies". A perfume usually includes top, middle and base notes. These are categories based on the evaporation rates of essential oils. Top notes evaporate first and are the light, bright, stimulating aromas noticed first in a perfume. Middle notes are the heart,the dominant character of a blend. Base notes are sedative, calming odors. They give the perfume a lasting quality and are fixatives, which make all the ingredients evaporate in a smooth curve rather than patchily. The division between notes is inexact, because each essential oil is made up of many compounds which evaporate at different rates, so a single oil like jasmine can spread over all the categories.

Top Notes:
Scent vanishes within hours. Angelica, Basil, Bergamot, Cardamom, Citrus (all)
Coriander, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Hyacinth, Lemongrass, Melissa, Peppermint, Petitgrain, Pine, spearmint, Tarragon

Middle Notes: Scent lasts 24 to 60 hours:
black pepper, Chamomiles, Clary Sage, Cypress, Galbanum, Geranium, Ginger, Jasmine, Juniper Berry, lavender, Marjoram, Mimosa, Myrtle, Neroli, Nutmeg, Palmarosa, rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Tea Tree, Thyme, Ylang Ylang.

Base Note: Scent lasts from 60 hours to 6 to 7 days:
Balsam of Peru, Benzoin, Cedarwood, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Myrrh, Oakmoss, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Vetiver.

The Process:
In a small bottle, first place the base notes, then add the middle notes, and then the top notes, rolling the mixture between each addition to amalgamate the odors and smelling the results. List your ingredients accurately. Leave the mixture to mature for 78 hours; sniff and adjust the recipe if needed. Add the alcohol and leave again for 78 hours, then add pure water and leave to mature for 4 to 8 weeks in a cool, dark place. label and date. Store out of sunlight in a suitably beautiful preferably dark bottle.

The Recipes:
This all time favorite is a light, refreshing blend which changed the fashion in scents. Blend the following drops of essential oils in a 70 ml bottle:
44 Bergamot
15 Lemon
4 Neroli
2 Lavender
1 each rosemary and Clove
Add 1 3/4 oz. alcohol. Leave for 78 hours, then add 240 drops pure water. Mature, label and store out of sunlight. This is the recipe for true eau de cologne.
The following eau de cologne recipes are given in drops of essential oils to be added to a 25 ml bottle, then add 3 1/2 t. alcohol (100 proof vodka) and after 48 hours, top up with water (about 1 1/2 t.) Mature for 6 weeks. Label and date.
1 ml = 20 drops
1 t. = 5 ml = 100 drops
1 fluid ounce = 5 teaspoons = 25 ml.

Refreshing Colognes:
Rodeletia, popular since the sixteenth century:
8 lavender, 4 bergamot,3 clove, 2 rose

Zest: 10 Palmarose, 8 orange, 3 each Petitgrain and lime, 1 black pepper

English Lavender: 12 lavender, 3 bergamot,1 each rosemary, clary sage, geranium, cedarwood and oakmoss

For Love and Romance:
Intrigue: 4 each Mandarin and Juniper, 2 each clary sage, ylang ylang and black pepper

Fascination: 4 jasmine, 2 each patchouli and lemon, 1 lavender in lemon vodka

Magnetism: 5 frankincense, 3 each bergamot, orange and lemon, 1 ginger

Dancing Till Dawn: 10 vanilla extract, 4 lemon, 3 grapefruit, 1 each bergamot and mint.

Castaway: 5 Mandarin, 4 Sandalwood, 2 each Ylang ylang and Petitgrain.

Smooth and creamy: 4 bergamot, 2 ylang ylang, 1 clove, 1 t. vanilla extract

Sun Drenched: 5 orange, 3 jasmine, 2 each Sandalwood and Patchouli

Secret Garden: 3 sandalwood, 2 each rose, jasmine and bergamot.

Affinity: 3 each Neroli, bergamot, and lavender, 2 vetiver

Melting Moments: 10 vanilla extract, 6 sandalwood, 3 rosewood, 2 orange

Consumed: 6 Sandalwood, 5 orange, 1 t. vanilla extract

Honeymoon: 3 rose, 2 each jasmine and lime, 1 cinnamon

Especially for Women:
Harmony: 5 coriander, 3 each rose and frankincense, 2 lime.

Cascade: 5 rose, 3 bergamot, 2 lemon, 1 cinnamon in lemon vodka

Constantinople: 4 each Ylang ylang and black pepper, 3 rose, 2 rosewood, 1/2 t. vanilla extract

Concubine: 3 each Jasmine and rosewood, 1 each sandalwood, ginger and mint

Arabesque: 6 bergamot, 4 rosewood, 3 sandalwood, 2 each cedarwood and patchouli.

Free Spirit: 4 jasmine, 3 bergamot, 2 lemon, 1 orange

Venus Noir: 4 each rose, and Sweet Myrtle, 3 sandalwood, 2 each patchouli and oakmoss.

Perfect Love: 10 rose, 6 each bergamot and jasmine, 4 coriander, 2 sandalwood

Especially for Men:
Vitality: 3 juniper, 2 bergamot, 1 coriander

Mountain Air: 6 cedarwood, 2 each cypress, lemon, rosemary and sandalwood

Andalusia: 3 each rosewood and lime, 2 vetiver in lemon vodka

Peacock: 6 each orange and bergamot, 2 basil, 1 coriander

Alfresco: 3 lime, 2 each cardamom and cedarwood.

adventure: 5 bergamot, 2 each jasmine and sandalwood, 1 each cedarwood and grapefruit.

Hidden Fire: 3 each Frankincense, black pepper and lavender

Moonshine: In lemon vodka (top note) 3 each Mandarin and bergamot, 2 each lavender and lemon; (middle note) 4 jasmine, 2 each pine needle, geranium, Petitgrain, and juniper berry, 1 rose: (base note) 2 cedarwood, 1 each oakmoss, Angelica root and vetiver