Different Types of Perfume

 
Once you have decided on the strength of perfume you wish to make, you need to decide on the composition of your scent. Do you want an oil, spray or solid perfume? Natural perfumes can be made using liquid oils such as almond or jojoba, solids such as coconut oil or Shea butter which can be mixed with a natural wax or you can use alcohol, water or both to make spray perfumes.

Oil Based Perfumes 
Liquid oils, (also known as carrier oils), are an inexpensive and popular choice for natural home-made perfumes. They blend well with the essential oils, are easy to apply and are quickly absorbed into the skin. Many carrier oils also provide their own therapeutic properties which work well with the individual or combined properties of the essential oils being used in your scent.

Spray Perfumes 
This type of fragrance is made using an alcohol base. Perfume alcohol can be used but plain vodka works just as well and often costs considerably less. Alternatively, if you like the aroma of a particular spirit, such as brandy, whisky or rum, this can also be used but you must take care to ensure that the alcohol scent does not override the essential oils. Also, the overall scent of the oils will change slightly when mixed with a scented alcohol so you will need to experiment if you would like to try this option.

Solid Perfumes 
Solids are the most convenient type of perfume is you wish to carry it with you for re-application throughout the day. They are compact and do not leak making them easy to slip into a bag or pocket. They are made using firm oils or butters and wax. Additionally, they are usually inexpensive to package as they require only a small tin or jar.

Body Sprays 
These are the most inexpensive type of perfume to make but they are also the lightest as they contain very small quantities of essential oils compared with the stronger perfumes. Most often these are made only from a blend of essential oils and water, but can also be manufactured using a dilution mix of either carrier oil and water or alcohol and water.

All good scents contain three different layers of fragrance

Top Notes 
The top note(s) form the first impression of your perfume. This is the initial smell that either attracts or repels you, and as such, it is the most important layer. Top notes generally evaporate within the first 20 minutes. This does not mean that their scents are removed from the overall perfume fragrance, just that these stop being the dominant scents. 

Typically top notes make up 20 – 40% of your essential oils blend. Popular essential oils used for top notes are:- Anise, Basil, Bay (Bay Laurel), Bergamot, Citronella, Eucalyptus, Galbanum, Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Lime, Orange, peppermint, Petitgrain, Spearmint, Tagetes and Tangerine. 

Middle Notes
Mid Notes make up the main component of your essential oil blend and account for between 40 – 80% of the oils used. 

The middle notes become gradually more noticeable as the top notes begin to fade. It takes around 10 minutes for the first hints to come through the top notes and they are fully apparent after around 30 minutes. Mid notes generally stay dominant from up to 2 hours, (certain scents may last a little longer than this). 
Popular mid notes essential oils include: Bay, Carrot, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Clove, Cypress, Dill, Fennel, Fir, Geranium, Hyssop, Jasmine, Juniper, Lindon Blossom, Marjoram, Neroli, Nutmeg, Palmarosa, Parsley, Black Pepper, Scotch Pine, Rose, Rose Geranium, Rosemary, Rosewood, Spruce, Tea Tree, Thyme, Tobacco, Yarrow, Ylang Ylang. 

Base Notes 
Base notes begin to develop around 30 minutes after the perfume is applied and make up between 10 – 25% of the essential oil blend. These are the longest lasting scents of the fragrance blend and are responsible for the lingering aroma of your scent long after the main smell have disappeared. Popular base note essential oils include: Angelica, Balsam, Beeswax, Cedarwood, Frankincense, Ginger, Myrrh, Oakmoss, Olibanum, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Vetiver. 

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