If you are sick of paying hundreds of dollars for a tiny bottle of celebrity-endorsed fragrance, these solid perfumes allow you to create your own brand of fragrance, as well as moisturise and protect your skin with beeswax and natural oils. The other bonus is that solid perfumes don’t spill, nor do they contain alcohol or synthetic chemicals.
Creating a fragrance is a delicate blend of science and art. The general rule of thumb is that the scent must be a balance of three ‘notes’ – top, middle and base note. A top note is the scent you smell first but fades the fastest. The middle note is a strong fragrance but fades after a few hours. The base note is often unpleasant to smell on its own but becomes more appealing as it warms on your skin over time.
Top-note essential oils
anise, bergamot, citronella, lemon, lemongrass, lime, lavender, orange, peppermint, spearmint
Middle-note essential oils
chamomile, cinnamon, clove, geranium, jasmine, marjoram, nutmeg, rose, rose geranium, rosemary, rosewood, tea tree, ylang ylang
Base-note essential oils
cedarwood, frankincense, ginger, patchouli, sandalwood, vetiver, vanilla
To make a balanced perfume, mix together these ratios of top, middle and base notes: base 25%, middle 50%, top 25%. There are no firm rules, so go with your nose.
Can’t make up your mind? Here are some suggestions:
- orange, jasmine and sandalwood - lime, lemongrass, rose and vetiver - bergamot, orange and patchouli - sweet orange, lavender and ylang-ylang - lavender, rose and ginger
Solid Perfume Recipe
A cinch to make, this perfume is also a wonderful gift for family and friends.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of grated beeswax
- 1 tablespoon of almond, jojoba or grapeseed oil
- 8 drops of top and base-note essential oils,
- 16 drops of middle-note essential oils (ensure they are quality, pure essential oils)
What you need
Storage containers, such as a small lip-balm container, eye-shadow container or a locket necklace (an easy way to re-apply perfume during the day).
Method
Gently melt beeswax in a double boiler. Add almond, jojoba or grapeseed oil to the melted wax.
Remove from heat and add the essential oil. Carefully pour mixture into containers and leave to solidify. This amount will fill two lip-balm containers.
Once it solidifies, apply perfume to pulse points and wait for all those appreciative comments.
This article first appeared in the magazine In Your Backyard: Beekeeping. For more beeswax ideas, honey recipes and beekeeping advice, purchase your copy of the magazine here.
Words: Janet Luke
Images: naturehacks & learningherbs
