Thanks to the rise of social media and the internet, DIY has become a hot trend- from whipping homemade mayonnaise to crafting natural fertilizers, people have come to love creating things from scratch. And let’s not even talk about the rising cost of living, which has driven people to look for ways to save a buck whenever possible, including making anything they can at home. One fantastic DIY skill you can dabble in is making perfume at home using fresh flowers.
Did you know this practice dates back to ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans? These civilizations used herbs, flowers, and oils to create natural fragrances. Perfume making is not only a creative experience but also allows you to connect with age-old traditions practiced by our ancestors.
Amidst the concern about using artificial perfumes and perfumes that could be hazardous to health, modern DIYers prefer manufacturing their own perfumes, soaps, and shampoos at home. This age-old tradition can help you craft your own signature scent to impress the people around you!
This article will help you discover the magical process of making those aromas at home, but before that, let’s first learn about the fragrance of flowers.
What Is The Fragrance Of Flowers?
When blended with all the right ingredients, a good perfume can give you a wonderful scent, but sometimes, something simple can be just as lovely.
You can make perfumes with different layers of scent, like top, middle, and base notes, or by mixing essential oils. But even a light, water-based perfume made from fresh flowers offers a soft and sweet fragrance, and it can make a thoughtful gift for someone you love!
We are also naturally drawn to the sweet and pleasing scents of flowers. Flowers have mesmerizing combinations of certain natural compounds produced by the specific floral cells. According to chemistry, these compounds must be light and airy to travel through and reach the noses of living beings, allowing them to smell the beautiful odor.
The fragrance of a flower is a mix of tiny natural scent particles that spread quickly in the air and invite insects for pollination. When processed correctly, this bouquet can be extracted and used to make homemade perfumes.
Here’s The Step-By-Step Guide To Making Homemade Perfume
Materials Needed:
Fresh flowers
Pick flowers with a robust and pleasing scent, like rose, lavender, or jasmine.
Carrier Oil
Try to use mild, unscented oil, like jojoba or almond oil, as the base for the perfume. Mild oils prevent diminishing the flower’s fragrance through its scent.
Distilled Water
It is necessary to make the perfume because it helps dilute it and balance its strength.
Alcohol or Witch Hazel
Alcohol or witch hazel is an essential ingredient in perfume-making. They are preservatives and help blend the fragrance.
Dark Glass Bottles
It is vital to store the perfume in dark-colored bottles, as this keeps the perfume fresh by protecting it from sunlight.
Cheesecloth Or Coffee Filter
Once the flower petals have been steeped, you will need cheesecloth or a coffee filter to strain the liquid.
Funnel
Choose a funnel that’s ideal for the size of your perfume bottle. This will make it easier to pour the perfume into the bottles without spills.
Method To Make DIY Perfume:
Pick Your Scent
Pick fresh flowers with a prominent aroma. Start with one flower, and build your way up. Once you understand the process of making the perfume, you can try mixing different flowers for a unique scent.
Prepare the Petals
Start the process by picking the petals and cleaning them. Gently remove them from the flower center and wash them to remove dirt. Then, pat them dry with a clean cloth.
Infuse the Petals
The next step is to infuse oil into the petals. To do this, place the petals in a glass jar and cover them with carrier oil. Close the jar and let it sit in a cool, dark place for 48 hours. The steeping process allows sufficient time for the petals to release their fragrance into the oil.
Strain the Infused Oil
After 48 hours have passed, strain the petals through cheesecloth or a filter and squeeze them to extract as much oil as possible.
Mix with Alcohol Base
In a separate container, mix alcohol (vodka) or witch hazel with distilled water, ideally following a 3:1 ratio (alcohol l: water). Then, add the scented oil to the alcohol base. Shake well and let it sit in a cool, dark place again, this time for a few weeks, so the scent can blend in well.
Strain & Bottle the Perfume
After a few weeks have passed, strain the mixture one last time to remove any leftover bits. Using the funnel, pour the perfume into dark glass bottles and seal them tightly to keep it fresh.
Note: Make sure to write down the ingredients and measurements to recreate the same scent or make tweaks wherever necessary.
