Yes. Yes and again, yes. Not only will you smell amazing, you will receive the therapeutic benefits of the essential oils you’ve used. Let’s give you a bit of an understanding as to why we are so confident that you can use essential oils as a perfume.
Quick History of perfume
According to Cranbourn – a fragrance house in London – “perfume-making originated in ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and China. It was subsequently improved by the Romans and early Arab and Persian pharmacists, who developed the technique of distillation and the suspension of essences usually derived from botanicals in alcohol.”
Perfumes are usually a blend of fragrant plant materials. The essence of the plants are blended together to form a unique fragrance. When perfumery started off it was merely blends made with essential oils in an alcohol base. Today, many of these fragrances are synthetically produced in laboratories. As Cranbourn’s article says: “The modern perfumery we know today began in the late 19th century with the commercial synthesis of aroma compounds such as vanillin or coumarin. This led to creation of perfumes with aromas previously unattainable solely from natural sources.”
It makes you wonder if essential oils are much different from perfumes. Perfumes are merely a blend of essential oils, plant botanicals, synthetic compounds and a carrier to help it stick or carry to the skin. When essential oils are used as a perfume; the difference is that the synthetic compounds won’t be present. You’ll have to work with only botanical compounds as found in nature.
So, can you make it yourself at home then?
Yes you can. Before you attempt it, perhaps it would be good to know a bit about blending? At OilGrow we have the occasional Masterclass where we teach you all about blending. You get to leave the day filled with love, friendship and your own personal blends. Keep an eye out on our Social Media for when we host the next one! Here is a pro tip for blending your own perfume. When blending, start off with your essential oils by adding only one at a time to the first oil you choose. This helps you to develop the fragrance slowly.
Pro’s and Cons as to using essential oils as a perfume
When you use an essential oil as a perfume you have to keep in mind that you are working with a volatile substance. This merely means that it is meant to be used up by the body – evaporate and taken up by your cells. If you use a single oil as a perfume, and that single oil is a highly volatile one (top note), such as Grapefruit, then your perfume won’t last very long and you will have to apply it frequently. If the single oil you use is a base note, such as Patchouli – a less volatile oil – it will linger for longer and you will need less frequent application. This, in our opinion, is the only slightly negative aspect to using an essential oil as a perfume. There are many more positive points to consider.
Essential oils are the essence of the plant (read more here about what an essential oil is). This means that the therapeutic value of the plant is captured in that essential oil. If you use an essential oil as a perfume, you will receive the full benefit of the therapeutic properties that the oil holds.
Another benefit is that when two or more essential oils are blended together for a purpose, there is a synergy effect – this means that the oil’s therapeutic benefits are enhanced a hundred times. It makes the blend you made so much more powerful.
Long lasting fragrance
To make a perfume last longer, fixatives are added to the blend. These fixatives help prevent the more volatile oils from evaporating too fast. The good news is that base note essential oils are all natural fixatives since many of them are resinoids. Oils such as Copaiba, Frankincense, Myrrh, Vetiver and Patchouli are all natural fixatives, i.e. less volatile, more viscous, base note oils.
Natural perfumes or essential oil blends differ from synthetic perfumes in that they don’t live as long on the skin as a synthetic fragrance would. The fixatives we add to our blends will still not last as long as the synthetic perfume but has so many therapeutic benefits that it’s worth the extra application or two throughout the day.
Looking for a list of those fixatives or base notes that you must incorporate into your blend? Here is a short list of what we stock:
- Cedarwood – warm woody fragrance that is known to help transport oxygen to the cells
- Clary Sage – sweet herbal fragrance that is known to help support hormones
- Copaiba – vanilla floral fragrance known to help with depression and pain relief
- Frankincense – rich spicy fragrance which is known to support the immune system
- Myrrh – woody medicinal fragrance which is known to assist with inflammatory conditions
- Patchouli – earthy herbal fragrance which is known to help relax the mind and boost libido
- Sandalwood – balsamic woody fragrance which is known to help calm anxiety and topical skin conditions
- Vetiver – earthy wood fragrance known to assist with better concentration and cognitive function
Blending a balanced fragrance
Most fragrances have top, middle and base notes. Top notes are the first smell to reach you in an essential oil blend or perfume. They evaporate quickly. The middle notes take a bit longer to develop than top notes and you should smell them next. Finally, the base notes develop; they last the longest and are the heavier smell that you will catch at the end. These base notes are the oils responsible for making your blend or perfume last longer on your skin.
Pick the ones you would like to incorporate into your next perfume blend. Don’t forget your top notes such as your citruses. Floral or herbal scents help to give body to your blend (middle notes), so go on! Get the ones you want and see if you can make your own perfume today!
How we can help you use essential oils as a perfume
At OilGrow we are quite proud of our pure essential oil blends. Since each one was expertly blended by Dr. Denise Olivier herself, for a very specific purpose. These blends are available to diffuse in your home as a type of diffuser perfume. But we’ve also made them available in 10ml roller bottles already added to carrier oil. These are perfect to use as an oil-based perfume. But if you prefer an alcohol based perfume, the oils in the 10ml dropper bottles can be added to a spray bottle with ethanol for that purpose.
We have a wonderful male fragrance called Forest that is aimed at assisting men with their stressful days – uplifting the spirit, assisting with a better mood and enhanced concentration.
Then we have various blends that women can choose from including one, called Marvellous, especially for those struggling with menopausal symptoms. The options are endless and if you don’t quite like what we’ve got – you can always blend your own from our range of single pure essential oils.