We travel a lot, and the limit on liquids requires me to cut back on the beauty supplies I bring with me. My perfume is one of the items that I usually choose to ditch. I am always concerned about the bottle breaking, and saturating all my clothes. When I saw how easy it was to make your own solid perfume – I was elated! No longer do I have to worry about a broken bottle- and I loved being able to choose my own custom scent!
It was so simple. I made four batches last night, and I want to make more! (How much solid perfume does one girl need?)
Supplies needed to make your own solid perfume:
- Small Containers such as these:
- Square Bead Caddy
- Round Bead Caddy or
- Hollow Necklace Charms (The round bead caddy in the case is really the best value. One batch of perfume will fill two of the small round inner bead cases. There will be plenty containers for you to fill, and bonus storage with the leftover box!)
- Square Bead Caddy
- Fragrance Oils <– link to fragrance choices! I used:
- Honeysuckle
- Jasmine
- Berry Orange Vanilla (I was very happy with all of my fragrances. My youngest daughter chose the Berry Orange Vanilla, and it is a great one for kids. You could even choose Butter Maple Syrup. Who wouldn’t like to sit next to someone who smelled like a waffle? Mmmmmm.)
- Beeswax (I found my supply of beeswax on eBay. It is also sold on Etsy, and for purchase at most natural food stores. A one ounce “brick” will be enough for four batches of solid perfume.)
- Almond Oil (Picked it up from my local natural food store.)
- Chocolate Melter (Optional but makes everything so much easier.)
- Glass Votive Cup or other glass jar
- Disposable Cups
- Craft sticks
Let’s get started on your own DIY solid perfume! The first thing I did was grate down my beeswax bars so they would melt quicker.
Remove the pot from the Chocolate Melter and then add about a cup of hot water to the machine. Plug it in, and turn it to “melt.”
Add 1 tablespoon of your grated beeswax to a small glass container.
Set the glass container in the middle of the Chocolate Melter. Allow the beeswax to melt. I stirred it occasionally during the melting process. I don’ t think it was necessary, but I was impatient! It felt like I helped move it along by stirring it.
In the meantime, measure out your almond oil. You will need 1 1/2 tablespoons. Pour it into a disposable cup.
Then add your fragrance oil.
I used 45 drops.
I was going to measure it out, to spare you from sitting and counting drops, but I didn’t. You will have to count drops too. 🙂
When you add the drops, it will not smell like you added enough. This is because your nose is temporarily burned out. 45-50 drops is enough. Trust me.
You could mix your oils too- make a custom solid perfume blend with various fragrance oils. It is up to you! Isn’t that exciting?!
Mix the fragrance oil with the almond oil, and then add it to the melted beeswax.
When I did this, my batch of solid perfume seized up. I was a little freaked out that I had ruined it.
It is not ruined.
This is just because your oil mixture is cooler than the warm wax.
Stir it a bit, and it will all melt down.
See? Nice and melted.
Prepare your containers. The mixture will harden fairly quickly so be prepared to pour.
I love this set of bead containers! Open the lids,wash and dry them thoroughly if you like.
Then, fill the container with your (now) liquid perfume.
Give it a few seconds- and you will have wonderful custom scented solid perfume!
If you mess up on the pour, just re-melt your mixture and do it again.
Great for gifts!
Perfect for a gym bag, or to slip into a purse.
Awesome for kids, since there is nothing to spill.
Fantastic for travel!
Fun to wear in a pendant.
Best of all, easy to make.
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How to use it?? Or we just need to bring it??
Thanks for the great info.
I have been working on scented solid lotion and scented lockets. This was my very first time doing this, so I will pass on what I learned making my scented lockets.
First – if you are a ‘newbie’ like myself, work with only one scent at first. A scent you recognize and like. Oils are expensive, and you may not like some of the combinations that are popular to most people.
Second – if you are putting the scents in a locket that does not have a FLAT bottom, figure out how you are going to stabilize it, so you don’t spill the product.( I used double-sided tape to secure it to the table top ). Do that before you even start. If anyone has any ideas about securing the lockets, I would appreciate it.
Third – have an extra container (like one of those .5oz clear lip balm containers ) in the event you have leftovers.
Scented lockets are beautiful gifts.
I would use a small sponge with needed amounted taken out for the locket or whatever to sit steady in.
You say a 1 oz brick is good for 4 batches…do you mean 4 of the little containers?
Do you rub this on your skin, or just carry it around?
You rub it on your skin.
Do you know how fast these will dry out? Accidentally bought little pocket watch-like lockets that have decorative holes all in the front and I’m afraid of it drying out!
If I don’t have a chocolate melting pot, can I use a Pyrex in a pan of (slightly) boiling water on the stove?
@Nikki- I am sure that would be fine! You just need everything to melt, but not burn. That should do the trick! Have fun!
Great idea, thank you. I would pass on the plastic cups, though, and use a small mason jar instead. Enough plastic on this planet to choke her as it is 🙂
Hi. What can I use as subtitute for beewax? Tanx
You can get a variety of carrier oils and fragrance oil from bath and body supply distributers such as Bitter Creek Candle Supply. Ive used their lip balm base for the same thing. Microwave, add scent, oil is optional… and Shazam! Terrific idea to use bead containers.
Can I use another wax? Like the little wax melts from my wax warmers? Or te alight candles? I cannot find “carrier” oils on google
Would there be a way to make this with a favourite perfume *eau de toilette or eau de parfume so one could carry they’re ‘signature’ scent along with them?
Could this recipe be adapted for lip balm? If so, how?
@wendy- I think you could use the same recipe. I would switch out the fragrance oil for an essential oil- like a peppermint or lemon- and not use as many drops per batch. The consistency of this mix is very much like a lip balm.
Thanks
Can essential oils be used for the solid perfume? or does it need to be the fragrance oils?
Hi, I LOVE the idea of pendants! I can’t smell, can’t ever remember smelling, so I’m wondering what kind of smells people enjoy? Are these the same oils that are found with the soap and candle making? Lastly, if it’s in a closed container how do you smell it? Do you have to open it? Thanks!
I love this idea! I’ve always loved solid perfumes but hardly ever see them. Now I can make my own. About how many containers will your recipe make so I know how much supplies to get?
This looks like a great deal of fun and can’t wait to try it. A quick ? though; I bought Coconut Oil in the Dominican Republic recently. Can that be used instead of Almond Oil. I know it will change the fragrance, but just curious.
@nancy- coconut oil is often used as a carrier oil- just like the almond oil. It should be just fine! Have fun!
Coconut oil is very thin & melts at a much lower temperature than other oils, it will be solid only under approx 76F – I’d be interested to know if anyone tried this and how it worked.
Would essential oil work instead of fragrance oil?
@kate- yes! Definitely. 🙂
Awesome. Thanks!
Hi. I was wondering if you could leave out the almond oil and just use a perfume oil. I use a particular perfume oil from The Body Shop and don’t want anything to interfere with that scent.
I would not recommend using straight fragrance oil. The almond oil is a “carrier” oil. It helps distribute the fragrance oil. A high concentration of fragrance could be harmful to your skin. There are many varieties of carrier oils- if you do a quick Google search. I chose almond because it was inexpensive and came in a smaller bottle. The almond oil did not have a scent to me- and did not interfere with my fragrance oils. HTH!
It’s a wonderful idea, thank you for sharing it with us. Is it possible to use it with perfumes like CK or similars?
@Ro- If the fragrance comes in an oil form, then yes. A perfume is usually alcohol based and would evaporate out when you mixed it up. I don’t think the concentration would be heavy enough for a solid perfume, and I don’t know what the alcohol content would do to the wax/oil base? Stick with oils if you can. HTH!
Thank you!! ^^
LOVE this, can’t wait to try it out!!
I like this idea. Do you think the chocolate melter will work for melt & pour soap bases?
@Melody- I don’t think it gets hot enough to do larger batches? I am not sure though- worth a try! It does do chocolate nicely. Worth having around for that reason alone! 😉
There is a picture of the Almond Oil, where do you purchase that, is it the regular almond flavoring you get in grocery store or what????? Love this idea….
I purchased the Almond Oil at a health food store. It is NOT almond extract! 🙂 It is an oil. It was inexpensive- and a small bottle will go a long way- you only need 1.5 T per batch! Good luck Ruth! It is really fun!
Thank you so much, I appreciate your quick response and am off to the health food store right now. Love your ideas….