Perfume Base

Up to 20% of your total volume. In 100ml of base that is a maximum of 20ml of fragrance oil, which gives you an eau de parfum strength blend. Start nearer 10 to 15% for a lighter eau de toilette, weigh rather than eyeball your oil, and write the ratio down so you can repeat a blend you like.

Yes, and it is worth the wait. Blend the oil into the base, cap the bottle, shake well, then leave it somewhere cool and dark for four to six weeks. Curing gives the fragrance oil time to bind with the alcohol and lets the sharp ethanol note dissipate, which is what turns a blend that smells raw and boozy on day one into a rounded, finished perfume. Give the bottle a shake every few days while it cures, and hold off judging heavier woody, amber and oriental blends until the full six weeks are up.

Longevity comes mostly from the fragrance you choose, not the base. Oils built on base notes such as musk, amber, vanilla, sandalwood and patchouli cling for hours, while bright citrus and fresh top notes fade quickly no matter what they are blended into. Push your load toward the 20% maximum, give the blend the full four to six week cure, and apply to pulse points on moisturised skin, which holds fragrance better than dry skin.

You can. Essential oils blend readily into an alcohol base and are the usual choice for natural perfumery, though they are more volatile than fragrance oils, so expect a shorter wear time and some colour from the darker oils. If you would rather an oil based natural perfume with no alcohol, use sweet almond carrier oil in a roller bottle instead.

Alcohol based perfume belongs in glass with a fine mist atomiser. Our 10ml round and 10ml rectangle spray bottles are made for it, and the 3ml testers are the easy way to sample a blend or send one out with an order. A transfer pipette keeps the fill neat and the measurements honest.

The 500ml is the size for trialling blends and filling a handful of testers. The 1L and 2.5L bring the price per litre down, so they suit a market run or a retail line. All three are the same base, only the pack size changes. The 2.5L is made to order, so allow up to 10 days turnaround on it.