Creating a Fragrance
We hear so much about the chemicals that are added to modern fragrances and how they can affect our health. If you're one of the many people who are worried about this why not have a go at creating a fragrance of your own? It won't necessarily be any cheaper than buying a commercial fragrance, as you'll have to buy some specialist materials, but you can control what is added, as well as having complete control of the scents used.
Fragrance is created using essential oils. To determine whether it really is an essential oil, you can test it using blotter paper. After sprinkling a few drops onto the paper, they will disappear into the paper without leaving an oily residue behind. Fragrance oils are usually a combination of essential oils and chemicals that are added to it. They don't last as long as essential oils. Making vanilla cologne is pretty simple. Cologne is slightly less strong than perfume as it isn't so concentrated. You will need a quarter of a cup of vodka, a quarter of a tablespoon of glycerine, one vanilla bean, four drops of fragrance oil, and a whole orange or lemon.
Firstly, sterilize a glass container to store the fragrance in. Combine the vodka and glycerine in the container and shake vigorously. Halve the vanilla bean down its length and add to the vodka and glycerine. At this point, you should add in the fragrance oil. Peel a strip of orange or lemon peel that is around three inches long. You only want the zest, which is the thin outer peel, so don't bother extracting any of the white pulp. Add the zest to the mixture, and shake well to separate the contents. Leave the container in a cool, dark environment for a minimum of one week, but gently stir the contents after a few days. After at least a week has passed, pour the mixture into another sterilized glass container.
Making bergamot cologne is equally simple. The main difference lies in the materials used. As well as the vodka, you will need a few drops of bergamot essential oil, and a teaspoon each of whole cloves and allspice. Apart from this, the creation process is very similar to that of vanilla cologne. Sterilize the glass container in which you plan to store the fragrance before you begin, and then pour the vodka into the container.
After this, add the zest from some orange peel, the whole cloves, allspice and bergamot oil. Shake the container vigorously, screw the cap on tightly, and store it somewhere cool and dark for one to two weeks. The strength of the cologne tends to become stronger as it's stored, so leaving it two weeks will produce a more intense fragrance if it's left one week. Once it's reached the desired strength, strain the cologne through some muslin paper or a coffee filter. Use the fragrance within a year, or it will become past its best.
If you don't have time to create your own fragrance or don't trust yourself to get it right, there is another option you can call on. There are companies that will create your perfect fragrance for you. All you have to do is let them know the fragrance notes that you want in your perfume, and they’ll even deliver it to your door!
Creating a fragrance doesn't need to be costly or time-consuming. There are two main options: you can either create your own fragrance solely by yourself, or you can design your own fragrance using a company who will then create the fragrance according to your specifications. Either way, you have the piece of mind of knowing what is going into your fragrance, rather than being at the mercy of the perfume companies.
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