| When you make your own perfume, you have the | | | | combinations and fragrance families that would never |
| freedom to make any fragrance you want, but did you | | | | be accepted otherwise. With oil perfumes especially, |
| know that you can also make perfume in different | | | | people will expect that the perfume will be off the |
| forms? Of course, you can create standard alcohol | | | | beaten path. Use that to your advantage! People who |
| fragrances, but there are also the rarer "boutique" | | | | are attracted to oil perfumes often don't want a |
| styles of solid and oil perfumes. If you want to sell your | | | | standard fragrance, anyway. They are looking for |
| artisan creations, knowing the advantages of each can | | | | something unique, something different. |
| put you ahead of the increasing competition. | | | | Solid perfume (or perfume balm) is a cool product that |
| Most perfume wearers are only familiar with alcohol | | | | you don't see very often. It could be the oldest form of |
| perfumes. They are the standard for personal | | | | perfume besides incense. In the early days of perfume |
| fragrance, and there are definite advantages to | | | | making, fats and waxes were the only solvents. |
| staying with alcohol. It is refreshing to spray on and | | | | people would soak their flowers or bark in heated fat, |
| feels clean to apply. Some people like the cool feeling | | | | and the fat would draw out the aromatic oils. |
| of the alcohol evaporating from their skin because it | | | | Artwork from ancient Egypt shows people carrying |
| adds to the sensory experience. | | | | cones of scented wax on their heads. Historians |
| You can put alcohol perfume in any atomizer bottle, so | | | | speculate that the cones were supposed to melt over |
| there is a lot of flexibility for packaging. In addition, | | | | the course of the day, perfuming the hair and body, |
| perfume makers sometimes don't have a choice but | | | | and protecting the skin from the harsh sun and wind. If |
| to use perfumer's alcohol; some ingredients, such as | | | | you make solid perfume, you are making perfume the |
| certain aromachemicals, absolutes, and resins, will only | | | | old-school way! |
| dissolve with ethanol. | | | | Solid perfume doesn't spill, making it ideal for carrying |
| The main disadvantage of alcohol perfume is how the | | | | around in purses and bags. You have some neat |
| alcohol makes top notes "explode." The initial scent | | | | choices for packages, like little tins or even in lipstick |
| comes on strong, and some people don't like the blast | | | | containers. Innovative packaging will attract customers, |
| of fragrance - it gives them headaches or makes | | | | especially in person. |
| them dizzy. | | | | There are a few companies offering solid perfumes, |
| People with very dry skin or skin problems also tend to | | | | but this medium is mostly unexplored. The balm base is |
| stay away from alcohol perfumes because the alcohol | | | | a blend of soft butters and waxes, a lot like lip balm. |
| will dry it more. Because of their skin's dryness, | | | | Your balm base must be heated before you add your |
| fragrance doesn't last as long. These people usually | | | | aromatic ingredients; be careful to use the minimum |
| love solid and oil perfumes, but cannot always find | | | | heat so that you don't make your more delicate |
| them easily. | | | | ingredients evaporate off. |
| You can avoid both the exploding top note and dry | | | | Whichever form of perfume you choose to make, be |
| skin problems if you make oil or perfume balms. Many | | | | sure to use the appropriate bases to carry the |
| people prefer the smoother scent of oil and solid | | | | fragrance. For alcohol perfumes, use "perfumer's |
| perfumes; they say the fragrance smells richer and | | | | alcohol," which is usually pure ethanol with an ingredient |
| deeper. Small perfume brands are making oil perfumes | | | | to make it undrinkable. For oil perfumes, use jojoba oil |
| that have a substantial cult following, such as Kai and | | | | for its long shelf-life, rich feel, and stability. For solid |
| Night Queen, but there is still a lot of room for new | | | | perfumes, any soft or semi-soft mixture of oils and |
| artisan perfumers to carve a niche. | | | | fats will do. Many people use a lip balm base or soft |
| Since the solid and oil formats free perfume makers | | | | butter, such as mango butter, to start with. |
| from the standard, you can explore new scent | | | | |