Solid Perfume Recipe: 100% Natural and Non-Toxic

I admit I am a perfume addict. But I want my fragrance clean and non-toxic. Enter DIY solid perfume! A super easy and divine recipe follows.

Bye-bye Chanel

I love, love, love sniffing perfume and dousing myself with the wonderful aromas of high-end, one-of-a-kind perfumery creations. If Coco Chanel were alive, she would have to adore me as I have given her a good bit of business buying her unmatched creations.

Only recently did I start looking into what actually is in pefumes. First I realized, following the Environmental Working Group’s guidelines that any product featuring the mysterious “fragrance” on its list of ingredients, could be suspicious. If this is true for products where fragrance is only an addition, then actual perfume must be loaded with some “nasties.”

Toxicity in regular perfume

Especially, since for the last several decades, the European Union, were many of my favorites are made, has prohibited using animal products such as natural musk in perfumes. The special notes that were obtained from such products are now substituted by synthetic materials (phthalates and synthetic musks). Then there are solvents, fixatives and other potentially hazardous ingredients that are commonly used in production of perfumes and fragrances:

• acetone,
• ethanol,
• benzaldehyde,
• formaldehyde,
• limonene,
• methylene chloride,
• camphor,
• ethyl acetate,
• linalool
• and benzyl alcohol.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) reports that, while many popular perfumes, colognes and body sprays contain trace amounts of natural essences, they also typically contain a dozen or more potentially hazardous synthetic chemicals, some of which are derived from petroleum.

the Scientific American

Solid Perfume Recipe

I quickly realized that cleaning up my beauty routine has to include finding an alternative to my beloved, but potentially hazardous, synthetic fragrances (Goodbye Coco and Chanel 19!). I want only clean, green beauty now!

I tried using essential oil roll-ons which work fine but seem to evaporate pretty fast. Then I discovered a better way to dilute and preserve the aromatic essential oils. And it is so simple anyone can do it!

It takes only three ingredients:

• 1 TBS beeswax (or vegan wax like carnuba)
• 1 TBS liquid oil like jojoba, grapeseed or olive
• 35-40 drops of essential oil or essential oil blend (I used this one this time)

Melt the beeswax and oil in a double boiler or in short burst in microwave. When melted wait a few minutes for the mixture to cool down, then add the essential oil(s). Pour into a 1 oz tin or jar. That’s it! It will solidify in a few more minutes and can be used right away. The scent has a great staying power, a whole day or longer.

The best part is you can play with the scent, make it floral or citrusy, woodsy or musky, or herbal or sweet, or mix a few scent families. The possibilities are endless.

It make sense to always include a top, middle and base note. Top and base together should be about the same amount as middle. For example 10 drops of grapefruit, 20 drops of cardamom, and 10 of rose.

Or go for a pre-blended mix like my new favorite from Eden’s Garden: Golden State (with 15+oils including the elusive sandalwood, agarwood, and tuberose, yum!)

Go head, play around, make your own solid perfume. It’s so much fun!