How to Create Your Own Signature Essential Oil Perfume

Reviewed by ACHS Dean of Aromatherapy, Amanda Lattin.

Creating your own essential oil perfume is a beautiful way to express your personality while enjoying the benefits of pure, plant-based aromatics. Unlike conventional fragrances, essential oil perfumes are customizable, intentional, and free from synthetic ingredients.

With high-quality, sustainably sourced essential oils from the Apothecary Shoppe, you can blend a scent that feels uniquely yours. Whether you prefer something bright and uplifting, soft and floral, or warm and grounding, crafting your own signature perfume is simpler than you might think.

 

The Basics of Natural Perfumery

Before blending, it helps to understand the traditional structure of perfume:

Top Notes: Light, fresh, and uplifting. These are the first scents you notice and tend to evaporate quickly.
Examples: Peppermint, Lemon, Grapefruit

Middle Notes: The heart of the blend. These notes create balance and depth.
Examples: Lavender, Geranium, Roman chamomile, Sweet Orange

Base Notes: Deep, rich, and long-lasting. Base notes anchor the perfume.
Examples: Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vetiver, Rose

A classic ratio to start with is:
30% top notes • 50% middle notes • 20% base notes

What You’ll Need

• Apothecary Shoppe essential oils

• Jojoba oil or fractionated coconut oil (for roll-ons) OR perfumer’s alcohol (for spray perfumes)

• 10 ml glass roll-on bottle or 1 oz spray bottle

• Small glass bowl or beaker

• Dropper or pipette

How to Blend Your Perfume

1. Add your essential oils to a glass container, starting with base notes, then middle, then top notes.

2. Gently swirl to blend.

3. Add your carrier oil or alcohol. The ratio of essential oils to carrier oils should be about 20% to 80%.

4. Let the perfume rest for 24–72 hours (or up to two weeks) to allow the aroma to fully develop.

5. Test and adjust if needed.
   
   

Signature Essential Oil Perfume Recipes

Each of the following recipes makes a 10 ml roll-on perfume using jojoba oil.

 

1. Bright & Uplifting Citrus Bloom

Fresh, cheerful, and energizing. This blend is perfect for daytime wear.

• 4 drops Lemon Citrus limonum (top note)

• 6 drops Sweet Orange Citrus sinensis (middle note)

• 6 drops Lavender Lavandula angustifolia (middle note)

• 4 drops Geranium Pelargonium graveolens (middle note)

• 4 drops Sandalwood Santalum album (base note)

Fill the rest of the bottle with jojoba oil, cap, and gently roll to blend.

 

2. Soft Floral Calm

An elegant and soothing scent with a gentle floral heart.

• 5 drops Rose Attar Rosa damascena (base note)

• 6 drops Lavender Lavandula angustifolia (middle note)

• 4 drops Clary Sage Salvia sclarea (middle note)

• 5 drops Frankincense Boswellia carterii (base note)

Add jojoba oil to fill, then let it rest for several days before wearing.

 

3. Warm & Grounded Woods

Earthy, sensual, and deeply grounding.

• 3 drops Rosemary Rosmarinus officinalis(top note)

• 6 drops Patchouli Pogostemon cablin (base note)

• 6 drops Sandalwood Santalum album (base note)

• 5 drops Cedarwood Juniperus virginiana (base note)

Top with jojoba oil and allow the blend to mature for the best results.

 

Safety Notes & Crafting Tips

• Always perform a patch test before wearing a new perfume.

• Avoid sun exposure after applying citrus oils to skin unless they are labeled FCF (furanocoumarin-free).

• Essential oils are potent—less is often more. 

• Start small. Test blends in tiny batches before scaling up.

• Keep notes. Write down your drops so you can recreate favorites.
  
  

Make It Truly Yours

A signature perfume is more than a scent. It’s also a ritual, a memory, and a form of self-expression. With thoughtfully sourced essential oils from the Apothecary Shoppe, you can create a fragrance that reflects your mood, your values, and your lifestyle. Happy blending! 

Learn more ways to incorporate essential oils in your daily life with AROMA 101 Introduction to Aromatherapy, offered by American College of Healthcare Sciences.

This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. Always use herbs and essential oils with caution and keep out of reach of children. Use particular caution when pregnant or nursing. Always check contraindications and think safety first! The statements herein have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.