Don't Add Water, Glycerin or Jojoba to Alcoholic Perfumes

[Shahbaz Khan]

Wish I could hang this as a Banner over the door of BN... AND the Internet.

I just use 4-5 drops of DM in 100ml perfume bro.

 

[ceapetti]

I just use 4-5 drops of DM in 100ml perfume bro.

What's DM?

 

[Relitaliano]

I’m upset since I already made 12 bottles into sprayable format from perfume oils (UNI and Generic Perfumes) using Glycerin (8 drops per 50 ml alcohol) with 190 proof Everclear alcohol. Are these DIY fragrances still useable, what will happen to them?

I have been following Amber Marie Rodgers video on making a perfume oil into a spray. She says that the Glycerin is supposed to be “a bonding agent” which helps the fragrance stick to the skin, since the perfume oils are undiluted?!

From what I understand, commercial perfume houses add preservatives to their fragrances…are these added to perfume oils (APO, UNI or Generic)?

Does the Glycerin affect the performance of the sprayable perfume?

 

[pkiler]

I’m upset since I already made 12 bottles into sprayable format from perfume oils (UNI and Generic Perfumes) using Glycerin (8 drops per 50 ml alcohol) with 190 proof Everclear alcohol. Are these DIY fragrances still useable, what will happen to them?

I have been following Amber Marie Rodgers video on making a perfume oil into a spray. She says that the Glycerin is supposed to be “a bonding agent” which helps the fragrance stick to the skin, since the perfume oils are undiluted?!

From what I understand, commercial perfume houses add preservatives to their fragrances…are these added to perfume oils (APO, UNI or Generic)?

Does the Glycerin affect the performance of the sprayable perfume?

Glycerin has been used by unknowing novices, and then ignorantly repeated ad nauseam to be a fixative, she calls it a bonding agent, same thing, really. This is for unskilled and ignorant people who buy a premade oil, and expect it to last, and this is a last ditch effort to make their poorly made FO's last longer. Glycerin also makes the perfume dilution a bit stickier feeling on your hand.

Don't worry about what you've done, just look forward. Who can say if preservatives are added...? you didn't make it, so you have zero idea what is in it. Use properly formualted products that are built to last, preferably those that you make yourself. FO's made for soaps, candles, or room sprays, or the like are not formulated as fine fragrances, but as cheaply as possible

 

[buddha]

Has anyone tried the difference of adding distilled water compared to adding no water? In some sources, I still read that additional water (on top of the water from 96% alcohol) is a secret ingredient and makes the perfume better. Somewhere else I read that perfumeries use only 80% alcohol and again that it's a good idea for that reason to add more water to a DIY perfume.
I also read that it's a good idea to put the EDP in the freezer for 14 days after mixing it. Any thoughts on that?

 

[ourmess]

In some sources, I still read that additional water (on top of the water from 96% alcohol) is a secret ingredient and makes the perfume better.

Search the forum and you'll find the billion times people have been told to not add water. You have no idea how tedious this is by now. ;p

Somewhere else I read that perfumeries use only 80% alcohol

Also no.

Almost all DIY perfumery information on the internet is wrong. Sorry.

I also read that it's a good idea to put the EDP in the freezer for 14 days after mixing it. Any thoughts on that?

Chill-filtering may sometimes help clarify your product, sure. And sometimes it may not.

 

[callumd]

Hi,

First time posting here and definitely a beginner in perfumery still (just dabbling in naturals at the moment really), but I noticed that Lush perfumes all contain glycerine on their ingredient list.

Given that the advice here is not to use glycerine, what would the reason be for such a huge company like Lush using it? (compared to amateurs giving bad advice on the internet)
Love Perfume | LUSH

Any info from more seasoned perfumers appreciated! Merely looking to learn as much as I can

Thanks
Callum

 

[Natharose]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to BASE NOTES.
I am looking for information on what I could add in my perfume as humectant or moisturizing agents.
Thank you in advance for your answers.

 

[clandestine laboratories]

The standard for perfumers' alcohol, historically, is 190° - meaning 5% water. At lest one seller of 200° perfumers alcohol states that they sell it without water to allow the user to decide the water content. There are several reasons for this but I'll sit back and let the experts who know better explain why this is wrong and unnecessary. Imo, if you use mostly aromachems it may be irrelevant - and for beginners who don't want to bother with filtration, it's probably best to use straight alcohol until you learn why a small percentage of water is historically a component of perfumers alcohol.

So yeah, just use straight alcohol if you're a beginner.

 

[clandestine laboratories]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to BASE NOTES.
I am looking for information on what I could add in my perfume as humectant or moisturizing agents.
Thank you in advance for your answers.

Hercolyn D aka hydrogenated methyl rosinate and 1,3-propanediol are options.

 

[WindsweptDaze]

Heh, wish I read this thread a few days ago as I just bought a bit bottle of glycerin On Sunday to attempt in making perfumes... Just so much info around that you don't know what to trust.
Oh well, we live and learn.

You can use the glycerin for making creams, along with some cocoa butter and beeswax.

 

[WindsweptDaze]

The standard for perfumers' alcohol, historically, is 190° - meaning 5% water. At lest one seller of 200° perfumers alcohol states that they sell it without water to allow the user to decide the water content. There are several reasons for this but I'll sit back and let the experts who know better explain why this is wrong and unnecessary. Imo, if you use mostly aromachems it may be irrelevant - and for beginners who don't want to bother with filtration, it's probably best to use straight alcohol until you learn why a small percentage of water is historically a component of perfumers alcohol.

So yeah, just use straight alcohol if you're a beginner.

I read somewhere (no idea, sorry... lots of reading happening) that the water is helpful to avoid skin irritation with an alcohol based perfume. As everyone says, I'm taking it all with a grain of salt and planning to do plenty of experimentation to pin down the basics. But I did read off a Wiki here that Everclear was the next acceptable (cheaper) alternatve to perfumers alcohol. Can anyone comment on that?

 

[pkiler]

And why do you want a humectant for a perfume?

 

[ourmess]

But I did read off a Wiki here that Everclear was the next acceptable (cheaper) alternatve to perfumers alcohol.

"Perfumer's alcohol" means nothing; there is no standard.

Perfumery uses 190+ proof ethanol. Everclear is 190+ proof ethanol.

 

[pkiler]

Perfumery uses 190+ proof ethanol. Everclear is 190+ proof etethanol.

Some Everclear is 150.

 

[ourmess]

Some Everclear is 150.

Fair; I was assuming.

 

[WindsweptDaze]

"Perfumer's alcohol" means nothing; there is no standard.

Perfumery uses 190+ proof ethanol. Everclear is 190+ proof ethanol.

Gotcha. I bought a handle in the heydays of the pandemic and might have half left after making nice smelling disinfectant spray when Lysol was off the shelves. Good to find another use for it.