Create your own herbal perfumes from herbs in the garden.
Homemade herbal perfumes make great gifts for individuals, and the perfume costs nothing. Perfumes created for an individual provide a signature scent that no one else wears. Create a one-of-a-kind scent by blending homemade herbal perfumes. Roses, rosemary, basil and lavender are excellent flowers and herbs for making perfumes. Homemade herbal perfumes sell well at farmer's markets or craft shows. If you plan on selling the perfumes, check with your local business license office for necessary inspections or license requirements.
Instructions
1. Pick fresh herbs or flowers for your perfume. Pick the plants for the perfume early in the morning because the oils are strongest at that time of day. Pick at least a cup of each herb or flower for the perfume.
2. Squeeze the plants in your hand before placing them into a glass canning jar, and pour almond, sunflower or vegetable oil over the herbs or flowers. Make sure the oil covers the herbs or flowers completely. Put the lid on the container, and shake it gently.
3. Set the canning jar in a sunny window, and leave it there overnight. Remove the herbs or flowers, and replace with a new batch of freshly picked plants. Repeat this process daily until the oil has a strong scent. This process may take a week or two.
4. Remove the herbs or flowers. Pour 1/4 cup of alcohol into the canning jar. You can use any type of drinking alcohol you have available. Each alcohol gives the perfume a different smell. Vodka works best if you only want to smell the herb or flower, but you can use anything from whiskey to wine. Do not use beer because of its overpowering scent. Swirl it around several times, and set it in a sunny window. The essential oils dissolve into the alcohol.
5. Take the canning jar out of the window, and remove the oil that floats to the top of the jar with a turkey baster or eye dropper. The alcohol at the bottom of the jar is the perfume.
6. Pour the perfume into a small glass jar or bottle. Make several different perfumes, and combine the scents to create your own special fragrances.
Tags: herbs flowers, herb flower, herbal perfumes, herbal perfumes, Homemade herbal