At Africa Imports you can find a huge selection of fragrance and essential oils, but have you ever wondered how to make your own fragrances? Do you want something all your own that combines all your favorite scents? It's easy!
Step #1
Pick your base oil. A base oil is a healthy, nourishing oil that also is good at holding in fragrance and completing the 'infusion' process. Good base oils include jojoba oil, grape seed oil, or sweet almond oil.
Step #2
Pick the scents you want to use in your oil. This is where you'll use your imagination and have fun creating your own scent. You can use a single-note scent, like peach or vanilla, or mix together scents to create your own signature scent.
Step #3
Find a good container for your oil. You can use clear glass or amber glass bottles. It's good to remember to keep your fragrance oil away from direct sunlight, as this can effect the preservation of the fragrance.
Step #4
Protect your surfaces. This process or making at home fragrance oils can get messy, so put down a protective layer on the surface where you're working, especially if it's a wood surface. A thick plastic sheet would be fine.
Step #5
Add the base oil to your bottle using a funnel.
Step #6
Drop your fragrance in the oil one drop at a time with an eyedropper. This allows you to test the strength of the fragrance in the oil, lest you add too much. How do you gauge the strength of your fragrance? Remember, a little goes a long way. A good rule of thumb is 3 drops of essential oil for each 1 ounce of oil - more if you like a stronger fragrance, or 1-2 drops if you want a light scent. If you want a strong fragrance, add one drop at a time, and leave the mixture for a few hours, then go back and try a little on your skin. Do this every few hours until you have an intensity you like. If you are using fragrance oils instead of essential oils, then you will want to add more oil. 20 drops of fragrance oil per ounce of base oil is probably best.
Step #7
Start the infusing process. Once you are satisfied with the strength and scent of your fragrance oil, make sure the cap is on tight and set it aside in a dark place for a few days for it to "infuse". This allows the scented mixture to "mature" and reach its final strength. When you are mixing the fragrance, the scent is still concentrated, so before you can use it, it needs times to combine with the whole container of oil. Then it will be ready for use.
To find a huge selection of fragrance and essential oils just visit our Oils Page. I hope this has been helpful! If you have any questions, please comment.