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the procedure for making perfume or cologne is very
simple; all of the artistry and creativity lies in first creating the
scent. this can be based on a single scent or it can be a complex
symphony with hundreds of different aroma components. see "creating a scent" for tips on crafting your own scent or "fragrance formulas" for a list of scent blends.
the difference between perfume and cologne is merely the concentration.
the descending levels of concentration are: perfume (30%); eau de
perfume (15%); eau de toilette (8%); cologne (5%); and cologne splash
(3%). the remainder is alcohol and water, or a carrier oil (for
oil-based perfume). the chart below gives an [approximate] breakdown of
the amounts of scent, alcohol, and water for each scent level.
a note on alcohol
-- the odorless alcohol used in perfumery is ethanol. this is the same
as grain alcohol, the same type that's in booze, and is therefore,
strickly regulated and impossible to obtain. sd (special denatured)
alcohol has additives, which are odorless but render the alcohol
undrinkable. but, this is still very difficult to get ...impossible in
some places. but there "are" sources, if you know where to look.
a substitute for sd alcohol is an [almost] pure grain alcohol product
called "everclear" (which is 95% alcohol). because of the stringent
restriction placed on grain alcohol, there are certain states (including
california, massachusetts, minnesota, ohio, oregon, pennsylvania, and
washington) that restrict the sale [and import] of everclear (and other
brands of this type of product). however, it can be purchased in
arizona, colorado, illinois, indiana kentucky, louisiana, mississippi,
nevada, new jersey, new york, north carolina, north dakota, oklahoma,
texas virginia, washington dc, wisconsin, and wyoming. another
alternative to sd alcohol is 100 proof vodka (50% alcohol) which is not
ideal, but can be used if no other alternatives are available.
addendum: since writing the above, affordable "perfumers'
alcohol" has started showing up on essential oil sites ...as a probable
result of popular demand. this is usually formula "40b", which is the
denatured ethanol with added bitrex -- (a substance which is extremely
bitter and unpleasant to the taste and is used to discourage the
ingestion of the ethanol). to this 40b, other compounds are added to
make the product easier for the non-professional to use. this is usually
a proprietary blend so you can't get the exact formula, but the
supplier will disclose the ingredients, which, in addition to the
alcohol, may include dipropylene glycol, benzyl benzoate, propylene
glycol, isopropyl myristate, and/or isopropyl alcohol. two sources for
these perfumers' blends are "my sweet victoria" and "snowdrift farms".
please note that there are those [authorities] who state: "do
not use any variation of isopropyl alcohol, nor any so-called
'perfumery blend' that might contain it; the rapidity of the drying rate
is far too high and it can carry a scent that may interfere with your
blend. isopropyl myristate is known for causing skin-clogging and
blackheads and it is a dermal, eye, and respiratory irritant." "the chemistry store"
is a source for the [unadulterated] 40b sd alcohol with 10% distilled
water as the only additive. however, they only sell it in gallon units
...but at a good price. update: this item has been "out of stock" for quite awhile ...they've even removed the page, so it's unclear whether they plan to ever resume sale.
as of august '07, a new source for perfume alcohol is "save-on-scents",
a business which specializes in [a vast array of] fragrance oils. they
now offer formula 39c sda: 190 proof ethanol, denatured with diethyl
phthalate*, with no additional
ingredients. because this is sold unadulterated, it "is" subject to batf
regulations, (i.e. if this is being used in a product that is to be
sold, you will have to acquire the necessary permit and pay the
appropriate taxes). however, if this is for personal use, it is a source
for unadulterated sda in states where everclear (and products like it)
are not available.*
in listing this as a source for sd alcohol, i need to point out that
there's a considerabe amount of concern over the safety of "phthalates"
in cosmetics. however, i also need to point out that "diethyl" phthalate
(used in formula 39c) has been widely accepted as safe, and formula 39c
is widely used in the commercial perfume industry. "this article" from proctor and gamble may shed some light on this topic.
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