Lifestyles / Young Women
Make your own fragrances

Here are some recipes and ingredients to make your very own homemade body fragrance.

Fruity Body Splash
If you are drawn to the scent of citrus, this one is for you.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped orange peel
• 3 tablespoons vodka
• 10 drops mandarin essential oil
• 10 drops orange essential oil
• 5 drops lemon essential oil
• 5 drops grapefruit essential oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 cups distilled or boiled  water

You will need:

A sterilised 20-ounce glass bottle with a tight-fitting stopper and a fine sieve.

To make it:

1. Place the peels and the vodka in the bottle. Cover tightly with the stopper and let stand for 1 week.
2. Press the mixture through the fine sieve to extract all the liquid.
3. Pour the liquid back into the re-sterilised bottle. Add the essential oils, vinegar, and water. Let stand for 2 weeks, shaking often. Keep in a cool, dark place.

Rosewater Perfume
Sprinkle a few drops onto your handkerchief for a delightfully scented drawer, handbag or pocket.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vodka
• 2 tablespoons rosewater
• 8 drops bergamot essential oil
• 4 drops geranium essential oil
• 2 drops patchouli essential oil

You will need:

A sterilised 2-ounce glass bottle with a tight-fitting top, a bowl and a paper coffee filter.

To make it:

1. Place all the ingredients in the bottle, shake vigorously, and set aside for 2 weeks.
2. Strain the liquid through the filter into the bowl; then pour back into the bottle. Store in a cool, dark place.  Makes about 2 ounces.

Carmelite Water
Carmelite nuns in 14th-century France invented one of the earliest scents. Use sparingly as a perfume or dilute with distilled water for cologne.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons lemon balm leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon peel
• 1 sprig sweet marjoram
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
• 3/4-inch piece angelica stem
• 1-1/4 cups vodka

You will need:

A mortar and pestle, two 10-ounce sterilised glass bottles with tight-fitting stoppers, a fine sieve, a paper coffee filter and a bowl.

To make it:

1. Using the mortar and pestle, crush the dry ingredients. Place in a small bottle, add the vodka, and set aside for 10 days, shaking daily.
2. Strain the liquid through the sieve into a bowl. Then drip the liquid through the coffee filter into a freshly sterilised bottle. Let stand at least 2 weeks. Keep in a cool, dark place. Makes 10 ounces.