One thing that never tempts me at the fragrance counter is the expensive selection of scented creams and the other matching body products offered in perfume sets. The trained sales associates will usually pitch them as “making the perfume last better” or “being a great value,” but I remain skeptical. A good fragrance should linger well on its own, and my hard-earned money can go further by being spent on something more useful (like another bottle of perfume!) Body lotions and shower gels can easily be sacrificed, especially if my budget needs to be kept in check.
That being said, I still love the ritual of applying scented lotion to my skin. In the evening, I massage away the fatigue accumulated during the day, enjoying the sensation of fragrant cream melting under my fingers. It’s such a simple pleasure that it feels wrong not to indulge oneself. The good news is that perfumed lotions are easy to make, and as long as you don’t require fancy packaging, you can enjoy your perfume in a variety of ways.
In a professional perfumery lab, matching lotions and gels are formulated by blending fragrance oils into the unscented base, the mixture of active ingredients and emulsifiers comprising the lotion or gel. I would make a small sample and let it mature at high temperature to check its stability–is the mixture liable to separate, discolor, develop an off odor, or behave in some unpredictable way? The art of functional perfumery is in getting all of the components right to obtain a product that smells as good out of the bottle as it does on skin. The fragrance oil might also have to be modified to cover up the natural scent of the product base.
At home, you will have to experiment by changing the base, rather than the perfume component. Most creams and shower gels we buy are already scented, and the unscented creams might have some deodorants added to mask the scent of the active ingredients. Even fragrance-free products are likely to have their own mild scent. Moreover, commercial perfume includes not just the scented oil (which is what perfumers use to scent creams in the lab), but also water and alcohol, which may affect how your DIY scented products behave. That’s why you will have to experiment to find what works best.
I recommend making small batches. I already described my favorite way to perfume body cream in One Perfume, Four Ways to Wear It. I put cream into the palm of my hand and add a couple of sprays of perfume, mix thoroughly and apply to my skin. That’s exactly what I do in the lab when I need to quickly check how the scented oils will work with the base, and it works well enough at home to. You will enjoy a delicate veil of scent and silky soft skin.
This is a quick and easy method that applies to any perfume, and of course, the lighter the scent of your cream, the better a fragrance will bloom. Among my favorite unscented lotions are Curel Fragrance-Free Moisturizer, Alba Botanica Original Body Lotion Unscented and almost anything from Eucerin and Bioderma. By contrast, Cetaphil lotion, which I like on its own, made my perfume smell dull and plasticky. I also don’t recommending using jojoba oil, which has its own distinctive scent. Almond oil, on the other hand, is wonderful with fragrances rich in amber, woods and vanilla.
If you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of the product in case something goes wrong, take a clean glass jar–to be on the safe side, I sterilize mine by baking them in the oven at 250F/120C for 30 minutes–and make a tiny test batch. Add two tablespoons of lotion and about two sprays of perfume, mix with a clean spoon, cover the jar tightly and leave in a dark, cool place for a few days. When you open the jar and examine your creation, check if it still smells the way your perfume should. In some cases, the addition of lotion will smother the top notes or change the balance slightly, but if the perfume smells sour, musty, or acrid, throw the test batch away. If, on the other hand, you’re happy with the scent, you can try making a larger quantity. Be diligent about sterilizing your jars and other implements, and make only as much scented lotion as you would use within a couple of weeks.
Once you find your perfect perfume and lotion match, you might indulge in such scented fantasies as Serge Lutens La Myrrhe cream or L’Artisan Parfumeur Passage d’Enfer body oil. You can also use essential oils to create your own simple blends, mixing rose and vetiver or jasmine and vanilla (start with 3 drops per 1 ounce of lotion or unscented carrier oil like almond, apricot kernel or grapeseed; add more as needed). Handmade creations may require a bit more effort to put together than simply handing over your credit card at a department store, but the rewards are plenty, not the least of which is the pleasure of playing with scents.
Photography by Bois de Jasmin
If you have your favorite unscented lotions or creams, please let me know in the comments.
91 Comments
Martyn: This is a good idea, and one that is often extended to the field of aromatherapy. For example, a neutral cream base with the addition of a couple of drops of lavender essential oil smells wonderfully uplifting and is great at both healing and disinfecting the skin.
One thing worth mentioning when you talk about baking the pots in the oven: make absolutely certain they’re made of glass or ceramic! Lots of cosmetics manufacturers use little pots that resemble glass but are made of clear plastic, and these will melt in your oven, leaving a mess and a dreadful stink. April 3, 2013 at 8:08am
Barbara: How do you sterilize plastic jars? Or is it better to use glass? April 3, 2013 at 8:45am
OperaFan: Barbara – I drop my plastic jars into a small pot of boiling water. If it’s hard plastic, the process should be safe. I’ve also sterilized glass containers this way. April 3, 2013 at 9:42am
Victoria: OperaFan’s way is how I do it. Or I put them in the steamer, another good method. April 3, 2013 at 9:56am
Victoria: Barbara, I was replying to Martyn and forgot to answer the second part of your question. If you have choice, do go for glass or ceramic jars. Plastic might absorb scents, and it might be tricky to clean it. April 3, 2013 at 12:37pm
Victoria: True, there are so many wonderful combination that are soothing, relaxing or stimulating.
That’s a great point about plastic! I also think that the glass or ceramic jars are best of all, since they don’t absorb scents. April 3, 2013 at 10:02am
Barbara: I love this! I’ve been using your spray-and-rub method successfully with Neutrogena body oil and Lubriderm. April 3, 2013 at 8:44am
AndreaR: I love the spray and rub method as well and use Kiehl’s Creme de Corps. April 3, 2013 at 9:55am
Victoria: Kiehl’s Creme de Corps is a great moisturizing cream. I usually use it on its own, but I’m sure that it can work with perfumes too. April 3, 2013 at 4:29pm
Victoria: The spray-and-rub method is definitely my favorite, as it makes it easy to experiment. 🙂 April 3, 2013 at 9:59am
Emma M: Hi Barbara, do you use the regular neutrogena oil, or the unscented? The unscented is harder to find here in the UK, so I’m wondering if the scented one works as well? April 3, 2013 at 4:40pm
Barbara: Emma, it’s called Body Oil Light Sesame Formula Fragrance Free. I got it on sale otherwise I wouldn’t have it bought it, but it’s good. April 4, 2013 at 8:54am
kuri: How lovely! I will have to try this as soon as I use up my scented lotions. April 3, 2013 at 9:09am
Victoria: Hope that you like it! Wearing perfume this way can be very interesting as you create a veil of scent. April 3, 2013 at 9:56am
Elia: This is perfect for me! I’m a student so my budget is tight and I can never afford the scented lotions. After months of saving I finally got my mitts on Rahat Loukoum. Can’t wait to try it with my body cream. April 3, 2013 at 9:16am
Victoria: Congratulations on your Rahat Loukoum, Elia! Enjoy it! Now, that might work well with some almond oil. 🙂 April 3, 2013 at 9:55am
Deborah: THANK YOU, I’m ready to experiment! And I don’t like accumulating the jars of body cream, as I would prefer the fragrance itself. April 3, 2013 at 9:19am
Victoria: I like well-made scented lotions, but the luxury, “matching the scent” varieties are rarely interesting. One of the few exceptions may be Chanel products, which are invariably great, even for perfumes I don’t enjoy wearing in the EDT/EDP versions. April 3, 2013 at 9:54am
Marge Clark: Because of the alcohol content I never thought you could add perfume to the unscented creams…I always add Essential oils or absolutes. But I’m about to try spritzing some Maroc pour Elle into my Silken Skin lotion. Thank you for the suggestion!!! (another way to sterilize softer plastic jars is to rinse with 10% chlorine bleach/water mixture. let air dry overnight (upside down on a rack( the bleach aroma disappears. April 3, 2013 at 9:48am
Victoria: Yes, that’s why I don’t recommend making large batches. The commercial perfume contains alcohol and water, so the solution isn’t likely to remain stable. But for small portions that get used up quickly, it works in a pinch. April 3, 2013 at 9:52am
OperaFan: I love this topic! Making our own perfume scented moisturizers is a far more economical way of expanding uses for our multiple-lifetime’s worth of collections! I bought a tub of Amoureuse body cream several years ago, and have hardly made a dent in it since I use it sparingly, in rotation, and only seasonally.
Your method would allow us to make just enough for our needs, and only when we need it. I also like to “incubate” my scented blends before using because it results in a stronger infusion.
Great suggestions on products to use. I’ve been using the Alba Botanica for this purpose, and add extra oils to intensify richness in winter months, and rosewater for the summer. April 3, 2013 at 9:53am
Victoria: I was given a big tub of Estee Lauder White Jasmine and Moss, which sat for so long that it finally turned rancid. It was a great cream, but very strongly scented, much like Amoureuse. As I mentioned earlier, I do love the commercial scented products, but if I need to streamline my expenses, these products would be the first to go. In some cases, the luxury brands use standard product bases that are no better than the drugstore variety, so I don’t feel like paying a premium for the brandname alone.
You mention a great point about the scent getting stronger in the blend as it macerates. I also find it to be the case. April 3, 2013 at 10:10am
Beth: Thanks for the suggestions Victoria! I have dry skin and am 1/2 way through a 170lb weight loss journey. I’m afraid if I don’t moisturize at least 2x a day, my skin is going to sag to my ankles.
I’ve been using unscented lubriderm in the morning, and cocoa butter at night, but I’m up for trying anything. I’ve been afraid to try scented in the morning in case it clashes with my perfume for the day, but if I could mix in some of my favorite scents and use those together, that would be great.
I had a great body scrub that was a scented oil and sugar, and after I used that with a hot shower, there was no need for moisturizer afterward. I’m wondering if I could recreate the same with a deeply hydrating oil, fragrance and sugar. April 3, 2013 at 10:06am
Victoria: That’s a terrific goal, and I wish you luck! You will make it and be beautifully scented all the way.
You can definitely make your own sugar scrub, and I bet that it will be even better than the store-bought one! I have a recipe with some other suggestions here:
https://boisdejasmin.com/2012/09/rose-and-vanilla-almond-oil-treatment-for-lustrous-skin.html
In this recipe I usually almond oil, but jojoba oil is excellent too. Another great oil for skin is olive, but it’s heavier. I mix it with honey, lemon juice and rub it well into the dry skin. Then I take a bath or a hot shower, and my skin feels silky and soft for the whole day. April 3, 2013 at 10:16am
solanace: Congratulations, Beth! I lost 80 pounds myself, and perfume helped me a lot, since it is a huge sensual pleasure with no calories. 🙂 April 3, 2013 at 12:36pm
Victoria: Impressive! I’m so happy for you, and I can completely understand how perfume can help on this quest. The enjoyment, the pleasure, the discovery–it can be exhilarating and motivating. April 3, 2013 at 5:00pm
Rose D: Having gone through a considerable weight loss myself, I can definitely relate to your case. Skin can be very forgiving; but you are right: it needs special pampering while going through such a drastic change.
I too have dry skin (from the neck down) and it gets far worse during winter. The only over-the-counter product that really helps me is Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Honey Drops Body Cream. It is very rich, mildly exfoliating, and reasonably-priced when compared to most perfumery brands.
Also consider giving a try to sweet almond oil: it is specially recommended for skins that do not react very well to petroleum-based lotions. As a plus, it it one of the most blendable carrier oils and you can scent it to suit your tastes.
Some people find it helpful to rub on baby oil when skin is still damp from the shower. Personally, my skin does not absord mineral oil very well and most of these products are already scented; so they are not a good alternative for creating fragrances at home.
Wish you luck and hopefully you find these recommendations helpful 🙂 April 3, 2013 at 11:14pm
Beth: Thank you all so much! I’m going the try the sweet almond oil, and try that with the sugar scrub Victoria mentioned as well. Solance, I absolutely agree, perfume is a piece of decadence that can make you feel indulgent without all the calories! April 4, 2013 at 6:49am
Farouche: Beth, I’ve also lost weight (not as much as you!) and have definitely replaced carbs with perfume as a reward when I feel I deserve one 🙂 April 4, 2013 at 7:47am
Betsy: I love this helpful article! I always found scented creams thin and sticky, even within the most expensive lines. I will be trying this tonight! April 3, 2013 at 10:47am
Victoria: Glad that you liked it! The sticky finish is something I don’t like in creams either, so when you play around, you can choose your favorite cream and your favorite perfume. April 3, 2013 at 12:31pm
Samantha: One of my biggest disappointments was Amouage Dia lotion. It wasn’t strongly scented at all and I should’ve bought Dia perfume instead. 🙁 So thanks for your tips, I’ll try them. April 3, 2013 at 10:58am
Johanob: I got the whole “sticky mess” episode with Hermes 24 Fauborg lotion,which also had a bad,plasticky smell to it.Dreadful!Shall try and make my own now! April 3, 2013 at 12:04pm
Victoria: I haven’t tried Amouage body products, but I can imagine why you would be disappointed. Their lotions are really expensive to boot. At least, Dia is strong enough that you can use it with most unscented lotions. April 3, 2013 at 12:33pm
Lavanya: This post couldn’t have come at a better time. I have been craving scented lotions but have bottles of unscented lotions and creams. Now I know what I’m going to do with my alba. Boos des iles? Thanks! April 3, 2013 at 11:58am
Lavanya: Bois April 3, 2013 at 11:58am
Victoria: Oh, that sounds wonderful! I confess that I treated myself to a Bois des Iles bath recently and loved it–2 sprays of Bois des Iles into the bath water, mix with your hand, get it and dream on… April 3, 2013 at 12:34pm
Johanob: I love this topic,such a great suggestion!I see you used a Lutens in 1,I want to experiment with Louve a bit!
I do splurge on the Chanel body cream,which goes wonderfully with any of the perfumes from Chanel.I do add some pure No 5 parfum to a drop of cream before I apply it,sometimes!It makes the whole ritual extra special!Off to experiment now,would love some more recipes!!;-) April 3, 2013 at 11:59am
Victoria: Yes, I’ve used La Myrrhe + Eucerin lotion, and it was great. By the way, if you still have your Chanel No 5 cream, try a small spray of La Myrrhe over it. It’s a wonderful combination. April 3, 2013 at 12:35pm
Johanob: Victoria,now that just sounds absolutely devine,I shall definitely try that!Thank you! April 3, 2013 at 5:31pm
Rose D: I am another fan of Chanel body products!
N°5 body lotion is among my few splurges in this section. True, it is pricey; but it is great worth for your money. Even when I am only wearing the lotion and a few drops of the extrait, other people often comment my perfume does get noticed.
Another product I love is the Sheer Moisture Mist. It is a summer fave, for those days when my other combination feels too strong. April 3, 2013 at 11:20pm
mazlifa: Agree with you Johanob. I always get compliments when I use the No5 Cream. Its luxurious and the fragrance last. Try using it before going to bed and you’ll notice the fine whift when you get up. Also love their hair mist. April 4, 2013 at 12:30am
Victoria: Chanel body care products are formulated really elegantly, and the scents are really well-crafted too. Then again, they are renowned for their attention to detail. April 4, 2013 at 5:43am
Kate: Love this topic! As i am getting older (sigh…quite difficult to type that ) I realize that my fragrances are not blending with my body chemistry. My perfumes seem to lie on top of my skin and even one small spray seems to smell so strong. I’m always looking for flanker products in my favorite scents but I agree wholeheartedly that the quality just doesn’t seem to be there in these products. So now I guess I’m into a whole new obsession – making bath products from my perfumes! Any suggestions from the 50+ crowd about finding fragrance products would be appreciated! April 3, 2013 at 12:34pm
Victoria: Kate, perhaps, your tastes are also changing, and it might be good to see what kind of scents still smell good to you. If it’s definitely a change in your skin chemistry–and our skin gets older as we age, as I notice myself, then moisturizing will definitely help. I love almond oil, which is wonderful for any skin, and it doesn’t clash with perfume.
Also, try to play around with different types of scents–citrus, green, ambery, gourmand, etc–just to check what works with your chemistry best. As you explore, please feel free to post here and ask for suggestions. I will be happy to help with more advice. April 3, 2013 at 4:46pm
solanace: Thank’s for the great tips, V! April 3, 2013 at 12:35pm
Victoria: My pleasure! 🙂 April 3, 2013 at 4:46pm
Annie: Because I haven’t seen anyone bring it up, and it such a luscious cream, try Amouage Gold in it’s solid form. It is softer, rounder, and my go-to when I need something elegant but softly embracing. I wish I could make it on my own to cut the cost, but will just have to save it for those most special times when one needs an elegant hug from one’s Parisian Grandmother. April 3, 2013 at 1:15pm
Victoria: Sounds wonderful! Gold is my favorite from Amouage, and whenever I wear it, I sniff my wrists obsessively. April 3, 2013 at 4:47pm
Johanob: Annie,I love your Gold description!Amouage Dia is my “parisian grandmother”!hehe!Wonderful. April 3, 2013 at 5:37pm
Ann: I love great smelling face/skin toners that I sort of spray in the air, on my face, arms, etc. during the day (I work from home) when I need a picker-upper and don’t want to keep dousing myself in more and more perfume. The really nice skin toners can also be an expensive habit, so I make my own now. I use a bottle that used to hold Devita’s Moroccan Rose Facial Toner (I sterilize it in the dishwasher before reuse). The Rose Facial Toner is wonderful, but I go through $30+ worth in a couple of weeks!
Here’s my very simple recipe: approximately 2.5 oz. water, 1.5 oz. witch hazel, .25 oz of high quality face oil (i.e. Acure’s Organic Argon Oil), and about .10 -.15 oz of a not too complicated fruity or floral perfume (I have used Shiseido’s Zen (purple, limited edition), Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune, and Yves Rocher’s Iris Noir (individually, not mixed!)– but I am sure there are hundreds that would work just as well.
Before spraying, I shake the bottle, and then spray refreshing bliss… April 3, 2013 at 1:46pm
Victoria: Thank you, Ann! Someone was mentioning the other day that they wanted a lighter version of Pamplelune, so your recipe might be just right.
But P.S. I should warn others with sensitive skin like mine about spraying perfume on their face, even in a diluted form. For this same reason, I try to stay away from any scented skincare, and my skin tolerates even the natural rose water only when significantly diluted in distilled water. But it works beautifully on the rest of my body. April 3, 2013 at 4:48pm
@19coco76: I tried another method,I wore the unscented lotion,and sprayed the perfume directly on my body,I did that long time ago. I think the best way to mix a perfume with a non scented lotion together is to use a perfume(oil) April 3, 2013 at 3:01pm
Victoria: I do that as well, and it works too. I just like the spray-and-rub method (as Barbara called it), because you can distribute the fragrance more evenly over skin. It changes the way it’s perceived too, but it can be a good thing. April 3, 2013 at 4:50pm
Emma M: This discussion is really helpful – as I have sensitive / reactive skin, I often find myself avoiding body products from the fragrance counter too, having learned over the years to stick to tried and tested brands.
Hoping that the ‘spray and rub’ technique will offer me a way to try out different scents when I fancy a change, without ending up stockpiling products I can’t use because of bad skin reactions. I also tend to get bored of scented products easily, so making up small quantities appeals to me. April 3, 2013 at 4:36pm
Victoria: This way you can definitely play around with different options and since you make little quantities at a time, it’s easy and fairly economical.
Plus, it can get addictive when you start combining and discovering great combinations! April 3, 2013 at 4:55pm
Bela: I’ve been using YDAN body cream for three years (I was given a pot, used it and bought another one). It is gorgeous. I don’t care if it doesn’t go with whatever perfume I’m using that day: it makes me happy when I rub it into my arms and shoulders. The scent dissipates fairly quickly anyway.
What I wouldn’t buy are expensive bath products> As far as I’m concerned, it’s money down the drain – literally. April 3, 2013 at 4:51pm
Victoria: Youth Dew Amber Nude? I wish I still had some of the perfume, because it was fantastic. The combination of amber, woods and the bitter chocolate note that didn’t register as foody in the slightest felt addictive. April 3, 2013 at 4:57pm
maja: Ok, I just read this and went to apply a bit of YDAN with a spoon of almond oil. Wow! Maybe this will be the way to use up my bottle since the perfume is quite overpowering on its own. Victoria, if you need some, I’m here 🙂 April 4, 2013 at 4:12am
Victoria: Thank you very much, Maja! So kind. 🙂 April 4, 2013 at 5:15am
Bela: The actual perfume barely grazed my consciousness when it came out – 1) b/c I don’t like Tom Ford (of course I know hardly anything about him so I may be completely wrong about his personality); 2) b/c the perfume seemed a tiny bit harsh when I tried it). In fact I was so uninterested in it that I gave away several samples I had. But much later a friend gave me a tub of the Sensual Body Cream and I got hooked. Another friend has since given me half a bottle of the juice – and I still like the cream better. I have also smelled the lotion and it’s nowhere near as gorgeous and warm as that cream. April 4, 2013 at 8:31am
Masha: Great post! I also use dimethicone with petigrain and vanilla for a very cheerful hair smoother. For lotion, the Alba Botanica is my favorite, it seems to work with everything. April 3, 2013 at 7:45pm
Victoria: I love Alba Botanica products in general, and their Midnight Tuberose smells exactly like La Chasse aux Papillons by L’Artisan. Since we don’t get this line in Belgium, I stock up whenever I’m in NYC. April 4, 2013 at 5:24am
Lydia: Thanks for all this wonderful information!
How much lotion do you think would be the right amount to combine with a typical small sample vial of perfume – would that equal one spray or two?
I’ve always been curious about how much liquid comes out of a perfume bottle when you use the spray applicator. April 3, 2013 at 10:58pm
Victoria: It depends on perfume, but for my “spray-and-rub” method, start with a tablespoon of lotion and add 1/4 of the sample vial. Mix well and then check if you need to add more. Better to start with less. April 4, 2013 at 5:32am
Jane Barber: Interesting article. Taking a look at the comments, if you decide to add water don’t forget to add preservative too. I am training as a formulator and teach how to make skin/hair care products. I have free lotion/cream/moisturiser tutorials and recipes (including how to tailor to your skin type) on my blog. Jane x April 4, 2013 at 3:19am
Victoria: Your training sounds great! I had to do a crash course on formulation too not long ago, and it was fascinating. It’s also best to use distilled water as well, but in general, the moment you add water, preservatives become important. Plus, I’m always worried about contamination, which is why I avoid face creams that come in jars. April 4, 2013 at 5:41am
Jane Barber: I find formulating fascinating too. Yes, I agree, distilled water is much better than tap and a bottle with a valve opening is preferred to that of an open jar. [redacted] April 4, 2013 at 10:22am
Victoria: Exactly! I don’t understand why so many face creams come in these unsanitary screw top jars.
(Jane, my comments section has a special website field where you can add your business/blog link. Otherwise, my spam filter automatically holds your comments and if I don’t catch them in time, they will be deleted). April 4, 2013 at 10:58am
loledinburgh: Thanks for this very interesting and useful post, Victoria!
Can you recommend a place to get cheap and small crystal or ceramic containers to start experimenting? I’m based in U.K. but online shopping is not a problem,
Thanks in advance,
Lo. April 4, 2013 at 7:45am
Victoria: I love mountainroseherbs.com (go to the Packaging section, and click on glass jars–their selection is great). I would also recommend searching on Ebay and Amazon.co.uk. You can sometimes find great deals.
A French based site I like is aroma-zone.com (scroll in the left sidebar all the way to “Flaconnages vides” and select “Pots”.) They have plastic and glass jars in various sizes. April 4, 2013 at 11:03am
loledindurgh: thanks a lot ,Victoria. April 4, 2013 at 1:19pm
Tammie: Great article! Have you tried CeraVe cream? I wonder if it could work. April 4, 2013 at 9:27am
Victoria: Thank you, Tammie. Unfortunately, I’ve never tried CeraVe, so I can’t say much about it. Perhaps, others who’ve tried will comment. April 4, 2013 at 10:58am
Sofia: Hi Victoria, I loved your post because I am also always skeptical of this “the lotion helps the perfume last longer” thing. Thank you for sharing which creams you consider work well as a base too! April 4, 2013 at 11:44am
Victoria: I’m glad to hear it! 🙂 I will add other unscented lotion recommendations as I come across new products. Eucerin and Bioderma are my most recent discoveries, and I hear that Avene has a couple of good options. April 4, 2013 at 1:27pm
NeenaJ: I went out and purchased the fragrance-free Curel lotion last night just so I could try this. A palm full plus 2 spritzes of Serge Lutens Santal Majascule before bed and I still smell delicious this morning. Brilliant!
I adore this blog both for the gorgeous writing and for the awesome comments of the readers. Can’t wait to try the lentil mask! April 4, 2013 at 11:45am
Victoria: That’s why I love sharing with all of you. I learn so much from others, and it’s all very enjoyable. I’m so happy that you loved the results of the spray-and-rub method (thanks again to Barbara for coining this term!) Santal Majuscule wears like iron on me, and it’s a perfect perfume to dilute in some lotion. April 4, 2013 at 1:32pm
Joan: Thanks for this! I’ll make sure to try it! April 4, 2013 at 3:32pm
Victoria: Hope that you like the results! April 4, 2013 at 6:04pm
Daisy: What a terrific article! I like scented lotions and creams, but I have to admit that they usually turn before I can use up the whole thing. I recently discovered that my skin tends to prefer oils to creams and lotions, but sometimes it’s nice to have a lotion around the house. Thanks for this, Victoria! April 5, 2013 at 5:29pm
Victoria: I’m happy that you found it useful! Like you, I love using oils, and some perfumes can be mixed with oils (like almond or grapeseed) in a pinch. Anytime you mix perfume with another substance you alter it slightly, and it might require a bit of a trial and error. But it’s a fun experiment. 🙂 April 5, 2013 at 5:51pm
Amalia: You are brilliant! Any suggestion for a lotion or oil (or any tip ) mixing with my Philosykos EDP ? I adore this for summer but does not last like my beloved Elixir De Merveilles with the excellent sillage. Thank you for your time.Big hugs from Greece. Amalia July 17, 2013 at 8:14am
Victoria: You’re too kind! How about Korres Fig Body Milk, which should be available inexpensively in Greece? I haven’t tried layering them, but it seems like it would work. You could even take a little sample of Philosykos to the store and layer them at the counter to see how it works out. July 17, 2013 at 8:50am
Reds: Ok i have a question, what do i do if i already have a smell that i created from mixing multiple lotions together and i want to make that smell that i made my own lotion creation? February 13, 2014 at 3:02am
Victoria: Do you mean you want it as a perfume? February 13, 2014 at 3:06am
Benjamin: I want to produce my own perfume and cream, and is it good to use rose oil, aimond oil, jojoba, levender, for my own? Victoria pls help me October 20, 2017 at 4:06am
Victoria: Yes, that sounds like a good combination. October 20, 2017 at 7:59am
Vivian Lee: I’ve been doing this for years! I buy fancy containers (usually Avon) from thrift stores and run them through my dishwasher. Then I pour alcohol over them to finish sterilizing them and put my favorite unscented product in and put the perfume I want in it. That way it is as strong as I want. That way I only have to buy the perfume. I can perfume unscented powder, lotion, and body cream. I also buy vintage compacts, wipe them with alcohol on the inside and refill them using loose powder and alcohol. I scent them with a spritz of perfume and press them with something heavy. I even make perfumed blush. Thank you for your wonderful blog! September 22, 2020 at 4:51pm
Victoria: Thank you for so many great tips! I love the idea of filling a vintage compact. September 23, 2020 at 3:21am
Sharon Fuller: Thanks you so VERY much for sharing what what will soon become my HOLY GRAIL lotion, cream and powder creations! Amarige by Givenchy is the only perfume that I care to wear. However, both the powder and lotion products have been discontinued. I just made a rather strong bath of dusting powder out of cornstarch and two cotton balls drencher in 50 sprays of Amarige. Believe I’m going to dilute the mixture with a little baking soda and arrowroot powder. Thanks again for sharing this information. January 4, 2021 at 2:04pm