Okay. I have this crazy (and I mean it) obsession with perfume. Sale on perfume? Done. Perfume as a gift? Very thoughtful. Perfume counter or aisle at the clothing store? You know where to find me. I don’t even know why I love it so much, but I’m much more likely to buy a new perfume over a new pair of shoes or purse (or I’ll get all three).

I know for one thing, that my passion for fragrance comes out of the mixture of scents, and figuring out what smells good on you. For instance, my mom can hold an oriental scent for the majority of the day, and it smells amazing on her. My sister, Mads, is best with floral, and I’m best matched with a fresher scent. It’s a matter of personality type (choosing what you like) and your bodily makeup (different oils and your natural scent).

Another part of perfume that I love so much is the making of it. I love to mix oils together and see how they smell. I’ll be honest, sometimes (or most the time) I make a mixture that just smells bleh! In those instances, I cry over the wasted drops of oils and pour the nasty smelling liquid down the sink. Sometimes, though, on that rare occasion, I create a mixture that’s amazing, and I do a jig while feeling like Christian Dior. You know it, the feeling of, “That was me! I did that!” So, my obsession, a.k.a. addiction, goes further than just buying a new perfume.

“What makes a perfume?” you may ask. Why, let me tell you. A perfume, down to its core, is simply 100% alcohol (such as 100 proof vodka) and oils, whether they be fragrance oils or essential oils. Now, when you go to the store, you’ll see the eau de parfum and the eau de toilette (the former is stronger than the latter). How you achieve that is by having different concentrations. The more fragrance oils and the less alcohol you have, the better your perfume’s quality and strength, and vice versa. That’s why your eau de parfume, such as Chanel, is so expensive, but that also has to do with the value of the oils used to make the fragrance.

Why you are looking for a fragrance, or you’re trying to make one yourself, there are three categories of scent: top notes, middle (or heart) notes, and base notes. Every oil you use will go into one of these categories.

The top not is the first note you and anyone around you smells. It’s kind of like an introduction to the fragrance. Even though it is strong at first, the scent doesn’t last but a few hours. A few different top notes that you may be familiar with are Chamomile, Gardenia, Lemon, Lime, Lavender, Mint, Clove, and Peach. You might be thinking right now about what fragrances you have and how they introduce themselves. Let’s move on.

The middle note is a kind of complementary scent. Since we have the proper introduction (top note), we’ll call this the conversation. It lasts longer, and you could even smell traces of it a day after you sprayed it on. This note gives the fragrance more personality, and is more of the blossoming area for the scent. Some middle notes are Freesia, Jasmine, Lilac, Rose, Lily of the Valley, and Ylang Ylang.

The last note is the base note. This could be considered the true character of the fragrance. You’ve had the conversation, but this is when you really know the fragrance. The base note can last days after you’ve sprayed it on, but you’ll usually only notice it for about eight to ten hours. A list of base notes you might know would be Musk, Patchouli, Sandalwood, and Vanilla.

So, when you make perfume, you pour out your amount of alcohol, then add the oils. Before using precious drop of oils and alcohol, though, test your created blend on a cotton round or in a bowl, adding a drop of each. If you don’t like it, don’t use it!

Here’s a tip! If you want your middle or base notes to be as noticeable as your top notes—add more drops! I kept searching and searching to see if my assumption of how that worked was correct. When I found that, yes, that’s how it worked, I knew I couldn’t hide my discovery.

With these tips on perfumery, you can make many other things besides spray. You can make candles, soaps, and lotions, all with these personalized smells! It really is a true joy. Enjoy!