We all want our perfume to stay fresh throughout the day. However, commercial perfumes contain large amounts of alcohol, which causes them to evaporate within a few hours. And synthetic strong-hold fragrances can be uncomfortable for sensitive skin and lead to skin irritation.
So, how can you maintain the smell of your exotic fragrance for an entire day without hurting your skin? With a carrier oil! This guide is for anyone who wants to learn how to make the perfect perfume oil at home and which types of carrier oil to use.
What Are Carrier Oils?
Carrier oils, also known as vegetable oils, are extracted from a plant’s fatty parts. These oils are known for their soothing effects and resistance to evaporation.
They can be extracted in five different ways, and each technique produces a different type of oil. The extraction techniques are:
- Refined
- Partially Refined
- Unrefined
- Cold Pressed
- Expeller Pressed
Carrier oils are popularly used in aromatherapy and perfumes to deepen the scent and accentuate the fragrance with every hour. They’re also great for people who are allergic to synthetically generated perfumes and massage oil.
Remember, carrier oils are only used as a base for homemade perfumes or perfume oil and should be mixed with essential oils or aromatic ingredients of your choice. Although they’re safe for your skin, do not consider them direct replacements for perfume.
Top 5 Carrier Oils You Should Consider For Your Perfume
Now that you know what carrier oils are and how they can be useful, here’s a list of the best carrier oils for perfume.
1. Sweet Almond Oil Carrier Oil
Sweet almond oil is highly penetrative. It dives deep into your skin pores and unclogs them, creating enough scope for your skin to hold onto the perfume for a longer time.
The best part about this oil is that it’s suitable for every skin type because it’s hypoallergenic. As long as you dilute it properly, almost everyone can use this oil for perfume.
Other Benefits:
Sweet almond oil is not just an excellent ingredient for your homemade perfume, but it also comes with several other benefits for your skin, such as:
- Rich in vitamins and natural minerals
- Lightweight and highly penetrative
- Nourishes your skin and protects against sun damage
- Multi-purpose oil — can be used in soap, face mask, massage oil, etc.
2. Handcraft Sweet Almond Oil
As mentioned earlier, different techniques for extraction produce different types of carrier oils. That’s why this cold-pressed sweet almond oil is lightweight, free of hexane and chemicals, and does not have any fragrance of its own.
Although the natural smell of sweet almond oil is pretty appealing, using an odorless one allows the scent of your perfume to really shine through. Not to mention you also get moisturization, hydration, and protection from the sun with the flexibility to experiment with your own scents and aromatic ingredients to create a completely different fragrance.
Other Benefits:
A highly refined and cold-pressed sweet almond oil, it can quickly jazz up your perfume. Here are some other perks of this product:
- 100% vegan and cruelty-free
- Free from chemicals and preservatives
- Doesn’t contain alcohol, paraben, or sulfates
- Effective for skin conditions like Psoriasis and Eczema
- Compatible with other essential oils, including coconut, castor, and grapeseed
Imported from Spain, this oil is one of our favorite all-in-one beauty products. Use it to create your own timeless fragrances or add it to your daily skincare routine to get naturally flawless skin.
3. JOJOBA OIL Cold Pressed
Jojoba is a grade-A essential oil, meaning it’s only extracted from premium quality Jojoba Nut. Although natural Jojoba oil has a slightly nutty smell, this product is odorless, so you’re free to experiment with your own aromas.
What makes Jojoba an important part of your homemade perfume and perfume oil is its ability to hold fragrance. You can either mix it directly with your perfume or apply it to your skin before spraying the fragrance. In either case, it will quickly seep into your skin and create a layer that will hold onto the scent.
A standout feature is that Jojoba oil is non-greasy, which means you get all these benefits without leaving an oily residue on your skin. It’s also non-comedogenic, which means that it won’t clog pores and is safe to use on acne-prone skin.
Other Benefits:
Some other popular benefits of Jojoba oil include:
- Soothes and moisturizes your skin
- Doubles up as an effective skin cleanser
- Makes your hair naturally stronger and shinier
- Unclogs your pores and helps with common skin problems
More than anything else, Jojoba oil acts as the perfect base for your perfume. If you want a perfume that will last all day, Jojoba oil is the way to go.
4. MAJESTIC PURE Fractionated Coconut Oil
This oil is odorless, which means you can experiment with as many natural ingredients and fragrances as you want without the smell of coconut interfering.
This premium-grade coconut oil is processed to avoid solidifying, which is a problem that occurs with regular coconut oil. This oil does a great job of holding onto perfume and enhancing its scent. Not to mention its non-greasy texture helps you easily wash it out of your clothing.
Also, since it has an almost clear to slightly yellowish tint, you don’t have to worry about staining your outfit or bed sheets.
Other Benefits:
Coconut oil is also popular for its immense skin and hair benefits such as:
- Nourishes your hair and skin
- Doubles up as a shaving cream
- Provides relief from sunburns and skin damage
- Can be used as a makeup remover, massage oil, and lip balm
Another benefit of coconut oil is its long shelf life — on average, processed coconut oil can last anywhere between 1.5 to 2.5 years. Although coconut oil can be used on every skin type, we recommend you do a small patch test before using it with your perfume.
5. Cliganic USDA Organic Jojoba Oil
This oil’s quality has been tested and guaranteed by the USDA. Extracted from premium Jojoba seeds, it contains zero external preservatives, chemicals, fragrances, or additives. It’s also completely free of alcohol, allowing it to act as a great base carrier oil for every type of perfume, even alcohol-based ones.
Other Benefits:
We already know that Jojoba oil is an excellent choice for perfume oil and comes with several cosmetic benefits. But this oil here by Cliganic is 100% pure and organic, which gives it a few extra benefits, namely:
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Gentle on sensitive skin
- Non-greasy and absorbs fast in your skin
- Helps you get naturally healthy skin and hair
- Softens and nourishes beard and promotes growth
- Hydrating and effective in promoting scalp health
And to top it all off, Cliganic offers all its customers a guaranteed 90-day return window in case you’re not satisfied with the product.
How To Use Carrier Oils Safely
Carrier oils come in direct contact with your skin and seep into the layers underneath, so you need to be extra careful while picking them, especially if you have any allergies. Just like perfumes, not every carrier oil is safe for your skin. Different skin types have different tolerance levels.
For example, a lot of people are allergic to nuts. If you’re one of them, you should avoid carrier oils that come from almonds or walnuts.
Also, carrier oils are potent and can lead to skin irritation and rashes when used in high concentrations. That’s why you should always dilute them with a considerable amount of water before applying them to your skin.
For example, if you’re mixing carrier oils with essential oils, use only one drop of essential oil for every five drops of carrier oil.
And for adults using just carrier oil, a 30% dilution should be enough. This means that if you’re using ten drops of carrier oil, be sure to add at least three drops of water.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Use Carrier Oil?
Carrier oil can be used in two ways, either in the composition of your homemade perfume or as a base before spraying your commercial perfume.
Which Carrier Oil Has the Longest Shelf Life?
Jojoba oil has the longest shelf life and can last for up to five years, followed by coconut oil which lasts for approximately two years. Sweet almond oil has the shortest shelf life and lasts for around six months to a year.
Can You Refrigerate Carrier Oil?
It depends on the oil you’re using. For example, it’s okay to refrigerate sweet almond oil as refrigeration helps to retain its freshness for a longer time. But Jojoba oil and coconut oil may solidify in the fridge, and if you refrigerate avocado oil, it’ll lose its efficiency. It’s best to leave these types of oils in a secure perfume bottle.
Where Should You Apply Carrier Oil?
A carrier oil should be applied to your pulse areas right before your perfume. The extra heat emitted from these areas enables efficient diffusion and strengthens the fragrance.
Which Carrier Oil Is Best for Dry Skin?
If you have dehydrated and flaky skin, sweet almond oil and coconut oil are perfect for you. Both of these oils have an intrinsic moisturizing property that penetrates deep into your skin and nourishes it from within.
Can You Use Scented Carrier Oils for Perfume?
You can absolutely use scented carrier oils when making DIY perfume at home. But if you’re using a commercial perfume and want to retain its original scent, use only an odorless carrier oil.
Conclusion
Using a carrier oil is an excellent way to increase the longevity of your perfume. Each of the oils mentioned above does an excellent job of strengthening your perfume’s scent.
We realize you might need a little help with choosing the perfect carrier oil for perfume, so here’s a quick overview of these products:
- If you want a pure and organic carrier oil, go for Handcraft Sweet Almond Oil or Cliganic USDA Organic Jojoba Oil.
- If you’re looking for a non-greasy oil, go for MAJESTIC PURE Fractionated Coconut Oil or JOJOBA OIL Cold Pressed.
- If you want a multi-purpose oil with a stronghold on fragrance, buy the Sweet Almond Oil Carrier Oil.
- If you want a vegan carrier oil, the Handcraft Sweet Almond Oil or Cliganic USDA Organic Jojoba Oilwill suit you well.
NOTE: Each of the carrier oils mentioned in this guide has an impressive hold on perfumes and comes with an array of beauty benefits. No matter which oil you choose, you’ll still get one that works very well.
