Solid Perfume - The French Alternative

Most perfumes are made from alcohol, and they evaporate quickly. Jackie French's recipe for solid perfume is a combination of essential oils and beeswax, and so the fragrance lingers for hours.

Homemade solid perfume

• 1 tbsp beeswax
• 3 tbsp almond oil
• 3 tsp essential oils (Jackie likes a teaspoon each of rose, oak moss and lavender oil)

1. Place the beeswax and almond oil in a saucepan and heat slowly until the wax has just melted. Take off the heat at once.
2. Stir in the essential oils. Mix together well.
3. Pour into a small, wide-mouthed jar.

To use: apply a small amount behind the ears or on other pulse points on the body, such as the neck and wrists.

Jackie's tips

Craft shops, department stores or health food stores usually have a good range of essential oils. Choose the oils that you like best, then vary the recipe to create a perfume that suits you perfectly. You might like to try orange oil or lemon grass oil instead of the oak moss oil, or jasmine oil instead of rose oil.

Note: as this perfume contains oil it can stain fabrics, although it won't once it's rubbed into your skin.

Further reading

This story is in the June edition of the Burke's Backyard magazine, available at newsagents for $4.60.

Copyright CTC Productions 2001