Perfume Ingredients

The makeup for attending a special event, such as a party, is incomplete without a perfume. Using a perfume means a fresh aroma constantly accompanies everywhere you go, thus making your presence more noticeable. Today, perfumes are manufactured in a range of fragrances that have an awesome smell. No wonder these cosmetic products are selling like hot cakes.

What Does a Perfume Contain?

Do you know the perfume that you are using is made up of which ingredients? The answer will probably be 'no'. Very few people have the knowledge of perfume ingredients. It contains ingredients like water, alcohol, aroma oils and chemicals, that are mixed in appropriate proportions to make your favorite perfume. Other ingredients are listed below:

Essential Oils
A delightful aroma or fragrance of any perfume is due to the presence of natural oils in it. These essential oils are extracted from the plants and even fruits. Most perfumes available in the market contain high quality oils. These natural ingredients are a great addition and enhance the smell of the perfume. Lavender oil and tea tree oil are some of the most common essential oils derived from plants, to make a perfume. Some perfumes are a blend of rosemary oil, peppermint oil and spearmint oil that are equally capable of producing a heavenly aroma.

Plant Sources
As aforementioned, plant sources form an integral part of any list containing natural perfume ingredients. Roots, twigs, seeds, wood and flowers are some of the plant sources, from which fragrant oils are derived.

Chemicals
With chemicals being added in every cosmetic products, how can perfumes be left. The perfume industry also uses synthetic chemicals to imitate the aroma of natural ingredients. Some of the popular perfumes advertised on television contain harmful chemicals that can bring side effects, when in direct contact with the skin. Also, the fragrance that is a combination of hazardous chemicals, is sometimes unbearable and can make your colleagues and friend uncomfortable. The best option is to buy a natural perfume, as it is free from dangerous synthetic chemicals. Following are the chemicals found in some perfumes and are considered to be harmful:

• Benzyl Alcohol
• Ethyl acetate
• Benzaldehyde
• Formaldehyde
• Camphor

Animal Sources
Certain perfume ingredient come from animal sources. Well today, animals extracts also contribute in supplying a unique fragrance to a perfume. That sounds strange, isn't it, but is absolutely true. The popular civet or musk fragrance that are labeled on perfume bottles are actually derived from animal sources. Following are the animal sources that help to make a good scent.

• Honeycomb
• Ambergris
• Castoreum

Many perfumes available under different brands mimic that musk fragrance use synthetic chemicals. This is because the awareness generated among consumers regarding animal welfare. So the next time, you hear a popular brand selling civet fragrance perfumes, don't assume the scent to be an animal based product.

How to make Perfume at Home

Making a perfume at home is extremely simple. It is just a combination of 3-4 ingredients that can provide a fragrance that is at par with today's popular brands. Most importantly, the following ingredients used in homemade perfumes are safe and are free from side effects

• Distilled Water
• Ethyl Alcohol
• Essential lavender oil
• Essential bergamot oil

Preparation
In an airtight glass bottle, add 2 cups of distilled water. Mix 4 tablespoons of ethyl alcohol into the water. Now add 10 drops each of lavender and bergamot oil into the solution. Shake the bottle well so that all ingredients mix properly. Once, it is done, place it in a cool dry place for 2 days. The perfume thus formed can be sprayed on clothes, but ensure that you shake the bottle before use.

On the whole, with new type of perfumes and fragrances coming into the market everyday, perfume selection can become an uphill task. In such circumstances, checking the perfume ingredients list, pasted on various scent bottles is necessary. Buying a perfume that contains maximum number of natural ingredients and ensuring absence of harmful chemicals, is the key to choose a safe product.