Ethanol (95–96%) → best for alcohol perfumes.
DPG (Dipropylene Glycol) → often used for heavier, sticky or crystalline materials. It also helps dissolve things that don’t dissolve well in ethanol.
Benzyl benzoate → another option for sticky resins, but not essential unless you struggle with solubility.
The raw materials usually come in potent power, viscous or crystalline form.
Usually a very small amount goes a long way and the raw material is mixed with one of the base materials in a ratio of 0.1%-10% depending on intensity in order to create a solution.
Kind of like water color in which you dip the brush with water to solve a tiny amount of the color and paint.
in order to make a solution a small bottle (usually a 10ml amber vial) is used.
for a standard 10% solution, measure 1g of powder with a precision scale, then add 9g solvent.
Some Fragrances are especially potent and are mixed at a much smaller ratio
solutions cheat sheet
Solutions and powders should be best kept dark and cool
A perfume usually consists of 3 layers:
Smell right away (that’s your top).
Wait 20 min, smell again (that’s your heart).
Smell the paper the next morning (that’s your base).