Fragrance usage rates sure can be a conundrum.
When I first started working at Majestic Mountain Sage, I had only made soap and was only familiar with fragrancing soap. Since then, I’ve branched out into making lotion, and I’ve learned how to best use fragrance in lotions, creams, and similar products.
However, I have yet to venture into perfumes, body sprays, after bath splashes, and things of that nature. Join me as I take my maiden voyage into all things that we use to scent our bodies!
The first thing we must determine is whether or not a fragrance oil is skin-safe. Good news! All our fragrance oils are skin safe!
Second, what is the IFRA (International Fragrance Association) recommended usage rate for a particular fragrance? This is an important piece of information, as recommended usage rates can vary widely. You’ll find this information in the IFRA Statement link for each of our fragrance oils.
As an example, Alice Fragrance Oil has an IFRA recommended usage rate of 13.1% for perfumes. Conversely, 21 Fragrance Oil’s IFRA recommended usage rate is 38.4% for perfumes.
Here are some usage rate guidelines we shared many years ago:
- Perfume: 20-30% scenting oils in alcohol. (Try adding the scenting oils to a very high percentage alcohol before adding an emulsifier, as often you won’t need the emulsifier.)
- Eau de Parfum: 10-20% scenting oils in alcohol. (Try adding the scenting oils to a very high percentage alcohol before adding an emulsifier, as often you won’t need the emulsifier.)
- Eau de Toilette: 5-10% scenting oils in an alcohol and water base.
- Cologne: 3-5% scenting oils in an alcohol and water base.
- Room Sprays: 1-4% scenting oils in an alcohol or water base.
- Eau Fra che: 1-3% scenting oils in an alcohol and water base.
- After Shave: 1-2% scenting oils in alcohol and water base.
- After Bath Splash: 0.5-1% scenting oils in an alcohol and water base.
Join me as I take on the task of learning about these different ways to use fragrance to help the body smell delightful. I’ll be starting a series next week, so stay tuned!
Oh! This sounds like perfect timing for me! What is the best way to find the IFRA?
Hi Jessie. We publish the IFRA Statement on each fragrance oil’s page online. It is a PDF document you can download. This should be standard for any fragrance oil company from which you purchase fragrance oils.