Homemade Lilac Perfume

Bring the beauty of spring into every season with homemade lilac perfume. This easy guide explains how to make homemade perfume with essential oils, the meaning behind the lilac flower myth, and the calming benefits of lilac oil. A simple, budget-friendly way to create a fragrance that feels timeless.

I love a good perfume. Seriously, if I had to admit how many bottles I have, I may just feel a bit ashamed. It’s a lot ya’ll. But when I sit down and think about what my favorites are, the one that sticks out above the rest is my DIY lilac perfume. Yes, I find a homemade perfume to be better than any of the other store bought or designer perfumes I have.

There’s something about the smell of lilacs that feels like stepping back into a favorite memory. It’s light, sweet, and of fresh flowers without being overpowering. For me, it is a scent that is tied to the magic of late spring and early summer when the windows are open and the sun isn’t blistering hot. But the smell of fresh lilac flowers is a soft scent that makes me feel like I love being a woman.

The only problem is that lilacs don’t last long. One week they’re in full bloom, and before you know it, the flowers fade, leaving me missing the fragrance that fills the air.

That’s where homemade lilac perfume comes in. Instead of waiting for lilac season to roll back around, you can capture the scent and keep it with you all year long. Making perfume at home allows you to create a scent that is truly unique to you while doing it for so much cheaper than most other perfumes will cost you. It is a project that can feel fancy, but is actually really simple.

How Do You Make Lilac Perfume?

Homemade lilac perfume is super easy to make. For the base, you can use either rubbing alcohol or vodka depending on what you prefer or have on hand. Both act act as a preservative keeping your homemade perfume fresher for longer.

You can use either lilac scents fragrance oil. And finally, jojoba oil or sweet almond oil as a carrier oil to finish the base keeping it on your body longer. Shake in your spray bottle and you’re ready to go!

One thing you should know is that true lilac essential oil doesn’t exist. The flowers and stem are too delicate for steam distillation which is how most essential oils are made. Instead the scent of lilacs is captured through a process like enfleurage. This is where delictate flowers blossoms are layered into fat or oil until the scent is absorbed. Because that method is slow and expensive, most people use lilac absolute oil or a high quality lilac fragrance oil when making perfume at home. No matter which you choose, your final product will still be amazing!

The Lilac Flower Myth

Lilacs carry more than fragrance. They’re also deeply rooted in mythology. According to Greek legend, a forest nymph named Syringa caught the attention of Pan; the god of the fields and forests. Pan chased Syringa through the woods and in her need to escape, she transformed into a lilac bush.

When Pan discovered the fragrant bush, the nymph was gone, but her blossoms remained. From the reeds of the lilac plant, Pan crafted the first pan flute as a way to remember her. This story gave lilacs their botanical name, Syringa vulgaris, and left them tied to themes of beauty, love, and the fleeting nature of romance.

The Benefits of Lilac Oil

Even though true lilac essential oil isn’t something you’ll find, lilac oil still has quite a few benefits. Most of these are tied to aromatherapy and emotional aromatherapy rather than physical benefits but that doesn’t make them any less valuable.

• Calming and uplifting: Lilac blossoms are known for reducing stress and easing anxiety. It has a naturally soothing quality that is close to lavender essential oil that can make even a bad day feel a little lighter.
• Mood support: Smells are tied to memory and lilac often sparks positive associations with the scent of the flowers. Wearing homemade lilac perfume can boost your mood simply by reminding you of spring or past moments of happiness.
• Skin and body care: Lilac absolute, when diluted properly, is sometimes added to skincare products. DIY perfume with lilac is also believed to have a gentle, soothing effect on the skin.

If you’re wanting to make a DIY lilac perfume, go for it! It’s so simple that you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it before! It allows you to make a natural perfume with the cost of a purchase that really isn’t worth the price per ounce.