A roll-on perfume is a perfume oil diluted in a carrier oil, in a small bottle with a roller ball. It takes three things to make, applies neatly to wrists and neck, and fits in a pocket. Below is how strong to make it, followed by five blends to start with.
What you need
- Perfume oils: one oil on its own, or a blend of two or three. Browse our perfume oils.
- A carrier oil: sweet almond oil or jojoba oil both stay liquid and have very little smell. Refined coconut oil also works, but it turns solid in a cool, air-conditioned room.
- Roll-on bottles: 10 ml glass roll-ons are the usual size.
How strong should a roll-on perfume be?
For most blends, start with about 10% perfume oil and 90% carrier oil. In a 10 ml roll-on, that is about 1 ml of perfume oil, or roughly 20 drops. Some people prefer a stronger oil at 15% to 20%.
Before you go stronger, check the safety limit for each oil. Every perfume oil has a maximum level for use in a perfume, and it varies a lot between oils. On our product pages, it is listed under "Perfumes" in the usage table. Lavender can be used at over 40% of a perfume, while rose is limited to 2.38%, so a 10% rose roll-on would be well over its limit. For a blend, check each oil separately against the share of the bottle it will make up.
How to make it
- Add the perfume oil, or each oil in your blend, to the empty roll-on bottle.
- Top the bottle up with carrier oil, leaving a little space at the neck.
- Press the roller ball firmly into place and screw on the cap.
- Roll the bottle between your hands for a minute to mix.
- Label it, then leave it for a day or two before wearing so the oils blend together.
Five blends to try
The parts below are shares of the perfume oil. For a 10% roll-on, the perfume oil adds up to about 20 drops, so "3 parts to 1" is about 15 drops and 5 drops.
- Energising: 3 parts grapefruit to 1 part peppermint.
- Calming: 2 parts lavender, 1 part vanilla and 1 part lemon.
- Bright floral: 1 part grapefruit to 1 part jasmine.
- Floral: 3 parts jasmine to 1 part lime.
- Warm and spicy: 3 parts lime to 1 part clove.
All five stay within their oils' perfume limits at 10%. Citrus oils such as grapefruit, lemon and lime can make skin more sensitive to sunlight, so avoid applying citrus blends to skin that will be in direct sun.
Before you wear it
Do a patch test first: roll a little onto the inside of your forearm and wait 24 hours. If there is any redness or itching, don't use it. Store roll-ons away from heat and sunlight, which break fragrance down, so not in a hot car.
Want to go further than a single oil? Our guide How to make perfume oil at home covers building a blend from top, heart and base notes, and how to make it last longer.