Perfume is a classic gift, but it's even better if the perfume you give is a scent that you've created yourself – especially if you package it in a beautiful bottle. The perfume you make yourself is free from synthetic chemicals and can be fully customised to suit your personal tastes. Here's how to make your own perfume.

Ingredients

Perfume consists of a mixture of essential oils in a base oil, together with alcohol and water.

· 1/2 ounce jojoba oil or sweet almond oil

· 2-1/2 ounces ethanol

· 2 tablespoons spring water or distilled water (not tap water)

· Coffee filter

· Dark-coloured glass bottle

· 25 drops essential oils

Instructions

· Add the jojoba oil or sweet almond oil to your bottle.

· Add the essential oils in the following order: the base notes, followed by the middle notes, and then the top notes. Add a couple of drops of bridge notes, if desired.

· Add 2.5 ounces of alcohol.

· Shake the bottle for a couple of minutes, and then let it sit for between 48 hours to six weeks. The scent will change over time, becoming strongest at around six weeks.

· When the scent is where you want it to be, add two tablespoons of spring water to the perfume. Shake the bottle to mix the perfume, and then filter it through a coffee filter before pouring it into its final bottle.

· You may pour a little perfume into a decorative bottle, but in general, perfume should be stored in a sealed bottle, away from heat and light. Ideally, you should use a dark bottle with minimal airspace, since light and exposure to air degrade many essential oils.