How to Make Rose Petal Perfume

Creating an Alcohol-Based Perfume

Rinse the roses gently in cold water. If the water is too warm, it may release some of the flower’s aromatic oils before you collect them. Rinsing will remove fertilizer, dirt, insects, and any other contaminants you don’t want inside your perfume. Don’t worry about trying to rinse thoroughly between the petals. Do not dry the petals after rinsing. You will probably need between 1 and 3 roses, depending on the type of rose and the size of the petals.

Remove 3/4 cup (180 g) of petals from the roses. Note that the petals can come from any type or color of rose. To remove the petals, grasp the stem with one hand and tear the petals off with the other. Be careful not to skewer yourself on any thorns. Consider using a thorn stripper if you're very concerned with pricking yourself on the thorns.

Place the petals in a large glass jar with a lid. You can also use a bowl if it comes with a lid too, but whatever option you choose must be able to hold at least 5 cups (1,200 mL) of liquid and be sealable. A mason jar with a screw-top lid would work well.

Pour ⁄2 cup (120 mL) of vodka into the jar to soak for 24 hours. Vodka that is 40-50 percent alcohol (80-100 proof) works best. The jar should also be stored someplace that is cool and dark, like a cabinet or cupboard. Do not use a fridge, which is damp.

Pulverize the petals for 45 seconds with a spoon. A large wooden cooking spoon would work best for mashing the petals inside the jar. A mortar and pestle might cause you to lose some of the rose oils by removing the petals from the jar, and a metal spoon could add unwanted metallic elements to the perfume.

Add 2 ⁄2 cups (590 mL) of distilled water to the jar. Distilled water can be purchased at most grocery stores or drug stores. The more water you add, the more diluted the scent of the perfume will be.

Cover the jar and place it in a cool, dark location for 4-7 days. Once a day, stir the petals and mash them again with a cooking spoon. Do not add more distilled water. Replace the lid quickly after you stir.

Strain the mixture into clean glass perfume bottles. Use a fine mesh strainer to remove the spent petals from the liquid and transfer the liquid to a glass bottle with a tight lid. To best preserve the perfume, keep it in the fridge and shake it before each use. It will last up to a month. The scent will be strongest if you spray it on the warmer places of your body like your wrist and neck. You could also use a sieve or a cheesecloth for straining.

Making Scented Rosewater

Collect 1/2 cup (120 g) of rose petals in a medium-sized bowl. Any variety of rose will do. If you’d like, rinse the petals in cold water beforehand to wash away any contaminants that might still be on the flower. Be careful not to prick yourself on any thorns.

Stir in ⁄2 cup (120 mL) of warmed distilled water into the bowl of petals. The water’s warmth will help increase the oil output from the rose. If you’d like, let the water soak in for about five minutes. The longer you let the petals soak, the stronger the fragrance will be.

Pour the mixture into a strainer placed over a second bowl. If you don’t have a normal kitchen strainer, you can also use a cheesecloth. Do not throw the water that you separate away, as you will be reusing it in subsequent steps. The rose petals should remain behind in the strainer, and the water should be in the second bowl.

Grind the petals with a mortar and pestle. To remove the petals from the strainer, scrape them off with a spoon or pick them off with your fingers. If you don’t want to grind the petals, don’t strain them to begin with. Instead, let them sit in the distilled water under the sun for 5-7 hours. Letting the petals soak in the sun does mean that the eventual fragrance will be much weaker.

Add the water from the second bowl back to the petals. Let the water soak into the petals again for at least five minutes. By this point, the ground up petals with the added water should be in the first bowl.

Repeat the straining, grinding process until the water is brownish-orange. If you are using dark colored rose petals like deep red, the water will turn brownish-red instead. Try not to grind the petals too violently, as any water you splatter is water that won’t end up as perfume.

Strain out the petals and squeeze out any remaining water from them. A spoon might be effective for this. Then, pour the water into an empty perfume bottle using a small funnel and enjoy! Refrigerate to make the perfume last longer.