Maturing and bottling

From concentrate to bottle: diluting, resting, chilling, filtering and labeling

Fisfis Academy · 13 min read ·

Maturing and bottling

What you will learn

  • Dilute the concentrate with alcohol to the strength you want (EdT, EdP, parfum)
  • Know why maturation (maceration) is necessary and how long it takes
  • Get a clear perfume by chilling and filtering
  • Label, store and use the bottle correctly and safely

Your formula is finished and your accords are balanced. Now it is time to turn the concentrate into a perfume. This stage takes patience: a perfume freshly mixed into alcohol usually smells harsh, “boozy” and disjointed. Over the following weeks the materials meld together and the scent rounds out.

Choose the strength

  • 2–5% Eau de Cologne: usually in this range
  • 5–15% Eau de Toilette: approximate range
  • 15–20% Eau de Parfum: approximate range
  • 20%+ Parfum / extrait: usually 20 and above

These ranges vary from brand to brand and are not legal definitions. For your first perfume, around 15% is a good starting point: 1.5 g of concentrate and 8.5 g of perfumer’s alcohol for 10 g of perfume. Remember: the more concentrate you use, the higher the level of restricted materials in the finished product.

Perfumes resting in a dark cabinet, in full, tightly closed bottles: time is the last ingredient.
Perfumes resting in a dark cabinet, in full, tightly closed bottles: time is the last ingredient.

From concentrate to bottle

  1. Dilute Weigh the concentrate into a clean glass bottle, then add the alcohol. Cap it and shake gently. The room should be ventilated, with no flames nearby.
  2. Rest (maceration) Leave the bottle in a cool, dark cabinet, usually for 2–6 weeks. During the first weeks you can shake it lightly every few days and check it on a scent strip.
  3. Chill When the resting period is over, keep the bottle in the refrigerator overnight. Waxes and residues that do not stay dissolved in the cold settle out or turn cloudy.
  4. Filter While it is still cold, filter it through laboratory filter paper (or an unbleached coffee filter) into a clean bottle. This reduces cloudiness that might form later.
  5. Bottle and label Transfer the perfume into spray or screw-cap bottles; use a funnel and fill the bottle nearly to the top to reduce the air inside (and oxidation).

What happens during maturation is not a single chemical reaction. The materials come into equilibrium with the solvent, slow reactions can take place between some molecules (for example, between aldehydes and alcohol) and the sharp smell of the alcohol gets absorbed into the scent. The result is usually a softer, more cohesive perfume.

Fresh blend (day 1)

  • Alcohol smell dominates
  • Individual materials “stick out”
  • Harsh opening, faint base

Matured (weeks 3–6)

  • Alcohol smell has receded
  • Accords have melded, transitions have softened
  • Longevity and projection are more balanced
Filtering, funneling and labeling: a perfume is only “finished” once it carries its name, date and formula number.
Filtering, funneling and labeling: a perfume is only “finished” once it carries its name, date and formula number.

What should go on the label?

  • The perfume’s name and formula/trial number (matching the entry in your notebook)
  • The strength (e.g., 15% concentrate) and the bottling date
  • The warnings “Flammable – keep away from flame” and “keep out of reach of children”
  • If you are giving it as a gift, the known allergens it contains (e.g., linalool, limonene, coumarin) and the statement “for external use only”

Storage

  • Light, heat and air are the enemies of perfume: choose a cool, dark cabinet over the bathroom.
  • Citrus and aldehydic perfumes usually change faster; resinous and woody perfumes are more durable.
  • A change in color is not always spoilage; materials such as vanillin can darken a perfume over time. If the scent has changed, though, make a note of it.

Hear the effect of strength and age

  • Mitsouko Extract: Extrait strength: a closer, denser and longer-lasting trail. Notice how quickly it settles into the base.
  • Mitsouko Eau de Toilette: A lighter take on the same idea: a brighter opening and wider projection, but shorter longevity.
  • Original Eau de Cologne: A classic low-strength cologne: citrus and herbs, a short-lived freshness.
  • Colonia: A citrus-heavy cologne; notice how quickly the citrus evaporates and how the base stays behind.
Maceration
Maturing a perfume by letting it rest after it has been mixed with alcohol.
Chilling
Holding a perfume in the cold before filtering so that undissolved waxes settle out.
Filtering
Separating settled residues and waxes by passing the perfume through filter paper.
Headspace
The air left above the liquid in a bottle; the larger it is, the more oxidation occurs.
EdT / EdP
Eau de Toilette / Eau de Parfum: trade names that indicate the approximate concentrate level.

Key points

  • About 15% concentrate is a good starting point for a first perfume; strength ranges are not legal definitions.
  • Maceration usually takes 2–6 weeks; the scent rounds out and the sharpness of the alcohol recedes.
  • Chilling overnight and filtering through filter paper gives a clear, stable perfume.
  • The label should carry the name, formula number, strength, date and the “flammable” and “keep away from children” warnings.
  • Test the finished product carefully on a small area; stop using it if you react. Selling is a separate legal process.

Sources

  • Curtis, T. & Williams, D. G. (2001). Introduction to Perfumery (2nd ed.). Micelle Press.
  • Calkin, R. R. & Jellinek, J. S. (1994). Perfumery: Practice and Principles. Wiley.
  • Aftel, M. (2001). Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume. North Point Press.
  • European Parliament and Council. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products.
  • IFRA (International Fragrance Association). IFRA Standards and Category 4 (fine fragrance) usage limits.