Aromatherapy oils not only let you breathe in oh-so-pleasant, reinvigorating scents in the air. They can also help you relax, lift your mood, banish your headaches and migraine--even drive away insects. And some of them can make you fall asleep faster, deeper.

Aromatherapy oils may be dispensed in many ways--sprayed with an atomizer; mixed into candle wax, bath gel, massage oil, or body lotion; burned over a lamp; or used with a vaporizer or reed diffuser. You can make aromatherapy liquid spray for freshening rooms, linens and car interiors as a sideline business, for which you'll only need P1,600 to get started.

Many of those who make room spray on a small scale also make other fragrance products like cologne, lotion, bath gel, and massage oil, which they can sell together as wedding or corporate giveaways. You can tap this market and also retail your products through home-care stores, car accessories stores, or online stores. You can vary the packaging for your products, such as packing them together with several bottles of room spray, linen spray, and car freshener in a single gift basket.

Pay special attention to your label design and packaging. Both must be eye-catching and refreshing to look at, especially if you are going to place your products in a retail store. This way, your products can stand out from among the other brands on display.


MATERIALS NEEDED:

• 184 ml 96% deodorized alcohol, P160 per liter
• ½ teaspoon (0.72 ml) fixative, P300 per 120 ml
• 38.4 ml demineralized or distilled water, P9 per 330 ml
• 3.6 ml fragrance-grade dipropylene glycol (DPG), P388 per liter
• 12 ml fragrance, P500 per 120 ml
• 2 drops liquid food color
• 1 pc 500ml Boston bottle with mushroom cap, P20. (A Boston bottle is a specialty bottle with a round body and round mouth.)
• 1 pc 200ml bottle with sprayer for packaging, P25
• 1 pc graduated cylinder, P180
• 1 pc measuring spoon
• 1 stick toothpick
  

In making fragrance products, only use fragrance-grade DPG. This substance is a water-soluble, colorless liquid with low odor and volatility. It is often used in cosmetics and fragrance products as diluent (diluting substance). The fixative, on the other hand, slows down the evaporation of fragrance compounds, allowing for longer scent life.

The combined volume of the liquid materials you will use is 238.72 ml

The finished product should be aromatic liquid, consisting of 77 percent deodorized alcohol, 16 percent demineralized water, 5 percent fragrance, 1.5 percent dipropylene glycol (DPG), and 0.3 percent fixative. Whether you are producing less or more of this product, the proportion should remain the same.

PROCEDURE:

Step 1: Using the graduated cylinder, measure the fragrance and pour it into the Boston bottle.

Step 2: Likewise, measure the DPG and alcohol, and add them to the fragrance, one after another, in that order.

Make sure to shake the bottle every time you mix in a substance.

Step 3: Measure the fixative and add to the mixture. Again, shake well.

Step 4: Add the water and pour it into the mixture. Shake for 30 minutes and set aside. You now have your room freshener, without the color.

Step 5: Get the food color and dip the toothpick into it. Then get the room freshener and dip the toothpick stained with food color. Dip the toothpick into the bottle until the substance acquires a shade of color you prefer. Shake the mixture again until the color is evenly dispersed.

Step 6: Pour the colored fragrance into the packaging bottle. This project yields 238.72 ml of aromatherapy liquid spray.

COSTING:

You may package the finished aromatic fluid in 200 ml, 100 ml, 30 ml, or 20 ml bottles. A 355 ml bottle of room freshener is usually commercially sold at P370, a 7 ml pack of car freshener at P115. You can similarly price your product, or you may price it lower depending on your target market and overhead costs. In the case of your room spray, you may put in a 100 percent markup; the price would then be P200 per 200ml bottle.

DO'S AND DON'TS

• Don't use containers and measuring spoons that are currently used for processing food.
• Keep the substances away from the reach of children.
• Keep fragrance substances in a cool, dark place.
• Because they are highly flammable substances, fragrances and alcohol should be kept away from fire and too much heat.
• Close the cap of the alcohol container tightly to prevent the substance from evaporating.
• Cover the surface of your work table with a linen or plastic sheet to prevent the surface from being stained.
  

WHERE TO TRAIN AND GET SUPPLIES:
The Grasse Fragrance Co.
Unit 208 Lapanday Centre, 2263 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City
Telephones: (02) 817-6303; (02) 728-4263
Mobile: (0922) 833-0517
E-mail: info@grassefragrance.com
Website: www.grassefragrance.com