How to use it
- Write each material with its parts. Parts can add up to 100, to 1,000 or to anything else: the calculator scales them.
- If a line in your formula is a dilution, such as Vanillin at 10%, enter the dilution percentage. The parts then refer to the solution, which is how professional formula sheets are written.
- Choose cologne, EDT, EDP, extrait or a custom aromatic load, or 'concentrate only' for an accord or a base. Set the batch in millilitres or grams.
- Weigh from the largest quantity down. Any line under 0.02 g is flagged: weigh a 10% or 1% dilution of that material instead.
The arithmetic behind it
- Weight of a line = batch weight × aromatic load × its parts ÷ total parts.
- Pure material in that line = weight of the line × dilution. A line of Vanillin at 10% weighing 1.87 g carries 0.187 g of vanillin.
- Alcohol = batch weight − concentrate − water.
- Millilitres become grams through density, which moves with the load: about 0.815 g/ml for a cologne, 0.832 for an EDP at 18%, 0.95 for a pure concentrate. A flat 0.87 over-fills an EDP bottle by around five percent.
Perfume concentrations
| Type | Aromatic load | Used by the calculator |
|---|---|---|
| Eau de cologne | 2–5% | 4% |
| Eau de toilette (EDT) | 5–15% | 10% |
| Eau de parfum (EDP) | 15–20% | 18% |
| Extrait de parfum | 20–30% | 25% |
| Extrême / parfum intense | 30–40% | 35% |
Worked example: 50 ml of EDP
The example loaded in the calculator is the Violet Dusting Powder accord, a free formula on this site composed by Odette Fontaine. At 18% in 50 ml, the batch weighs 41.60 g, of which 7.49 g is concentrate and 34.11 g is alcohol.
| Material (parts @ dilution) | Weigh (g) | Pure material (g) |
|---|---|---|
| Vanillin 25 @10% | 1.872 | 0.187 |
| Beta Ionone 20 @10% | 1.498 | 0.150 |
| Orris Butter 15 @10% | 1.123 | 0.112 |
| Dihydro Beta Ionone 10 @10% | 0.749 | 0.075 |
| Ambrettolide 10 @10% | 0.749 | 0.075 |
| Javanol 10 @10% | 0.749 | 0.075 |
| Oakmoss Absolute 6 @5% | 0.449 | 0.022 |
| Jasmatone 4 @5% | 0.300 | 0.015 |
Oakmoss and Jasmatone land at 0.02 g and 0.015 g of pure material. That is exactly why the formula writes them at 5%: weighed neat, they would sit at the limit of a 0.01 g scale.
Open the Violet Dusting Powder accord
Questions
How do I calculate the concentration of a perfume?
Divide the weight of the concentrate by the weight of the whole batch. 7.5 g of concentrate in a 41.6 g batch is 18%, an eau de parfum. The calculator does it the other way round: you choose the percentage and it tells you the grams.
What does 'Vanillin 10%' mean in a formula?
It means the line is a 10% solution of vanillin, usually in alcohol or DPG, and the parts refer to that solution. Ten parts of Vanillin 10% contain one part of vanillin. Enter 10 in the dilution column and the calculator shows both weights.
Should I measure perfume in grams or millilitres?
Grams. Materials have different densities, drops vary in size, and a 0.01 g scale costs about 25 euro. Formulas are written by weight; the calculator converts to millilitres only to fill a bottle of a given size.
What is the smallest amount I can weigh?
On a 0.01 g hobby scale, around 0.02 g is the practical floor. Below that, make a 10% dilution and weigh ten times as much, or a 1% dilution and weigh a hundred times as much.
Can I calculate an accord or a base without alcohol?
Yes. Choose 'concentrate only': the batch is then all concentrate, and the tool gives the grams of each material for the amount you set.
Is the calculator really free?
Yes, with no account. Your formula is saved only in your own browser. The complete formulas on this site, with every dose, are what we sell; the tool is free.
Keep going
- How to calculate a perfume formula, step by step
- Perfume formula sheet: free printable template (PDF)
- Fragrance accord formulas with full percentages
- Free perfume formulas
- All perfume formulas
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