DIY Body Spray with essential oils is super easy to customize with your favorite scents.
Back in college, my roommate and I would slather ourselves with Victoria’s Secret body lotion and body sprays every day. You must have been able to smell us coming a mile away. Now I cringe thinking about what I was putting on my body.
These days, I am much more interested in keeping harmful and toxic ingredients off of my skin. Almost all of my lotions, shampoos, and body products are fragrance-free.
I have to admit, sometimes, I miss the girly scents. I used to buy shower soap based totally on how it smelled.
Plus, there are times when I can use a little body refreshening spray. Am I right? You know the times I’m talking about. I squeeze a workout in while Luke’s at preschool, but time for a shower is going to have to come later. DIY Body Spray time.
Making your own body sprays with essential oils is easy. You might even have all of the ingredients you need on hand. Let’s take a look at what you need.
DIY Body Spray Ingredients
- Distilled or filtered water–tap water can work also, but certain minerals may alter the desired outcome.
- Vodka or witch hazel–I use vodka because I usually have some on hand. It acts as a preservative and helps keep the oil from settling at the bottom of the bottle.
- Your favorite essential oil scents
- Vegetable Glycerin–this is optional, but will help the scents last longer
- Small spray bottle, preferably glass like these
I have two DIY Body Spray recipes for you to try. While I have a lot of essential oils, I found it difficult to find a combination that I liked for a body spray. While I love lavender as a linen spray, for example, I don’t really want to smell like lavender. So you really can use these as a guide and come up with what you love. Scents are very personal.
DIY Citrus Energy Body Spray
This is a light and refreshing scent. I called it Citrus Energy because the scents are uplifting and seem to wake me up.
1 ounce distilled or filtered water
0.5 ounce vodka or witch hazel
0.5 ounces vegetable glycerin (optional)
10 drops grapefruit essential oil
4 drops lime essential oil
4 drops lemon essential oil
Mix all ingredients in a small glass bottle and shake well. Shake before each use.
DIY Orange Vanilla Body Spray
This one is an absolutely delicious scent! If you love sweet scents, you’ll love this one.
Orange Vanilla Natural Body Spray
1 ounce distilled or filtered water
0.5 ounce vodka or witch hazel
0.5 ounces vegetable glycerin (optional)
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 drops wild orange essential oil
Mix all ingredients in a small glass bottle and shake well. Shake before each use.
There’s nothing better than smelling great and knowing you’re using natural, non-toxic ingredients on your skin. Please let me know if you try one of these natural body sprays!
Want to make your HOUSE smell amazing? You’ve got to try this Christmas Simmer Pot!
Dodo you always have to use glass bottles or can you use plastic spray bottles?
I tried this with the witch hazel. The smell doesn’t last for more than 10 minutes, at most. Would the vodka make it last longer? Or maybe more glycerin?
Hmmm that’s a good question. I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t think that would affect how long the scent lasts. Natural perfumes don’t last as long as synthetic, but 10 minutes doesn’t seem right either. What kind of essential oils are you using? If they are lower quality that could affect how long their scent lasts. Also, I’ve found it helps to moisturize your skin before applying.
I use Plant Therapy essential oils. I trust those oils with my life – though I am still weary about ingesting oils no matter what the brand. I have used several scents – not all together – Ylang Ylang, Myrtle, lavender, geranium, sweet orange, cinnamon bark, blood orange, Rosemary.
I recently read about the moisturizing as well. I will give that a try, as well as the vodka.
I read through, not sure if I saw this asked. Does this recipe work with any scent, my choice of scent is patchouli? Also I have a product I got at our local hobby store, it is a liquid glycerin, I’m not sure if that is what you are talking about when you say vegetable glycerin?
If it is USP (United States Pharmacy) grade glycerine, it’s 100% vegetable glycerine. Yes, you can substitute your favorite scents. You may just have to play with it to get it to the strength level you prefer. Have fun! 🙂
I tried the vanilla scent and it doesn’t smell like vanilla at all. Do you think I need more than 1/8 tsp? I’m using Simply Organic pure vanilla extract. I also didn’t use vegetable glycerin because I didn’t have it. Do you think that could be it? Thanks!
Yes, I would add more if you don’t smell the vanilla at all. That’s strange.
Can you use Scentsy oils?
Polysorbate 20 can be used to emulsify. And you do need a preservative, as this product contains water; especially if you plan to sell.
Thank you for sharing! ?
Polysorbate 20 is a carcinagen. Coconut oil can work as an emulsifier, together with alcohol. You will still need to shake it if it’s sitting, but it will not allow just essential oil droplets to spray if you shake it before hand. Lecethin is a safer choice if you really want it to be evenly emulsified even when sitting, but you will need to follow specific directions.
Hi Kate, I haven’t made theses recipe’s yet ,however, I have made similar ones as air fresheners and I too experienced the same problem. I suggest emulsifying the essential oils whenever working with them, with any product u make-this will not only make it less harmful on the skin but will enable the scents to last longer and give you ‘product’ consistency.
Fortune ?
What do you use to emulsify your products?
I have made this and the oils won’t mix into it, they just sit on top of the liquid!
I’d be very wary about using this if it doesn’t mix properly without an emulsifier, as shaking will not mix it together, the drops just get smaller. So you end up spraying undiluted little drops of essential oil onto your skin and this could burn you or cause allergic reactions as we know that essential oils should never be used undiluted! Have you or anyone here not experienced any problems with it? I would think you might need an emulsifier for this reason… no? .
I have made this and the oils won’t mix into it, they just sit on top of the liquid!
I’d be very wary about using this if it doesn’t mix properly without an emulsifier, as shaking will not mix it together, the drops just get smaller. So you end up spraying undiluted little drops of essential oil onto your skin and this could burn you or cause allergic reactions as we know that essential oils should never be used undiluted! Have you or anyone here not experienced any problems with it? I would think you might need an emulsifier for this reason… no?
Oils and water don’t mix, so you have to shake the bottle before each use to disperse them. Any aromatherapist will tell you that. I like to watch Andrea Butje on Youtube, she has a lot of recipes and tips and tricks for people who like to use EOs, just per my suggestion.
Thank you, Lauren.
I’ve used Vanilla extract in sprays before and had it go bad very quickly, within hours even. Because I didn’t use alcohol, I’m wondering If the alcohol is to avoid this and preserve it a bit longer? Or does it simply need to constantly be stored at cold temperatures?
Yes, the alcohol does help preserve it. Without it, you’ll definitely want to store it in the fridge.
Thank you! I will definitely try it with the alcohol and see if that keeps a bit longer.
Tried it! Smells wonderful! I am giving it away at a “beauty product exchange” and hoping that it’s natural advantages will win some people over to using more essential oils!
Awesome!
Will the vanilla extract stain clothing and skin? It’s so dark I’d be afraid to use it! But it is such a small amount maybe it wont? Thanks for the recipe definitely going to try it, I love any DIY bath and body product.
you can purchase clear vanilla. It’s used in wedding cake frosting to keep it pure white.
When trying different scents how many drops of oils per 2oz bottle would you suggest?
I have a body spray that is from Bath and Body Works called Exotic Coconut. How do I make my own? I found it on-line, at 39,99 plus s\h for a 8 oz bottle. Please help!
I’m interested in making a larger batch for gift giving. Since we have birthdays and other gifting opportunities throughout the year, what is the shelf life of this mixture? I didn’t see where this question was answered.
As long as you use the vodka or witch hazel (they act as preservatives), these will last a few months. Without they will only last a few weeks. Storing in the refrigerator can extend the shelf life some. I hope this helps!
I’ve been making essential oil sprays for years and have never needed to use preserves to stop the sprays going rancid. Remember if your using the spray on your face vodka and witch hazel are quite harsh!
Do you use water? If you are just using the oils, there’s no need, but with water you’ll either need to use it quickly or use something to keep it fresh. I don’t spray the body sprays on my face.
Hey Ann can you send me your recipe and how long it lasts I’d like to try both.
I like your recipes but I was just wondering, why use a glass bottle?
I try to use glass over plastic as much as I can. Also, certain essential oils can break down the plastic.
Which essential oils break down plastics?
I am also wondering what the shelf life of this is. Also, how long does the scent last on you once sprayed if you include the glycerin?
If you have some time on your hand you could make a tincture out of the vodka allowing plant matter to steep for about 3 weeks (seeing as your not looking for medicinal benefits) before adding the other ingredients. I feel like it adds a little extra oomph to my scents. I’ve just started a Rose Vanilla, I haven’t decided on oils yeT!
Thanks for the suggestion!
How long does The soray shelve for? I woukd llike to include this in my soap business selling it locally
I love vanilla too, but I feel like the vanilla essential oils are so weak for some reason, so the scent never lasts. I really love fruity, so my go-to’s are usually sweet orange + lemon. I also want to try lime + pink grapefruit (not together, Lol), but haven’t had a chance to yet!
as of anything made. i think the bottle should settle a few days to a week let the scents blend together
What’s the shelf life since there is water in it?
Love this!! Thank you!! I hope to give this a try—soon!! Where did you find the bottles?
Thanks, Kathy! The bottles are from Amazon. 🙂 http://amzn.to/1QtqHqt
Thank you!!! 🙂