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DIY COTTON CANDY-INSPIRED PERFUME RECIPE WITH ESSENTIAL OILS

Create Your Own Cotton Candy Perfume: A Sweet DIY Recipe with Tonka Bean, Vanilla, and Pink Sugar

Learn how to craft a sugary-sweet cotton candy perfume with notes of tonka bean, vanilla, and pink sugar. This DIY perfume recipe captures the delightful aroma of fresh-spun candy floss. Plus, get tips on making designer-inspired perfumes using essential oils.

If you’re a fan of candy scents but want to avoid the headaches caused by artificial fragrances, this natural cotton candy perfume recipe is the perfect solution.

This DIY cotton candy perfume captures the sweet, gourmand aromas of candy floss, without the synthetic ingredients found in most designer perfumes.

Keep reading to discover how to naturally smell like cotton candy. This essential oil perfume tutorial is easy to follow, no matter your experience level.

I’ve included five different ways to create your own cotton candy fragrance, including perfume spray, roll-on perfume oil, and natural scented body spray.

You’ll find simple recipes for beginners, along with more advanced blends for those with a larger collection of perfumery oils. Plus, I’ll share tips on how to create a long-lasting DIY perfume.

If you’re also interested in a cotton candy fragrance for your home or natural scents for DIY skincare and beauty products, check out my cotton candy essential oil blend.

Perfume that smells like cotton candy

When I imagine the smell of cotton candy, I think of a sweet, airy scent that instantly transports me to carefree summer days and childhood fairs. It’s the unmistakable aroma of sugar spun into delicate clouds, filling the air with its nostalgic charm. For many, it’s a scent that brings back memories of fun carnival treats, and for me, it also evokes thoughts of cotton candy-scented beauty products I loved back then, like body mists and perfumes.

But this DIY cotton candy perfume isn’t just a sugary blast from the past. With a rich base of sultry tonka bean and creamy vanilla, it reinvents the classic candy floss scent into something more sophisticated—a fragrance that’s both playful and grown-up, perfect for anyone who loves sweet, warm aromas with a hint of elegance.

This cotton candy perfume is designed for anyone who wants to enjoy the nostalgic sweetness of candy floss in a more refined, elegant way. While it has the sugary rush of a sweet treat, the sophisticated blend is reminiscent of designer perfumes, making it perfect for those who enjoy edible, ultra-sweet fragrances without feeling childish.

Although cotton candy is often linked to summer carnivals, there’s no reason you can’t indulge in sweet gourmand scents year-round.

Before we dive into the DIY, let’s explore the key ingredients that make up a cotton candy fragrance.

If you’re a fan of sugary-sweet scents, you might also love my sugar plum perfume recipe. For those who prefer a fruity floral twist over gourmand fragrances, don’t miss my aromatherapy perfume recipes!

Designer cotton candy scented perfume

Candy perfumes are incredibly popular, and cotton candy, in particular, is a beloved note in many sweet fragrances.

There’s a broad range of perfumes inspired by the fluffy treat, each offering a unique, sweet-smelling interpretation. Many of these fragrances combine cotton candy notes with florals, woods, and musk, creating complex and multi-layered scents that balance the sugary sweetness with deeper, more sophisticated undertones. Whether you’re drawn to a light, airy fragrance or a more rich and sensual version, there’s a cotton candy perfume for everyone.

Popular designer cotton candy perfumes include:

Juice Bar Cotton Candy: The quintessential 90s cotton candy scent, pure and simple with a sweet, nostalgic essence.
Demeter Cotton Candy: A straightforward cotton candy fragrance with caramel, strawberry, and vanilla, evoking the classic pink candy floss.
Bath and Body Works Cotton Candy Clouds: A classic candy floss scent featuring spun sugar, pink berries, and creamy vanilla.
Delicious Cotton Candy Perfume: An intriguing blend that combines cotton candy with orange, bergamot, clementine, lily of the valley, fig leaves, plums, licorice, cedarwood, and musk.
Body Fantasies Cotton Candy Fragrance: A sweet perfume with spun sugar, vanilla, and berry notes, plus a twist of grapes and musk.
Victoria’s Secret Candy Baby: A sweet and creamy blend of cotton candy and vanilla cupcakes, perfect for fans of sugary fragrances.
Aquolina Pink Sugar: A beloved gourmand fragrance featuring cotton candy, tonka bean, vanilla, caramel, and musk, complemented by fruity and citrus top notes. Though discontinued, it remains a sought-after scent with many searching for a Pink Sugar dupe.
Ariana Grande Sweet Like Candy: A playful candy fragrance blending cotton candy with blackberry, pear, marshmallow, and vanilla, along with floral hints of jasmine, honeysuckle, and frangipani.
Guerlain La Petite Robe Noir Intense: A complex fruity floral gourmand featuring cotton candy along with blueberry, raspberry, cassis, bergamot, Bulgarian rose, orange blossom, jasmine, vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood, and white musk.

These fragrances showcase the versatility of cotton candy notes, blending them with various other elements to create everything from simple, sweet scents to more complex, layered compositions.

Natural cotton candy perfume with essential oils

As wonderful as these designer cotton candy perfumes sound, there’s a significant downside – they often contain synthetic scents and the endocrine-disrupting chemicals that come with them.

Most store-bought and designer perfumes aren’t ideal for those who are sensitive to artificial fragrances or anyone striving for a non-toxic lifestyle.

That’s where this DIY perfume recipe comes in. As someone who is highly sensitive to scents, I’ve been making my own perfumes at home for years out of necessity. Most store-bought perfumes are off-limits for me, with the exception of my favorite LaVanila Vanilla Grapefruit fragrance.

I couldn’t find a cotton candy perfume made with essential oils, and even handcrafted options on Etsy contain artificial fragrances. So, I set out to create a natural alternative for anyone who wants to smell like cotton candy without the headaches or harmful chemicals.

What is cotton candy fragrance?

Before we dive into making a cotton candy perfume, it’s important to ask: what exactly does cotton candy smell like?

Cotton candy is the sweet, sugary fragrance of fluffy spun sugar, often with added vanilla and strawberry flavorings.

The main note is the caramelized sugar, which gives it that signature sweetness, but it’s the added flavorings that bring out the iconic “pink vanilla” scent that we associate with candy floss. So, when you break it down, cotton candy smells like sugar, caramel, and vanilla, with subtle hints of fruit and berries—simple yet irresistible.

What is cotton candy flavor, and how does it relate to perfume?

In terms of flavor, cotton candy is described as sweet, caramellic, vanillic, jammy, and fruity, with distinct notes of strawberry.

The fragrance and flavor of cotton candy are closely linked, as the same compounds used to create its flavor are also responsible for its candy floss notes in perfumes. These elements—sweet sugar, caramel, vanilla, and fruit—are what give cotton candy its signature aroma, making it a delightful and nostalgic scent to recreate in a fragrance.

The most prominent compound responsible for the sweet, caramelized sugar aroma of cotton candy is ethyl maltol. This flavor component is what gives cotton candy its signature caramel-like scent, so when you imagine the fragrance of candy floss, you’re likely thinking of ethyl maltol.

Another key note is strawberry furanone, which adds a jammy, strawberry-like quality that is quintessential to pink cotton candy. In perfumery, this note can also be achieved with strawberry aldehyde or a strawberry isolate.

While using fragrance compounds like ethyl maltol and strawberry furanone can give you the most accurate and realistic cotton candy scent, these ingredients are not suitable if you’re aiming for a truly all-natural candy perfume. This is why we’ll need to rely on essential oils and natural ingredients to recreate the sweet, sugary essence of cotton candy in a non-toxic way.

How do you create a cotton candy fragrance with essential oils?

So, how do you capture the sugary scent of cotton candy in a DIY perfume without using synthetic fragrance oils?

While there’s no single essential oil that smells exactly like cotton candy, you can create the essence of candy floss by blending the right combination of essential oils. The magic of making perfume lies in how you combine different aroma compounds—this process allows you to craft entirely new fragrances, like the sweet, decadent smell of spun sugar.

By thoughtfully mixing essential oils like vanilla, caramel, and fruity notes, you can achieve a delightful, cotton candy-like fragrance that’s both natural and uniquely yours. It’s all about balancing the sweet, sugary aromas with subtle hints of fruit, creating a scent that evokes the nostalgia of cotton candy, without any synthetic ingredients.

Here’s the essential oils you’ll need to capture the different notes of cotton candy in your DIY perfume:

Caramel notes: tonka bean absolute, Peru balsam, cedarwood essential oil
Sugar notes: vanilla absolute, ylang-ylang essential oil, bitter almond oil
Vanilla notes: vanilla absolute, Peru balsam
Fruit notes: ylang-ylang essential oil, benzoin resin, grapefruit essential oil
Cream notes: butter CO2 extract

You might not need every single one of these oils—it depends on the specific recipe you want to make. The simplest blend may only require 2 essential oils.

Does this combination smell exactly like the scent of fresh-spun cotton candy? Not quite. For a true cotton candy aroma, you’d need ethyl maltol, but that’s a synthetic compound not used in natural DIY perfumes.

This is simply my interpretation of a cotton candy perfume, designed to evoke the sweet, whimsical essence of candy floss in a natural way, without artificial fragrances.

The beauty of DIY perfume making is that you can take a concept, like cotton candy, and come up with your own unique take on it—just like how I created my sugarplum perfume. With that in mind, let’s dive into how you can create your own cotton candy-inspired scent.

Cotton candy perfume ingredients

To create your homemade cotton candy perfume, you’ll need the following ingredients:

INGREDIENTS:

Cotton candy essential oil blend (based on the essential oils mentioned previously)
Everclear grain alcohol (for DIY perfume spray)
Fractionated coconut oil, MCT oil, or jojoba oil (for roll-on perfume oil)
Vegetable glycerin (for scented body spray)

OPTIONAL TOOLS:

Mini cosmetic scale (for precise measurements)
Glass pipettes (to dispense perfume ingredients)
Small glass lab beakers (to weigh perfumery materials)
Mini stainless steel whisk (for mixing)
Pretty perfume spray bottle or roller bottle (for storing your perfume)
Small funnel (to fill bottles easily)

These ingredients and tools will help you craft your cotton candy perfume, whether you’re making a spray, roll-on oil, or scented body spray. The right equipment ensures accuracy and a smooth blending process, resulting in a beautifully natural fragrance.

EVERCLEAR PERFUME BASE

Everclear pure grain alcohol is an excellent choice for natural homemade perfumes, room sprays, deodorants, and other alcohol-based DIY recipes. It’s the gold standard because it’s pure, without the potentially harmful denaturants found in real perfumer’s alcohol, which can irritate the skin or contain toxins.

When making natural DIY perfumes, avoiding synthetic chemicals is key, and Everclear helps achieve that by providing a clean, effective solvent for your perfume ingredients.

For the best results, opt for the highest proof Everclear you can find—preferably 189 or 190 proof. If that’s not available, 151 proof will work as well. A higher proof ensures that your perfume ingredients dissolve completely, helping create a smoother, more refined scent.

FRACTIONATED COCONUT OIL OR MCT OIL

Not all liquid carrier oils are ideal for making DIY perfume oil.

Some oils, especially those high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), are prone to oxidation and spoilage. If you’re investing in high-quality perfumery materials for your cotton candy fragrance, you’ll want your perfume to have a long shelf life.

I prefer using fractionated coconut oil or MCT oil for homemade perfume oils. Both are stable carrier oils that ensure your roll-on perfume stays fresh for an extended period. These oils are low in PUFAs, which contributes to their longer shelf life, and may also offer additional skin benefits.

If you’re not fond of coconut oil, jojoba oil is another great choice with a long shelf life, typically lasting between 2-5 years, depending on the source.

Tip: To add an extra layer of sweetness and luxury to your fragrance, consider using vanilla-infused jojoba oil as the carrier oil. Infused with vanilla CO2 extract—the sweetest and most luxurious vanilla for perfumery—this oil can enhance the richness of your scent.

Essential oils for cotton candy perfume

Next, let’s dive into the essential oils you’ll need to craft a DIY cotton candy perfume. For a more detailed breakdown of each fragrance note, be sure to check out my cotton candy essential oil guide. These oils will help you capture the sweet, airy aroma of cotton candy while keeping the blend natural and toxin-free.

TONKA BEAN ABSOLUTE

If you’re looking to recreate designer-inspired perfumes with essential oils, tonka bean is a key ingredient to have in your collection. Known for its complex, sultry aroma, tonka bean adds depth and richness to any fragrance, making it a go-to for gourmand scents. While vanilla brings sweetness, tonka bean introduces a layer of warmth, often reminiscent of freshly baked treats.

In addition to its enticing scent, tonka bean acts as an excellent fixative, helping your DIY perfume last longer. Its thick, viscous nature ensures it clings to your skin and clothing, leaving a lasting impression. Tonka bean’s longevity is especially noticeable on fabrics that aren’t washed often, like jackets, giving you that lingering scent throughout the day.

When selecting tonka bean for your perfume, you’ll have a few different options to choose from, each offering its unique nuances.

BEST TONAKA BEAN ABSOLUTE FOR FERRFUME OIL

To create a cotton candy-scented perfume oil, you’ll need an oil-based tonka bean oil or solid absolute, which is the rich, highly fragrant paste typically reserved for perfumery.

Tonka bean absolute has a wonderfully complex scent profile. It’s sweet and powdery like vanilla, with deep caramel-like richness, accompanied by spicy undertones reminiscent of rum balls, caramelized sugar, and cinnamon buns. This decadent aroma is edible and inviting, and when blended into a perfume, the spicy notes mellow out, leaving a warm, delicious fragrance.

Pure tonka bean absolute will give you the most authentic, long-lasting cotton candy scent. Its staying power is exceptional, lingering on your skin until you wash it off. However, it comes with a hefty price tag, making it a splurge for those serious about crafting high-quality perfumes. If you can find it at a reasonable price, it’s worth the investment, as it elevates the overall fragrance.

I use tonka bean absolute in many of my homemade perfumes, including a beloved sugar cookie scent (recipe coming soon). For the best deals, try looking on platforms like Etsy or turn to specialized perfumery suppliers such as Eden Botanicals. It’s also helpful to find a supplier in your own country for convenience.

BEST TONKA BEAN ESSENTIAL OIL

If you prefer not to splurge on tonka bean absolute, there are other options that still offer a delicious cotton candy fragrance. One alternative is an oil-based or oil-soluble tonka bean liquid, like Plant Therapy Tonka Bean Essential Oil. This oil is soluble in both alcohol and oil, making it versatile for creating perfume oils or mist.

While it’s not as long-lasting or complex as the pure absolute, and it lacks some of the spicier notes of tonka bean, its sweet, powdery, and buttery scent still captures the essence of gourmand fragrances. Its smooth, baked-good-like aroma, reminiscent of rum tarts and caramelized treats, pairs beautifully with the sugary cotton candy notes. The oil has a pale yellow color, compared to the deeper brown of tonka bean absolutes, but its scent is still rich and mouthwatering.

I personally love the fragrance so much that I use it straight as a perfume oil. Though Plant Therapy doesn’t officially recommend this, the oil is already diluted with a natural solvent (triethyl citrate) and has never caused irritation for my sensitive skin.

Another great option is tonka bean infused oil or tonka bean butter, both available from Eden Botanicals. These products offer a more subtle, infused version of the tonka bean’s warm and rich scent, perfect for adding a natural gourmand touch to your DIY perfume.

BEST CHOICE FOR TONKA BEAN PERFUME SPRAY

For a DIY perfume spray, you’ll need an alcohol-soluble tonka bean dilution, and fortunately, there are a few great options available.

The best one I’ve used is Living Libations’s 50% tonka bean dilution in ethanol. This product offers an incredibly rich, decadent scent that works wonderfully in alcohol-based perfumes. It’s strong and full-bodied, making it perfect for creating a cotton candy fragrance.

In the past, I’ve also used Simplers Botanicals tonka bean essential oil, but it has been out of stock for a while and might be discontinued. An excellent alternative to this is Silky Scents. They offer a dilution that’s 30% tonka bean absolute and 70% ethanol, similar to the Simplers product, providing a nice balance of depth and sweetness.

If you’re looking for a milder option, you can incorporate Plant Therapy’s tonka bean oil into your perfume blend. While it’s not as spicy or potent as an alcohol-based tonka bean absolute, it still gives a sweet, creamy aroma that evokes a sugary, cotton candy scent—ideal for a lighter, more delicate perfume.

VANILLA ABSOLUTE

Vanilla is a key ingredient in gourmand perfumery, adding a sweet and decadent bakery-like scent that enhances any blend. Vanilla absolute, in particular, is a must-have for creating rich, complex fragrances.

Unlike vanilla oleoresin, vanilla absolute has a thick, syrup-like consistency and a deep, balsamic vanilla aroma. This richness blends beautifully into perfume, softening over time to create a comforting, warm scent profile. When mixed with a carrier oil, it has a nostalgic, sweet quality that’s reminiscent of the classic Body Shop vanilla perfume oil—perfect for anyone who loved that scent.

Vanilla absolute is preferred in perfumery for its long-lasting nature and complex fragrance. While it can be pricey, a little goes a long way, making it a worthwhile investment for multiple perfume recipes. It’s also more affordable than vanilla CO2 extract, which is even more decadent but significantly more expensive.

Keep in mind that vanilla absolute can make perfumes appear slightly cloudy, but this won’t affect the fragrance at all, allowing you to enjoy its rich, warm sweetness in every spray.

YLANG ESSENTIAL OIL

Ylang ylang essential oil is a key ingredient when creating sweet, candy-like scents such as cotton candy and bubblegum. Its naturally sweet floral aroma plays a supporting role in the blend, fading into the background to enhance the sugary, sugary quality essential to recreating that cotton candy scent.

In combination with tonka bean, ylang ylang helps capture the essence of spun sugar, giving the perfume a soft, sweet foundation that evokes the familiar scent of candy. I kept the amount of ylang ylang low in my recipe to stay within safe dermal limits (0.8%), as it’s a potent essential oil.

For a truly sugary, indulgent smell, ylang ylang extra is the best variety to use in perfumery. Plant Therapy offers a sweet-smelling ylang ylang extra, but Simply Earth also produces a highly fragrant version that is just as delightful. If you’re looking to elevate your blend further, ylang ylang absolute would add even more richness and luxury to the perfume.

Additionally, if you have access to heliotrope absolute, it can offer a sweet, powdery note that complements the cotton candy scent beautifully. Heliotropyl acetone, a component of heliotrope, is also found in candy floss fragrances, making it the perfect addition to enhance the overall sweetness and complexity of the perfume.

PERU BALSAM

A touch of Peru balsam in your cotton candy perfume adds a deep, complex layer to the fragrance. It has a warm, vanillic, and slightly smoky aroma that evokes caramel and cooked sugar, which complements the caramelized sweetness found in candy floss. However, Peru balsam can be sensitizing, so it’s essential to use it cautiously. For safe topical use, it’s recommended to keep the concentration below 0.4%. This means only a drop is needed in the perfume recipe, adding just the right amount of richness without overpowering the other notes.

BENZOIN RESIN

Benzoin resin is another key ingredient in creating a gourmand, candy-like perfume. Its thick, syrupy, sweet fragrance is reminiscent of rich, balsamic vanilla, with a hint of fruity drink syrups, such as grenadine, spiced with subtle undertones. This resin isn’t just deliciously aromatic—it’s also an excellent fixative, helping to prolong the scent’s longevity. Like tonka bean, benzoin anchors the fragrance, ensuring it lasts for hours. Additionally, benzoin is a natural antioxidant, helping your perfume maintain its fragrance over time.

For the most robust scent, it’s best to use thick benzoin, as thinner variants typically contain more solvent and less of the resin’s aromatic properties. If you’re making a perfume oil, you’ll need an oil-soluble benzoin resinoid, which can be tricky to find. If you can’t locate it, you can skip the benzoin and replace it with an equal amount of grapefruit essential oil, which still provides a bright and fruity top note to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients.

GRAPEFRUIT ESSENTIAL OIL

Pink grapefruit essential oil adds a touch of candy-like citrus to your cotton candy perfume. Its sweet, fruity aroma blends beautifully with the warm, rich notes of vanilla and tonka bean, while its tangy citrus qualities are softened and transformed into a sweet, fruity note that mimics the “pink” flavor found in cotton candy or pink sugar. For the sweetest and most candy-like effect, it’s best to choose steam-distilled grapefruit essential oil over cold-pressed, as it has a gentler, less tart scent that complements the gourmand notes in the perfume.

BUTTER CO2 EXTRACT

If you’re crafting a cotton candy perfume oil, you’re in for a truly decadent treat with butter CO2 extract. This essential oil is a classic in gourmand perfumery, known for its rich, creamy, and fatty scent that smells just like melted butter. When added to your perfume, it enhances the sweetness and adds an indulgent buttery note that makes the fragrance even more edible and luxurious. Paired with the vanilla and tonka bean, butter CO2 extract transforms the perfume into something that smells like frosted cupcakes—making this “cotton candy cupcake” fragrance both sweet and irresistibly creamy. It’s the perfect finishing touch for an ultra-gourmand, candy-inspired scent.

As a bonus, butter CO2 extract is also an excellent fixative, which helps the fragrance linger on the skin for hours. If you love long-lasting, dessert-inspired perfumes, this is definitely a must-have ingredient for your collection.

The good news is that butter essential oil is relatively affordable compared to other specialty perfumery materials. You can often find it on Etsy, but to get the best deal, you might want to check with perfumery suppliers like Eden Botanicals or find a local supplier in your country to save on shipping costs. It’s a great addition to any gourmand perfume recipe, especially for those who want that irresistible, creamy, and sweet scent to last all day.

ATLAS CEDARWWOOD OIL

Just a single drop of Atlas cedarwood essential oil can add depth and complexity to your cotton candy perfume. While it may seem out of place at first, its dry, woody notes bring a subtle sweetness that blends perfectly with candy fragrances. The mild smokiness of cedarwood ties beautifully with the caramelized sugar scent of candy floss, adding realism to the perfume. Cedarwood also softens any sharper fruity notes in the blend, mellowing out the sweetness and giving the perfume a more rounded, smooth cotton candy aroma.

BITTER ALMOND ESSENTIAL OIL

Bitter almond oil brings an irresistible sweetness to your cotton candy perfume, with its marzipan-like, cherry notes. It’s one of the sweetest essential oils and can add a candy-like richness to your fragrance. However, its strong saccharine scent can easily overpower a blend, so it’s best used sparingly. If you decide to incorporate it, add just a drop or two to avoid the perfume becoming overly sweet. The fragrance may be too cloying for some, so I recommend allowing your perfume to age for at least a week before adding bitter almond oil to see how it blends with the other ingredients. Alternatively, you can use purified benzaldehyde for a similar effect without the risk of overwhelming sweetness.

Cotton Candy Perfume Recipes

COTTON CANDY CUPCAKE PERFUME OIL

8g MCT oil or fractionated coconut oil
0.7g vanilla absolute
1.4g tonka bean absolute
0.5g / 10 drops butter CO2 extract
0.21g / 5 drops grapefruit essential oil
0.1g / 2 drops benzoin resin
0.08g / 3 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
0.04g / 1 drop Peru balsam
0.05g / 1 drop atlas cedarwood
0.05g / 2 drops bitter almond essential oil

At just over 30% fragrance concentration, this cotton candy cupcake perfume oil is the most potent and long-lasting of the DIY options. If you’re a fan of Aquolina Pink Sugar, this fragrance is right up your alley. The scent evolves as you wear it, with moments where you catch whiffs of sugary candy, followed by hints of vanilla frosting or fresh cake batter. It’s an indulgent and playful blend that delivers on both sweetness and richness. With its strong staying power, this recipe holds its ground against many designer perfumes, ensuring your scent lasts all day.

Sultry tonka bean absolute takes center stage, providing a rich, long-lasting caramelized sugar base note that lingers on the skin throughout the day. It’s beautifully softened by the syrupy sweetness of vanilla absolute, creating an irresistible, warm scent.

Butter CO2 extract introduces a creamy, buttery essence that evokes the feeling of frosted cotton candy cupcakes, adding a delightful richness. A touch of Peru balsam deepens the fragrance, evoking the slightly burnt spun sugar you’d find in a candy floss machine, giving it an extra layer of complexity.

A subtle heart of ylang-ylang contributes a faint, sweet floral note, adding another layer of sweetness to the blend. For that iconic pink cotton candy feel, benzoin and pink grapefruit create syrupy, fruity top notes that bring the fragrance to life.

A single drop of Atlas cedarwood essential oil helps to mellow out the sharper fruity notes, adding a delicate smokiness that harmonizes perfectly with the caramelized sugar, bringing the entire fragrance together.

As a finishing touch, bitter almond oil can be added for an extra burst of sweetness. However, its saccharine quality can be overwhelming for some, so it’s best to blend the perfume first, allow it to age for a week or two, and then decide whether to include the bitter almond for that final sugary punch.

COTTON CANDY PERFUME SPRAY

~8ml Everclear
25 drops vanilla absolute
12 drops alcohol-based tonka bean absolute
2 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
1 drop grapefruit essential oil
1 drop benzoin essential oil
1 drop Peru balsam
1 drop bitter almond essential oil

This simple cotton candy perfume spray is like a sugar rush in a bottle.

It opens with a burst of sweet benzoin and grapefruit, immediately giving you that candy-like freshness. As it dries down, it settles into a smooth, long-lasting base of tonka bean and vanilla, making you smell like a delicious mix of caramelized sugar and vanilla frosting.

The tonka bean is the backbone of this perfume, providing that rich, sweet, and slightly spicy quality that helps the scent last for hours. No need for cedarwood in this blend—tonka bean takes care of the depth on its own.

The addition of bitter almond oil is optional, but it gives the fragrance a warm, baked good quality, like cotton candy cookies on the drydown. I recommend letting the perfume age for a week before deciding if you’d like to add the almond for that extra sweetness.

COTTON CANDY sUGAR PERFUME OIL\

~7ml vanilla-infused jojoba oil or liquid coconut oil
20 drops vanilla absolute
20 drops tonka bean essential oil
10 drops butter essential oil
2 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
2 drop grapefruit essential oil
1 drop Peru balsam
1 drop Atlas cedarwood essential oil
1 drop benzoin resin

This easy cotton candy perfume oil offers a simpler, softer version of the more complex cupcake fragrance, with a delicate, powdery quality reminiscent of spun candy floss sugar.

Instead of the thicker, richer tonka bean absolute or paste, this recipe uses Plant Therapy’s tonka bean oil, which provides that creamy, gourmand sweetness you love while being a more cost-effective alternative for perfumery.

For an even sweeter and more indulgent cotton candy scent, consider using a base of vanilla-infused oil. This will give the perfume a fuller, richer sweetness, enhancing the overall cotton candy vibe with an extra layer of warmth and depth.

CANDY FLOSS PERFUME SPRAY

~8ml Everclear
20 drops tonka bean absolute
15 drops vanilla absolute
2 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
2 drop grapefruit essential oil
1 drop Peru balsam
1 drop cedarwood essential oil

This cotton candy perfume captures all the mouthwatering scents of candy floss: creamy vanilla, sweet fruit, and rich, caramelized pink sugar. It’s a simple yet delightful scent, using Plant Therapy tonka bean essential oil as the key ingredient for its gourmand base.

For those with a smaller essential oil collection, feel free to omit the cedarwood and Peru balsam; they add depth but aren’t essential to the core cotton candy scent. If you don’t have vanilla absolute, you can simplify the recipe further by replacing it with more tonka bean oil to maintain that sweet, decadent quality. This creates a lighter, yet still delicious, cotton candy fragrance.

CANDY FLOSS PERFUME OIL

~8ml vanilla-infused jojoba oil
40 drops Plant Therapy tonka bean essential oil
2 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
1 drop grapefruit essential oil

This is the easiest cotton candy perfume oil recipe, perfect for those with smaller essential oil collections or without access to vanilla absolute. To create a cotton candy scent, simply blend Plant Therapy tonka bean absolute with ylang-ylang essential oil. If you enjoy fruity notes, you can add a drop of grapefruit essential oil—though it’s optional. For added complexity, include a touch of cedarwood essential oil for a smoky depth. Alternatively, mix the blend with Everclear to create a light perfume mist.

For those with sensitive skin, consider diluting the fragrance to half strength for a gentler scent.

COTTON CANDY BODY SPRAY

2 tsp vegetable glycerin
~1oz vodka or Everclear
Cotton candy perfume blend of choice

You can easily transform any of these candy perfumes into a body spray by mixing your chosen perfume blend with vodka and a small amount of skin-moisturizing glycerin. Since body mists tend to have a lighter scent, you can increase the fragrance concentration by doubling the amount of perfume if you want a stronger, longer-lasting cotton candy scent. If you prefer, you can use regular vodka instead of Everclear for the base.

HOW TO MAKE COTTON CANDY PERFUME OIL

Prepare Your Tools: Clean your beakers and prepare your tools. To soften the vanilla and tonka bean absolutes, place the bottles in a bowl of hot water.
Add the Carrier Oil: Weigh your carrier oil (such as jojoba or fractionated coconut oil) into the same beaker as the absolutes.
Melt the Ingredients: Use the double boiler method to heat the beaker over medium-low heat until the absolutes have fully melted and dissolved into the carrier oil. Stir gently with a small whisk to ensure everything is well mixed.
Cool the Mixture: Once the absolutes have melted, remove the beaker from the heat. Stir quickly, then leave the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Add the Other Ingredients: Once cooled, add the remaining components of the cotton candy perfume blend: butter CO2 extract, ylang-ylang essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, benzoin resin, Peru balsam, and atlas cedarwood essential oil. If using liquid tonka bean oil, add it now.
Mix and Age: Whisk the mixture once more to ensure it’s fully incorporated. Cover the beaker or transfer the perfume oil into a small bottle with a lid, then place it in a cool, dark area to age for at least a week.
Sniff and Adjust: As the perfume ages, check it every few days to track its fragrance evolution. After aging, if you’d like, you can add a couple of drops of bitter almond essential oil to increase the sweetness. Add one drop at a time, waiting a few days between each addition to observe the effects.
Final Transfer: Once you’re happy with the scent, transfer your perfume oil into a roller bottle for easy application. Store in a cool, dark place between uses.

HOW TO MAKE COTTON CANDY PERFUME SPRAY

Choose a Bottle: Select a 10ml glass bottle or any other bottle you’d like to use for your perfume spray. You can later replace the cap with a spray nozzle.
Add the Perfume Blend: Drop your cotton candy perfume oils into the bottle, including tonka bean absolute, vanilla absolute, ylang-ylang essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, Peru balsam, benzoin resin, and optional cedarwood essential oil.
Shake and Age: Seal the bottle and shake gently to mix the oils. Place the bottle in a cool, dark place to age for at least a week.
Add Alcohol: After a week, add your Everclear or vodka to the perfume concentrate, then shake well to incorporate. Let it sit for another week to allow the fragrance to mature in the alcohol.
Ready to Use: After aging for two weeks, your cotton candy perfume spray is ready. Store in a cool, dark area and enjoy the sweet, sugary scent.

HOW TO MAKE COTTON CANDY BODY SPRAY

Mix the Fragrance: Follow the same steps as the perfume spray to mix your cotton candy fragrance concentrate in a body mist bottle.
Age the Blend: Let the fragrance concentrate age in a cool, dark place for at least a week to allow the oils to meld.
Add Glycerin and Vodka: After aging, add vegetable glycerin and vodka to the fragrance blend. Shake well to combine.
Final Aging: Let the body spray sit for at least another week to let the scent develop further.
Enjoy: After the final week of aging, your cotton candy body spray is ready to use. Enjoy the sweet and sugary fragrance throughout the day!

Cotton candy fragrance formula notes

Each recipe is designed to create 10ml of cotton candy perfume. The cupcake perfume formula is provided by weight, as this is the most precise method for measuring solid absolutes. However, the other recipes are simplified for beginners and use drop measurements for ease.

Tonka bean absolute is a key ingredient in extending the longevity of your DIY perfume. However, it’s important to note that large amounts of tonka bean absolute may cause skin sensitivity for some individuals. Please refer to the safety notes below for more information.

TIPS FOR THE BEST PERFUME THAT SMELLS LIKE CANDY FLOSS

Don’t expect your perfume to smell like cotton candy immediately – allowing the fragrance to mature is crucial! See the section on aging your perfume below for more details.
Perfume sprays tend to have sharper, more vibrant scents, while fragrance oils offer a sweeter, smoother, and longer-lasting aroma with stronger sillage. While I enjoy both formats, the perfume oils are definitely my favorite, especially the buttery cupcake scent – the butter CO2 extract adds an irresistible creaminess.
Both formats will leave you smelling like cotton candy all day, but the perfume oils last even longer, particularly when using solid tonka bean absolute.
The scent of a perfume oil is immediately noticeable, whereas alcohol-based perfume sprays take a little longer to dry down and fully reveal their fragrance.
Keep in mind that your cotton candy perfume may smell slightly different on you, depending on factors like the essential oil brands you use and your skin chemistry. However, if you follow the recipes, I’m confident you’ll create a delicious fragrance that evokes the sweet scent of freshly spun cotton candy.

SAFETY TIPS FOR USING ESSENTIAL OILS AS PERFUME

Skin irritation can occur, even with a carefully formulated perfume, as everyone’s skin reacts differently to essential oils. It’s important to approach essential oils with caution when using them in your perfume.

Be sure to patch test your perfume before applying it more widely, and discontinue use immediately if any irritation occurs.

Please note, I am not liable or responsible for any skin reactions, as using essential oils in homemade perfumes comes with inherent risks. Always prioritize safety when experimenting with DIY fragrances.

To age your cotton candy perfume, place it in a cool, dark location for at least one week after mixing. For perfume spray, you’ll want to age it in two stages: first, let the essential oil blend mature for a week. Then, after adding alcohol, allow the perfume to macerate for another week.

If you’re feeling patient, you can extend the aging process to up to two weeks. The longer you wait, the richer, sweeter, and more refined your cotton candy fragrance will become, giving you the chance to experience its beautiful evolution.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, creating your own cotton candy perfume is a fun and rewarding process that allows you to craft a scent that’s uniquely yours. Whether you choose a perfume oil or spray, the key to success lies in using quality ingredients like tonka bean and vanilla, and allowing your fragrance to mature properly through aging. With patience and attention to detail, you’ll end up with a sweet, rich, and long-lasting perfume that smells like fresh-spun candy floss. Just remember to patch test your perfume and always store it in a cool, dark place to preserve its fragrance. Enjoy the delightful scent of cotton candy and the satisfaction of having made your own custom perfume!

21 DELIGHTFULLY COZY AND FREE GAMES ON STEAM

Do you ever feel like entertainment costs are spiraling out of control? Because same. I’m juggling so many subscription services, but there’s barely any time to enjoy them. Sorry, Disney+, but you had to go. The same goes for my Nintendo Switch Online subscription—why am I even paying for that? Someone, please enlighten me, especially since I’ve been gaming almost exclusively on my PC lately.

It’s time to cut the subscriptions and explore free-to-play games instead. Or at least stick to games that only require a one-time purchase. Actually, now that I think about it, I’ve already downloaded tons of games in the past that I’ve barely touched—it’s time to change that!

To help both you and me, I’ve put together this list of free Steam games to enjoy guilt-free this month. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for a bonus game (and a video!) that didn’t make it onto this list!

LITTLE TRAVELER

In Little Traveler, you step into the tiny shoes of Nora, a Thumbelina-like character who travels from house to house, lending a hand to small families in need. Your mission? Stay hidden while bringing happiness back to the life of a lonely widow. Can you navigate all three levels without being discovered?

OPE

Ôpe is a charming 3D platformer where you take on the role of Bô, a tiny but courageous hero. With 10 captivating levels to explore, your adventure will guide you through magical forests and ancient temples. Master skills like wall dashing, rock pushing, double-jumping, and even transforming into a small sphere to overcome obstacles and uncover secrets!

BEWILDERED

Bewildered is a visually stunning action-adventure game crafted by students, where teamwork is key. Partner with a mighty beast to fight back against corruption and rescue your island from doom. Use your relic to command the creature, dodge danger with precision, and combine your unique abilities to seal the portal and restore peace once and for all!

AZTLAN UNCOVERED: PROLOGUE

Unleash your inner Lara Croft in Aztlan Uncovered, a thrilling 3D action-adventure game. Explore a newly unearthed temple, using your equipment and sharp mind to uncover its secrets. Solve intricate puzzles with a unique time device that lets you manipulate the state of specific objects, unlocking the mysteries of this ancient world.

PORCELAIN TALES

Step into the tiny shoes of a porcelain garden gnome in Porcelain Tales. Brought to life by a witch, your mission is to help gather all the missing items. Made of delicate porcelain, you’ll need to move carefully and avoid damage as you sneak around. With just one chapter, it offers a fun and short adventure that’s perfect for a quick playthrough.

TRIKAYA

Trikaya is a relaxing first-person puzzle game set in a long-forgotten temple. Your goal is to recover a mysterious artifact that has been hidden away for centuries. Use the powers of earth, fire, and wind to solve puzzles, uncover the artifact’s history, and restore it to its ancient glory.

POSTMOUSE

Postmouse is a charming third-person puzzle platformer where you play as an adorable mouse on a mail delivery mission. Step outside your cozy home and embark on an exciting adventure, exploring ancient ruins, solving puzzles, and meeting delightful animals along the way. Deliver letters to those eagerly awaiting news from their loved ones, and experience the joy of connecting hearts through the power of mail.

SHEEPY: A SHORT ADVENTURE

Sheepy: A Short Adventure is a heartwarming indie game inspired by classics like Hollow Knight and Ori. You play as Sheepy, an abandoned toy brought to life, who finds itself in unexpected and dangerous places that no plushie should ever go. This short pixel art adventure is beautifully complemented by its amazing soundtrack, which has captured the hearts of many players. It’s hard to believe it’s free—definitely a hidden gem worth playing!

CAT-ACLYSM

Cat-aclysmn is an action-adventure student project where you play as Vexa, the vibrant owner of a café called Catuccino. When your mischievous cat, Catuccino, runs away and starts a revolution to take over the city, it’s up to you to bring him back. Embark on a wild chase, battling evil robocats along the way in an effort to reclaim your beloved feline and restore order to the city!

MOOSE LOST IN THE WOODS

Moose Lost in the Woods is a delightful 3D platformer that encourages you to get lost in a whimsical Swedish-inspired forest. Run, leap, bounce, and explore while filling your backpack with fun treasures! Your goal? Find as many pine cones as you can while enjoying the serene and playful adventure.

SHUTTER

Shutter is a cozy, short third-person puzzle game where you step into the shoes of Keith, a new employee at the space-age research center L.I.E. (Learn, Investigate & Exploit). Using your camera, you manipulate objects through perspective (think Superliminal), unlocking mysteries hidden within the center. With its intriguing puzzles and mysterious atmosphere, it’s a captivating game that offers plenty of intrigue in a brief playthrough.

VIRIDI

Viridi is a soothing, work-from-home companion game where you can watch your succulents grow while you go about your day. Leave the game open in a second window and tend to your virtual garden, offering you a peaceful escape during busy moments. It’s a calming, safe haven you can return to whenever you need a quiet break from the hustle.

A PARK FULL OF CATS

If you love a good hidden object game, A Park Full of Cats is sure to delight. Step into a charming amusement park filled with thrilling rides and hidden cats waiting to be discovered. Search high and low as you explore the park, with each cat cleverly hidden in plain sight. The best part? It’s completely free to play!

GREEN REAPER

Green Reaper is a combat-focused third-person game set in a beautifully designed greenhouse. You play as Rubin, a rose blessed by the goddess Antheia and armed with her sacred scythe. When mushroom marauders invade the greenhouse, threatening the life of the garden goddess and her creations, it’s up to you to protect them. Venture through the expansive greenhouse, battling the invaders and restoring peace to the sacred garden.

EVERY LETTER

Every Letter is a cozy single-player game perfect for aspiring writers. Using an old-fashioned typewriter, you’ll craft heartfelt letters that embody your clients’ thoughts and emotions. As you type, you’ll uncover intertwining stories across multiple clients’ requests, get to know the charming quirks of the typewriter, and discover your own personal connection to the art of letter writing.

MEMORIES

Memories is a heartwarming dress-up game that explores how our clothes influence our mood and the memories we associate with them. Despite being free to play, it offers a remarkably emotional experience. Blending dress-up gameplay with visual novel elements, Memories uses a pastel, dream-like art style to evoke feelings of nostalgia and sadness, highlighting the emotional connection we have with the clothes we wear.

THE LOOKER

The Looker is a playful, free-to-play puzzle game set on a mysterious island, featuring over 55 creative puzzles spread across several enchanted locations. A lighthearted parody of The Witness, this short yet fun game offers unique challenges that vary in difficulty but never take themselves too seriously. It’s perfect for a quick, enjoyable puzzle-solving adventure.

CHECK IT OUT!

If you’re on the hunt for a free-to-play game like Supermarket Simulator, give Check it Out! a try. In this relaxing game, you step into the shoes of a cashier, encountering a variety of quirky and questionable customers. It turns the often mundane task of customer service into a fun and engaging experience. Honestly, if the customers in my store were even half as interesting as these, my day would fly by!

PLANT THERAPY

Plant Therapy is the ultimate cozy plant-collecting game where you can build your own indoor garden right in the heart of New York City. With over 60 unique plants to collect, grow, and repot, you’ll experience the simple joy of nurturing your greenery. As you wait for your plants to grow, you can decorate your apartment, collect artwork, and bask in the peaceful, calming atmosphere of your little sanctuary.

SKY: CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

Sky: Children of the Light is a cozy, open-world adventure where you soar above the clouds in a peaceful, serene world. New players, affectionately called Moths because of their brown capes, are guided by seasoned players who help them navigate the game. With minimal dialogue and direction, the game encourages players to seek guidance from others, making it a beautiful exploration of the buddy system.

Created by thatgamecompany—the same studio behind Journey—Sky shares many elements with its predecessor, like flying creatures, sandy landscapes, and the presence of a mysterious stranger. But Sky takes the buddy system even further, allowing for more meaningful cooperation and connection. And exciting news: Sky: Children of the Light will be available on Steam starting April 2024!

PALIA

Palia is currently my favorite cozy game, and I can’t recommend it enough. While it’s not without its bugs and glitches—something that can be frustrating at times—it holds incredible potential to become something really special.

Set in a world where humans were once extinct but are now making a comeback, Palia invites you to uncover the mystery behind humanity’s disappearance while building a new life in this vibrant world.

The game is free-to-play on both Steam and Nintendo Switch, though a word of caution: the graphics on the Switch aren’t as polished as the PC version. That said, if you’re only playing on the Switch, you might not notice the difference. I mostly play it on Switch myself, and still find it incredibly enjoyable!