Make Your Own Fragrance, Three Graceful Ways
When you make your own fragrance, the bottle holds more than a scent. It also holds the memory of the night you made it. So Glitters & Grace offers three paths. Choose a hosted blending bar at your event, a studio visit, or a private consultation.
Each path uses the same fine materials, too. We blend with absolutes, CO2 extracts, and essential oils. First, a quick definition: an absolute is a highly concentrated aroma drawn from a flower. For party basics, our make your own perfume page is also a lovely companion.
- Perfumer-led
- Adult bars from $500
- Consultations from $650
- Studio walk-ins
Why make your own fragrance instead of buying one
A store bottle smells the same on thousands of people. However, a blend you build yourself begins with your own taste. You decide what stays and what goes. As a result, the finished scent feels personal from the first spray.
The process is simpler than it sounds. First, you pick a base, the foundation a perfume is built on. Then you layer notes, meaning the individual scents that give a blend its character. Signage also suggests proven blends, so nobody feels stuck.
Every finished bottle is an eau de parfum spray. That term means a concentrated perfume, and ours is about 50% fragrance material. So your blend feels rich and true to what you chose. That is the quiet luxury of custom fragrance.
Start with one base and only two or three notes. Often the simplest blends feel the most elegant.
Ways to make your own fragrance with us
Pick the setting that suits your plans. Then we bring the materials, the guidance, and the cleanup.
Full Blending Bar
Our full bar holds more than 120 fragrances. It also includes signature scents for guests who would rather not start from scratch. So it suits hosts who want the widest palette.
Mini Blending Bar
The mini bar offers more than 60 fragrance materials. Even so, it still covers every base family. It fits a cozy room or a shorter gathering, too.
Studio Walk-Ins
Our perfume studio in Mokena opens in January 2027. After that, you can stop in to make your own fragrance. Appointments take priority, while walk-ins join when the team can support them.
Private Consultation
A fragrance consultation is one-to-one and starts at $650. The perfumer guides you as you blend, or else creates the perfume for you. Plus, your formula is recorded and kept.
Six Base Families
Bases come in floral, fresh, musk, sophisticated, gourmand, and masculine. Gourmand simply means sweet, such as a dessert you can wear.
Custom Labels
Name your blend on a custom label. Labels are a paid add-on printed in advance, so order them at booking and allow about 4 weeks.
Plan a blending bar for your guests
Adult perfume bars start at $500, quoted per event rather than per head. Your itemized proposal arrives within 2 business days. Then a 50% deposit holds the date.
Ideas for a blend-your-own evening
A theme gives guests an easy starting point. So here are three that suit grown-up groups beautifully.
Any of our bars can sit on a table, a luxury counter, or a candy cart. So the display can match your decor.
Occasions to make your own fragrance
Blending suits nearly any grown-up celebration. Also, local teams bring it to Chicagoland, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis.
Milestone birthdays
A fortieth or fiftieth deserves more than dinner. Instead, a make your own fragrance bar gives friends a scent that marks the year.
Bridal showers
Guests blend while the bride opens gifts. Later, every bottle becomes a favor with a story.
Ladies' nights
Friends gather around the bar and trade opinions. Our ladies' night ideas page has more inspiration, too.
Galas
A fragrance bar gives guests something lovely to do between courses. Plus, it leaves them with a keepsake.
Corporate events
Teams blend side by side, which breaks the ice quickly. Clients also remember a gift they made themselves.
Weddings
Guests can blend a scent that recalls the day. Then see our wedding perfume bars for styling ideas.
Where guests blend
Our bar needs about 12 x 6 feet and two 6-foot tables. If you need tables, we bring them for $30 each.
Homes
A dining room or finished basement feels warm and personal. Plus, guests can linger afterward.
Restaurant private rooms
A private room keeps the group together. Then dinner flows right into blending.
Hotel suites
Suites suit showers and weekend getaways. Usually, we simply work around the furniture you have.
Banquet halls
Larger rooms handle galas and company parties. Also, we add hosts as the guest list grows.
Mokena studio
Our Mokena studio opens in January 2027. Its private party room holds up to 40, is BYOB for adults, and has a kitchen.
How blending works, step by step
- Choose a base. First, smell the six base families and pick the one that feels like you.
- Layer the notes. Next, add a few notes one at a time, with a host beside you.
- Test and adjust. Then spritz, wait a moment, and tweak until it feels right.
- Bottle it. After that, your blend goes into an eau de parfum spray, ready to wear that day.
- Take it home. Finally, cap your bottle and enjoy a one-of-a-kind keepsake.
Event bars do not record individual formulas. However, a one-to-one consultation does, so book one if you want your recipe on file.
Make your own fragrance, in pictures
These setups show how blending looks at events. Notice, too, how the display shifts with each space.
Bring the blending bar to your guests
Book online or call 815.418.6740. Together, we will pick the format that fits your room and your guest list.
Glitters & Grace was founded by Cheryl Gleason, a trained perfumer, a cosmetic and skincare formulator, and the creative force behind every bar we bring to your event.
Where you can make your own fragrance
Chicagoland is our home base, while local teams with their own equipment serve Milwaukee and Indianapolis. Then, in January 2027, our Mokena studio opens for walk-ins, appointments, and private parties. Younger guests are welcome, too, at a kids and teens perfume party or a teen perfume party.
Chicago and the North Shore
Condos, homes, and party rooms from the city to Lake Forest.
Western and Northwest Suburbs
Homes, clubhouses, and venues across DuPage and the northwest suburbs.
Southwest Suburbs and Will County
Our home base, minutes from the Mokena studio.
Milwaukee Area
Local Glitters & Grace hosts and teams to bring you sparkle.
Indianapolis Area
Local Glitters & Grace hosts and teams to bring you sparkle.
Mokena Studio
19060 Everett Blvd, Suite 107, Mokena, IL 60448. Opening in January 2027 with a private party room for up to 40 guests. Visit the studio page or call 815.418.6740.
Blending questions, answered
Do I need any perfume experience?
Not at all. Hosts guide every guest, and signage also suggests blends that work well together.
How much does a blending bar cost?
Adult perfume bars start at $500. We quote per event, not per head, based on guest count, format, and length.
How is a party different from a consultation?
A party bar serves a group. Meanwhile, a consultation is one-to-one, starts at $650, and records your formula.
Can I get my formula after a party?
No. Event bars do not record individual formulas. So for a recorded formula, book a consultation instead.
Can I walk in at the Mokena studio?
Yes, once it opens in January 2027 at 19060 Everett Blvd, Suite 107. Appointments come first, and walk-ins join when the team can support them.
Do you come to the North Shore and western suburbs?
Yes. We travel from Chicago and the North Shore to Naperville, Hinsdale, Schaumburg, and the southwest suburbs, too.
Do you offer fragrance blending in Milwaukee?
Yes. Our Milwaukee team brings its own equipment to Mequon, Brookfield, Wauwatosa, and nearby towns.
Is there a make your own fragrance bar in Indianapolis?
Yes. A local Indianapolis team serves the city plus Carmel, Zionsville, and Fishers.
Is there a version for kids or teens?
Yes. Kids blend kid-friendly scents, while teens can use the full blending bar. Both versions are linked above.
What goes into the blends?
We use absolutes, CO2 extracts, and essential oils. Also, full ingredient and allergen disclosures arrive before your event.
Ready to blend something unforgettable?
Reserve your date online or call 815.418.6740. Then make your own fragrance with friends, at the studio, or one-to-one.
perfume@glittersandgrace.com · 815.418.6740
With Grace,
Cheryl Gleason · Owner, Perfumer & Creative Director