How to Create a Cologne
Fragrances, perfumes and colognes are an important part of our lives in the aesthetic sense. The difference between perfume and cologne is the concentration or the ratio of essential oils to the other ingredients. Cologne is less concentrated.
Such fragrances can be expensive, but it is simple to make homemade cologne. Making homemade cologne not only saves money, but it can also result in the creation of a unique scent to suit an individual personality. This article will present the basics for making cologne.
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Things You'll Need
- Selection of essential oils
- Ethanol (grain alcohol), or substitute called Everclear, or Vodka if others are unavailable
- Spring or distilled water
- Glycerin
- Empty cologne bottles
- Notebook
Instructions
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Essential Oils and Other Ingredients
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Locate essential oils. Essential oils are plant derivatives that can be purchased through herbalists or online at sites that sell soap or herbs. Essential oils can even be purchased at Amazon.com.
Cover your work area with a protective covering as essential oils can damage surfaces. Select the essential oil or combination of oils that you want to use for your cologne. Fragrance oils, which are chemists' manufactured versions of essential oils, are a less expensive alternative, but essential oils create better cologne. There are many choices, such as lavender, juniper, carnation, jasmine, ylang-ylang, patchouli oils and others. Prepare your cologne by using one scent of essential oil or by combining several oils to your liking.
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Add the essential oil to your choice either of Everclear, grain alcohol, or Vodka, and add distilled or spring water in proportions according to the strength of the scent desired. For cologne, 3 to 5% essential oil, 70% alcohol and 30% water are good proportions. A small amount of Glycerin can be added, if desired, as it is a good fixative for the mixture.
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Stir the mixture slowly, but long enough to ensure all the ingredients are mixed and dispersed evenly.
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Let the mixture set or mature for 48 hours to six weeks. The longer the cologne concoction matures, the better the scent. Stir the mixture at least every 24 hours as some oil will rise to the top. If desired or necessary, adjust the strength my adding more spring water.
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Try the following sample recipe for practice before creating your own recipe:
To make Love Tonic Cologne:
Use 3 drops sandalwood essential oil, 2 drops vanilla essential oil, 3 drops cedarwood essential oil, 15 drops bergamot essential oil, and 1/2 pint 70 % alcohol or vodka. A 30 % amount of spring or distilled water can be used if additional dilution is necessary. Stir well or pour the mixture into a bottle or jar and shake well. Leave for at least one week, but longer is better.Many recipes can be found online. Links to websites providing specific recipes for homemade perfume or cologne are provided in the Resources section of this article. Be daring, however, and experiment with your own recipes.
Additional related resources about beauty products and homemade beauty products can also be found in the Resource section of this article.
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For future reference, be sure to write down the ingredients and proportions used for each of your cologne creations.
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Put your cologne creations in bottles that will protect the shelf life of the cologne. There are many pretty clear glass bottles that can be used, but bottles that are made of colored glass protect the cologne from sunlight and prolong shelf life. Perfume atomizer bottles can be purchased online.
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Tips & Warnings
Use essential oil sparingly. Less is more when it comes to the amount of essential used in making cologne.
Never use essential oil undiluted. Undiluted essential oils can irritate the skin or cause photosensitivity to sunlight.
Essential oils should be avoided by pregnant women or people with asthma, epilepsy or other health conditions. If in doubt, consult a physician.
