Creating A Unique Scent: Making Your Own Cologne

Creating your own cologne is a fun and rewarding hobby that allows you to express your creativity and develop a unique scent. While it may not be as easy as it sounds, with patience and experimentation, you can design a fragrance that rivals high-end brands at a fraction of the cost. The process involves blending essential oils, alcohol, and other ingredients to create a signature scent that reflects your personal taste and aesthetic. So, if you're curious about crafting your own cologne, read on to explore the steps, ingredients, and tips for success in this exciting endeavour.

Choosing your fragrance notes

• Understand the Fragrance Wheel: Familiarize yourself with the fragrance wheel, which categorizes scents into different groups such as citrus, floral, fruity, spice, woods, and musk. This will help you identify your favorite notes and create harmonious combinations.
• Top Notes: Top notes are the first impression of your cologne and usually consist of lighter, more volatile scents that evaporate quickly. Popular top notes include citrus scents like bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, and orange, as well as spicy notes like cardamom, lavender, and jasmine.
• Heart Notes: Heart notes, also known as middle notes, form the body of your cologne and appear after the top notes fade. They last longer and make up a significant proportion of the total scent. Common heart notes include full-bodied floral oils like jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang, as well as fruity scents like peach, apple, and pineapple.
• Base Notes: Base notes are the foundation of your cologne and provide depth and longevity. Rich, heavy, and long-lasting, they kick in after about 30 minutes and linger on the skin for hours. Examples include vanilla, amber, musk, patchouli, and woody notes like sandalwood and cedarwood.
• Experiment with Single Notes: Start by experimenting with single-note fragrances to identify your favorite scents. This will help you become more familiar with the characteristics of different notes and guide your choices when creating complex blends.
• Create a Fragrance Chart: Develop a fragrance chart to explore different perfume categories and identify the base, heart, and top notes that appeal to you. This will help you make informed decisions when blending scents and allow you to discover new favorites.
• Pay Attention to Base Notes: Base notes have a significant impact on the overall character of your cologne, so give them special attention. Ensure that the base notes you choose are pleasing to your senses and create the desired foundation for your fragrance.
• Consider Concentration Levels: Different concentration levels of perfume will affect the strength and longevity of your cologne. Higher concentrations provide a stronger and more long-lasting scent. Adjust the concentration according to your preferences and intended use.
• Sample and Experiment: Don't be afraid to sample and experiment with different fragrance notes. Blending is an art, and it may take time to create a harmonious combination. Try out different ratios of top, middle, and base notes to find the perfect balance for your unique cologne.

Selecting your ingredients

Understanding the Fragrance Scale

Before choosing your essential oils, it is important to familiarise yourself with the fragrance scale. This scale categorises scents into top, middle, and base notes. Top notes are the first scents you'll smell, followed by middle notes, while base notes form the foundation of your fragrance. The ratio of these notes is crucial to achieving your desired scent. For beginners, a good starting point is the basic pyramid accord, which consists of 60% base notes, 30% middle notes, and 10% top notes. However, you may experiment with different ratios to create a unique formula.

Choosing Essential Oils

The selection of essential oils is where your creativity comes into play. With a wide variety of options available, you can choose oils that align with your preferred scent profile. For example, if you favour woody and slightly sweet scents, cedarwood essential oil could be an excellent choice. Alternatively, if you lean towards romantic and floral fragrances, jasmine, rose, or ylang-ylang essential oils might be more suitable. Remember that your chosen essential oils will be diluted and blended, so the final scent will likely be more subtle than the initial impression of each individual oil.

Blending Essential Oils

Once you've selected your essential oils, it's time to start blending. This is a fun yet experimental process, as not all notes complement each other. It's recommended to add oils one by one, mixing as you go, and being mindful of the strength of each oil to avoid overpowering the blend. A helpful tip is to use no more than 30 drops in total, and less if one scent is particularly potent. You can then add two ounces of alcohol to your desired blend.

Combining with Other Ingredients

After finalising your essential oil blend, it's time to combine it with other ingredients to create your cologne. Alcohol, water, and glycerin are essential components. Alcohol, such as perfumer's alcohol or vodka, helps to dilute the essential oils and improve their dispersion. It also enhances the longevity and intensity of the fragrance. Water is used to dilute the cologne further, especially if you are sensitive to alcohol. Finally, glycerin, a vegetable oil, adds longevity to your formula and helps it adhere to your skin.

Additional Tips

When creating your cologne, you may also consider adding dried flowers to your blend for an extra touch of sophistication. Additionally, allowing your fragrance to rest and refrigerate for a few weeks will enable the molecules to mix thoroughly. Once your cologne is ready, pour it into a spray bottle or glass perfume bottle, and you've successfully crafted your signature scent!

Mixing your fragrance

The first step is to familiarise yourself with the fragrance scale. Top notes are the first thing you'll smell in a composition. The middle notes will appear once the top notes dry down, and the base notes are the fragrance foundation. Fragrance is all about ratios. The best way to guarantee a scent you'll love is to follow the basic pyramid accord, which is 60 percent base notes, 30 percent middle notes, and 10 percent top notes. However, you can experiment with these ratios to create the formula that works for the type of profile you're trying to create.

The next step is to choose your essential oils. If you lean towards woody, slightly sweet scents, you might reach for cedarwood. If romantic florals are more your thing, try jasmine, rose or ylang-ylang. Remember that whatever scent you select will be diluted and blended, so the final result will likely be different and more muted than the first whiff of the scent itself.

Now it's time to start playing around. Remember, not all notes go together, so this is where the trial and error comes into play. Drop a few oils (one by one) and start mixing. It's recommended to use no more than 30 drops in total, and if one scent is much stronger than the rest, use less. Once you have your desired formula, add two ounces of alcohol.

According to Matthew Milèo, a chemist and former in-house nose for Chanel, base notes like sandalwood, tonka bean, violet leaf, and vanilla blend well with middle notes like geranium, ylang-ylang, rose, and lotus flower. Top this formula off with lavender, neroli, magnolia, or mandarin, and your fragrance is worthy of signature scent status.

Now the cologne needs time to compose. Allow the fragrance to brew and sit for 48 hours. You can then refrigerate for two weeks and then shake it up so that the molecules can mix. Once the fragrance is ready, it needs to be diluted. In a spray bottle, add two tablespoons of distilled water and five drops of glycerin. Swirl your bespoke fragrance mixture in, slowly and carefully.

You can also try layering different perfumes to create your own unique scent. Start with a base scent and build upon it with other fragrances in order of their intensity. For example, you can begin by using a shower gel with an amber or musk scent, then apply a shaving balm with vanilla or pine fragrance, and finally, top it off with an aftershave with hints of citrus.

Storing your cologne

Location

The ideal place to store cologne is in a dark and dry area, away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Keep it out of the reach of children and pets. Avoid storing it in the bathroom, as the humidity from the shower or bath can cause oxidation and affect the delicate ingredients, altering the scent and colour. Instead, opt for a closet, cabinet, or drawer in a bedroom or hallway. If you live in an area with high humidity, consider storing it in a room with a dehumidifier.

Containers

It is best to keep your cologne in its original bottle, as these are designed to be airtight and have specific spray heads to prevent air contamination. If the original bottle is not attractive, you can transfer it to a decorative bottle for display, but be aware that this may shorten the lifespan of the cologne. Always keep the cap on the bottle when not in use to prevent oxidation and evaporation.

Boxes

For added protection, store your cologne boxes in its original box or a separate cardboard box. This provides an extra layer of protection from light and helps to regulate temperature fluctuations. If you plan to ship your cologne, use a sealable cardboard box with bubble wrap, duct tape, and packing material such as newspaper or styrofoam.

Travel Containers

When travelling, purchase a travel-sized bottle or transfer a small amount of cologne to an empty container. This will reduce the risk of losing or damaging your entire supply.

Temperature

Maintain a consistent temperature when storing your cologne. Avoid placing it in areas with extreme temperature changes, such as near windows or drafty areas. The ideal temperature for storing cologne is around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Refrigerator

Some people choose to store their cologne in the refrigerator, especially if it does not get too cold. The consistent temperature can help preserve the cologne, but be aware that very cold temperatures can damage the delicate chemical balance.

Lower Shelves

Keep your cologne on lower shelves or in a cabinet to avoid accidental spills or breakage.

Using your cologne

So, you've made your own cologne. Now what?

Applying your cologne

First, make sure you're clean. Take a shower to wash away any lingering odours and open up your pores, which will help your skin absorb the scent. Once you're out, make sure your skin is completely dry before applying your cologne.

Hold the bottle around 3 to 6 inches from your body and start with a light application. Choose one or two pulse points, like your neck, wrists, forearms, inner elbows, chest, or behind the ears, and apply a single spritz to each. These areas are heated and will help diffuse the scent throughout the day. Your natural body heat will also allow the fragrance to interact with your unique body chemistry, creating a signature scent.

If you notice that the scent seems to fade quickly, choose another spot and spritz again. You can also reapply by dabbing a small amount onto your pulse points, but be careful not to overdo it. You can become nose-blind to scents you wear often, so consider asking a friend if the strength of your fragrance is appropriate.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rubbing the cologne into your skin. This can make the scent fade faster and change how it blends with your natural aroma.
• Splashing the cologne onto your skin. This is an easy way to over-apply. If your cologne doesn't have a spray nozzle, place your finger over the opening, tip the bottle, and gently dab the scent onto your skin.
• Spraying a mist and walking through it. This wastes most of your cologne, as it ends up on the floor.
• Applying cologne to your clothing. This prevents it from mixing with your natural oils, which gives the scent its unique quality. It can also damage or stain the fabric.
• Applying too much cologne. Your fragrance should be subtle and understated. Start light and reapply as needed.

Frequently asked questions