Creating Masculine Fragrances: Essential Oils For Men's Cologne

Making your own cologne is a fun and rewarding experience. Not only can you create a scent that is unique to you, but you can also avoid the artificial fragrances and chemicals found in many commercial perfumes and colognes. Essential oils are a great natural alternative, and in this article, we will discuss how to make your own cologne using essential oils. We will cover the different types of essential oils that can be used, the benefits of using essential oils, and provide step-by-step instructions on how to create your own signature scent.

Choosing the right essential oils

When creating a cologne, it's helpful to understand fragrance notes. Notes are divided into three classes: top, middle, and base. Top notes are the first scent you notice after application, but they fade quickly. Middle notes come through quickly after the top notes and tend to be mellow. Base notes are the lingering scents that ground and complement the other notes and are what you smell at the end of the day.

For a men's cologne, you'll want to choose essential oils that have woody, earthy, spicy, or citrus scents. Some good options for top notes include wild orange, lemon, bergamot, and lime. For middle notes, consider cardamom, basil, pine, cypress, or ylang-ylang. As for base notes, cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, and vetiver are excellent choices.

When blending the essential oils, it's important to experiment and be creative. You may not create the perfect fragrance on your first try, but you can adjust the amounts of each oil until you find a blend that you like.

In addition to choosing essential oils that create a masculine scent, you should also consider the quality of the oils. Look for pure, high-quality essential oils from reputable brands.

Once you've chosen your essential oils, you can follow a recipe to create your cologne. The recipe will specify how many drops of each oil to use, and you can adjust the amounts to suit your preferences.

Keep in mind that it's important to store your cologne in a glass bottle, as essential oils can eat away at plastic containers. Also, be sure to store it in a cool, dark place to preserve the quality of the essential oils.

Blending the oils

Blending essential oils is an art form and it can take years to perfect a fragrance. However, you can experiment and be creative when making your own cologne.

Before blending your oils, it's helpful to understand fragrance notes. Notes are divided into three classes: top, middle, and base. Top notes are the first scent noticed after application but they also fade the quickest. Middle notes blend the scents together and form the core of the fragrance. Base notes are the lingering scents that ground and complement the other notes and are what you smell at the end of the day.

When blending your oils, you can add approximately 10-15% top notes, 25-30% middle notes, and 55-65% base notes. These numbers are just a suggested starting point and you can play around with them to find the right balance for your cologne.

For a masculine scent, you can use essential oils with woodsy, earthy, spicy, or citrus scents. Here are some examples of essential oils for each note:

• Top notes: Wild orange, lemon, bergamot, lime, juniper, or basil.
• Middle notes: Sandalwood, cardamom, ylang-ylang, pine, cypress, or stress away essential oil blend.
• Base notes: Cedarwood, vetiver, patchouli, sacred sandalwood, or black pepper.

When blending your oils, start by adding the essential oils to a glass bottle or container. Slowly stir the mixture, making sure that the oils are thoroughly dispersed. You can then add a carrier oil, such as fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, or vegetable glycerin, to fill the rest of the bottle. Secure the lid and shake well.

It's important to use glass bottles when making and storing your cologne, as citrus essential oils can eat away at plastic containers. You should also store your cologne in a cool, dark place to preserve the essential oils and protect them from sunlight.

• 4 drops of wild orange (top note), 6 drops of sandalwood (middle note), and 10 drops of frankincense (base note).
• 3 drops of lemon (top note), 4 drops of cardamom (middle note), 4 drops of ylang-ylang (middle note), and 6 drops of vetiver (base note).
• 3 drops of lemongrass (top note), 3 drops of basil (middle note), 4 drops of cedarwood (base note), and 6 drops of Douglas fir (base note).
• 2 drops of bergamot (top note), 3 drops of lemon (top note), 6 drops of clove (middle note), and 8 drops of white fir (base note).
• 4 drops of lemongrass (top note), 6 drops of copaiba (middle note), and 8 drops of frankincense (base note).
• 12 drops of bay essential oil, 12 drops of lime essential oil, 12 drops of bergamot essential oil, and 12 drops of cedarwood essential oil.

Adding alcohol or a different base

There are several types of alcohol that can be used as a base for cologne. Perfumer's alcohol is a common choice and can be purchased online or from specialist suppliers. Alternatively, you can use pure grain alcohol or Everclear, which are high-proof alcohols that will also effectively disperse the essential oils. Vodka can also be used, although it may have a limited effect on the scent. If you are looking for a natural option, rubbing alcohol can be used, but it is important to note that it can be drying on the skin when used frequently.

When creating your own cologne, it is important to consider the percentage of essential oils in your blend. Colognes typically contain around 3-5% essential oils, resulting in a lighter fragrance. This is in contrast to perfumes, which usually contain 15-30% scent. As such, the amount of alcohol or base liquid you use will depend on the desired strength of your cologne and the number of essential oil drops used.

Once you have selected your essential oils and prepared your base, the next step is to combine the two. Simply add the essential oils to your chosen base and stir slowly to ensure the oils are thoroughly dispersed. It is important to note that creating a cologne takes time, and your mixture will need to mature for around three weeks before it is ready for use. After this period, you can filter the cologne through a coffee filter to remove any sediment and then pour it into a glass bottle for application.

Storing your cologne

Firstly, it is important to use glass bottles when making anything with essential oils. Amber or dark-coloured bottles are best as they help to avoid the chance of the essential oils losing their potency.

Store your cologne in a cool, dark place. This is very important if you are using clear glass bottles as these are not as protective of the essential oils inside as a dark bottle would be. Always keep your cologne out of the reach of children.

If you are using a clear glass bottle, store it in a cool, dark place to preserve the essential oils.

Applying your cologne

• The key areas to apply cologne are your neck and wrists. These pulse points help to activate the fragrance, as the warmth of your blood will intensify the scent.
• You can also apply cologne to your chest, behind your ears, or even spray it into your hair.
• It's important to remember that a little goes a long way. Start with a small amount and increase as needed, as you can always add more but it's harder to remove if you've applied too much.
• When applying cologne, hold the bottle a few inches away from your skin and spray or roll in a downward motion.
• Avoid rubbing your wrists together after applying cologne, as this can affect the scent and cause it to fade faster. Instead, gently pat the area to help the fragrance settle into your skin.
• Store your cologne in a cool, dark place to prolong its shelf life.
• If you're using a spray cologne, it's a good idea to spritz the air in front of you and walk into the mist to get a more subtle application.
• Layering your cologne is also an option. Apply an unscented moisturiser or lotion first, then spray or roll on your cologne. This can help the fragrance last longer and project better.
• Reapply your cologne throughout the day as needed, especially if you're going out after work or plan to be in close contact with others.

Frequently asked questions