Discovering Cologne Ingredients: A Beginner's Guide To Notes

Creating a unique cologne can be a fun and creative process, but it's important to be aware of the potential dangers of certain ingredients. Many fragrances contain dozens of ingredients, and companies are not required to disclose all of them, as these are considered proprietary information. While natural ingredients like essential oils, absolutes, and aromatic components have been used since ancient times, modern manufacturing methods have introduced synthetic chemicals that may carry serious negative long-term health effects. These include endocrine disruptors and probable human carcinogens. To make matters worse, fragrance is one of the main causes of contact allergic reactions in both children and adults. This lack of transparency in the industry has led to a push for clean beauty brands that disclose all ingredients and avoid potentially harmful synthetic chemicals. When creating your own cologne, it's important to familiarise yourself with the fragrance scale, choose your essential oils carefully, and be mindful of any potential allergies or sensitivities you may have.

Common natural perfume ingredients

Natural perfume ingredients can be derived from a variety of sources, including flowers, fruits, trees, spices, and grasses. Here is a list of some commonly used natural perfume ingredients:

• Vanilla is a familiar scent derived from the vanilla orchid fruit, with a rich, sweet aroma. It is known for its calming and sensual properties, evoking feelings of comfort and nostalgia.
• Moss is a light green lichen found on oak trees, offering a fresh and earthy fragrance. It helps create a sense of balance and grounding.
• Citron, a Mediterranean classic, provides a delicate citrus scent with rejuvenating and mood-boosting effects.
• Tangerines offer a tangy and sweet citrus note, providing a gentle boost that nurtures and uplifts the wearer.
• Vetiver is obtained from the roots of a scented grass variety, producing an earthy and woody fragrance. It has a calming and balancing effect while also boosting self-confidence.
• Peppermint, a familiar and invigorating herb, delivers crisp and clean minty notes. Its purity and freshness are perfect for uplifting the mind and senses.
• Black Pepper is a prized spice that lends warm and spicy notes to perfumes. It is stimulating, warming, and aphrodisiac, adding a touch of luxury and complexity.
• Lemongrass offers the clean and bright scent of lemon. Its steam-distilled essence is excellent for reducing stress and adding cheer on gloomy days.
• Frankincense provides a clean and smoky scent derived from the resin of certain trees. It has a calming and soothing effect, often associated with spiritual serenity.
• Ylang-Ylang is obtained from the yellow flowers of the perfume tree, producing a heavy, sweet, and floral fragrance. It can provide a euphoric boost, making it ideal for intimate occasions.
• Jojoba Oil is a living oil rich in proteins and minerals, with a light and fine texture similar to collagen. It helps promote youthful skin and reduce fine lines.
• Apricot Oil is another living oil containing vitamins A, C, and E. Its light texture makes it easily absorbed, perfect for everyday skincare routines.
• Coconut Oil is well-known for its quick absorption and natural antioxidant properties due to its high content of capric and caprylic acid. It is a versatile ingredient suitable for all-year-round skincare.
• Vitamin E (Tocopherol) is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Vitamin E oil protects the skin from free radicals and damage, making it ideal for dry or damaged skin.
• Blueberry Extract provides organic blueberries' antioxidants and phytonutrients, which help shield the skin from everyday chemical exposure and environmental stressors.

These natural perfume ingredients offer a wide range of scents and effects, allowing perfumers to create unique and captivating fragrances that appeal to a variety of tastes and preferences.

Synthetic fragrance chemicals

There are two categories of synthetic molecules. The first are the totally artificial ones, which do not exist in nature and are created from scratch in a laboratory. This process is called total synthesis. The second type is created from natural chemical species, where their initial structures are modified slightly to add new odorous properties.

Synthetic molecules are widely used in perfume compositions because of their advantages. There are several thousand of these molecules, compared to only a few hundred natural materials. They can reproduce thousands of notes from all olfactory families, including fruity, marine, floral, and gourmand scents.

• Coumarin: This molecule, found in tonka beans, has a typical smell of hay and tobacco. It was first synthesised in 1868 and is commonly used in vanilla-based perfumes to give them a soft and powdery nuance.
• Vanillin and Ethyl-vanillin: These molecules were created to reproduce the scent of vanilla. Ethyl-vanillin, discovered later, does not exist in nature but has a powerful vanilla smell.
• Heliotropine: This molecule was first created in a laboratory and then later discovered in nature in the heliotrope flower. It has a sweet and powdery smell, reminiscent of vanilla and almond with floral and delicate notes.
• Aldehydes: These synthetic compounds are found naturally in the peel of citrus fruits. They have a warm, greasy, and metallic smell, adding power, depth, and volume to a fragrance. Chanel No. 5 is a famous example of an aldehyde fragrance.
• Calone: Discovered in 1951, this synthetic material has a fresh, slightly aniseedy, and watery smell that evokes iodized air and sea spray.
• Ambrox: This molecule, discovered in 1950, replicates the scent of ambergris, an ingredient of animal origin. It adds a warm and oriental background to fragrances.
• Ethyl-maltol: This synthetic molecule, widely used since the 1990s, is a flavour enhancer with a powerful caramel and praline scent. It is used to create gourmand accords with sweet cake or chocolate notes.

The fragrance scale

When creating a cologne, it's important to understand the fragrance scale. The fragrance scale is a key part of blending your bespoke formula. Top notes are the first thing you'll smell in your composition. The middle notes will appear once the top notes dry down, and the base notes will be the fragrance foundation. Fragrance is all about ratios.

The basic pyramid accord is 60% base notes, 30% middle notes, and 10% top notes. However, you can adjust these ratios to create the formula that works with the type of profile you're trying to create. For example, a ratio of 20% base, 50% middle, and 30% top may work better for certain fragrances.

Top notes, also known as head or opening notes, are what you smell immediately after spraying your perfume or cologne. They evaporate quickly but will form the first impression of the fragrance.

The middle notes, or heart notes, appear once the top notes have disappeared. These notes are considered to be the main body of the fragrance, lasting longer than the top notes, and are usually well-rounded.

Base notes are what is left at the end; it is this smell that you remember the most. The base notes are the longest-lasting, mixing with the middle notes to create the full body of the cologne.

How to blend essential oils

Blending essential oils is an art form that can take years to perfect. However, you can start experimenting with different oils to create your own unique fragrances. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to blend essential oils:

Step 1: Understand Fragrance Notes and the Fragrance Scale

Fragrance notes refer to the different scents you perceive as a perfume dries down on your skin. There are three types of fragrance notes: top, middle, and base notes. Top notes are the first scents you smell, followed by middle notes, and finally, base notes are the scents that linger the longest. When blending essential oils, it's important to consider the fragrance scale and the ratio of each type of note. A typical fragrance blend consists of 10-15% top notes, 25-30% middle notes, and 55-65% base notes. However, you can adjust these ratios based on your preferences.

Step 2: Choose Your Essential Oils

There are various essential oils to choose from, each with its unique scent profile. For a woodsy and herbal fragrance, you might consider cedarwood. If you prefer romantic florals, jasmine, rose, or ylang-ylang could be good options. Keep in mind that the final fragrance will be diluted and blended, so the scent will likely be different from the individual oils.

Step 3: Start Blending

This is where the fun begins! Start by adding a few drops of essential oils one by one and mixing them together. It's recommended to use no more than 30 drops total, and if one scent is particularly strong, use less. Play around with different combinations until you find a blend that you like. Once you have your desired formula, add two ounces of alcohol to the mixture.

Step 4: Allow the Fragrance to Mature

After blending, let the fragrance sit for some time. This allows the different scents to meld together and develop a more complex aroma. The recommended time varies, with some sources suggesting 48 hours, while others recommend refrigerating for two weeks.

Step 5: Dilute and Bottle Your Cologne

After the fragrance has matured, it's time to dilute it and bottle it. In a spray bottle, add two tablespoons of distilled water and five drops of glycerin. Slowly and carefully swirl your fragrance mixture into the bottle. Your custom cologne is now ready to use!

Remember, creating the perfect fragrance takes time and experimentation. Don't be afraid to try different combinations and adjust the ratios to find a scent that suits your taste.

How to dilute the final fragrance

Diluting your fragrance is the final step in creating your own cologne. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to dilute your fragrance to create your own signature scent.

Firstly, it is important to note that diluting your fragrance will result in a lighter scent, so you may need to experiment with different ratios to get the desired strength. The standard concentration of oils in cologne is between two to four percent.

To dilute your fragrance, you will need a spray bottle, distilled water, and glycerin. The amount of distilled water and glycerin you use will depend on the concentration of your fragrance and the desired strength. A good starting point is to add two tablespoons of distilled water and five drops of glycerin to your spray bottle.

Slowly and carefully swirl in your fragrance mixture. You can use a jewellery scale to measure your ingredients accurately if you wish to be precise and create a repeatable formula.

Once you have added your fragrance, shake the bottle to ensure the molecules mix. Allow the fragrance to sit for 48 hours. You can then choose to refrigerate the mixture for two weeks, which may help to enhance the scent.

And there you have it—your very own cologne! It is important to note that you should not dilute sealed bottles of perfume and that alcohol can make the scent seem stronger.

Frequently asked questions