Creating Cologne: A Beginner's Guide To Crafting Scents

Creating cologne from scratch is a fun and creative process that allows you to design your own unique fragrance. By selecting and blending different essential oils, you can craft a scent that reflects your personality and preferences. Whether you're aiming for a woody, herbal, floral, or powdery aroma, the possibilities are endless. In this guide, we will explore the steps and ingredients needed to make your own cologne, helping you develop a signature scent that sets you apart.

Choosing your essential oils

The essential oils you choose will make or break your cologne. It's important to select oils that complement each other and create a balanced fragrance. Here are some tips to help you choose the right essential oils for your cologne:

• Understand the fragrance scale: Familiarize yourself with the different notes in a fragrance. Top notes are the first scents you smell, middle notes appear once the top notes dry down, and base notes are the foundation of the fragrance. The ratio of these notes is crucial to achieving the desired scent. A good starting point is the basic pyramid accord, which consists of 60% base notes, 30% middle notes, and 10% top notes. However, you can experiment with different ratios to create a unique fragrance.
• Select oils with complementary scents: Choose essential oils that belong to the same scent family or complement each other. For example, if you want a woody and herbal scent, you might choose cedarwood as your base note. If you prefer romantic florals, jasmine, rose, or ylang-ylang could be your middle notes. The final result will likely be more muted than the individual scents, so don't be afraid to mix and match.
• Consider the desired effect: Different essential oils can evoke different moods and emotions. For a refreshing and uplifting effect, opt for citrus oils like bergamot and grapefruit. If you want a calming and relaxing fragrance, consider lavender or sandalwood. Think about the feeling you want your cologne to evoke and choose essential oils that align with that.
• Layer your fragrance: Combine essential oils from different categories to create a textured scent. You can mix and match oils from citrus, herbaceous, spicy, and woodsy categories to create a complex and intriguing fragrance. Experiment with different combinations and use a small bowl to blend a few drops of each oil, wafting the aroma to see how you like it.
• Create a signature scent: Don't be afraid to get creative and design your own unique fragrance. Fragrance blending is an art form, and it may take some time to perfect your signature scent. Be patient, experiment with different oils, and accept that not every blend will be perfect on the first try.

Blending the oils

Start by dropping a few oils, one by one, and begin mixing. It is recommended to use no more than 30 drops in total, and if one scent is much stronger than the rest, use less.

• Woody, slightly sweet scents: Cedarwood
• Romantic florals: Jasmine, rose, or ylang-ylang
• Citrusy: Bergamot, lime, or grapefruit
• Herbaceous: Basil, rosemary, or lavender
• Spicey: Black pepper, cinnamon leaf, or clove bud
• Musk: Benzoin or musk

Once you have your desired formula, add two ounces of alcohol. You can also add a few drops of glycerin to help the cologne stick to your skin and increase its longevity.

• Base notes: Sandalwood, tonka bean, violet leaf, or vanilla
• Middle notes: Geranium, ylang-ylang, rose, or lotus flower
• Top notes: Lavender, neroli, magnolia, or mandarin

After blending, allow the fragrance to sit for 48 hours. It is also recommended to refrigerate it for two weeks and then shake it well so that the molecules can mix.

Once the fragrance is ready, dilute it by adding two tablespoons of distilled water and five drops of glycerin to a spray bottle. Slowly and carefully swirl your bespoke fragrance mixture into the bottle.

And just like that, you've become a perfumer with your own signature cologne!

Adding alcohol

When making cologne from scratch, adding alcohol is an important step. The type of alcohol you use will depend on the other ingredients in your cologne, as well as your desired consistency and fragrance strength. Alcohols that can be used include grain alcohol, ethanol, vodka, and witch hazel. The amount of alcohol you add will depend on the desired strength of your cologne, but typically, a higher percentage of alcohol will result in a stronger fragrance.

If you are using essential oils in your cologne, you will need to add alcohol to dilute the fragrance concentrate and create a sprayable consistency. The type of alcohol used in these perfumes is typically ethanol, a common alcohol found in alcoholic drinks, biofuel, and perfume. Ethanol acts as a solvent, helping the perfume disperse well on the skin and aiding in evaporation.

When creating your own cologne, it is important to use cosmetic-grade alcohol to ensure the safety of your final product. Denatured alcohol, for example, may be made unfit for human consumption with the addition of poison or bad-tasting chemicals. If you are unable to obtain cosmetic-grade denatured alcohol, you can use high-proof grain alcohol or perfumer's alcohol as a substitute.

It is also important to note that not all alcohols are suitable for perfumery. For example, rubbing alcohol uses isopropyl alcohol, which has a strong smell and is harsh on the skin. Additionally, it may be difficult to dissolve your raw materials in isopropyl alcohol. Therefore, it is best to avoid using rubbing alcohol in your cologne.

When adding alcohol to your cologne, it is recommended to follow a basic pyramid accord for the ratios of different fragrance notes. This involves using 60% base notes, 30% middle notes, and 10% top notes. However, you can experiment with different ratios to create a unique fragrance profile.

Diluting the cologne

After the fragrance has had time to sit, it needs to be diluted. To do this, you will need a spray bottle or glass perfume bottle, distilled water, and glycerin. The amount of water and glycerin you use will depend on the desired concentration of your cologne. For an eau de cologne, you will use 2-5% essential oils. So, for a 10ml bottle, you would use 2-5 drops of essential oil. Adjust the amount of oil accordingly if you are making a larger or smaller batch.

Add the distilled water and glycerin to your bottle, then slowly and carefully swirl in your fragrance mixture. Your cologne is now ready to use!

It is important to note that citrus essential oils can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid using them if you will be exposed to the sun.

Storing and maturing the cologne

Storing and maturing your cologne is a critical step in the process of making your own cologne. Here is a detailed guide to help you with this important step:

After blending your chosen essential oils and alcohol, it is important to let your cologne sit and mature. This process allows the fragrance to develop and the oils to combine and become more rounded, creating a well-balanced scent. The length of time can vary, but it is generally recommended to let your cologne sit for at least 48 hours to a few weeks. Some recipes suggest refrigerating the cologne during this time, while others recommend storing it in a cool, dark place.

Once the fragrance has matured, it is time to dilute it. For a spray cologne, add distilled water and glycerin to a spray bottle and slowly and carefully swirl in your cologne mixture. For a roll-on cologne, you can use a higher concentration of essential oils and apply it directly to the skin.

Proper storage of your cologne is essential to preserve its fragrance and ensure its longevity. Always store your cologne in a cool, dark place, as sunlight and heat can cause the fragrance to deteriorate. Use airtight containers, preferably made of dark glass, to prevent oxidation and light damage.

It is also important to note that some essential oils, especially citrus oils, can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. Therefore, it is recommended to use these oils with caution and avoid direct sun exposure after application.

Additionally, you can enhance the longevity of your cologne by using a fragrance with a lower concentration of essential oils, typically 2-5% for colognes. This will make the scent lighter and milder but will also make it less overpowering and more suitable for everyday use.

Finally, you may want to consider creating a unique name for your cologne and designing a label to give it a personalised touch. This can be a fun way to make your signature scent even more special.

Frequently asked questions