Creating Masculine Colognes With Essential Oils At Home

Creating a cologne with essential oils is a fun way to make a bespoke fragrance for yourself or a loved one. The process is fairly simple and allows you to experiment with different blends to create a unique scent.

The first step is to familiarise yourself with the fragrance scale. Top notes are the first thing you'll smell, followed by middle notes, and finally, base notes, which are the lingering scents. When blending, it's important to use a combination of these notes for a well-rounded fragrance.

Next, choose your essential oils. For a masculine scent, woody, earthy, spicy, and citrus notes are popular. Examples include cedarwood, sandalwood, vetiver, bergamot, and lime.

Once you've selected your oils, it's time to blend them. This is where you can get creative and experiment with different combinations. Remember that not all notes go together, so it may take some trial and error to find the perfect blend.

Finally, add alcohol, glycerin, and water to your blend. Allow the fragrance to sit for a few days or weeks, and then pour it into a spray bottle or rollerball. Your DIY cologne is now ready to use!

Choosing the right essential oils

Firstly, it's important to understand the three types of perfume notes: top, middle, and base. Top notes are the first thing you'll smell and they evaporate quickly. Examples include lime oil, bergamot oil, and juniper oil. Middle notes tend to be mellow and create the core of the scent. Examples include pine oil, cypress oil, and stress away essential oil blend. Base notes are the lingering scents that complement the other notes and are what you smell at the end of the day. Examples include cedarwood oil, sandalwood oil, and patchouli oil.

When choosing essential oils, it's also important to consider the aroma categories. These include:

• Citrus aromas: bergamot, orange, lime, and lemongrass
• Herbal aromas: fennel, spearmint, camphor, and clary sage
• Resin aromas: frankincense, balsam fir needle, and myrrh
• Spice aromas: clove, black pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom
• Woodland aromas: cedarwood, juniper, eucalyptus, cypress, and pine
• Floral aromas: Roman chamomile and neroli
• Exotic aromas: ylang-ylang, sandalwood, and vetiver

Some essential oils that are popular for men's colognes include:

• Northern Lights Black Spruce
• Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood
• Idaho Balsam Fir
• Orange
• Frankincense
• Basil
• Helichrysum
• Cardamom
• Vetiver
• Ylang-Ylang
• Hinoki
• Bergamot
• Black Pepper
• Coriander
• Cypress
• Marjoram
• Wintergreen
• Cedarwood
• Patchouli
• Sandalwood
• Black Pepper
• Vetiver
• Valor essential oil blend
• Pine oil
• Stress Away essential oil blend
• Sacred Sandalwood oil
• Clove
• Juniper
• Rosemary
• Lemon verbena
• Spearmint
• Lime
• Valerian
• Nutmeg
• Orange
• Fennel
• Roman chamomile
• Blue Spruce
• Wintergreen
• Sandalwood
• Black Pepper
• Myrrh

When creating your own cologne, it's a good idea to experiment with different blends and ratios of essential oils to find the perfect scent for you.

Blending the oils

Blending essential oils is an art form and it can take years to perfect a fragrance. However, you can start by experimenting and being creative, and accepting that not everything will be perfect the first time.

The first step in blending the oils is to understand fragrance notes. Notes are divided into three classes: top, middle, and base. The top note will be the first scent noticed after application and will also be the quickest to fade. The middle note will be the next most powerful scent after the top note fades. The base note will be the scent that lasts the longest. Generally, colognes are formulated with around 10-15% top notes, 25-30% middle notes, and 55-65% base notes. These numbers are just a starting point, and you can play with them and adjust as necessary.

The next step is to choose your essential oils. Essential oils come in a variety of scents, including woody, earthy, spicy, and citrus. For a more masculine scent, stick to the earthy, woody, spicy, and citrus essential oils.

When blending the essential oils, remember that not all notes go together, so this is where trial and error come into play. Start by adding a few drops of oil (one by one) and mixing. It is recommended to use no more than 30 drops total, and if one scent is much stronger than the rest, use less.

• 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 (middle note), 12 drops of lime essential oil (top note), 12 drops of bergamot essential oil (top note), and 12 drops of cedarwood essential oil (base note)
• 8 drops of Idaho balsam fir essential oil (top note), 8 drops of orange essential oil (top note), 4 drops of frankincense essential oil (base note), and 1 3/4 teaspoons of 100-proof rum or vodka
• 8 drops of basil essential oil (top note), 8 drops of Idaho blue spruce essential oil (top note), and 4 drops of helichrysum essential oil (base note)
• 10 drops of cardamom essential oil (base note), 3 drops of vetiver essential oil (base note), and 3 drops of ylang-ylang essential oil (middle note)
• 10 drops of hinoki essential oil (base note) and 10 drops of bergamot essential oil (top note)
• 10 drops of black pepper essential oil (base note), 7 drops of coriander essential oil (middle note), and 3 drops of royal Hawaiian sandalwood essential oil (base note)
• 10 drops of cypress essential oil (base note), 9 drops of marjoram essential oil (middle note), and 1 drop of wintergreen essential oil (top note)
• 15 drops of bergamot essential oil (top note), 8 drops of patchouli essential oil (base note), 5 drops of valor essential oil (middle note), and 5 drops of cedarwood essential oil (base note)
• 10 drops of sacred sandalwood essential oil (base note), 6 drops of stress away essential oil blend (middle note), 6 drops of black pepper essential oil (top note), 5 drops of vetiver essential oil (base note), and 5 drops of cedarwood essential oil (base note)

Understanding perfume notes

Top notes are the first scents you notice after applying a perfume. They are usually light and citrusy, such as lemon, orange, or bergamot, or light and floral, such as lavender and rose. They evaporate quickly, lingering for only the first five to fifteen minutes. Their main purpose is to provide an initial scent and then smoothly transition into the middle notes.

The middle notes, or heart notes, are the "heart" of the fragrance. They make up around 70% of the total scent and last longer than top notes. They appear as the top notes start to fade and remain evident for the full life of the fragrance. Middle notes include full-bodied, aromatic floral oils like jasmine, geranium, neroli, and ylang-ylang, as well as spices like cinnamon, pepper, and cardamom.

Base notes, along with middle notes, form the foundation of the fragrance. They are rich, heavy, and long-lasting. They kick in about 30 minutes after application and work with the middle notes to create the scent. Since they sink into the skin, their scent lingers for six hours or more. Popular base notes include vanilla, amber, musk, patchouli, moss, and woody notes like sandalwood and cedarwood.

When creating a perfume, it is important to understand how these different notes work together to create a harmonious scent. The top notes provide the initial impression, the middle notes add depth and longevity, and the base notes provide a rich foundation that enhances the lighter notes.

Using a base

When blending essential oils for cologne, it is important to use the correct ratios of each note. A good starting point is to use 60% base notes, 30% middle notes, and 10% top notes. However, you can experiment with the ratios to find the perfect blend for your taste. It is recommended to use no more than 30 drops of essential oils in total for a 2-ounce spray bottle. If you are making a roller bottle cologne, you can reduce each oil by 1-2 drops.

For the base notes, you can choose from a variety of essential oils with woody, earthy, and grounding scents. Some popular options include cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, vetiver, white fir, and douglas fir. These base note essential oils can be paired with middle and top notes to create a unique and appealing fragrance.

When blending essential oils, it is important to note that not all notes go together. This is where experimentation comes into play. Try combining different essential oils one by one and see how they mix together. You can also use a blending wheel of aroma categories to help you choose complementary scents. Some common aroma categories include citrus, herbal, resin, spice, woodland, floral, and exotic.

In addition to essential oils, the base of your cologne will also include a carrier substance such as alcohol, witch hazel, or distilled water. Alcohol is a common choice as it helps to disperse the essential oils and make the cologne more intense and long-lasting. Witch hazel can also be added to extend the shelf life of the cologne. Distilled water can be used, but it will shorten the shelf life of the cologne.

Applying the cologne

Applying cologne is an art in itself. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your scent:

Where to Apply Cologne

Apply cologne to your pulse points, which are the areas of your body that produce more heat. These include your neck, wrists, chest, behind your ears, and the insides of your elbows and knees. The heat from these areas will help to activate and diffuse the fragrance, ensuring your cologne has better projection and lasts longer.

How Much to Apply

Less is more when it comes to cologne. You don't want to overpower others with your scent, so apply sparingly. A few sprays or dabs should be enough, depending on the application method of your cologne. If using a spray bottle, hold the bottle a few inches away from your skin and spritz once or twice onto each pulse point. If using a rollerball or dab-on application, gently apply the cologne directly to your skin, using a gentle touch.

When to Apply

The best time to apply cologne is after a shower when your skin is clean and hydrated. The moisture from the shower will help the fragrance adhere to your skin, and the steam will have opened your pores, allowing the scent to settle on your skin. If you plan to apply cologne before a night out, consider showering and applying the cologne beforehand, so the fragrance has time to settle and develop on your skin.

Applying Throughout the Day

Cologne typically lasts for a few hours, so if you want the scent to last all day, you will need to reapply. However, do not over-apply. Simply apply a small amount to your pulse points again, ensuring you do not overwhelm the scent. You can also apply an unscented moisturiser to your skin before reapplying cologne, as this will help the fragrance last longer.

Storing Your Cologne

Store your cologne in a cool, dark place, such as a drawer or cupboard, and keep it in its original box if possible. This will help to preserve the quality of the fragrance and ensure it lasts longer. Exposure to direct sunlight or heat can cause the fragrance to break down and spoil, so it is best to keep your cologne away from windowsills and bathrooms, where temperatures can fluctuate.

Frequently asked questions