How To Make Men's Cologne with Essential Oils
Tired of store-bought cologne? We'll show you how to turn essential oils into a custom cologne that’s inexpensive and safe for daily use.
Yield: 100 ml
Cost: $20
Equipment
- Small bowl or glass jar
- Mini funnel for perfume bottle
Materials
- 10 ml essential oil
- 60 ml perfumer's alcohol or grain alcohol
- 30 ml distilled water
- 5 drops glycerin
- Distilled water to make more of an Eau de Toilette (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare your essential oil blend by combining the desired essential oils in a bowl or perfume bottle. Adjust the ratio of oils to your preference by adding more or less of each oil.
- Add a small amount of alcohol to the essential oil blend.
- Swirl to combine the oils with the alcohol thoroughly. This step ensures that the essential oils are evenly distributed and integrated into the alcohol base. Smell the fragrance again to make sure it's still to your liking. If not, add more oils.
- Using a funnel, pour into a cologne bottle and add 60 ml (2 oz) of alcohol then fill the rest of the way with distilled water. If you want to skip the distilled water, just add more alcohol.
- Add 5 drops glycerin to improve the longevity of your scent. If you'd like to dilute your fragrance so it's not as strong, add a little water as well.
- Let the cologne rest for anywhere between 24 hours and 2 weeks. As it matures, the scent may change slightly as the oils meld.
Notes
A typical concentration is around 5-10% essential oil blend to 90-95% alcohol base, but you can adjust this based on personal preference. Keep in mind that higher concentrations of oils may result in a stronger scent but may also be more irritating to the skin.