Thread: Smell like you, only better! (home made Cologne)

I was enjoying an outdoor cookout a month or so ago and the host built a camp fire. When I got home I noticed the smell in my clothes and thought, 'Man, wouldn't it be great to smell like THAT all the time.' Funny thing, as a woodworker I am always affected by the smell of Cedar and thought the same thing about it a few weeks prior to the cookout. These two thoughts reminded me of a place I'd been to years earlier that would add any scent you wanted to their products (shampoo, conditioner, etc.). I wondered if they still existed (they don't) and then wondered if I might be able to do the same. To take it one step further I wondered if I could create a scent similar to a campfire.

The answer is YES. :-) Not only that, I found it's both easy AND inexpensive to do so. Here's how.

Definition- What exactly is cologne made of and what's the difference between it and an eau de Toillette?

Perfumes, Toillettes and Colognes are basically the same thing but with differing amounts of one ingredient: essential oils. Essential oils (not fragence oils) are concentrated extracts (distilled or cold pressed) from plants and sometimes (rarely) animals.

From highest concentration of oils to least, the differnt forms of perfume are:

• Perfume, also called extract or extrait perfume, can include 15-40% essential oils. This is the purest form of scented product and is the most expensive as a result.
• Eau de parfum contains about 7-15% essential oils. This is the most popular and common form of perfume. It provides a long-lasting fragrance and generally doesn't cost as much as extract perfume.
• Eau de toilette has around 1-6% essential oils. This makes for a light scent that doesn't linger as long as the more intense versions. It was originally intended to be a refreshing body splash to help people wake up in the morning.
• Eau de cologne is sometimes used interchangeably with the term eau de toilette. However, the concoction began as the name of a light, fresh fragrance mixed with citrus oils and was made popular by Napoleon. Some perfumers today have a version of this called eau fraiche.

So what do I need to make cologne?
To make our cologne we need a few drops of essential oil (about $3.50 bottle which goes a LONG way, as we're only using drops. Sources available at the end), plus a couple of other things.
1. Alcohol. (you can buy perfumers alcohol or use a 100 proof vodka. Cheapest works just as well as the finest, unless you take a detour and decide to make ****tails.)
2. Glycerin. (Available at drugstore, usually near rubbing alcohol & hydrogen peroxide. 6oz bottle from Rite-Aid: $4)
3. Distilled water. (must be distilled, not tap).
4. Airtight glass container for mixing
5. Spray bottle (atomizer, old cologne bottle that can be opened and resealed, etc.)

Can you be more specific and provide an example?
Making cologne is a matter of taste, or really smell. What smells good to me may smell like dog poo to you. That said you need to experiment to find what you like but you will do well to have a guideline to work by. That guideline is MY personal cologne that I invented for my own personal use. It is mine. As you can see I'm a little territorial about it. When you make your own you can be as territorial as you like as well. It has no name but if you think of a cool one feel free to call it that.
A. 1 part alchohol. I bought a fifth of "Mr. Boston" 100 proof vodka as my alcohol base for $2.50. I filled a small mason jar with 2oz.
B. 1 part essential oil. Some oils last longer on your skin than others because they're heavier. Perfumers call these 'base notes'. Typically they're from woods (cedar, pine, birch, etc.). Perfumers add 'mid notes' (ligher oils) on top of these and even lighter ones (called 'top notes') to these. Three oils are a good start though some perfumers use much more. My cologne requires three essential oils:
b1. Cedar wood: 10 drops
(mix into alcohol until evenly distributed)
b2. Sweet Orange: 10 drops
(mix into alcohol and cedar composition until evenly distributed)
b3. Cade: 5 drops
(mix into alcohol, cedar, sweet orange composition until evenly distributed)
Allow this mixture to sit in an airtight glass container to "cure" at least 48 hours. Some people wait up to 6 weeks. This allows the mix to strengthen. Then add:
C. 2 table spoons distilled water. (I don't add water to mine but add this step in for those who might want to make a cologne/toillette).
Mix into composition, pour entire composition through a coffee filter, then add
D. 1 part Glycerin: 10 drops
Mix entire composition. Pour contents into a perfume/cologne spray bottle.
Finished.
If you're just reading this and haven't made it yet you may wonder what all this smells like. It's a mix of camp fire and orange. The Cade is very strong and smells similar to liquid smoke. The Cedar brings the Cade a more wood smell and the orange lightly sweetens it. I'm going to try another one using Birch Tar oil instead of Cade (also very camp fire like) to see if it is even closer to the camp fire smell I'm going for.
Now this mix is really a launching point. The next step is trying your own with the many oils available. Oils go for between $2.50-$4.50 for a half ounce bottle and if you're only using 10 drops from each for you colognes you'll see these are quite a bargain. 2 ounces of my cologne cost me less than $1 after buying the raw materials. Here are some oils you might want to try:
Amyris
Anise (or Star Anise)
Bay
Bergamot
Birch Tar (not Birch Sweet or Sweet Birch)
Black Pepper
Blood Orange
Cardamom
Clove
Cypress
Fir Needle
Lemon
Lemongrass
Lime
Mandarin
Peppermint
Pine
Rose (absolute)
Sandalwood
Spruce
Tangerine
Tea Tree
Vanilla
Chocolate extract (available at Sur La Table.com)
Coffee extract (Sur La Table.com)

Oil sources:
Anabell's Escentials (Ebay store)
New Directions Aromatics
evitaminstore.com
The Perfumer's Apprentice
The Essential Oil Company
natures alchemy
CosmeticGrade.com


Now go out there and make something that smells like YOU! :-)

I just wanted to say thank you for posting this. It is something I have been interested in trying for a while now, but never really got started on. I think you may have pushed me over the edge with your story of success.

I had really ignored the whole concept of cologne because I grew tired of what was out there and the prices are pretty rediculous. I find it hard to part with $65 for a bottle of something that simply makes me smell 'nice'. For that kind of money I'd like a little more involvement and to feel like it's really 'MY scent'. As you see (or somewhere between the lines of what i wrote) I really stumbled on the idea of making my own. Actually I was searching for a Cedar scent for awhile and couldn't find anything that was pure Cedar. They always had elements which I thought were too feminine or took away from the basic Cedar scent I was after. After I smelled that camp fire I was really motivated to at least see if that was something out there or that I could possibly make. When I found out how easy and cheap it was I was astounded. When I got my first order of essential oils I was blown away at how they smell. The scent is so intense, but in a good way. Clove and orange extracts are just enough to knock you off your feet. In fact, this is something I'll share with younger (unmarried) guys. If you have a girlfriend or a girl you're 'wooing', let her get a whiff of orange and clove extract. Their reaction is what I imagine is the same look after trying their first bite of chocolate- and isn't that part of what it's all about?

That said, I've been sharing 'how to' with everyone I can. I think it's empowering to create truly personalized and unique things. Scent as punk rock.

Perfumes also contain fixatives, intended to reduce the evaporation rate of the more volatile ingredients. Natural fixatives include ambergris, civitone and musk, all of which have an odor of their own, and may be included in the base notes of the perfume.

In truth, most perfumes today, including most high end perfumes, are 100% synthetic and use fragrence oils and synthetic fixatives. The first high end fully synthetic perfume was Chanel No. 5.

Originally Posted by fccexpert

Perfumes also contain fixatives, intended to reduce the evaporation rate of the more volatile ingredients. Natural fixatives include ambergris, civitone and musk, all of which have an odor of their own, and may be included in the base notes of the perfume.

In truth, most perfumes today, including most high end perfumes, are 100% synthetic and use fragrence oils and synthetic fixatives. The first high end fully synthetic perfume was Chanel No. 5.

perfumery really is a fascinating world. I understand the need for synthetics (standardized scenting, preservation, lower cost) and don't knock existing perfumeries for using them. I'm not even knocking their outrageous mark up. I just thought it was cool to see I had more options than just what current department stores offer and that I don't have to spend a gazillion dollars to get something that's unique to me. It's easy to fall into that trap with many things we buy- that is, thinking that what's for sale at the counter is the only option and anything more only belongs to the absurdly rich. I sometimes worry kids are oversaturated with that message.

On another note, natural ambergris, real musk and civitone- wild stuff. I can't imagine who decided to rub that stuff on them thinking it might smell good. Hunters?

Out of curiosity, what kind of staying power does your homemade brew have?

Thank you for this information. This will add a whole new dimension to whole shaving experience.

Interesting post.

Man, I love the way black walnut wood smell. Also, cedar.

thats pretty cool im partialy tempted to try this... just the lock of space and room i have here at the moment.. maybe in about 8 months ill give it a shot

Great thread! Thanks. I'm definitely going to be trying this out!