Homemade Bay Rum

Resurrecting kind of an old thread...

I see someone posted a link to this some time back. Recipes for making your own Bay Rum aftershave. Homemade Bay Rum Aftershave | The Art of Manliness

A friend of mine makes soaps and lotions and sells them for a living, and she found this recipe here when I asked her about an aftershave.
It looks much better than the ones on that art of manliness page. Has all the other goodies that the name brands charge extra for...Witchhazel base, instead of alchohol with some witchazel in it. Homemade Aftershave

I'm probably going to try some different varieties...add some lime or grapefruit. Some patchoulli or sandlewood extract as well. If I have good results I may try making a big batch up and bottling it and selling it. My friend who makes the soaps actually had to take her site down because she has ended up with so many wholesale back orders to fill.

Sounds to me Nonstickron, that your friend has the type of problem all manufacturers would love to solve. Get the relatives or close friends involved and "gift" them the products they like in exchange for their help. Be advised that pulling a web page down that has incoming traffic is a business killer. Heck. you and your friend could be another Mama Bear but in the candle, aftershave and cologne field.
I keep Old Spice and a Bay rum around most of the time and try different ones from time to time. Bath and Body Works has one called Oak that is nice. Pricey, but nice. I have small bottles of Aspen and Preferred Stock in my shaving bag for traveling just for something different than what I use at home.
Keep us informed.

I've been looking into making my own and I always see vodka or some other solvent (witchazel, alcohol etc) aside from the rum. Does anyone know if I can use just straight rum as the solvent?

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Originally Posted by getitclose

I've been looking into making my own and I always see vodka or some other solvent (witchazel, alcohol etc) aside from the rum. Does anyone know if I can use just straight rum as the solvent?

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I've got a batch going (thread somewhere on here), uses some run and which hazel (only 14% alcohol). Also has some glycerine and aloe in it. Will be ready in 6 weeks.

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Originally Posted by ZeroCool

I've got a batch going (thread somewhere on here), uses some run and which hazel (only 14% alcohol). Also has some glycerine and aloe in it. Will be ready in 6 weeks.

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No. Think about it, it would be sticky.

Na, only a half ounce of the aloe, glycerine and one ounce of rum per 16 ounces of whichy. Then there's the herbs and such.

I quoted wrong reply. I meant to quote getitclose's question about using straight rum as the solvent. Rum is made from sugar cane, has a high sugar content. Its sticky if you spill it and don't clean it up. You wouldn't wanna splash it all over your face/neck/clothes.

I am, however going to store the filtered end result in the recently emptied rum bottle on my side of the bathroom sink.

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Originally Posted by Nonstickron

I quoted wrong reply. I meant to quote getitclose's question about using straight rum as the solvent. Rum is made from sugar cane, has a high sugar content. Its sticky if you spill it and don't clean it up. You wouldn't wanna splash it all over your face/neck/clothes.

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Bay rum was originally made with rum. It works just fine.
Been making my own with Captain Morgan's for years tho I do mix it 50/50 with Absolut Vodka.

http://www.learningherbs.com/homemade_aftershave.html

This is the recipe I used. Have no idea how it'll turn out but it smells good so far :)

Ah , I use 100% rhum in mine the only added ingredients are the EO's , in no way is it sticky . Rhum isn't a liqueur or a cordial it's booze like vodka and that's not tacky in any way. This was touched upon with a thread that must be at least four years old in case Anybody wants to resurrect a necro thread.

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Originally Posted by shayne

Ah , I use 100% rhum in mine the only added ingredients are the EO's , in no way is it sticky . Rhum isn't a liqueur or a cordial it's booze like vodka and that's not tacky in any way. This was touched upon with a thread that must be at least four years old in case Anybody wants to resurrect a necro thread.

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Well cool, thats good to know. I'm not sure I want to smell THAT strongly of booze as I go into work though. lol

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Originally Posted by Nonstickron

Well cool, thats good to know. I'm not sure I want to smell THAT strongly of booze as I go into work though. lol

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You're not supposed to drink it :p

Every time I try to make my own bay rum as, I end up with no after shave and wake up with my head resting gently on the toilet seat.;)

I made my last batch with nothing but straight rum, leaves from my bay rum tree, cinnamon sticks and orange peels and it came out great. I'd like to get a stronger scent out of it, but my poor little bay rum tree is going to have to grow a bit this spring before I'll be able to pluck the amount of leaves I'd like to get for a big batch.

I guess I'll let my cousin know that if he wants a juniper scented aftershave, he should just buy a bottle of Bombay Sapphire. :D

If you guys are ever interested in sourcing West Indian Bay leaves I can supply you with some.