How would one use a cologne to make an aftershave?

[catatonic]

I'm starting to get curious about making my own toiletries, or at least modifying the ones I have.

I have some CO Bigelow Bay Rum cologne, and it's nice...but I'd like to dilute it into an aftershave, but am unsure how this is done exactly to make it work as an aftershave should. I love the fragrance, but it's just way too strong as it is for my tastes.

I also have that problem with many scents. I like a very mild fragrance on me, and even some aftershaves are just way out there in the fragrance category.

Do I just cut it with alcohol, do I add glycerin...just find a unscented blam and add it to that, etc?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Edcculus]

What comes to mind first is adding a few drops to witch hazel so you get the scent. I'm not sure if there are ingredients in some colognes/edt that you would not want on your face though.

I woulnt add it to alcohol. The cologne probably has alcohol in it already anyways.

Adding it to glycerine would be a bad idea too, since pure glycerine added to the skin will dry it out.

Adding it to a balm might not be too bad either, but the same applies for what I said about witch hazel.


I would think that you want to add it to something that has healing qualities. Wheter it is witch hazel, a balm, or a relatively unscented after shave.

[TraderJoe]

I'm starting to get curious about making my own toiletries, or at least modifying the ones I have.

I have some CO Bigelow Bay Rum cologne, and it's nice...but I'd like to dilute it into an aftershave, but am unsure how this is done exactly to make it work as an aftershave should. I love the fragrance, but it's just way too strong as it is for my tastes.

I also have that problem with many scents. I like a very mild fragrance on me, and even some aftershaves are just way out there in the fragrance category.

Do I just cut it with alcohol, do I add glycerin...just find a unscented blam and add it to that, etc?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

I would think cutting it with water or witch hazel should do the trick.

[Steerpike]

Good idea, but there's a problem with adding it to water or witch hazel: a really high alcohol content is needed to dissolve the essential oils in the fragrance. I'd say at least 70%, thats why all the traditional aftershaves are nearly pure alcohol. Low alcohol aftershaves contain an emulsifier, to suspend the droplets of oil in the liquid. So it would work to add it to an aftershave balm, but in distilled witch hazel (which has just a little bit of alcohol to preserve it) you might find that the oils separate. They might not if you shake it well after adding them: water can hold just a very tiny ammount of essential oils, but if you add much it's likely to precipitate.

[rikrdo]

ahhhhh....
Heres what I like to do.
I make a concoction of
witch hazel + aloe gel + a drop or 2 of glycerin
and then add fragrance to that mix.
Put it all into a cheapie atomizer I get at Target for $.59.
I make sure to shake well each time before using.
I have also cut some really strong AS's / colognes with "straight" witch hazel ( my WH is about 17% alcohol) and use this as a body spray.

Good luck with your creation(s).
Keep us posted ! :thumbup: