How Much Menthol And Glycerin To Add?

Good evening gents. I purchased what I thought was a bottle of Taylor #74 Victorian Lime a/s last year. It was really a bottle of the cologne but what the heck, it was a mistake and cost the same as the splash. Now I really love the scent of VL but since I want to use this as an aftershave it is really needs some skin friendly items added to it. I have used about 15% of the bottle so it is just right for adding nice things.

I really love aloe juice and will probably pop a tablespoon of it in there for sure. How about glycerin? Is it really needed? How much? And last but not least menthol. This is a bit dicey for me since no two menthol containing splashes seem to be the same. I have also had much better luck with the Euro splashes like Alt Innsbruck, Floid, and one or two others. Even though they are supposed to be menthol bombs, I find them MUCH easier for me to handle than say Aqua Velva, Skin Bracer, and other American drugstore brands. I have absolutely no idea why. The Velva actually numbs my face. I just cannot use it. Somehow, the Euro splashes seem less cold or maybe it is just that they use less of it or a different type. I have also wondered more than once if our American manufacturers add some sort of numbing agent to their splashes.

I also have no idea how to mix the menthol or where to get it. Do you have to pre dilute it before adding to the splash or do you just chuck it in and shake it up. Thank you.

Regards, Todd

Glycerin isn't necessary, but you may find that you like it. http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=167726 has some discussion of amounts. For aftershaves I've tried 1:16 and 1:32 mixtures, using 1-teaspoon in 1/3-cup or 1/2-t in 1/3-cu. Too much may make the aftershave feel sticky or tacky.

When I buy generic witch hazel I add 1/2-t glycerin per 12-oz.

I thought I'd revive this thread because I'm experimenting with glycerin again, this time with Alt Innsbruck. I enjoy the scent, but that stuff is just alcohol, water, menthol, and perfume. So it could use a little help as an aftershave. I decanted about 10-15 mL into an empty 4711 bottle, using a restaurant squeeze tube, and then added about 1-2 mL glycerin using a pipette. I tried the result this morning, and my skin feels better than it usually does with Alt Innsbruck. Apparently I didn't overdo the glycerin, since the mixture wasn't sticky. I also liked the narrower opening from the 4711 bottle, but I still ended up with a little more Innsbruck than I wanted.

Now I'm thinking about adding some USP witch hazel to the mix, to tone down the alcohol a little.