Tips for Creating Scented Aftershave / Witch Hazel

[Perrito-Incognito]

Hi,
I'm thinking of buying some essential oil and adding it to unscented witch hazel or unscented balm. Sandalwood, bay rum or some such.
Does this work? I'm sure there are books on amazon or library for doing something like this, but thought I'd check with the wise and sagely folks here at B&B. I'd like the scent to last a while beyond the shave but not be overpowering.

Any suggestions on where to start or voices of experience would be most welcome.

Sincerely,
P

[KarlMaldensNose]

I do it, almost as much out of necessity as any other reason -- witch hazel is so nasty on its own. My particular blend is plain witch hazel (i.e. not any of the Thayer's flavours), lime essential oil, and glycerine. Sometimes I'll add a little Aveeno moisturizer or aloe vera gel in the winter for extra protection. Also some menthol liquid additive in the summer for a cool treat. No particular ratios, amounts, etc. of the ingredients, just eyeball it. The lime EO is supposed to be good for skin. I'd like to try adding some rose water or orange blossom water if I can ever get my hands on some, but that could be overkill, my blend works excellent as is. Go for it! You'd be surprised how quick, cheap and easy it is, and how effective a homemade aftershave can be. Soooo much better than most of the crap I've tried off the drugstore shelf.

And I always like to plug the best "commercial" AS product I've tried when I get the chance... RazoRock 888 Eucalyptus and Tea Tree Aftershave Lotion. Wonderfully short and smart ingredient list: orange blossom water, witch hazel, grain alcohol, menthol, aloe vera, jojoba, olive oil, tea tree and eucalyptus essential oils. That's it. Hmmm... looks strangely familiar, doesn't it? I think that's where I got the idea for orangge blossom water.

One more thing. There's tons of recipes out there on the 'net for homemade AS. Lots here on B&B, as well. Check 'em out.

[joshmpdx]

It does work.

I would recommend adding the essential oils to a high proof alcohol for dilution. It doesn't need to be much if you're looking for a witch hazel A/S.

Also try adding some glycerin, caster oil, and obviously don't forget the menthol crystals!

[Perrito-Incognito]

Thanks to both of you. I am encouraged enough to dip my toe in making my own. I will track down some Lime EO to add to some WH. I was thinking of using the Thayers Unscented with Aloe. Sounds like I need to add alcohol to make this work. Was hoping to avoid using it, but will do so.

[mmack66]

I've added a few drops of lavender essential oil to witch hazel before. It worked pretty well. I didn't add anything else to the generic witch hazel.

[Wendy]

I will track down some Lime EO to add to some WH.

How much Lime EO are you needing?

[drlvegas]

The SCS lime is great if you haven't tried it--my summer favorite.

[ladykate]

Hi,
I'm thinking of buying some essential oil and adding it to unscented witch hazel or unscented balm. Sandalwood, bay rum or some such.
Does this work?

Any suggestions on where to start or voices of experience would be most welcome.

I have made Bay Rum and added EOs to it to get a lingering after effect. Also, I love lime and lemon scents but they are very short lived so adding an essential oil to them (homemade lime and lemon is easy enough - you can either soak skins in Ever Clear or add in EOs of the stuff) works fine. I occasionally use Witch Hazel and I don't like it in the unscented state - adding in lemon or lime or just about anything really helps. You can get unscented Witch Hazel for much cheaper than the scented versions and do your own thing.

I have always (like - years and years) added an EO of some sort to pure alcohol as an AS splash. Early on, I was very sensitive to some scents (still am) so diluting them and making my own AS splash was the only way to go.

I don't like to add too much glycerine - my skin can handle an alcohol splash - the glycerine can make the AS a bit sticky for my tastes.

It is fun to experiment and make something that suits you better than you can purchase.

[Perrito-Incognito]

Thanks everyone. I picked up some Target witch hazel and am going to try adding some Lime EO. The witch hazel has some alcohol in it (14%) and will see if I need to add more (probably not). Will report back.
I will definitely check out Saint Charles Shave stuff. Haven't used it yet. Visited the site and they look to offer some great products (smellum as dear old dad used to call it).

[KarlMaldensNose]

What is the purpose of the alcohol? Is it just as a disinfectant or does it serve other purposes in homemade AS? I ask because many aftershaves these days are alcohol-free, and my own alcohol-free blend seems to be working wonderfully as is. Come to think of it, alcohol would be a nice addition, especially in the summer, as I have oily skin. Would rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol work? If not, then why not? What kinds of alcohol would work? Where would one get the kind of alcohol necessary for this application?

Perrito, if SCS doesn't have what you need, The Shave Den sells various EOs, lime among them. Heck, there are probably many local places from where you could pick it up in person. Keep us posted if you go ahead with this. I'm always looking for new little tweeks to my recipe.

[ladykate]

What is the purpose of the alcohol? What kinds of alcohol would work? Where would one get the kind of alcohol necessary for this application?

Alcohol cleans, disinfects, cools/refreshes, doesn't leave tracks, and is miscible with many other additions to AS. Miscible? It is a good solvent but miscibility sounds much better. I use EverClear ethanol available in many liquor stores. Some states don't carry it - Political Correctness knows no bounds. However, rubbing alcohol will work fine and is cheaper - you just can't take a swig.

I like an alcohol splash with a hint of lemon or lime after shaving. It is a bit of a shock if I get too close with the razor but it really feels nice. You can also use it between shaves to perk yourself up.

I also add in a balm afterwards so my skin doesn't dry out too much but some days it is just the splash. Depends on the weather.

[john parker]

If one uses non-Thayer witchhazel (i.e. that with 14% alcohol), about how much (drops) EO should one put in to make a rose scented and a lavender scented. Or is it a question of starting to add and seeing where you end up? Not having witchhazel now I cannot say what the volume of the bottle is. Hoping someone else has done it and knows.

[Wendy]

The SCS lime is great if you haven't tried it--my summer favorite.

Thanks, I make it into lotions and bath soap for myself in the summer too : )

[Wendy]

. Would rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol work? If not, then why not? What kinds of alcohol would work? Where would one get the kind of alcohol necessary for this application?

Please do not use rubbing alcohol. It has so many other chemical in it and the end result may not be favorable. Perfumers alcohol, undenatured alcohol is what you should use. You can purchase online at many online stores. Many people making products for themselves use Everclear grain alcohol, this is much better than rubbing alcohol, I would still suggest buying the proper perfumers alcohol though.

[mach3avelli]

Just an idea I've tried and it seems to work well.......Nivea Sensitive Balm, with a teaspoon (5ml) or so of Ogalalla Bay Rum Cologne, shaken not stirred, and left a few days in a cool dry place. Heavenly scent all ways up, takes blandness away from balm and minimizes the cloying cloves from the cologne. Still great on sensitive skin too!
I guess any unscented/mild scented balm would be OK.
Could someone please tell me what the use of witch hazel is all about, in regards to shaving? (I've still a lot to learn)
LL&P

[john parker]

Having second thoughts about mixing scents to witchhazel. Think Karlmaldensnose said that witchhazel has an unpleasant scent! Only kind I have is a sample of Thayer's rose scented which has only a faint rose smell. What does non-Thayers witchhazel smell like?

[ladykate]

Having second thoughts about mixing scents to witchhazel. Think Karlmaldensnose said that witchhazel has an unpleasant scent! Only kind I have is a sample of Thayer's rose scented which has only a faint rose smell. What does non-Thayers witchhazel smell like?

I've always thought it smelled like crap. It has an almost sewer-like smell to me. Very faint, though. I add a small amount of something to it to kill that waft of evil I get from it. The nice thing is that a dash or two of AS usually does the job.

[SteveWY]

Witch Hazel....

1. An astringent, a substance that contracts the tissues, a cosmetic that cleans the skin and constricts the pores. WH tightens and tones the skin.
2. WH typically has 14% alcohol so it also has antiseptic properties. (Except the alcohol-free versions)
3. The hamamaelis leaf extract is thought to have natural anti-fungal or anti-bacterial properties.

Mostly, it is a nice soothing splash that closes the pores and tones the skin. Some don't like the smell but it dissapates quickly and does not linger or mi8x with your AS or ASB. Many shavers consider using WH as standard part of their post-shave routine. I do. Shave, warm & cold water rinse, towel dry, styptic/alum if necessary, witch hazel splash, AS and or ASB finish.

Some swear by Thayer's as the best. It comes in a variety of scents and formulations. Some see no difference between Thayer's, Dickinsen's or any drugstore or generic brand. Try some and see for yourself.


Hamamelis Virginiana? We Call It The Shrub Of Life. http://www.thayers.com/store/?main_page=index&cPath=3

Made of extract from the Witch Hazel shrub (Hamamelis Virginiana) and a blend of other time-tested ingredients - THAYERS® Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Formula Astringents and Alcohol-Free Toners are soothing, natural treatments that cleanse, tone and soothe your skin. THAYERS® are the only Witch Hazel products made of non-distilled extract from the Witch Hazel shrub maintaining the highest levels of therapeutic tannins.

These natural elixirs have been a fixture in medicine cabinets for generations. Once you use them, you'll know why.

[TommyD]

On occasion, I will add a splash of Cade AS into my palm of Thayers WH and apply to face and neck. Granted this isn't too often, as I am carefully rationing my last half bottle of Cade. Loccitane, please bring it back!! That is about as technical as I get with my post shave routine.

[michiganlover]

Having second thoughts about mixing scents to witchhazel. Think Karlmaldensnose said that witchhazel has an unpleasant scent! Only kind I have is a sample of Thayer's rose scented which has only a faint rose smell. What does non-Thayers witchhazel smell like?

It smells bad when you first start using it, but the scent is pretty mild (you're only going to smell it if the witch hazel is nearby your nose), so it's easily overcome by any scent additive.

I have mixed a small amount of Rose Water with generic witch hazel before for a mildly rose scented concoction; the result is great stuff. I got the Rose Water from my local international market. It was like $2 for enough to last years. Oddly enough, it's a consumable product: as I understand it, it is used in cooking in Turkey.

The bad scent of Witch Hazel is overstated. It will smell bad the first few days you use it, but then you will get used to it, and not notice anymore.