After mentioning that I've been using my own Old-Spice type aftershave under Parker Variant pass-around thread, I've been asked to share the recipe. It's actually pretty simple, and unfortunately, I cannot take credit for the blend of oils in it, as I'm buying the essential oil blend already mixed, and then adding it into a fairly simple aftershave recipe.
What I've been mixing, and I don't always measure exact, so each batch comes out a little different, but, the ingredients are:
1/2 Cup of Vodka (I've been using some Smirnoff we have, don't tell the wife)
1/4 Cup of Witch Hazel (Dickinson's from Wal-Mart)
2 Tbsp of Glycerin (I added extra to hydrate the skin)
1 Pinch (a very small amount of light shavings) off my Alum Block
From there I add to my satisfaction, usually 15-20 drops give or take of scent oil. What I'm using for scent oil is a mix I found on eBay, that smells so good my wife asked me "why can't you just use that strait?"....she didn't realize it was a mix of oils and needs to be cut or diluted. The scent end result in close to original Old-Spice, without any powdery scent, and probably better for the skin, as it's all essentials oils, glycerin, witch hazel, and enough alcohol to allow them to mix. Let the mix sit for a week in the glass bottle, as I swear it gets better the longer it sits. For the mix of oils, search for "OLD SPICE TYPE Uncut Incense Oil" and you'll find it in a quart sized bottle. (I paid around $20 for the bottle, enough to last me a life time).
If you're Bay-Rum villain, substitute a spicy rum (Captain's or Baccardi) for the Vodka, and in place of the oil mix, add in:
10 drops of Bay Rum Oil or 2-3 Bay Leaves (Pimento Racemosa, not cooking bay leaves)
A broken up Cinnamon Stick (really crush it)
1-1.5 Teaspoons of Crushed/Powdered Clove (fresh if possible)
1/4-1/2 Teaspoon of Crushed Allspice
5 drops or so of Orange (I use sweet orange)
If you want more complex side notes, have fun and add in just a couple drops of some Lemon, Lime, or Bergamot. You can actually add the them to your preference, some like more orange, other might leave it out, I like orange and add extra. - You can really experiment and tune to your liking.
Now, with the Bay-Rum, you need to let that baby sit in a cool dark place for at least two(2) weeks, three is better. Then take a coffee filter and strain it a couple of times to remove the sediment from the cinnamon, allspice, and leaves if you used real bay leaves. Bottle using a small funnel and enjoy. If you're using all ingredients and not oils, the longer it sits in that cool dark room, the more interesting it smells when you strain it.
Enjoy!
What I've been mixing, and I don't always measure exact, so each batch comes out a little different, but, the ingredients are:
1/2 Cup of Vodka (I've been using some Smirnoff we have, don't tell the wife)
1/4 Cup of Witch Hazel (Dickinson's from Wal-Mart)
2 Tbsp of Glycerin (I added extra to hydrate the skin)
1 Pinch (a very small amount of light shavings) off my Alum Block
From there I add to my satisfaction, usually 15-20 drops give or take of scent oil. What I'm using for scent oil is a mix I found on eBay, that smells so good my wife asked me "why can't you just use that strait?"....she didn't realize it was a mix of oils and needs to be cut or diluted. The scent end result in close to original Old-Spice, without any powdery scent, and probably better for the skin, as it's all essentials oils, glycerin, witch hazel, and enough alcohol to allow them to mix. Let the mix sit for a week in the glass bottle, as I swear it gets better the longer it sits. For the mix of oils, search for "OLD SPICE TYPE Uncut Incense Oil" and you'll find it in a quart sized bottle. (I paid around $20 for the bottle, enough to last me a life time).
If you're Bay-Rum villain, substitute a spicy rum (Captain's or Baccardi) for the Vodka, and in place of the oil mix, add in:
10 drops of Bay Rum Oil or 2-3 Bay Leaves (Pimento Racemosa, not cooking bay leaves)
A broken up Cinnamon Stick (really crush it)
1-1.5 Teaspoons of Crushed/Powdered Clove (fresh if possible)
1/4-1/2 Teaspoon of Crushed Allspice
5 drops or so of Orange (I use sweet orange)
If you want more complex side notes, have fun and add in just a couple drops of some Lemon, Lime, or Bergamot. You can actually add the them to your preference, some like more orange, other might leave it out, I like orange and add extra. - You can really experiment and tune to your liking.
Now, with the Bay-Rum, you need to let that baby sit in a cool dark place for at least two(2) weeks, three is better. Then take a coffee filter and strain it a couple of times to remove the sediment from the cinnamon, allspice, and leaves if you used real bay leaves. Bottle using a small funnel and enjoy. If you're using all ingredients and not oils, the longer it sits in that cool dark room, the more interesting it smells when you strain it.
Enjoy!
