New here and interested in making aftershave

[isaac d.]

I'm one of those people that finds lots of pride in making things as well as experimenting. From what I've been reading, I plan on using witch hazel as a base (might use some alcohol too if the oils don't mix with the witch hazel). I've just recently gotten into the whole fascination with different scents so I need a little help with what goes together and what to expect, if anyone has every played around with diy AS before.

I'd love to have your input on what to change/keep and what goes with what etc...

Here's what I'm thinking as far as essential oils go:

Basenotes:
cedar (sandalwood if I can find it somewhat cheaper)
vanilla

Heartnotes:
lavender

Topnotes:
Sweet orange
lime

Does this sound to "sweet" and if so what should I add to make it more masculine? I'm aiming for "warmer" winter smell but I want to keep it simple to keep the cost down.

 

[Time Bandit]

I commend you for having that type of personally trait as I also like making things myself. I've looked into this a lot a little while back and would suggest adding some straight Glycerin and a true all natural Aloe Vera (which is hard to find) so that there are some reparative qualities to it. Read the list of ingredients on any Aloe Vera bottle and make sure you're comfortable with all the ingredients. If you live near a Whole Foods market, they do sell a large variety of essential oils and do have a couple brands of Aloe that are all natural.

I think the scents you're thinking of sound okay. Please share your results along the way to perfecting your personal aftershave.

 

[charles_r]

I am subscribing to this thread. I have yet to find an aftershave recipe that I like. That being said, i'm more of balm person

 

[isaac d.]

Thanks for the comments guys. I will be getting my EO's from Glory Bee (a quick google search and you'll find there website) since I have a relative that works there. They're relatively cheap from Glory Bee (not sure if that's a good thing or not) but since I can get a discount, I may as well give them a try.

KMF79...
Yep, I think I may have some glycerin around that I'll definitely add. I'd love to here your experiences and tips if you got some to share.

 

[isaac d.]

Just bumping it back to the top...

 

[man00ver]

Hi Isaac. I don't have much to say about making aftershaves, but if you scroll to the bottom of the page, you might find some interesting prior discussions in the "Similar Threads" listed below.

 

[isaac d.]

With a discount, here's what I got...

1oz cedarwood
1oz lavender
1oz lime

It came to a total of around $18 bucks and considering the amounts I got, that's a heck of a deal (most places would be about the same price but you'd only be getting 5ml and there's 30ml in an oz so...) don't know if they're gonna be the best quality, but they should suffice for just playing around. Can't wait for them to arrive! I'll keep this thread updated with how everything turns out.