How to Make Cologne with Essential Oils
How to make cologne with essential oils that will last longer, including 8 DIY cologne recipes using the best essential oils for men.
Show me a man who doesn’t want to smell great. And what woman doesn’t appreciate a good-smelling man? It’s in our nature, or our nose, for that matter, to be drawn to what smells good.
Fresh ground coffee at the corner coffee shop, blooming peonies, lilacs, lavender, wisteria, or just from-the-oven cookies. Who can resist their scents?
On the other end of the spectrum, we can say the opposite for a smell that makes us cringe or turn away. I don’t know about you, but I can’t count how many times I’ve turned up my nose to acologne that wasn’t pleasant.They can easily go off the deep end when it comes to musk-scented colognes. Am I right?
If you can relate, you’ll be happy to learn you can craft an attractive cologne that won’t turn up noses, proving essential oils aren’t just for women!
But, in order to make a cologne with essential oil that’s appealing and lasts longer, there are three key things not to overlook.
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Can you use essential oils as cologne?
Many men value having a cologne they can trust that will make them smell great with only a spritz. So, I understand that many will want to know if essential oils can be just as reliable as cologne.
When you take into account that most fragrance oils are created from fractional distillation of essential oils or synthetic chemical mimics. In contrast, essential oils are steam distilled to extract the entire scent complex compound; you can rest assured essential oils can be used as a cologne.
However, in order to make a cologne with essential oil that’s incredibly appealing and lasts longer, don’t overlook these three key things!
The first thing not to overlook is perfume notes. You see, while one could simply use a single strong-smelling essential oil such as sandalwood as cologne, a cologne well structured with a top, middle, and base note will last longer and ultimately be more appealing to the senses.
Read more about how this works in our essential oil perfume article and get a free printable perfume notes chart in the Oily Chic Library.
Related: Common Mistakes to Applying Essential oils
What essential oils are good for cologne?
Some guys think essential oils are only for women. This brings us to the second thing not to overlook -what essential oils are good for cologne? It is true that men favor particular essential oil scents that can create a masculine homemade cologne.
This list of essential oils for men is a great place to begin to share all that essential oils have to offer for men! Because there are more to essential oils than flowery rose and lavender scents.
Use this list of 50 in total with the printable resource above and the cologne recipe base below to create your own essential oil blends for cologne.
BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR MEN:
- Basil
- Bergamot
- Black Pepper
- Blue Cypress
- Camphor
- Cardamom
- Cedarwood
- Cinnamon
- Clary Sage
- Clove
- Copaiba
- Coriander
- Cypress
- Elemi
- Fennel
- Frankincense
- Ginger
- Goldenrod
- Grapefruit
- Helichrysum
- Idaho Balsam Fir
- Idaho Blue Spruce
- Juniper
- Lemongrass
- Lemon Verbena
- Lime
- Marjoram
- Myrrh
- Northern Lights Black Spruce
- Nutmeg
- Orange
- Oregano
- Palo Santo
- Peppermint
- Pine
- Roman Chamomile
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Sandalwood
- Spearmint
- Tangerine
- Thyme
- Valerian
- Valor
- Vanilla
- Vetiver
- Wintergreen
- Ylang Ylang
It all comes down to what essential oils are good for cologne and personal preference. So, get the man in your life involved by setting up a tray of essential oils to smell and a jar of coffee beans between scents to find the perfect balance of notes for him.
How Do You Mix Oils For Cologne?
The third part of making cologne is understanding that some essential oils will not blend well with others, resulting in a cologne not pleasing to anyone’s nose. This is why we should compare our essential oil choices for a cologne with aroma categories.
The good news is anyone can create an essential oil blend cologne that hits all the right notes by matching essential oils for men around a blending wheel of aroma categories!
Examples of Essential Oil Aroma Categories:
Citrus Aromas: bergamot, orange, lime, and lemongrass
Herbal Aromas: fennel, spearmint, camphor, and clary sage
Resin Aromas: frankincense, balsam fir needle, and myrrh
Spice Aromas: clove, black pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom
Woodland Aromas: cedarwood, juniper, eucalyptus, cypress, and pine
Floral Aromas: Roman chamomile and neroli
Exotic Aromas: ylang-ylang, sandalwood, and vetiver
(You can also print a blending wheel from the Oily Chic Library for quick reference for what pairs well together.)
With these three key components, there’s no need to settle for synthetic cologne. Instead, you can make a much better, longer-lasting cologne with essential oils for men.
Related To: Clove Essential Oil Blends
How to Make Cologne Last Longer
Everyone always asks, “How can I make my cologne last longer?” And I can’t blame them. If you’ve discovered or carefully crafted your signature cologne, you’ll want the scent to last longer.
For starters, adding 1 part witch hazel to a cologne recipe gives it staying power. However, there’s one simple tip I learned a few years ago, and that is applying an unscented moisturizer first. You see, dry, thirsty skin won’t hold fragrance well. In comparison, moisturized skin will hold a scent upwards of 30% longer!
So, apply a dap of grapeseed or jojoba oil first to the area where you will apply cologne. This quick tip will make your cologne last noticeably longer.
How to Make Cologne with Essential Oils:
Choose from the essential oil blends for cologne, or craft your own using our aroma category guide and perfume notes chart to make cologne. Whichever method you choose, follow these easy instructions to add to the base cologne recipe.
I used a 10 ml bottle from this set to make this cologne, and I’ve also used this 60 ml bottle to make my own perfume. Find more fun options in the Oily Chic Look Book. Depending on your selection, you should aim for a total of 25 to 30 drops of essential oil for smaller bottles. And 35 to 50 drops for larger bottles.
Here’s What You’ll Need:
10 ml Glass Cologne Bottle
2 parts Distilled or Purified Water
1 part Witch Hazel
25 to 30 drops of Essential Oils
DIY Essential Oil Cologne Recipe Base:
1. Use a mini funnel to fill a cologne bottle with 1 part witch hazel.
2. Next, add your essential oil blend. Select or create your essential oil cologne blend. Aim for a total of 25 to 30 drops of essential oil in small bottles. And 35 to 50 drops for large cologne bottles.
3. Then add 2 parts of distilled water to the cologne. Place the cap on the cologne and allow it to sit for a week so that the essential oils can fully infuse together before use.
8 DIY Cologne Recipes for Men
Herbal, woodsy, spicy, or exotic, there’s a unique, essential oil cologne waiting for him!
We’ve carefully crafted 8 cologne recipes with essential oils that will keep him smelling amazing. You’ll find energizing, warm, cozy, familiar, and adventurous blends of essential oils to create a DIY cologne spray. Choose a cologne essential oil blend from this list, then use it with our easy cologne recipe below!
LUMBERJACK
Embrace the rugged nature of the outdoors with our Lumberjack cologne recipe. Let the invigorating blend of juniper, cypress, peppermint, and pine whisk you away to a forest adventure.
10 drops juniper
5 drops cypress
10 drops peppermint
5 drops pine
MANCAVE
Capture the essence of masculinity with our Mancave cologne recipe. Discover the perfect fusion of fennel, bergamot, and cedarwood, evoking a sense of bold confidence and refined allure.
10 drops fennel
5 drops bergamot
5 drops cedarwood
MIDNIGHT MUSK
Unveil your mysterious side with our Midnight Musk essential oil cologne recipe. Let the captivating blend of clove, juniper, rosemary, and lemon verbena exude an alluring enigma and charm.
10 drops clove
10 drops juniper
5 drops rosemary
5 drops lemon verbena
MOUNTAIN AIR
Refresh your senses with the crisp, rejuvenating essence of our Mountain Air DIY cologne recipe. Immerse yourself in the revitalizing blend of spearmint, lime, juniper, and valerian, capturing the spirit of the great outdoors.
10 drops spearmint
5 drops lime
10 drops juniper
4 drops valerian
FAVORITE FLANNEL
Experience the comfort of your favorite flannel when you make cologne with our captivating blend. Bask in the warming fusion of nutmeg, fennel, orange, and cedarwood, evoking cozy familiarity and timeless elegance.
5 drops nutmeg
5 drops fennel
10 drops orange
5 drops cedarwood
WHISKEY AND LIME
Indulge in the intoxicating aroma of our Whiskey and Lime cologne recipe. Revel in the harmonious blend of lime, Roman chamomile, and sandalwood, reminiscent of a sophisticated night out.
10 drops lime
5 drops Roman chamomile
15 drops sandalwood
ON THE COURT
Elevate your game with our On the Court cologne recipe. Immerse yourself in the dynamic fusion of wintergreen, orange, and blue spruce, exuding energy and vitality.
15 drops wintergreen
10 drops orange
5 drops blue spruce
RUGGED
Unleash your inner ruggedness with our aptly named Rugged cologne recipe. Bask in the earthy allure of sandalwood, black pepper, and myrrh, igniting a sense of untamed strength and resilience.
10 drops sandalwood
5 drops black pepper
5 drops myrrh
Finding the right blend of essential oils for men to make cologne can be challenging. So, we’ve taken care of it for you with this printable chart of essential oil cologne recipes. You’ll find it and many more essential oil resources in the Oily Chic Library!
MORE ESSENTIAL OIL DIYS
- Spring Candle Scent Recipes
- Essential Oil Bath Salts
- Spa Essential Oil Blends Chart
- Snap Bar Wax Melts DIY
- Ways To Practice Self Care
Making a DIY cologne is easy with these quick essential oil cologne recipes! Did your man gravitate toward one of these cologne recipes?Why not make him a DIY reed diffuser or candle with the essential oil blend, too?
P.S. Don’t forget the free printable charts above! Tag #oilychic on Instagram to share your essential oil DIYs with us.
