Scent Maturity - EO and Alcohol

BayBoy · Oct 7, 2017

Hey there!

I've been working on an aftershave product that I'm quite happy with. It consists of a blend of about 5 essential oils (30 drops per 4 oz bottle) in a solution that is 1 part grain alcohol (190 proof), 1 part witch hazel and 1 part water.

I have noticed that the scent improves over time, sometimes in as little as a few days after bottling it. I'm pretty comfortable with my process, but I'm just curious about the chemistry of EOs and alcohol.

My question is this: would I get better results if I were to steep the oils in say 80% alcohol and 20% water for a time and then use that solution to produce the 1:1:1 ratio final product? I hope not as this would make production more difficult (and require more math...). But the thought did occur to me...

Cheers

Millie · Oct 7, 2017

Perfumers often wait six weeks or so for the fragrances to mingle and do their magic. I am not sure if the alcohol is part of the magic or just the scents reacting to each other. It is kind of like they go from being distinct notes thrown into the pot, to harmonizing, rounding out harsh edges, and becoming a little abstract/mysterious. To put it lamely, they become greater than the sum of their parts

BayBoy · Oct 9, 2017

Agreed. I just need time and patience

redhead1226 · Jun 5, 2018

BayBoy said:
Agreed. I just need time and patience

Im curious how this turned out for you

Which essential oils did you settle on. I always wonder which ones men really like.

Dakoda Baker · Nov 15, 2018

Is there any reason you can or can't use FO's in aftershave? I made my shave soap first and want a splash to go with it. I have the recipe, I'm just getting hung up on the fragrances to match the soap. If I can use FO then perfect. If I need to use EO then I might be outta luck.

shunt2011 · Nov 15, 2018

Dakoda Baker said:
Is there any reason you can or can't use FO's in aftershave? I made my shave soap first and want a splash to go with it. I have the recipe, I'm just getting hung up on the fragrances to match the soap. If I can use FO then perfect. If I need to use EO then I might be outta luck.

Yes, you can use FO. I do with no issue. Just don't use a lot. I don't generally use more than 1%.