Some people can’t wear commercial perfumes and colognes due to reactions to the artificial fragrances that are used in many store-bought varieties. Thankfully, essential oils are a great natural alternative. We’ve developed these 6 Essential Oil Recipes for Men’s Cologne to give you options on your oily journey for smelling amazing!
You might be interested in blending your own cologne recipe and it can be really fun to try different blends. Plus, personalizing a blend for the man in your life will often make him enjoy the natural cologne even more.
Some of our favorite essential oils for men’s colognes are:
- Basil
- Bergamot
- Black Pepper
- Cardamom
- Cedarwood
- Cinnamon Bark
- Clove
- Copaiba
- Coriander
- Cypress
- Dorado Azul
- Elemi
- Fennel
- Frankincense
- Ginger
- Grapefruit
- Helichrysum
- Hinoki
- Idaho Balsam Fir
- Idaho Blue Spruce
- Juniper
- Lime
- Marjoram
- Northern Lights Black Spruce
- Nutmeg
- Orange
- Palo Santo
- Patchouli
- Pine
- Roman Chamomile
- Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood
- Sacred Frankincense
- Tangerine
- Vetiver
- Wintergreen
- Ylang Ylang
Enjoy and have fun as you explore these simple cologne scent combinations for the man in your life!
We found some great 10 ml refillable glass spray bottles that are a little more manly than our normal brightly colored bottles.
Also, feel free to add our favorite waterproof labels for men to distinguish each bottle’s blend.
Check out all 6 of our favorite essential oil men’s cologne recipes…
New to essential oils? Learn more about how we use them and why you should use them as well.
Try the Inspired Men’s Cologne for a grounding scent that is also energizing. Good for applying right after your morning shower to prepare for the challenges of the day.
Essential Oil Men’s Cologne: Inspired
Ingredients
- 10ml spray bottle
- 8 drops Idaho Balsam Fir essential oil
- 8 drops Orange essential oil
- 4 drops Frankincense essential oil
- 1 3/4 teaspoons 100 proof rum or vodka
- labels
Directions
- Remove the spray attachment from your bottle
- Using a clean pipette (one that comes with the spray bottles), add the essential oils and rum to your bottle. You could also use a funnel if you prefer. These funnels are the PERFECT size for the job
- Replace the spray attachment. Apply the label and make sure to clearly write the name or ingredients
- To use: Spray over your heart, behind ears, or into the hair
- Store in a cool, dark place. This is very important since these bottles are not protective of the essential oils inside like a dark bottle would be. Always keep out of the reach of children. Do not spray directly onto clothing (especially silk) as this can cause staining or discoloration
Outdoorsy Cologne
Our Outdoorsy Cologne is refreshing and light and perfect for the sportsman in your family.
- 8 drops Basil essential oil
- 8 drops Idaho Blue Spruce essential oil
- 4 drops Helichrysum essential oil
Confidence Cologne
This is our most unique cologne to date and you’ve got to smell it to believe it. It will help your man stand a little taller and keep his confidence levels high all day.
- 10 drops Cardamom essential oil
- 3 drops Vetiver essential oil
- 3 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
Spiritually Aware Cologne
Hinoki is known to help people focus their spirits to find peace. The Bergamot essential oil brings an uplifting balance to the scent and lends a little sweetness while still being masculine.
- 10 drops Hinoki essential oil
- 10 drops Bergamot essential oil
Sweet and Spicy Cologne
If you like your cologne sweet, mellow, and spicy, this spray will do the trick. It’s the perfect mix for the man that wants to add a little pep in his step.
- 10 drops Black Pepper essential oil
- 7 drops Coriander essential oil
- 3 drops Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood essential oil
Take on the World Cologne
Take a deep breath and jump into the day! This cologne will help you walk swiftly toward your challenges to address them head-on.
- 10 drops Cypress essential oil
- 9 drops Marjoram essential oil
- 1 drop Wintergreen essential oil
Ingredient Note:
The base of all our colognes is alcohol. We chose to use 100 proof white rum because it delivers the purest essential oil scents while also preserving the recipe for many months. You could also use vodka with similar results and a very limited effect on the scent.
Substitution Tip:
You could substitute distilled water if you’d rather not use alcohol. But this modification will shorten the shelf life to a few weeks.
Another option we’ve read about is to add a small amount of witch hazel to the water to help extend the shelf life. This would work and increase the shelf life, but it will dramatically affect the aroma in each cologne. These recipes were tested with white rum and we can’t speak to the results with water or witch hazel.
This recipe is included in our eBook, Essential Oil Recipes for Healthy Hair & Skin, along with more than 60 other tried & true recipes that we’ve created, tested, and personally use. Click HERE to see more information and purchase your digital copy today!
More essential oil recipes for men you might enjoy:
- Body Wash for Men
- Natural Aftershave
- Muscle Relief Massage Oil
- Peppermint Mouthwash
- Perfume Sprays for Women
Ulysses says
(1) I would like to know about using perfumers alcohol instead of rum
(2) how about using ISO E or even ambroxan with 50% of the alcohol to extend the longevity and performance
Beth K says
Thanks for the ideas. Have you used those with success? We’d love to hear about your experience.
Grace says
Do you use the same amount of alcohol as the initial recipe in all of the recipes that follow? I noticed that not all of the recipes call for the rum or vodka.
Beth K says
Yes, use the same alchohol and just replace the essential oils with the drops listed.
Kate Morgan says
I find that adding a bit of rosehip or grapeseed oil to my organic witch hazel and distilled water base cuts the dramatic scent of the witch hazel quite a bit.
Beth K says
Great tip! Thanks for sharing. I’ve been wanting more reasons to pull out my rosehip oil!
Christle says
I used 90% isopropyl alcohol with great results. Thanks so much for the tips and recipes.
Annette says
Does the proof of alcohol you use important?
Recipes With Essential Oils says
Yes, it should be at least 40% ABV, or 80 proof. We used 100 proof in this recipe and it was easy to find.
Whitney says
could these be made into roller bottles instead of sprays? if so, which carrier oil would you suggest? FCO?
Recipes With Essential Oils says
Hi Whitney,
Yes, you can make a roller blend instead of a spray. Just substitute the alcohol for fractionated coconut oil and enjoy!
A. Mead says
Where can I find the essential oils you use?
Diana M says
I use Young Living essential oils. You can get them here.
Grace says
Thanks, I will give this a try!
Tom Chase says
I tried the “Inspired” recipe and I love it! I didn’t have orange so I used sweet orange. Also, I used all the rum I had to make bay rum, so I used Everclear 190 instead. The scent is heavenly! I can’t wait to try the other recipes. Once I get the proper oils. Thanks for sharing!
Rachelle says
Can these same fragrances be turned into a body butter? I would like to do a whole set for my husband.
Diana M says
Yes! We also have a frankincense body butter recipe here. You can change up the oils to your liking.
Mike K says
I’ve been making the vetiver/cardamon/ylang ylang cologne for a few months now. It’s amazing how long the aroma sticks around for. Very yummy! Thanks