Comments on: DIY Bay Rum Aftershave

By: DanH.

DanH. — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:08:12 +0000

I was told about Bay Rum years ago by my mother she said it smelled really good, knowing I’m a fan of good smelling colone she thought I might be interested. One day I smelled what Bay Rum is and became hooked, now thanks to this I will try to make my own as far as being all natural and smelling good if a woman loves it enough maybe she will become submissive to you, HA HA….Never know! Thanks Guys.

By: DanH.

DanH. — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:06:49 +0000

I was told about Bay Rum years ago by my mother she said it smelled really good, knowing I’m afan of good smelling colone she thought I might be interested. One day I smelled what Bay Rum is and became hooked, now thanks to this I will try to make my own as far as being all natural and smelling good if a woman loves it enough maybe she will become submissive to you, HA HA….Never know! Thanks Guys.

By: Richard Rivers

Richard Rivers — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 20:10:43 +0000

For the first recipe, you specifically state not to use the sweet bay leaf sold for cooking, because it calls for Pimenta leaf, which is a different plant. That’s all well and good.

However, the second recipe actually DOES call for the sweet bay leaf sold for cooking. That’s what “bay laurel” is. You could have pointed this out.

Also, in response to a few comments, while replacing the vodka with isopropyl alcohol is fine, nevertheless:

a) omitting the rum takes away one of the most important parts of the fragrance, and

b) to reiterate what Milt already said, absolutely DO NOT use denatured alcohol of any sort in aftershave, or for that matter in anything you intend to apply to your face. Not all denatured alcohol is denatured with methanol, but the other denaturing agents (like denatonium benzoate) are still not something you want lingering on your face, even if they won’t make you go blind.

Also never use an alcohol that claims to be over 191.2 proof. The only way to achieve an alcohol potency higher than this is by adding a bunch of chemicals you don’t want on your face. Everclear (or generic “grain alcohol” — NOT “wood alcohol”) is the highest proof alcohol that can physically be distilled, more or less. It’s nominally 190 proof, or 95% ethanol by volume. 95.6% is the highest which distillation can produce.

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 23:37:04 +0000

Is the magnesia in the second recipe necessary? I can’t find it anywhere.

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 21:52:58 +0000

Made some Bay Rum scent a few years back using food grade cloves and bey leaves. Added a bit of the following: lemon, vanilla and orange extracts, a touch of sandalwood, cinnamon and patchouli oils and extracted in a matrix spiced rum.

Strangely enough it smelled sort of like Burt’s Bees Bay Rum. Not bad at all. Gotten a lot of compliments. It lasts a long time & a little goes a loooong way… and it better had, since I have not the foggiest idea how to make more.