Hi guys,
I am really pleased that one or two of you have decided to make this Bay Rum aftershave/cologne. I have made this many times and the results are consistently excellent. One or two of you have asked about adding and subtracting other ingredients, no problem, experiement with this by all means, here are a few variations on a theme so to speak.
Instead of one whole orange peel, try orange & lemon, orange, lemon & lime, lemon & lime. The trick here is to use the same amount of peel, so if you're using say orange and lemon, then only half of each, if you use too much peel the end result will be too citrussy, and you're then starting to move away from Bay Rum itself, which was the original idea.
Also this works very well, add I whole vanilla pod, slit lengthways with a sharp knife before inserting into the jar. The result is still Bay Rum, but you do get a trace of vanilla as a top note which is very pleasant. Another idea is to add 5ml of cosmetic grade coconut oil at the ingredients stage, coconut and rum is a great combination.
Like I say, experiment and find a recipe that works for you.
To make a Bay Rum aftershave balm, as well, split the final liquid into two bottles. Into one add 3 capsules of vitamin E (liquid), 5ml of vegitable glycerine, and top up with 45ml of aloe vera gel. Shake well, and you will have a beautiful and soothing Bay Rum aftershave balm which perfectly compliments the splash.
Have fun and let me know how you get on,
Martin.