Showing posts with label aftershave. Show all posts
Showing posts with label aftershave. Show all posts

Friday, May 5, 2023

Irisch Moos Aftershave - A Review

May 05, 2023 0

 In 2007 Mäurer & Wirtz acquired Sir Irisch Moos (along with 4711, Tosca, and Extase) from Proctor and Gamble.   The Mäurer & Wirtz website goes on to describe the scent of Irisch Moos as:

A powerful and very masculine scent which opens with a top note of lemon, orange, rosemary, coriander and green foliage. Lavender and spicy notes, including sandalwood, geranium and carnation, are fused harmoniously in the polished heart note. Distinctive ingredients, such as patchouli, moss and tonka bean, bring out the masculine character of this scent.

That’s a lot of stuff blended together and I can’t say that any one note stands out to me.  Comments on basenotes.com suggest that Irisch Moos was the inspiration to Irish Spring soap and I get a hint of that connection.    Aromatic is a word that seems to go along with Irisch Moos and seems apt.  

Irisch Moos Aftershave

While I can’t precisely describe the scent, I can say that I find it appealing and having a masculine scent.  Unlike my experience with Lilac Vegetal, Irisch Moos is one that smells similar in the bottle as it does on me.  The aroma also lingers around a lot longer than some of the other aftershaves that I’ve tried and I don’t think that’s a bad thing.  I really like it; moreover, my wife likes it on me.  

Irisch Moos has the bracing sting I’ve come to expect and enjoy from an aftershave splash.  It doesn’t leave my face feeling oily or that there’s some sort of residue coating me.  Though, it is an aftershave splash so, I do feel a little dried out if I don’t moisturize afterwards.  

Completing my Shave of the Day with Sir Irisch Moos

The negative is that it is a bit pricy for a non-artisan brand and I can’t get it locally.  As of this writing, the 100 ml bottle that I have goes for around 25 to 40 dollars depending on where you shop.  Compared to (as of this writing) 3.4 oz of Proraso Green for around 14.00 USD or 12.5 oz of Pinaud Clubman for around 17.00 USD on Amazon.

Depending on where you shop, a 3.4 fl oz bottle like this can run from around $25 to $40.

For the price, I may opt to replenish one of my staples like Fine Accoutrements or Captain’s Choice.  But overall, this is a very enjoyable aftershave.  I get the satisfying and bracing sting that I like in my aftershaves; and I find the scent lasting and enjoyable – what I pretty much look for in after shave performance.



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Sunday, January 9, 2022

The Lilac Vegetal Experience

January 09, 2022 0

A number of reviews have been written about the Pinaud Clubman Lilac Vegetal.  Many of these echo the same thing:  it is a popular aftershave fragrance but people seem to either love it or hate it.  A while ago I tried it  one time, didn’t like it, and put it away.  I fell into the “hate it” camp.  After some time, I decided to give it a try again.  This time I would give it a chance.  I would power through that initial unpleasantness, try it for a week, and see if the scent grows on me.  I figured this is popular for a reason.  Unfortunately, I didn’t change my mind.

Lilac Vegetal 6 oz bottle.  Also available in a 1.7 oz bottle and 12.5 oz bottle.


I remember Lilac Vegetal being mentioned in the 1979 movie The Jerk.   So, I knew it had to be around since the late 1970s.  After a little Googling and Bing-ing, I discovered that Vegetal Lilac has been around since the late 1870s.  It was initially made with ingredients such as ambergris and lilac; but is now being produced from artificial ingredients due to difficulties in procuring these natural ingredients[1]. 

Lilac Vegetal Makes an appearance in "The Jerk"

I really like the regular Clubman aftershave as well as their Bay Rum splash.  Despite its popularity, Lilac Vegetal was one that I couldn’t get used to.   On paper, I found that (for me at least) there are more positives than negatives with this aftershave.  

My Positives:

  • Scent doesn’t linger and is not extremely powerful:  My wife says she has to be very close to smell it.
  • The bracing sting feeling of an aftershave splash was satisfying.
  • Doesn’t leave my face feeling oily or that there’s some sort of residue coating me.
  • Fairly inexpensive.
  • Available from many places.  Can find it in many grocery stores and on Amazon.

My Negatives:

  • Did not find scent appealing:  Some say it smells like cat pee.  For me, it immediately reminded me of some sort of public restroom disinfectant.
  • Smells different in the bottle than after applied:  This is likely due to body chemistry but this was a downside for me.  Even though wife isn’t a fan of this scent, she actually liked the smell better from the bottle than on me.
  • Scent came back when exercising: As I started to sweat, that distinct Lilac Vegetal aroma started to appear. Same thing happens when I wear the traditional Clubman. But with Lilac Vegetal, it wasn’t appealing.

One of my Shaves of the Day with Lilac Vegetal

 

At the end of the day, the weight of negatives supersedes the positives.   I could see why someone would like this, especially if their body chemistry mixes well with it.  For me, I can’t say that I’m in the Fan-of-Lilac-Vegetal camp.

 

 

References:

[1] Schneider, Daniel B. (1997, Feb 16) "F.Y.I."  nytimes.com.  Accessed Dec 18, 2021

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Sunday, July 1, 2018

The Fanciful Fox Aftershave

July 01, 2018 0
I previously wrote about an artisan called The Fanciful Fox. They used to be located in Scranton but have since relocated to Brooklyn.  I’m a little upset they’re gone, but they probably get much better foot traffic now.

To reiterate a bit about them, The Fanciful Fox that makes vegan soap, shampoos and other vegan bath and body products hand crafted in microbatches. They also have a line of products geared towards gentleman including some wet shaving staples like a shaving oil and an aftershave.

The Fanciful Fox's Spiffy Aftershave 
Like the Shave Oil I wrote about earlier, the Fanciful Fox Aftershave is available in one of three blends:

  • Dapper: Patchouli based blend mixed with spicy notes
  • Spiffy:  Bergamot based blend with herbal and lavender notes
  • Rakish: A woodsy blend with a cedar base and herbal notes

My then girlfriend (now wife) is not a fan of many scents containing patchouli, so I opted for the Spiffy scent.  The Rakish scent looks like it’s up my alley.  Admittedly, I can’t recall why I didn’t get it at the time.  But, I suppose give me an excuse to visit the Brooklyn store some time. 

The Aftershave is packaged in 2 oz glass bottle.
To my nose, the scent of the Fanciful Fox’s Spiffy Aftershave reminds of a bay rum blend. It’s not an overpowering or overwhelming aroma, though I find it to have some staying power to it.  After applied, I’m usually pretty aware of the aroma for about an hour or so.

Consistency wise, it resembles that of other aftershave splashes in the collection.  It’s a pretty thin (low viscosity) liquid.  According to the ingredient list the Spiffy aftershave splash does not contain alcohol but does contain witch hazel as an astringent.  I did experience a nice, mild, sting when using it.  Though, not as intense as using an alcohol based aftershave splash like Captain’s Choice Bay Rum or Fine Accoutrements American Blend. 

Ingredients that are printed on the bottle.
Overall the experience with it is positive.  Though, it’s something that I’d probably complement by using an alum block first.  Their logo and labeling have changed since I purchased.  The good news is that it’s not looking as if the formulation has changed. 

Have you tried any of The Fanicful Fox products?  Please leave a comment below and let us know.


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Thursday, January 4, 2018

RazoRock Alum Stick

January 04, 2018 0
I caught an interview with RazoRock Joe on the Moustache and Blade Podcast.  By the sounds of it, alum was the start of RazoRock.  As the story goes, Joe was tasked by his father-in-law to find alum blocks while on vacation in Italy with his uncle and business partner.  Eventually they found a little shop in Tuscany that had it and they purchased all they had left.  At dinner one night they had the idea to import these alum blocks and sell it.  They would call it RazoRock and the rest is wet shaving history.  Check out the podcast here: Moustache & Blade Podcast - Episode 2 : Feature Interview with Italian Barber

RazoRock Alum Stick
Admittedly, prior to getting into traditional wet shaving the only time I heard about alum was from Looney Tunes cartoons I watched as a kid.  I’d remember Sylvester the Cat getting this powder poured in his mouth and his lips would involuntarily unwilling pucker until he could only try to ingest Tweety Bird with a straw.  I remember that I asked my father what that Alum on the label was and he simply said that it was for shaving.  Fast forward a few years and I would find out from a cursory Google or Bing search that this was most likely Potassium Alum. 

"Birds Anonymous" - the toon that turned me onto alum (around 5:33 mark)

 According to an article on ThoughtCo: “Potassium alum is a fine white powder that you can find sold with kitchen spices or pickling ingredients.”   Potassium Alum is also the most commonly used form of alum in wet shaving.  There are a lot of great sources and detailed information on the types, chemical make-up, and different uses for this compound.  But rather than get too deep into that; check out the article Shaving alum: what it is, why you shoulduse it on Why I Wet Shave, it's a good read.
If the alum in stick form isn't your preference, RazoRock also has it available in a block version 
In many of the forums I hear that an alum block is a great way to get “feedback” from your shave.  Basically, this means that you experience some stinging when applying the alum those are areas that have probably shaved too roughly.  It also helps to stop the bleeding from nicks and cuts. 

The stick and base weighed 72 gm on our scale.  The base alone was 5 gm.  So, got a little more alum than the 60 gm listed on the box 
Personally I like using alum (block or stick) as an aftershave.  It provides good feedback for my head shaves and is an indicator if I need to replace my DE Blade or HeadBlade cartridge.  Moreover, I like to use alum on the head because it soothes my scalp without having to apply a splash; which (depending on the aftershave) can make me feel as if I’ve bathed in it. 

The base is a soft plastic that could be cut away and free up about 22 gm of  alum used to secure the stick in place.
I also enjoy using it for my face shaves as well.  My face, particularly my upper lip, craves more of the astringent sting of an aftershave splash .  I’ll do a first post shave pass with the alum, but will follow it up with a splash and potentially an aftershave balm.  Then I’d complete the routine with a moisturizer, preferably one with some SPF protection. Specifically, I like the RazoRock alum stick for travel. The alum sits in a plastic holder and is protected by a plastic cover.   In its case The Alum Stick measures about 3 inches tall and 2.5 inches at the base. So it doesn’t take up a lot of space in my small dop kit. 
My small hoard of RazoRock Alum sticks

As far as the weight goes, the package notes 60g. But I wasn’t sure if the usable alum was 60 grams or if the entire stick was 60 grams. After weighing, it appeared as if the alum stick and the plastic base weighed 71 grams (on our scale), and the plastic base weighed 5 grams. So, the entire stick of alum weighed 66 grams. There is product in the plastic base to secure it in place. I’ve seen photos of people breaking it apart to get at the remaining alum, but I prefer cutting the base with a pair of small scissors. What was left was a 22 gram alum block that can be used for a few more shaves. I have a small hoard of RazoRock Alum Sticks because since discovering alum, I use it quite regularly in the routine. 

 Overall, I really like it. The alum stick is a nice, compact, post shave that soothe my skin after a shave and it doesn’t leave any residual odor that could mix oddly with my aftershaves.  Are you a fan of Alum in your shave routine? Please leave a comment below and let us know.

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Sunday, August 20, 2017

Captain's Choice 45th Parallel Aftershave Splash

August 20, 2017 0
While the shaving soap and cream had been out for a while; Captain’s Choice recently released their 45th Parallel Aftershave Splash to round out the line.  On their website they noted: the 45th Parallel North is halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, while 45th Parallel South is halfway between the Equator and the South Pole.  Home to orchards in the north and oceans in the south, 45th Parallel captures perfectly the essence of this scent and the spirit of adventure embodied by Captain's Choice.

45th Parallel: Almond and Cherry scented 

To my nose the Bay Rum, Cat O’ Nine Tails, Lime, North, and Sandalwood have, what I could only describe, as a similar “base”.  Each one seems to have a spiciness to it that seems to characterize a Captain’s Choice Aftershave.  I find that the 45th Parallel is a departure from their other aromas in the Captain’s Choice Aftershave catalog.

My Collection of Captain's Choice Aftershave Splashes

In a post on their Facebook page, Captain Choice notes that their 45th Parallel is infused with scents of almonds and cherries.  Personally, I think would make a nice complementary pairing to RazoRock Classic or P.160, Cella, or Col Conk’s Almond Shave Soap.  Captain’s Choice also has a 45th Parallel Shave Soap, Shave Cream, and Aftershave Balm as well. 
Captain's Choice 45th Parallel Shaving Soap
With the 45th Parallel Aftershave, I experienced a brief sting along with a cooling and soothing burn to it.  The sting and burn is similar to that of the other Captain’s Aftershave Splashes - not including Cat O’Nine Tails of course.  As with the others, the 45th Parallel Aftershave is formulated with glycerin to help retain moisture.  Though, I personally still feel the need to use a facial lotion after using any aftershave splash (or even balm) to satisfy my skin.
45th Parallel paired nicely with RazoRock's P.160 (my opinion)

Scent-wise it seems to dissipate quickly after applying.  While some scents linger, the 45th Parallel is one that doesn’t last long for me.  Soon after applying, I find that it’s pretty much gone (or perhaps my nose just gets adjusted to it quicker).  I don’t find this to be a bad thing.  While I like the sweetness of it, I think I could get sick of it lingered around for too long.

45th Parallel is also available in an aftershave balm
Overall, I really like the 45th Parallel aftershave.  The sweet almond scent is very pleasant.  Even though the aroma doesn’t last long, I get a satisfying sting and burn that I often enjoy with an aftershave splash. 

Have you tried the 45th Parallel or any of the Captain’s Choice Aftershaves?  Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think.

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