Member
East Texas
Barrister and Mann - 42 | BSB-Ti w/HMW Extra Dense
Mongoose B3 w/Triad Rolling Hex 316 Stainless | Kai Captain Titan Mild
Barrister and Mann 42 Tonique
[Image: mfiwF3x.jpg]
Mongoose B3 w/Triad Rolling Hex 316 Stainless | Kai Captain Titan Mild
Barrister and Mann 42 Tonique
[Image: mfiwF3x.jpg]
Head & face shower shave. 2 days growth.
I've been looking forward to this shave. 42, Barrister and Mann's homage to the late Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, didn't disappoint. Like most B&M soaps, 42 has a complex scent, but is anything but complicated. This is a bright, clean scent that's coming along at the right time. While 42 could be enjoyed anytime, the warmer seasons are quite fitting.
With only a few swirls of the damp HMW knot, the puck quickly released a light, fresh lemony scent. There was a slight effervescence, but not that of acidic lemon. Rather it was more akin to alcohol, but without the chemical sharpness. That note seemed to ride a line with an interesting earthy note that provided some carriage to the lemon, lending a bit of warm beach sand in which the salt in the beach air is substituted with confectioner's sugar. This sustained sweetness is almost tasted as it reaches the farthest region of the nasal passages and lingers at the distal soft palate. The lemon sugar notes reminded me of B&M's Winter seasonal "Dickens". The scent continued to unfold throughout the 3 passes. There were wafting highlights of what I initially interpreted as bergamot, but I finally settled on tea. My primary association with tea is specifically Earl Grey tea which is just a black tea that's been infused with bergamot oil. The citrus and tea notes combined in my head as bergamot. While bergamot is closer to orange than lemon, the combination imperfectly reminded me of Earl Grey nonetheless. Interestingly, the tea notes don't linger, but instead whisp in and out.
The Glissant base maintains it's place as my personal benchmark for soap performance. While it doesn't seem to beg for as much water as my experience with prior B&M formulas, it's still rather thirsty. I've found that I can leave my knot dampness the same as I do for other soaps, but I just load less soap. After 3 head and face passes, this method leaves a thinner, but not skimpy, final pass. The dependable slickness from the Glissant base allows me to get away with a thinner, but sufficient, final pass and ultimately a closer shave.
The matching Tonique leaves the usual silky smooth feeling. Initially, I noted a blatant but delightful lemon sugar cookie scent, but it dried down to accurately reproduce the soap's notes with the tea continuing to waft in and out in a peculiar but charming manner.
I look forward to revisiting this combination soon. In the fashion of the story that influenced it, 42 manages to impart a light enjoyable scent, relating a complex tale you don't feel burdened to understand, but rather accept and enjoy the ride.
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