What soap/cream did you use today?

Mike's Sweet Pumpkin Spice

Ethos Grooming Lavender Supreme soft shaving soap

I love the scent of roses thus alway thought that a rose shaving soap would be right up my alley but alas, that has not been the case.  All of the straight roses I have tried have smelled artificial and cloying. I get it. Rose is an expensive scent in its true form.  Add to that the stigma straight florals have for many gents as feminine and there really seems a barrier for a soaper to do a true rose.  I know soap commander makes one and Art of Shaving made a good one but haven’t tried them myself.  I have been hitting home runs of late with soaps that rose plays a major part in though.  Lisa’s Somali Rose is awesome and today’s Caties Bubbles Dirty Prose is most amazing. Dirty Prose is an LE for the Reddit shaving group and Chris pounded this one out of the park.  I picked up a two year old set new in one of Nachums big den clearings and glad of it.  I get rose for sure but it’s not the star.  Grapefruit is dancing with Haitian Vetiver while sandalwood and a most intriguing scent of Dark Aged Patchouli keep the beat.  To be honest I’m not sure what dark aged patchouli smells like but I know that light patchouli is steam distilled in stainless vessels and dark patchouli in iron pots.  The aging is supposed to smooth out the oil.  So knowing grapefruit, vetiver, sandalwood, and patchouli aromas, I have to assume this “something different” is the “dark aged” part.  At any rate it is awesome and dirty and so masculine as to make vintage Aramis blush.  That label would have you brace for “grandmas purse” but  Oh, buddy, a rose by any other name would not smell as dirty.

Barrister and Mann Hallows

Ethos Dragonebeard

Vétyver v. (Martin de Candre) refreshing vetiver

Vetiver is deeply appreciated for its smokey, earthy notes. The dirtier, the better, many of us believe. Martin de Candre, though, has somehow managed to scrub most of that away, leaving being a sparkling vetiver that starts leaning into mint territory. I find Vétyver mild but restoring, and it pairs nicely with a dab of grapefruit witch hazel.

   

Caties Bubbles Dirty Prose is most amazing. Dirty Prose is an LE for the Reddit shaving group and Chris pounded this one out of the park.  I picked up a two year old set new in one of Nachums big den clearings and glad of it.

Had my eye on that set, but I could not have verbally done it the justice you did. Thanks for the impressions and details you shared!

P.S. If you ever feel like continuing your rose quest, I would recommend checking out Mystic Water Soap’s Yellow Rose.