What soap/cream did you use today?

A few days ago I started on a Vetiver journey.  I do like Vetiver.  A lot!  And as I sorted through the stash I found around 14 soaps that either have Vetiver in the name or are truly Vetiver forward.  I thought to work through the pile one by one.  First on I tried was this:

I have always liked the trerribly underrated Shannon’s soap and watched this one from the sideline for a long while before I bought it.  The description of earthy and gritty seemed right up my alle.  When I got it though it was certainly a Vetiver soap but not as nice and dirty as I’d hoped.  Performance is stellar but this one doesn’t make the cut and would not be a re-buy.  Nice but not wow!

Next up was Stirlings Port Au Prince which is a rather odd experience in that off the puck it smells pretty awful actually but add water and the stuff soars.  It goes from muddles and blah to citrusy and rooty.  Ah, that’s what I’m talking about!  No mistaking this one is Vetiver center stage and it’s so good.  This soap is his mutton base and my face says there is a difference for sure between the tallow and the mutton and I have all the mutton flavors he makes.  This is a working man’s soap and it will be replaced if I ever get to the bottom of this green tub.

Then West Coast Shavings Grapefroot hit the brush.  I thought from first sniff that this soap had Chris Cullen written all over it and I’ve since confirmed that he indeed come up with this wonder.  Grapefruit on top and Vetiver mid and base.  My oh my I like this one so much I already bought back-ups and the EdP.  Caties Bubbles more recent base is fantabulous and wow it is a winner.  Vetiver lovers need to get to WCS and pick it up.

Alas I can’t replace this one but although Vetiver is just one of the team in this one I like it’s masculine flair as it dupes Guerlaine Vetiver.  The aftershave is a dead ringer for it and I enjoyed smelling like a man all day.  While most scent houses fall all over themselves to make scents “unisex” this one boldly strolls into the men’s locker room and strips for a shower.  So good.  If Fine finds a way to make a good hard puck again I’ll load up for sure.

Darkfall (Declaration Grooming) smoky oud
Shave 4 ・ 103 g left

Straight off the puck Darkfall smells pretty strong, but the scents smooth out and meld together in the lather to form a soft ambery smoke. Think of leaves burning in a ditch about a mile away. This one should be in every shaver’s repertoire.
____________
Brush PAA Amber Aerolite ・ Razor Tatara Masamune (35) ・ Blade Wizamet (5)

   

A favorite

Then West Coast Shavings Grapefroot hit the brush.  I thought from first sniff that this soap had Chris Cullen written all over it and I’ve since confirmed that he indeed come up with this wonder.  Grapefruit on top and Vetiver mid and base.  My oh my I like this one so much I already bought back-ups and the EdP.  Caties Bubbles more recent base is fantabulous and wow it is a winner.  Vetiver lovers need to get to WCS and pick it up.

LOVE that STAR brush Lip. Nice !!

Murphy & McNeil

Black Mountain Shaving

(Kodiak)

  

Thu•Rose•Day!!

Thursday isn't a usual shave day for me so I usually don't get to have a Thu-Rose shave but today I did, so I thought I'd use a real banger of a scent, Grooming Dept. Pomp

Thursday, November 30, 2023 - Gentleman's Nod Sir Winston

Thought I’d lean into the next logical choice. Having used Fine’s Green Vetiver yesterday I thought Fine’s Fresh Vetiver today.  Boy how different the two are!  Fresh Vetiver is certainly light, lilting, and fresh with top notes of citrus rounded out by some herbal mods (basil maybe?) and the Vetiver is hiding in the base.  I do find the Vetiver note easier to sense than in Green Vetiver and I’ll say the dry down of the aftershave does much to reveal the root just before lunchtime.  But it is light and the soap scent itself is fleeting.  I’ve gone nose blind before finishing a shave with this puck.  The scent dupes Tom Fords Grey Vetiver I’m told but having never snuggled a nostril up to that juice I really couldn’t say.  Others that I know though indicate that Mr. Fine dupes extremely accurately so I’m assuming this is a ringer for Grey Vetiver but…….what does it really matter?  It’s been discontinued.  I sure smell nice right now though.

Thought I’d lean into the next logical choice. Having used Fine’s Green Vetiver yesterday I thought Fine’s Fresh Vetiver today.  Boy how different the two are!  Fresh Vetiver is certainly light, lilting, and fresh with top notes of citrus rounded out by some herbal mods (basil maybe?) and the Vetiver is hiding in the base.  I do find the Vetiver note easier to sense than in Green Vetiver and I’ll say the dry down of the aftershave does much to reveal the root just before lunchtime.  But it is light and the soap scent itself is fleeting.  I’ve gone nose blind before finishing a shave with this puck.  The scent dupes Tom Fords Grey Vetiver I’m told but having never snuggled a nostril up to that juice I really couldn’t say.  Others that I know though indicate that Mr. Fine dupes extremely accurately so I’m assuming this is a ringer for Grey Vetiver but…….what does it really matter?  It’s been discontinued.  I sure smell nice right now though.

Absolutely love Fresh Vetiver and was very sad they discontinued that line.

First shave with the latest version of Ethos Fresco..
Frank Dragonsbeard totally outdid himself. Really pumped up the lime scent in this iteration…from beginning to end..which is fantastic.
In addition…it was my first experience with his latest base…WOW!
I didn’t believe this base could be improved…but…he did it…
Cushion, protection, glide and post-shave have been taken to new heights.