Is My Preference For Scent Strength Unusual?

Without much experience in today's soaps (only have about 6 in the den), here's what I'm seeking. 

I would like a soap that is strongly scented while the shave progresses, lasts the whole shave, but dissipates quickly after the shave to allow the AS to be predominant for a time after the shave. My taste in AS is rather pedestrian (Pinaud Clubman, OS original formula now available from India, Mennen Skin Bracer, Aqua Velva and the like), but I would like to experience the modern scents while shaving. I have no strong dislikes in scent so practically anything is posssible, but it should be strong during the shave.

What I have in stock are pleasant when first lathered, but seem to fold rapidly and leave me with little during the shave. Opinions appreciated.

Castle Forbes Lavender.

Pre de Provence in both regular and 63. It's a very nice soap with Shea Butter at an even nicer price point. Phil sells them @ $15 a puck. I love both scents which last 4 passes. A cold water wash and I'm good for a AS or cologne. Some of the subtle scents that may linger actually
give a nice nuance to well paired splashes.

Barrister and Mann Seville or Cheshire

(07-12-2016, 01:27 PM)kingfisher Wrote: Barrister and Mann Seville or Cheshire

+1

Pre de Provence is another good recommendation. Strong herbal smell but I can imagine it does dissipate soon after the rinsing.

Very few of the 250+ soaps and creams I own have a scent that is present after the shave on me.

I do wash my face with a cloth dipped in cold water after the shave, so this removes most of the scent, that were to be present after the shave anyway.

IColoniali's scent lasts a reasonable time.

As I understand it, you want a scent that is present during the entire shave.  However, you're not looking for a scent that lingers after the shave.  I've tried 8 scents from CRSW and three from Mike's Natural Soaps, and they all meet your criteria.

Martin de Candre Fougere
B&M Seville
Castle Forbes
Penhaligon's

I have a terrible sniffer but these stick with me during the shave.

@beamon - what are the 6 soaps you currently have? (As a reference, so we don't suggest something you've tried)

As a one off, Mike's Orange CedarWood and black pepper is very present during the shave, and gone after the rinse. Plus, it's Mike's, so...

(07-12-2016, 06:43 PM)mike_the_kraken Wrote: @beamon - what are the 6 soaps you currently have? (As a reference, so we don't suggest something you've tried)

Good idea, Mike. Actually have 8; they must be breeding back there in the closet.   

Here tis:

Cella (in use)
Sterling: Sharp Dressed Man (in use)
Sterling: Executive Man 
Sterling: Sandalwood (finished a sample size)
Tabac
Razo Rock: XXX (Latest formulation)
Razo Rock: Mudder Focker (couldn't resist buying that one)
Col. Conk: Almond
Col. Conk: Bay Rum
Col. Conk: (used 2 other Conk scents. Lathered well and shaved well, but scent practically nonexistent.) 
                
The Conks were my first soaps after coming back to wet shaving. Was really a greenhorn back then.

(07-12-2016, 05:04 PM)TheLegalRazor Wrote: As I understand it, you want a scent that is present during the entire shave.  However, you're not looking for a scent that lingers after the shave.  I've tried 8 scents from CRSW and three from Mike's Natural Soaps, and they all meet your criteria.

I agree, I find both CRSW and Mikes perfect in this regard. Plus the performance of both is unrivaled.

Thanks for your input, so far, gents. I'm making a list with the most mentioned first to be bought.

(07-13-2016, 04:41 AM)shavealife Wrote:

(07-12-2016, 05:04 PM)TheLegalRazor Wrote: As I understand it, you want a scent that is present during the entire shave.  However, you're not looking for a scent that lingers after the shave.  I've tried 8 scents from CRSW and three from Mike's Natural Soaps, and they all meet your criteria.

I agree, I find both CRSW and Mikes perfect in this regard. Plus the performance of both is unrivaled.

Yes, this!  CRSW is very hard to beat in terms of performance (slickness, cushion, post shave, etc), scent composition, customer service & packaging/presentation and they meet your criteria. I think if you try CRSW, you will really like CRSW.

I agree with most of the replies, after I've shaven, splashed with cold water, used my alum block, splashed again and patted dry, hardly any of my soaps scents linger. I wish they did... but I've just resigned myself to the fact that if I like a scent I have to buy the A/S or post-shave balm/witch hazel if I want the scent back. Most of my experience is with Stirling however.

(07-15-2016, 05:59 AM)Trumble88 Wrote: I agree with most of the replies, after I've shaven, splashed with cold water, used my alum block, splashed again and patted dry, hardly any of my soaps scents linger. I wish they did... but I've just resigned myself to the fact that if I like a scent I have to buy the A/S or post-shave balm/witch hazel if I want the scent back. Most of my experience is with Stirling however.

Agree, and what I want is strong scent during the shave. Don't care about it lasting beyond the shave; i'll gladly go to A/S, Post Shave Balm or Cologne for scent beyond the shave. Virtually every soap I've tried has not been strong enough during the shave, with many fading to nothingness during the shave.

(07-15-2016, 06:57 AM)beamon Wrote:

(07-15-2016, 05:59 AM)Trumble88 Wrote: I agree with most of the replies, after I've shaven, splashed with cold water, used my alum block, splashed again and patted dry, hardly any of my soaps scents linger. I wish they did... but I've just resigned myself to the fact that if I like a scent I have to buy the A/S or post-shave balm/witch hazel if I want the scent back. Most of my experience is with Stirling however.

Agree, and what I want is strong scent during the shave. Don't care about it lasting beyond the shave; i'll gladly go to A/S, Post Shave Balm or Cologne for scent beyond the shave. Virtually every soap I've tried has not been strong enough during the shave, with many fading to nothingness during the shave.

Depending on your menthol preference or not I love the Stirling Glacial line the wintergreen makes most people tear up, but I enjoy it, cleans out the sinuses . But it has a STRONG scent during the shave almost like that wax lips candy from the 80:s. I find Stirling Margaritas in the Arctic to have a good not too heavy lime scent and less menthol. MITA is Probably my favorite summer soap for hot days.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

One possibility is that you develop "nose-blindness" more quickly than other people do.  So-called nose blindness is a real thing.  

One of the most important functions of the sense of smell is to be able to detect foul odors that could be poisonous (for example, rotten food, poisonous vapors in the air, etc).  These smells are noxious and tell you to not eat the rotten food or to move away from a scent in the air that is worrisome.  HOWEVER, there might be situations in which you would need to remain in an area with noxious odors for some important reason (I don't know, for example, cleaning up remains of dead bodies after a horrible earthquake or something).  If you continued to smell foul odors at the same intensity throughout the activity, you would be unable to complete it.  Therefore, your body shuts down the relay of odors from your nose to your brain after a period of time.  

The duration between first encountering a scent and the relay of said scent being shut down could vary somewhat from person-to-person.  Maybe yours just shuts down earlier than most people.  


Just a thought.

Penhaligons Blenheim Bouquet

Let's see...

Mike's: Orange, CedarWood, and black pepper is my favorite. Coconut is quite well done as well. Lime is strong, but a little too candy sweet for me. Pumpkin spice is a surprise - more akin to pumpkin pie with a small dollop of whipped cream. Barbershop & vetiver would probably be too muted for you. 

CRSW: citrus is solid. Jardin D'Orange also fairly prominent and layered. Puro fresco also prominent. Steer clear or bourgemont & bay only because the scent lingers longer than most (it's a good scent though). I really like barbershop, but it's not very strong. Spiced Amber is strong (when in stock). 

Reef point: Admirality is my personal favorite, a unique citrus blend. Earl grey and ginger straddles the line of prominence, but I love the scent. I have a few others, but none are very strong scent-wise. 

Catie's bubbles: Spanish holiday is an absolute winner for me; very clean and uplifting. Irish coffee... Perfect on a cold day!