# A rambling review of Brambleberry "masculine scents" sampler



## psfred (Aug 16, 2017)

I'm looking for some non-floral "masculine" soap scents for bath soap and shaving soap, so I decided to try the Brambleberry sampler for men.  Descriptions sounded good, and I'm totally unfamiliar with "modern" aftershaves, etc.

The sample box arrived today, nicely packaged, so I got out my new 12 mini bar mold I made and lined with freezer paper last night and whipped up my first batch of CPOP soap.

I stick blended to light trace (as I needed to mix 12 individual samples in place in the mold, didn't want it to set up on me too soon), filled the mold fairly evenly and started mixing in fragrances.

SARCASM ALERT!!  

I'm having a bit of fun with this, I'll report on the actual soap scents later when they've matured a bit.  Obviously, OOB scent are VERY strong and not always indicative of what you get in soap.

Before I describe the scents out of the bottle, I should tell you I'm VERY sensitive to smells.  I'm quite happy to use half a gram of FO ppo, I only want a faint whiff of scent while I'm using the soap and no linger at all, can't stand scents that keep coming back.  Because of that, I won't be using most of these, but more of that later.  I have used Old Spice original scent for forty years, and have been forced to buy it on eBay recently, it's vanished from all the usual spots and been replaced with eye-wateringly strong synthetic stench bombs that come in super strong and kill birds downwind for forty miles concentrations,  Tried one, had to wash my bath robe twice to get the scent down to where I could stand to wear it after three minutes of exposure to the stuff, and that was one of the "mild" ones.

So here they are, in the order I mixed them:

Fierce:  Had great hopes for this, instead I get a VERY powerful synthetic scent that reminds me of Axe body spray in a bad way.  Discolored the soap as advertised, light mauve before it gelled.

Cold Water:  Similar to Fierce, same comments, not quite as penetrating.  No discoloration.  OOB can hardly tell them apart.

Drakkar:  Nicer than the two above, but obviously related, also very synthetic smelling and  penetrating.  I recognize this one, I've had to wash clothes twice to get rid of it after an evening out and contacting youngsters in a crowd.  

Kentish Rain:  Much more to my taste, but still very synthetic smelling, very penetrating.  Hopefully it will mellow in soap.  Not eye-watering like the first three, but still not what I would call a "masculine" scent (I'm over sixty, guess I'm an old fuddyduddy, eh?)

All of the above are what I would call "metrosexual" scents, aimed at the hipster crowd around the age of 18.  

Made to Measure:  This one smells like a decent men's cologne, if a bit sweeter than I prefer.  Much more muted, complex, doesn't smell like a bomb hit the scent storage tanks at the perfume factory.  Still pretty strong, might be OK as soap, might not.  

Sensuous Sandalwood:  Sandalwood and whatever the secret ingredient is that makes all the above smell like synthetic chemicals.  Could be contamination of the outside of the bottle, too -- cap on the inside smells smokier and less like Drakkar.  Could be interesting in soap, but I prefer Bulk Apothecary's version OOB.

Spiced Mahogany:  Finally, what I would call a masculine scent.  Aromatic wood, resiny, deep spices, like Old Spice made up to date.  I think I'll like this one, reminds me of the engineers and business men my father worked with back in the 60's.

Tobacco and Bay Rum:  Anther traditional "masculine" scent, although somewhat like Tabac in that it has significant tobacco flower scent.  Very pleasant except for the hint of that "secret ingredient" in the background (lavender perhaps?).  Depending on what it does in soap it may be quite nice.  

Salty Mariner:  Slightly floral, but not in a bad way.  Not sure if I'm sold on it yet, but it's not offensive or super strong.  Lacks that eyewatering "punch" the first four have, which is good as far as I'm concerned.  May be too perfumy for me.

Rustic Woods and Rum.  Definitely can detect the rum in this one, still a little perfumey and sweet, but it has potential.  Not sure about the wood, doesn't smell like any I've every worked with, but pleasant.  I've smelled something quite like this on other people, and if it's quite faint it may suit me.

Enough snottiness -- since I just mixed a couple drops into each chamber, it's hard to say if any of them cause acceleration, although Salty Mariner and Drakkar gelled quite quickly in the oven.  

Will report on initial impressions in soap tomorrow or the next day.


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## DeeAnna (Aug 16, 2017)

Love your sense of humor! I grew up smelling the light scent of my dad's Old Spice aftershave, so I know what you mean about some of the modern men's fragrances being overpowering.

And now, a shameless plug from the FO Review admin -- 

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And here is a direct link to the form to add a new review: https://goo.gl/forms/J2HCfKTGYPib8wOt2


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## Cellador (Aug 16, 2017)

Your descriptions are hysterical  I agree though- some mens' scents are nothing but headache inducers.


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## toxikon (Aug 16, 2017)

I always love reading everyone's reviews on here. Thanks for sharing! 

I haven't delved much into masculine scents yet, so this is useful info. "Spiced Mahogany" sounds quite nice!


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## Millie (Aug 16, 2017)

Relief! I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one with an unbearably picky nose. I got 20 sample sized FOs this spring and I like three of them. Two of those three are single note FOs. There are a few others that are just ok. Overall they mostly smell generic, perfumey and overly sweet. Ugh. I'm holding on to them for now though, because my scent preferences change by season and over time. A jasmine FO that I adored last year doesn't appeal to me now, and a lilac FO I thought was ok in the spring smells like old ladies now. I think I have better luck with single note FOs that I can mix with EOs. Modern fragrances are supposed to be a bit abstract, but so often that just translates to fake and cheap smelling. When did I get so snotty?


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## BrewerGeorge (Aug 16, 2017)

Just confirming that you've tested these in soap, not just smelling them out of bottle.


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## Millie (Aug 16, 2017)

I've tried five from that batch of FOs in soap. One I liked to begin with got even better - as hoped, it lost a whiff of harsh chemical scent in the background. Aside from that they have been pretty close to OOB. Some notes do seem a bit more distinct or mellow once in soap, but the changes haven't won me over, either. One smells a whole lot worse. 

I understand that scents will be different in soap than OOB, I'm just not sure that change will be enough, and if it's worth it to try the others until they appeal to me a little. 

I don't mean to be snobbishly picky about scents. I think many are an aquired taste and I don't have the frame of reference to enjoy them yet. I grew up on a farm, with new-age suburbs nearby where evereyone used ineffective "all natural" deodorants. It was weird moving to a city where people mask their body odor so well! The boys weren't nearly so attractive at first  I'm living in the country now, and I think simple scents that immitate nature are more appealing to me at the moment because that is what I'm surrounded by. My FO preferences could easily change in winter without a garden full of flowers and herbs to compete with. I hope


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## psfred (Aug 16, 2017)

First report on soaps:

Fierce.  Still Fierce -- there is something in this fragrance that I detect at extremely low levels, which makes it horrible for me.  Post-subtle A&F fragrance, seems to be true to the original and just as overpowering for me.  Pleasant if you like it, but I can't get the smell off of me after handling the soap, so it's a definite no.  Light pinkish mauve discoloration.

Cold Water:  slightly floral "water scent", a bit sweet for me but pleasant.  I'd say unisex rather than masculine, but would use soap made with it.  Might be some discoloration, but minor.

Drakkar:  Discolors more pink than Fierce.  Mellows to a cologne like scent that is pleasant, but not for me.  Another "post subtle" scent, been around for a long time and too strong for me.  

Kentish rain:  Mellows to a very pleasant vaguely floral scent.  A keeper, will probably make soap with this for me and for Mom.  No discoloration and probably no acceleration.  Better than I was expecting.

Made to Measure:  No discoloration or acceleration.  Mellowed to a lovely tobacco leaf scent, like quality cigarettes.  Will be using this one, it's quite nice unless it hangs around after rinsing.  Again, but better than I was expecting.

Sensuous Sandalwood: Woody sandalwood scent with a "soapy" scent in there somewhere (whatever that is, just smells like soap....).  Spicier than Bulk Apothecary's version, will have to see which I like better (or use both, eh?)  Discolors light brown or reddish brown.

Shave and a Haircut.  No discoloration or acceleration I could see, very faint citrus/musk scent.  Will have to use more if I make soap with this again, scent is almost gone.  Could just be anethestized nose nerves, though, from the Fierce.  

Spiced Mahogany:  Light brown discoloration.  Scent much like the Sandalwood, but richer and deeper with some musky notes.  Will be making soap with this one for sure.  

Tobacco and Bay:  No discoloration.  Does NOT smell like tobacco leaf, instead it's reminiscent of Tabac shaving soap, more tobacco flower with some notes of bay leaf.  Quite pleasant, but if you are looking for tobacco leaf, use Made To Measure.

Salty Mariner:  No discoloration, but it was the first soap to gel so I would assume it accelerates trace.  Light floral perfume like scent with some unidentifiable bass notes, unisex and more feminine than masculine to me.  Reminds me, actually, of the prefume a friend uses.  Not non-masculine enough I won't use it though, nice scent overall.

Rustic Woods and Rum:  No discoloration, maybe minor acceleration.  Less woody than Spiced Mahogany, rum note is much less obvious in soap.  A little sweeter than I like, but I'd suspect it to be quite popular, it's a nice scent that doesn't shout "perfume".

I should note that I scented these bars at approximately one half gram ppo -- less by far than most people like to use, so keep that in mind when making notes.  I don't like to smell the soap in the shower unless it's actually in use, and do not want any residual skin scent at all (which is why Drakkar and Fierce won't ever get used by me).  

I think I'm going to do some checking -- I'm beginning to think I smell at least one component of Fierce and Drakkar at very much lower concentrations than most people - some minty/resiny thing that is simply overpowering to me.  Might not even be part of the scent, could be a "scentless" carrier that most people don't smell but I do -- if so, it's in all the current offerings from Old Spice in deodorants and at high concentration, it's the same scent, and it "tracks" for me on everything.    

Enclosed is a pic of the soaps and my mold.  Bars average around 60 grams today, but vary from 50 to 70.  Next time I'm going to measure out batter into paper cups and mix with plastic spoons, less mess and more even bars, not that I really care about that.

I will update every week or so as they cure, then see how they work in the shower (except Fierce and Drakkar).


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## psfred (Aug 16, 2017)

We all have different "smellers", that's for sure, but I have the feeling most suburban folks have become accustomed to very high scent levels.  Don't know if it's over exposure, habit, burned out noses from air pollution, or what, but I just cannot manage many commercial scents (Fierce, for instance).  I think skunk spray would be better, it doesn't last as long a Fierce does for me, I'm STILL smelling it in the back of my nose from making soap yesterday.  

I'm happier with some simple FO combinations I've made myself -- F&M, sandalwood, and wisteria/lilac, or some lemon grass and gardenia I made for some Castile.  

That said, Made to Measure is very nice....

Happy soaping!


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## Susie (Aug 16, 2017)

Please keep us updated, and please add those to the review thread!  I am looking for a new scent for my hubby (I can only take so much peppermint/eucalyptus), and he is an old fashioned guy.  I am going to try the sandlewood/allspice combo that is said to duplicate the old Old Spice scent next.


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## psfred (Aug 16, 2017)

Made to Measure, Spiced Mahogany, or the "old spice clone" would all be nice if he like tobacco smells.  Rustic woods is a bit perfumy, and I'd guess none of the others except sandalwood would suit him.  I'm planning on making the sandalwood and allspice mix myself, Old Spice is my go to scent.


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## Arthur Dent (Aug 16, 2017)

Thanks for these reviews!  Have been looking for these very types of things.


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## psfred (Aug 16, 2017)

The old spice clone is equal parts sandalwood and allspice.  Probably have to use an EO for the allspice, I've not seen an FO, so experimentation is in order.

I hope I can duplicate it, it's my favorite scent.


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## Arimara (Aug 16, 2017)

Rustic Woods and Rum smells AMAZING if you could use that as a room spray or even in a candle. I judged it out of the bottle as something I would never use but I'm glad I was wrong when I tried a little in an tea light burner (with some water to keep it from smoking.)  I find it to be a perfect fall home product scent.


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## psfred (Aug 22, 2017)

Ok, one week update.  

First, all the scents have tamed down considerably.  No gas mask required for evaluation...

Fierce:  Spicy herbal cologne scent, too penetrating and sweet for me, but is quite popular.  Definitely brings back memories of 90's club kids wearing too much of it.  Sticks very well, pale mauve discoloration.  

Drakkar:  Another strong scent that sticks well so far.  Also penetrating, but a sweeter scent than Fierce.  Should also be popular in some markets, too strong and sticky for me -- even at this very low rate i wouldn't use it, the smell stays on my hands from just picking up the soap.  Pink discoloration.

Cold Water:  Nice mild "soapy" scent with some spice.  Very nice "up market" scent, discrete rather than loud.  Hard to describe, but I will be making soap with it.  Sticks well so far.  Probably "fresh" is a good description.  No discoloration.

Kentish Rain:  Floral version of Clairol Herbal Essence shampoo, if you remember it.  Very nice, probably more unisex than masculine, but I will be making soap with it for personal use probably.  Sticking well so far.  No discoloration.

Made to Measure:  Probably my favorite fragrance from this batch.  Smells just like expensive cigarette tobacco with a very faint floral note.  Very nice gentleman's scent, makes me think of English manors from some reason (not that I've ever been to one).  Will use this one too someday.  No discoloration for me.

Sensuous Sandalwood:  Very spicy sandalwood, has an Ivory soap note that is jarring to me, at least so far.  I prefer Bulk Apothecary's sandalwood.  Makes a nice Old Spice clone with allspice EO though.  May or may not use it, depends on what it smells like in a few more weeks.  Not offensive, just not quite what I expect when I think sandalwood.  Light tan discoloration for me, probably darker if you use more.

Shave and a Haircut:  Generic citrus with some herbal undertones, smells "clean" and vaguely soapish.  I like it better than the scent in the shaving cream at my favorite barber shop (which reminds me I need a haircut tomorrow).  May make shaving soap with this one depending on final scent after cure.  Will have to try some in hot process too.  Will make nice bath soap.  No discoloration, holding well, but lighter than the others.

Spiced Mahogany:  Sweeter version of Old Spice.  Will be using this one next time I make bath soap, I think, very nice.  Tan discoloration at high usage levels (mine is very low, so it only shows where I didn't get the fragrance oil mixed in completely).  Quite strong, holding very well. 

Tobacco and Rum:  Sweet tobacco smell, some hints of tobacco flower still, a tiny bit of rum, very nice.  Getting better, actually.  Will probably use this one someday too (if I live long enough to use all that soap....)  Very pale tan discoloration if any.  Some fading of scent, but it's still very present.

Saltly Mariner:  Light floral notes, "ozone" and "ocean", although it really doesn't smell of ozone or seawater -- I've smelled plenty of those and while the scent makes you think ocean front, there is none of the fishy smell I think of when I see ocean water (and I've spent some time sailing on it).  Very nice, also probably a good unisex fragrance.  No discoloration, holding well although it's a light scent.

Rustic Woods and Rum:  Sweet almost incense notes, aromatic wood, maybe some rum.  Nice scent, but a little sweet for me.  Holding well, no discoloration.

Overall this is a nice selection of more or less masculine scents.  Fierce is still way too strong for me, but if you like it this version certainly has staying power (cough).  Otherwise they are all well balanced fragrances, it's personal choice for what you like or don't.  

Hope this is useful!


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## psfred (Aug 29, 2017)

Two week update:

Fierce:  Has faded down to a tolerable scent, spice and cologne.  Still reeks of arrogant teen to me, but that's a separate issue from the scent.  Has lost the penetrating UGH and is now rather pleasant.  Discoloration has faded a bit too, but may not with higher usage rate.

Drakkar:  Toned down quite a bit, now a sweet cologne smell that can be faintly heard singing Donna Summer.  Holds pretty well, too.  Not my favorite, this one reminds me of bad disco music and college kids (the age I was when it was really popular).  Still faintly pink.

Cold water:  Now a nice cologne scent, lightly non-descript floral scent.  Quite pleasant, will work well in soap.  Not strong, but holding well.

Kentish Rain:  nice aroma of fresh cut grass, slight floral background.  Holding well, although fainter than when freshly made.  Very nice soap scent (rather than cologne).  No discoloration.

Made to Measure:  Same as before, scent is holding nicely, smells exactly like quality cigarettes and tweed jacket.  Not sure it's my idea of a soap scent, but it's very nice.  

Sensuous Sandalwood:  More sandalwood, less soap, but still has that generic "soap" scent to my nose.  Holding well, should make a nice soap scent if you like this version of sandalwood.  Might be strange at high usage rates though.  

Shave and a Haircut:  Nice generic "citrus" scent with something nice in the background.  Very light, and fading a bit (was very light to start with), might need a bit more of this for most people.  Should be a very pleasant soap scent, if light.  

Spiced Mahogany:  Sandalwood, vanilla, spice, quality tobacco -- this one is getting very nice, holding well.  Made a 500 gr batch with it a little stronger than the tester the other day.  Very light tan discoloration, I'd expect more with higher usage rates.

Tobacco and Bay Rum:  Has morphed to a nice tobacco and bay rum scent (who'd have thought, eh?) with some tobacco flower in the background.  Very nice, should make very nice soap.  Holding well, although fainter than at first.  

Salty Mariner:  Nice almost floral "ocean" scent.  Light but holding well, should make excellent soap that appeals to a wide audience.  Will be the next soap I make for myself, I think

Rustic Woods:  This one has changed the most.  Didn't like it to start with, but it has mellowed into a sweet cedar and bay rum scent, quite nice.  Losing a little scent, but not too badly, might make some soap with this one too.  

In spite of my initial impressions, I think all of these would be popular scents.  Now that the Firece has stopped smelling like three lions holding me down shoving rosemary and cardomom essence up my nose it's not too bad, although I still don't like it as a soap scent, and the Drakkar is almost tame enough to try using the soap.  Probably sell like crazy, just not to me!


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## lenarenee (Aug 29, 2017)

Wow - I've used 8 of those fragrances and my description of those 8 is very different from yours.  It still surprises me how different our senses of smell are! (I used the highest usage rate though)

I can't stand the tobacco leaf - and haven't found anyone who does.  I LOVE spiced mahogany - it smells like aged wood to me!


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## psfred (Aug 29, 2017)

Everybody smells things differently indeed.  I used half a gram ppo of all of these (rather than half an ounce, so 1/28th!) and can smell the testers sitting on the floor next to my desk.  I suspect most people would smell nothing!

And whatever Drakkar and Fierce have in common is something I smell at vastly lower threshold than most people, I'm sure.  But then two cardomom seeds crushed in a batch of Danish is almost too much for me, too.

I'm curious as to what your impression of those scents are -- I'm not sure I could manage most of them at an ounce ppo, it would run me out of the house!

Good thing there are plenty to chose from!  Too many, actually -- if I make a pound of soap with all of these I may not outlive the supply.


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## lenarenee (Aug 29, 2017)

psfred said:


> Everybody smells things differently indeed.  I used half a gram ppo of all of these (rather than half an ounce, so 1/28th!) and can smell the testers sitting on the floor next to my desk.  I suspect most people would smell nothing!
> 
> And whatever Drakkar and Fierce have in common is something I smell at vastly lower threshold than most people, I'm sure.  But then two cardomom seeds crushed in a batch of Danish is almost too much for me, too.
> 
> ...




I went to the curing rack and took a re-smell of Tobacco/Leaf and Shave/haircut and Spiced Mahogany (this is my second batch of S. Mahogany)

The Tobacco/Leaf is over 5 months old. The scent is respectably strong, and it has turned a bit more herbal (which is good). But that scent went through a lot of changes - especially during the first curing weeks.

Shave an a Haircut has a bit of cologne, but mostly shaving cream type scent to me. People find it pleasant, but that's it. It does fade a little - but still keeps a nice strength for about a 9 - 12 months. So its a good "generic" mens scent.

The Spiced Mahogany is cured only 3 weeks - and I could smell some of the notes you mentioned....but probably because you "educated" me with your description. However, I remember that this scent does continue to change after a few months...and the wood scent gets strong while the other notes fade.  It's also a respectable scent strength at 9 months.

I haven't used Fierce, but did use Drakkar. I strongly dislike cologne-y scents and Drakkar definitely fit that bill. Turned soap that weird pink color that the men's cologne-y scents tend to do. And if I remember correctly - that scent stuck hard for 2 years....until I the threw the thing away.

I loved Kentish rain; but I love fresh, ocean, rain, herbal and citrus scents. The scent mellows over a long cure but it was a good sticker.  

Btw, BB Celestial Waters is "sweeter" than Kentish Rain. I have a few bars curing right now. 

Hope that was helpful!


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## Obsidian (Aug 29, 2017)

Be warned, salty mariner is know to be a very bad accelerator. Not sure what % needs to be used before it gets finicky but be prepared just in case.


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## psfred (Aug 29, 2017)

Thanks for the report!

Lol, if you found Drakkar overpowering, skip the Fierce, it's worse.  Much worse.  We used soap that smelled like that back in graduate school to keep deer out of our tree plantings. Really.

Nothing wrong with a pleasant scent soap early in the morning in the shower, eh?  Don't aways want a full scale wakeup.  

I'm not fond of most colognes, they are much too strong for me.  Especially A&F.  That means, of course, I'm not going to use them in soap.  Guess I'm kinda old fashioned, eh?

I enjoy everyone's impressions of scents, I find it hard to describe them.  

Kentish Rain, Salty Mariner, Shave and a Haircut, and Cold Water are definitely my idea of soap scents.  Nice and light and refreshing.  

I really like Made to Measure, but I don't think it's what I want to smell while taking a shower.  Reminds me of my dad, actually, since he was often carrying a cigar.  Not the smoke smell, but the tobacco.

I'm thinking of repeating this experiment with hot process soap if I can get it to stay fluid enough to mix twelve samples.  I prefer hot process at the moment, and I think the scents behave differently without the lye in cold process.  Not for a few weeks, anyway, though.  I have bees to take care of getting ready for winter and doing a fall honey harvest, the grapes are ripening, so I'll be making gonzo quantities of wine this year because a friend shut down his vineyard due to health problems -- an essentially limitless supply at least for this year.  50 gallons or so, I think, if I can manage to stay organized that long.   Sadly, I have enough bottles, they've been collecting.


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## psfred (Aug 29, 2017)

I do hot process at the moment, so acceleration isn't an issue.  I'll try to remember that if I ever decide to do cold process though, it's a real pain if one is not prepared.


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## Obsidian (Aug 29, 2017)

I love honey harvest time. How many hives do you have? I grew up with 5 or 6, I wasn't involved in their care but I did help with extraction. I particularly love fresh cut caps.

I think HP is definitely the way to go with salty mariner. I want to use it in a salt bar, has me worried enough that I've not bought the FO yet lol.


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## psfred (Aug 29, 2017)

Yeah, I think it's better to plan a HP rather than do one to fix soap on a stick.

I have ten hives at the moment, and a friend of mine has 11 he needs to harvest this weekend.  If he's right, should be around 400 lbs, he got 550 in June and they have been storing it up all summer.  Very unusual, normally we only get spring honey.  Fresh spring honey here is delightful, I never have any trouble selling it.


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## BattleGnome (Aug 30, 2017)

Obsidian said:


> I think HP is definitely the way to go with salty mariner. I want to use it in a salt bar, has me worried enough that I've not bought the FO yet lol.



In my challenge soap this month I used BB's Sweetgrass, which is supposed to rice. I hand stirred and used heat transfer from my lye to make salt bars. It worked perfectly with no surprise acceleration from the fragrance, it actually went slower than I'd expect from a high CO soap. I got 3 layers and a bit of settling from the salt. If Sweetgrass is supposed to rice I think Salty Mariner would work just fine.


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## lenarenee (Aug 30, 2017)

I've used Salty Mariner in salt bars - one color. I think heating is worse than Salty Mariner's ricing. There was some ricing, but not a problem. (I use almost exactly Irish Lass's).  My mold was thin silicone inside a wood box - and there was enough heat to crack the top of the soap.

I've used both BB and Rustic Escentuals versions. I like BB better but was slightly more problematic.


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## Zany_in_CO (Aug 30, 2017)

psfred said:


> Hope this is useful!


I'm sure it is but I just read your posts for the giggles.


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## psfred (Sep 4, 2017)

Week three update:

Fierce:  Has faded down to a spicey cologne scent I might even like.  Quite faint (thank heavens) compared to the initial, will see how long it hangs in there, and if it scents my skin when I use it (a big NOT for me).  

Drakkar:  Still singing Donna Summer, but not nearly as loud.  Powdery cologne scent, a bit sweet for me.  Probably popular.  Still reminds me of obnoxious undergrads, alas.

Cold water:  Hanging in there, no change from last week.  Will be making some soap with this one when my indigo gets here, definitely a blue soap, I think.  

Kentish Rain:  Less fresh cut grass this week, but still quite "green" -- this one is going to get green coloring if everything works out.  Very pleasant.  Fading a bit, but not a large amount like Fierce and Drakkar.

Made to Measure:  A little less scent than last week, but otherwise identical.  Very nice, I'd wear it as a cologne, but still don't know if it's what I want in soap.  Good tobacco and tweed....

Sensuous Sandalwood:  Still has a "powdery" scent I'm not really fond of, and it's fading.  Pleasant enough, makes a nice Old Spice clone with allspice EO.  May have to use more to retain much scent though (not a surprise, other reviews say the same thing)

Shave and a Haircut:  No change other than it' fainter, wasn't strong to start with.  Will make some nice soap someday.

Spiced Mahogany:  More like the old Old Spice every day, with a bit more sandalwood and "mahogany" scent (although I don't remember much scent from the mahogany I've used in the woodshop).  Very nice, have already made a batch of soap with a little more scent.  Hope I didn't overdo that one. Scent is holding well.

Tobacco and Rum:  Nicer, smoother scent of tobacco, tobacco flower, and rum with some bay in there.  Quite pleasant, but again, I'm not sure I want to smell it in the shower.  Other people will probably really like it.  Holding well.

Salty Mariner:  Still a light, slightly floral "water" scent.  This one gets sea green when I make it, I think -- the color of the water in the Cheasapeake, I think (now that it has tons of algae in it, anyway, used to be clear back when I was young and we had to battle dinosaurs....).  Holding well, but it's a light scent.

Rustic Woods:  Has lost the cedar scent it used to have, and has faded.  Quite pleasant, hard to describe but I find a bit of vanilla now I didn't smell before, and a bit of spice now.  Will probably make some soap with this one, too, it's becoming quite nice.  Unless it turns into something I don't like, eh?

I may get all excited and try these in some hot process soap now that I've figured out how to keep it fluid long enough, had a mostly successful batch of countertop HP tonight.  Secret is to reserve some water, use some sugar (for extra heat).

Another thing that will give Zany a fit of giggles -- the very best "soap scent" I've found is the aroma rising from my collection of FO's.  I make an nice partitioned box to keep them in because they were starting to get out of control, and that scent from the residual FO on the bottles and caps is just about perfect.  Guess I'll just have to toss in some of everything I have, eh?

And we did get at least 400 lbs of honey, maybe 450.  Puts him at a half ton for the year, off 11 hives.  We are now looking for ways to market it, half a tone of honey is a LOT of honey.....


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## dibbles (Sep 4, 2017)

Lucky you!


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## Zany_in_CO (Sep 4, 2017)

Definitely. Toss in some of everything. I'm nothing if not an enabler. :grin:


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## Arimara (Sep 4, 2017)

You never picked up the spicey vanilla notes from Rustic? I may need to try this in a soap. Also, what's your damage with Donna Summer? Just curious.


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## psfred (Sep 4, 2017)

Drakkar was released in 1972, just about the peak of the Disco craze.  Very popular with the "bigger than their britches" fraternity types and other wannabe fakers, at least in my part of the world.  Too many guys who thought "if two drops is good, half the bottle of something expensive is much better, that way everyone knows I have tons of money to blow on things".  

Too many memories of being gassed by people wearing too much at disco bars, I guess.  And it's not really my type of scent.

I prefer the 80's, the music was better.


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## anjouwu (Sep 12, 2017)

As someone who strenuously avoids most scents marketed as "masculine" (because it usually means a musky herbal or chemically ocean top note and not much more) I was glad to read about your experience and the follow up. I may try one or two of these after all. 

And, isn't Zany the Enabler a character on Game of Thrones?


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## Arimara (Sep 12, 2017)

psfred said:


> Drakkar was released in 1972, just about the peak of the Disco craze.  Very popular with the "bigger than their britches" fraternity types and other wannabe fakers, at least in my part of the world.  Too many guys who thought "if two drops is good, half the bottle of something expensive is much better, that way everyone knows I have tons of money to blow on things".
> 
> Too many memories of being gassed by people wearing too much at disco bars, I guess.  And it's not really my type of scent.
> 
> I prefer the 80's, the music was better.



I grew up on Motown and later and a surprising variety of genres thanks to my mom. Disco is one of them but I also blame WKTU for being good for playing disco mixes in my tweens (90s). I'm still surprised by how many songs I can pick up on and remember hearing growing up. 

Back to Drakkar, I guess I can see your point. I really get the Axe thing too (it's really not attractive to smell a stinky dude or a dude who likes to smell like Axe)


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## psfred (Sep 13, 2017)

Week four update:

Fierce:  Has faded considerably, but not changed.  Much less offensive to me at the current odor level, but I'm not looking forward to using this bar.  Not my kind of scent.  Reminds me of the locker room at the Y in Sault Ste. Marie for some reason today.

Drakkar:  Also much tamer than before, has morphed a bit too.  Sweeter, but still reminds me of pretentious frat boys for some reason.  Bad memories from being a nerd in college, I think.  At this strength should be a popular fragrance, just not for me.

Cold Water:  Nice water scent, has faded some.  Very pleasant, made a batch of soap dyed light blue with indigo with it last week.  

Kentish Rain:  Holding well, a little less fresh cut lawn and a little more generic floral, but quite nice.

Made to Measure:  A little lighter now, but still smells of quality tobacco and tweed jacket.  Great scent, just not sure it's meant for soap. 

Spiced Mahogany:  A little lighter, a little sweeter. Some sweet spice now, less wood, but light.  I've used this in some HP soap, scent holds better there so far at two weeks.

Shave and a Haircut:  Has faded some more, same scent.  Would be a problem if you like strongly scented soaps, I think.  It's fine for me, but I suspect it would be nearly unscented for quite a few people.  Very pleasant.

Sensuous Sandalwood:  Faded a bit, but less "powder" scent, so I like it better.  Very nice scent alone, will make a very close copy of Old Spice with equal parts Allspice EO.  Will eventually end up in bath and shaving soap, I think.

Salty Mariner:  Has faded a bit, scent is unchanged.  Very pleasant, may need a bit more to hold the scent for a full cure for some people.  Will make some sea green soap this weekend with this, I think.  Quite pleasant

Rustic Woods:  Has faded some more, and morphed a bit.  More cedar, less vanilla, but very nice.  Will end up in soap at my house eventually (there really is a limit, I think, on how much soap I need to make this fall....).

I ran these past a couple friends, and their favorites were Kentish Rain, Cold Water, Salty Mariner, Spiced Mahogany, and Rustic Woods.  One really liked the Sandalwood, too.  I forgot to take the Fierce along, and they both recognized Drakkar, but don't want it in soap.

I will start using these samples in the shower after six weeks are up, and probably do a HP sampler as well of the ones I've not already used in HP soaps -- I suspect some of them will hold much better without the high lye activity at the beginning.


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## psfred (Sep 19, 2017)

Week five update:

Fierce:  Faded a bit more, but still present.  Still smells like arrogant adolescent at the mall to me, but other people will like it.  Still slightly pink, too.

Drakkar:  Faded some a mellowed, much nicer now that when fresh.  Close to the original, but no my personal idea of what I want soap to smell like.  Also still a bit pink.

Cold Water:  A bit more faded, but no other change.  Very pleasant.  

Kentish Rain:  A little change in the scent, no longer has that fresh cut grass smell, but it's very pleasant.  I'm thinking a medium green for this soap color, still smells "green" to me.

Made to Measure:  No change.

Sensuous Sandalwood:  Less powdery smell, has faded a bit, but still there.  Still different than Bulk Apothecary's version.  Will definitely make some soap with this.  

Shave and a Haircut:  Starting to remind me of Made to Measure now, seems to be gaining in strength a bit.  Very pleasant.

Spiced Mahogany:  More spice, less vanilla?  Or more vanilla and less spice, maybe.  Has mellowed a bit, very nice.  Already made soap with this one, HP, and it's stronger, but is also mellowing like this tester did.

Salty Mariner:  Has faded a bit, but still plenty strong for me.  A bit milder, too, somehow.  Very nice scent, a bit less perfumy now.

Rustic Woods:  Cedar and vanilla now, smells like fresh cut redwood, too.  Very very nice, has mellowed and faded some.  Probably changes more than any of this sampler.

Hope this is of some value, and I'll write up reviews for the spreadsheet, too.


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## Zany_in_CO (Sep 19, 2017)

Well done.


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## psfred (Sep 25, 2017)

Week Six update:

I'll be starting to use these in the shower soon, will post updates as I use them.

Fierce:  Has faded considerably, and is now the spicy scent I was expecting from the descriptions.  Helped a bit by the fact my house is full of basil scent at the moment, harvested a big handful for drying.  I'm curious as to what Fierce will be like in use.

Drakkar:  Also much fainter, but not really changed much.  Too cologne like for me in soap, but it would likely be popular for selling soap.  Very powerful even when faded, at the rate most people scent their soaps I'd have had to put it outside.

Cold Water:  a bit lighter but no change in scent.  Is stronger so far in HP soap.  

Kentish Rain:  Muted a bit, has mellowed some as well, very pleasant.  A bit of the fresh cut grass is back.  My idea of soap scent, not like a cologne or aftershave, just a nice clean scent.

Made to Measure:  No change.

Sensuous Sandalwood:  No change except it has faded a bit.  Will make a bigger batch with this one I think, and it's a possibility in shave soap as well.

Shave and a Haircut:  Still a nice light scent, but it's changed a bit and seems stronger.  Another very nice soap scent rather than cologne.

Spiced Mahogany:  Has mellowed a bit, more vanilla, less spice.  Very pleasant.  This one is also much stronger so far in HP, will see if it morphs in the same way -- I like the current scent in CP better than the HP scent.  

Salty Mariner:  No change.  Still a very pleasant scent for soap.

Rustic Woods:  Cedar and vanilla, some spice, also very nice.  Will make some soap with this one someday.

I've been collecting some more scents to try out, will do another set of testers when I get a chance (up to my eyeballs in grapes and winemaking at the moment, hopefully that will be done this week).


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## psfred (Nov 18, 2017)

Time for an update:

I tried the Fierce in the shower.  It has faded to a nice, spicy scent, but is too persistent for me, it hangs around on my skin even at the very low rate I used.  If you like the scent it's a good one, very strong though.

Drakkar is next, and sadly this batch of testers is getting DOS so I may not be able to work through them all before they go too far off to use.  Must have been that Field lard I used, everything I put it in has gone "south", while my used doughnut fry oil (half soy, half canola) is perfectly fine....


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## psfred (Dec 30, 2017)

Time for a couple updates:

Finished the Fierce bar, so started on the  Drakkar and Rustic Woods and Rum samples.

Drakkar is very close to the cologne, and stays around in the soap pretty well.  Faded to tolerable for me, but not my favorite scent (never did like colognes from the 70's).  Should be a good seller at moderate usage level, it's persistent.  Not as bad as the Fierce, which stayed on my skin for a couple hours.

Rustic Woods and Rum now smells almost identical to my Spanish Cedar soap dish, with a bit of vanilla and rum.  Very pleasant, will probably scent a standard batch with it sometime.  Thought for a moment I was just smelling the dish, but the other tester (an old spice clone that was too weak) didn't pick up anything from the dish.  Rustic woods, indeed.  Spanish cedar is popular in humidors for cigars, nice spicy cedar and something extra scent.


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## Zany_in_CO (Dec 30, 2017)

Thanks for the update!

Just an FYI: I've been sniff-testing a sample of *BB's Turquoise FO* for a couple of months. Haven't soaped it yet, but I've had the bottle sitting on a shelf with a cuptip attached (fragranced with a few drops) --- something I do to test longevity. I'm happy to report it's definitely a "sticker". It's still noticeable every time I pass that shelf. It got a thumb's up from all my guys (13 to 86) over the holidays. Not only do they like it, but, more importantly, I think their ladies would like it on them.

https://www.brambleberry.com/Turquoise-Fragrance-Oil-P6787.aspx

We now return to our regularly scheduled programming... 
...with apologies for the hijack. :mrgreen:


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## psfred (Dec 30, 2017)

Lol, any information on good soap scents for guys is welcome.  Even though I probably have enough soap to last me until I'm too old to make it any more, I'll be cooking up some this weekend, gonna be too cold to go outside.


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## psfred (Mar 10, 2018)

Another update:  I've tried the Made to Measure soap (took a while to get to it, with six different ones in the shower, I don't get to try new ones that often).  Still has a scent of high quality cigarette tobacco, but in the shower it's a bit more floral.  Great staying power, it has much more scent that the dry soap.  If I ever run out of soap, I may use it in a batch, but that's not gonna happen soon!


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## earlene (Mar 11, 2018)

Zany_in_CO said:


> Thanks for the update!
> 
> Just an FYI: I've been sniff-testing a sample of *BB's Turquoise FO* for a couple of months. Haven't soaped it yet, but I've had the bottle sitting on a shelf with a cuptip attached (fragranced with a few drops) --- something I do to test longevity. I'm happy to report it's definitely a "sticker". It's still noticeable every time I pass that shelf. It got a thumb's up from all my guys (13 to 86) over the holidays. Not only do they like it, but, more importantly, I think their ladies would like it on them.
> https://www.brambleberry.com/Turquoise-Fragrance-Oil-P6787.aspx
> ...



It may just be me, but last November when I made soap using (BB) Turquoise I really did not like it once soaped. I did like it OOB, but in that CP soap, I found it overwhelming and wanted the fragrance out of the room.  Perhaps it was the soap recipe (lard, canola, shea, mango, coconut, NaOH, vinegar, sugar, salt) or the 6% FO, or the enclosed space (motel room).  Once it was over a month old, and I wasn't sharing a room with it any more, the fragrance wasn't as overwhelming.  But from that experience, I probably won't be purchasing this one.


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## psfred (Mar 11, 2018)

Try it at about half a gram per pound -- I find I prefer soap with "subtle" scents.  Much more pleasant when it doesn't make your eyes water.....


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## Zany_in_CO (Mar 11, 2018)

[QUOTE="earlene, ]Perhaps it was the soap recipe (lard, canola, shea, mango, coconut, NaOH, vinegar, sugar, salt) or the 6% FO, or the enclosed space (motel room).  Once it was over a month old, and I wasn't sharing a room with it any more, the fragrance wasn't as overwhelming.  But from that experience, I probably won't be purchasing this one.[/QUOTE]




Thank you for that post, Earlene! I really appreciate your input. I only have a 1/2 oz sample, but I think I should use it in a basic CP recipe, just for comparison purposes. I planned on using it in Hair & Body Shampoo and After Shave for the boys -- to replace my favorite Commando FO that's no longer available.  
[QUOTE="psfred, ]Try it at about half a gram per pound -- I find I prefer soap with "subtle" scents.  Much more pleasant when it doesn't make your eyes water.....[/QUOTE]


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## Zany_in_CO (Mar 11, 2018)

Sorry. Double Post.


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## psfred (Mar 18, 2018)

Tried some of the soap I made with Salty Mariner.  Very light scent, will probably use a little more next time.  Still a delicate floral "sea air" that doesn't smell like ocean at all (salt water actually really has a distinct scent of dead fish to me, and I don't want that in soap...).  Does not "bloom" when the soap is wet like most of the other scents in the collection, so be prepared for this one to stay quite mild.  

Very pleasant, reminds me of the prefume a friend wears, you can only detect it close up.


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## psfred (Apr 21, 2018)

I have been using the sample bar of "Shave and a Haircut" the last few days.  Very nice slightly herbal scent, might be some lemon verbena in there.  Warm, if you know what I mean, very pleasant.  Still pretty light as far as scents go, but persists on my skin for quite a while. 

A good scent for people who prefer lighter scents.  The most "commercial" scent so far, as in light and unlikely to offend anyone.


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## snappyllama (Apr 22, 2018)

I think my sniffer is pretty close to yours though my guinea pig (er, husband) likes heavily scented soaps. So your review is very helpful for me to judge the few I've tried from BB with the ones I haven't. Thanks for that!

Our opinions on the ones we've tried from your list...

Cold Water -  absolute favorite for him and one I've actually bought more than once. It behaves beautifully for me.

Salty Mariner - I love it though it's an accelerating mess. He does not like it at all. That correlates pretty much with anyone that tries it... they love it or hate it. If I was selling, I'd probably not bother with it. Watching people wrinkle their noses and say "yuck" just isn't good.

Spiced Mahogany - Everyone loves this one. Like you mentioned, it mellows out really well and is sweet enough to be unisex. I've only used it in B&B and for shaving soap (so hot process). In shaving pucks, it is particularly nice.

Shave and a Haircut - I think you're exactly right. It's a nice generic 'man' scent... almost guaranteed not to offend.

Rustic Woods - It's okay... I did have a little fading, but no enough to make me mad. It's on the lighter side of things, another not offensive one.

Drakkar - goes weird mauve for me - best to color all of it. If someone likes Drakkar, they will like it. If they dont...

Thanks again!


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## amd (Apr 27, 2018)

psfred said:


> Drakkar was released in 1972, just about the peak of the Disco craze.  Very popular with the "bigger than their britches" fraternity types and other wannabe fakers, at least in my part of the world.  Too many guys who thought "if two drops is good, half the bottle of something expensive is much better, that way everyone knows I have tons of money to blow on things".
> 
> Too many memories of being gassed by people wearing too much at disco bars, I guess.  And it's not really my type of scent.
> 
> I prefer the 80's, the music was better.



I picked up a sample size of Drakkar from BCN in my last order. I was testing the smells OOB on my husband's nose Wednesday night. He picked up Drakkar, smelled it, and said "The 90's called and they want their cologne back." In my teenage years (I graduated HS in 95) all the boys wore Drakkar because it was a more affordable high end cologne. [exit random comment from the peanut gallery]


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## psfred (Apr 28, 2018)

Lol, Drakkar is definitely a love it or hate it cologne.  At very low levels, it's OK, as in I would happily use it if someone gave me some, but at "standard" strength it's way too much for me.  And the mauve discoloration has to be dealt with too as some people won't want pink "masculine" soap.

I will report on the rest as I get to them, takes me a while to work my way through the too many soaps I made when I started, and I'm sort of sidetracked as a few of them got DOS and I need to use them first.


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## Lin19687 (Apr 28, 2018)

I HATE Drakkar !  Idiot #1 wore that like he showered in it.  Not sure I would want to soap it


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## psfred (Apr 29, 2018)

Sense of smell varies enormously, obviously.  For me, Drakkar is overpowering, but others enjoy it, so we must not smell the components the same way.  

Important to remember this if you want to sell soap, just like making beer for a brew-pub:  You are making things for your customers, not you!  What you think is insipid may in fact be one of your best sellers, or soap you exile to the garage (or garden shed) may be a favorite.   This is why it's a good idea to have "testers" for your soap, that way you get a range of opinions and a better sense of what the general public will like.

That said, I will probably use the rest of my Drakkar and Fierce samples for rabbit repellent in the garden, I don't see putting them in soap for my own use.


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## earlene (Apr 29, 2018)

Even within the very same person, our senses change over time, depending on varying factors.  For example, some medications and some herbal supplements alter our sense of taste and smell, which are linked.   St. John's Wort is an example of an herbal supplement that can alter one's sense of taste and smell.   Prescription drugs such as some antibiotics, thyroid medications, anti-depressants, cardiac, chemo, even some anti-histamines can affect one's sense of smell and taste.

It's no wonder we don't all have the same response to everything.


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## psfred (May 17, 2018)

Another quick update:  started using the bar made with Sensuous Sandalwood the other day.  Still has a sandalwood scent with something "perfumy"  in it, not quite as "baby powder" as it had initially, but it's still there.  Not unpleasant, but I prefer Bulk Apothacary's sandalwood, it's a bit woodier and doesn't have the perfume part.  

Sensuous Sandalwood is quite persistent, too, if you like that.  I can smell it on my hands while shaving after my morning shower.  Doesn't seem to hang on really long though, just more than most soap scents I like.

It has been reported to fade somewhat at higher rates (I use very little), but I don't find it weak after six months.


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## cmzaha (May 17, 2018)

I found Sensuous Sandalwood to fade bad enough that I could not sell it, and I fragrance heavy


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## psfred (May 17, 2018)

I wonder if there is a batch issue -- reviews did say, though, that the new formulation faded badly.  Something to be aware of anyway.


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## lathered_up (May 26, 2018)

Ditto about Spiced Mahogany.  It really is a wonderful scent. I got some mild acceleration,  but nothing unmanageable.


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## psfred (Feb 2, 2020)

Finally got around to using more of the samplers -- had to use up some soap that was going rancid so I've been using them.

The Spiced Mahogany hasn't changed other than being a bit fainter that it was two years ago.  Old Spice with a bit of a powdery scent.

More later, I stuck them in the freezer so they should be mostly unchanged from a year ago or so.


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## psfred (Jul 25, 2020)

Tried the Cold Water today.  Same scent, unchanged (but it has been in the freezer for a long time, started to turn yellow around the edges).

Nice "water" scent, blooms nicely when used, but it's a little persistent for me.  Very little fading for me, and it soaped just fine.  Probably not for everyone, but it's quite pleasant.  Probably nicer in summer than winter, it has a "cool" feeling to it I'd not want when the bathroom was icy in the morning!


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