Saint Charles Shave Sandalwood Aftershave Splash

This review is for a 1/2-oz sample. The sample comes in a small bottle, nalgene or something like it. There is no reducer, and I have never been very good at the finger-based reducer technique. Instead I regulate the dose with a thin plastic straw from an old spray bottle, used like a water-thief.

Out of the bottle, the scent is mostly vanilla. On my skin, my first impression is a whiskey barrel: vanilla and toasted wood. I cannot detect anything like the sandalwood note of Mysore bath soap from the government soap factory, nor TAOS sandalwood shave soap, nor even Bee and Flower bath soap. Still, whiskey barrel is a manly scent. If you like the idea of Makers Mark as an AS, this could be for you. It pairs nicely with Tabac shave soap.

For overall skin care, this is a great splash. At first it feels like it might end up a little tacky: I suppose the glycerin content is high? But even if I use a little too much, my skin absorbs it and feels great afterward.

Just finishing up my sample container of this splash. I found it to have just the right amount of moisturizing ability for my skin along with a reasonable alcohol burn and a pleasant amount of menthol cooling. No residual tackiness just a nice smooth feeling.

I don't have a lot of experience with Sandalwood scents but this one is very nice and long lasting.

OK, guys, I've had about a week to thoroughly test a nice, hefty USPS package filled with SCS goodies. SCS is virtually the only artisan I haven't tried yet, so I was a little excited to get going.

First, the Sandalwood AS Splash...

Price - $11 for a 4oz bottle. Not the cheapest in the world, but considering that the goodies in the bottle rival that of Musgo Real, I don't think you're doing too bad here.

Quality - I was really surprised that an aftershave splash could offer this much. High marks on that note; top quality all the way around.

Fights Razor Burn - Normally, I don't get razor burn. However, due to working 12 hours a day at my normal job plus continuing my business, I have little time anymore to really enjoy a nice shave the way I'd like. As a result, I do get a little burn from time to time from rushing. Never you mind, this stuff really knocked out my burn in a matter of moments. Not only did it do that, but the effects are lasting, as well; when I starting sweating a bit later on, my face didn't light on fire again.

Scent - OK, here's where Sandalwood lovers like myself may be a bit disappointed. Thanks to Charles at QED , I've become completely spoiled on REAL Sandalwood. Genuine Sandalwood EO is my Holy Grail and I'm a bit of a ninny when it comes to judging Sandalwood FO scents.

That said, SCS Sandalwood is a warm, spicy and slightly vanillic Sandalwood concoction. In fact, the first time I used it, I was reminded of snickerdoodles in the oven. Generally, I'm not a fan of food scents, but this one isn't bad at all. In fact, it's grown on me a bit and I really enjoy it now. Nice going, Sue.

Efficacy - It rivals Musgo Real as far as skin goodies and general quality are concerned. Nuff said.

Moisturizing - Normally, I don't rate aftershave splashes on moisturizing because I don't use them for that purpose. However, leaving a little water on my face and splashing the aftershave on, my face felt silky smooth with a very nice balance of moisture without oiliness. Nice.

No alcohol burn - As soon as it goes on, there is a definite sting there. Not that I really care all that much, but just letting you know.

SCS Sandalwood Splash is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. A nice scent combined with the qualities of Musgo make this one a winner in my book.

I have been using Saint Charles Shave's sandalwood aftershave splash for several weeks now. It is, in my opinion, one of the best bargains in the wonderful world of aftershave. It has a wonderful and strong sandalwood scent when you first splash it on. The scent lessens as the aftershave dries, but leaves a nice amount of scent on your skin for several hours. This is not a cologne, so the scent will just be strong enough for you and those close to you -- this is a GOOD thing. If you want a stronger scent, wear a cologne!

I find this aftershave to have just the right amount of moisturizing properties. It is hard for me to evaluate whether the AS fights razor burn, because my experience has always been that proper shaving technique should result in little to no razor burn. There is menthol in this AS, but it is not a menthol bomb. I would say it gives you a slight cooling sensation, but it is barely noticeable. My skin feels very nice and smooth after application of this AS, so it does what it's supposed to do.

If you like sandalwood, I highly recommend this aftershave splash!

the scent is very nice, lingers in a pleasant way (if you like Sandalwood).. it did wonders for some light razor burn on a bad shaving morning, only the slightest of a quick alcohol burn when first applied, and for the price, you can't beat it.. I'm a fan!

billyboy;1275354 said:

Love their aftershave splashes, but wish they came in a bottle that doesn't always leak

Click to expand...

I'd like to send you a new reducer, PM sent.
Sue

Love their aftershave splashes, but wish they came in a bottle that doesn't always leak

I really like the sandalwood scent and I especially like the toning effect of this aftershave. It has a good alcohol burn which I like, it smells great, but the way it tones your face is wonderful. It goes on like any other aftershave, but it leaves an almost tacky feel to you skin at first (which really feels good) but then it smooths out and you face feels like silk. I recommend this product to everyone. The only thing that could be better is the staying power of the aftershave.

Sue sent me some of this to test out a little while ago. After using it for a significant period of time and forming a solid opinion on it, I feel it is time that I submit a review to praise it.

This is my first review, so if anyone has any suggestions for me, please let me know.

I would like to give one disclaimer - when using number-based rating systems, I am extremely harsh. Out of principle, I do not give 10s to anything.

Price: Very reasonable price for the great scent and effectiveness. Not as cheap as the drugstore aftershaves, but well worth the extra couple bucks. Additionally, a little goes a long way. Personally, I would pick this up before I pick up a bottle of Aqua Velva. Once my sample is done, I will most likely be placing an order with Sue to pick up a full bottle of this.

Quality: While this was sent to me in a simple sample container, I am quite familiar with Sue's packaging. Her aftershaves come in a simple, elegant glass bottle that is really nice. The packaging looks and feels more expensive than it is and the product itself works and smells like a quality product as well.

Fights Razor Burn: Yes! That's all I need to say here. I roughed my neck up really bad a few nights ago and reached for this splash. It soothed my irritated neck quite well.

Cooling Sensation: Somewhat. It isn't like a mentholated splash, but is nice, if that's your thing.

Scent: It smells quite delicious. It's sandalwood, but not a dry single note sandalwood. It's sweeter and I think I detect notes of vanilla in it. The scent also stays on the skin for quite a while. This could be a good or bad thing, depending on what you want.

Efficacy: Can't say much else. This stuff works and works well.

Moisturizing: I put N/A because this is an alcohol based splash. It doesn't leave me feeling dry like some splashes can do, but I don't think giving this aftershave a rating for moisturizing ability would be fair.

This is a great product and I would definitely recommend it as a sandalwood splash. My final opinion on this: Thumbs up.