The Barbershop scent is considered a staple of the wet shaving world. A classic. A soap every wet shaver should have in their collection.
The funny thing is there doesn’t seem to be a standard definition of exactly what constitutes a “Barbershop”, or even which scent notes it should include.
For some, a Barbershop scent should be evocative of visiting a barber shop. And many of us have memories of visiting small town barbershops which smelled of talc, the kind they patted on your neck when you were done, or Pinaud Clubman, which seemed to always waft in the air. That memory may ring true if you grew up in New Jersey or Alabama, but what if you grew up in Torino or Marseilles? Were the smells the same? Or were you more likely to smell Proraso, Floid, Speick, Cella or something else?
Most of the more well known Barbershops seem to share some DNA with “Fougere” scents, which means Fern in French. A Fougere, as per Wikipedia, usually includes the scent notes of lavender, coumarin, and oakmoss, with the subset of Aromatic Fougere including additional herbs, spices or woods. A further subset is the Chypre, French for Cypress, which has a citrusy top note (maybe bergamot or lemon) and includes labdanum and also oakmoss
My experience is that in the attempt to capture a clean and fresh feel, which very often leans heavily on talc, some Barbershop fragrances can quickly descend into a very strong soapy odor and end up smelling reminiscent of laundry detergent. Of course, YMMV, but for me this was particularly true for A&E Barbieri Classico and Shave Dad/HC&C Yellow Submarine.
Barrister & Mann’s Seville has earned a reputation as the King of Barbershops. Whether or not this is true I can’t say because I’ve only tried a handful. But what I can say is Seville is delicate, intricate, deep, and rich, and has a floral and citrusy bouquet which is both sweet and warm and manages to be present but not overpowering. It contains some of the classic Fougere notes of lavender and oakmoss, but blends in patchouli, bergamot and lemon, to make a heady brew. In addition, the B&M base whips up a thick, yogurty, lather which few soaps can rival. Another equally delightful offering is Le Grand Chypre, which is more lemony, but equally complex and intoxicating, and arguably another take on the Barbershop scent. For those who haven’t tried them, I recommend both.
The funny thing is there doesn’t seem to be a standard definition of exactly what constitutes a “Barbershop”, or even which scent notes it should include.
For some, a Barbershop scent should be evocative of visiting a barber shop. And many of us have memories of visiting small town barbershops which smelled of talc, the kind they patted on your neck when you were done, or Pinaud Clubman, which seemed to always waft in the air. That memory may ring true if you grew up in New Jersey or Alabama, but what if you grew up in Torino or Marseilles? Were the smells the same? Or were you more likely to smell Proraso, Floid, Speick, Cella or something else?
Most of the more well known Barbershops seem to share some DNA with “Fougere” scents, which means Fern in French. A Fougere, as per Wikipedia, usually includes the scent notes of lavender, coumarin, and oakmoss, with the subset of Aromatic Fougere including additional herbs, spices or woods. A further subset is the Chypre, French for Cypress, which has a citrusy top note (maybe bergamot or lemon) and includes labdanum and also oakmoss
My experience is that in the attempt to capture a clean and fresh feel, which very often leans heavily on talc, some Barbershop fragrances can quickly descend into a very strong soapy odor and end up smelling reminiscent of laundry detergent. Of course, YMMV, but for me this was particularly true for A&E Barbieri Classico and Shave Dad/HC&C Yellow Submarine.
Barrister & Mann’s Seville has earned a reputation as the King of Barbershops. Whether or not this is true I can’t say because I’ve only tried a handful. But what I can say is Seville is delicate, intricate, deep, and rich, and has a floral and citrusy bouquet which is both sweet and warm and manages to be present but not overpowering. It contains some of the classic Fougere notes of lavender and oakmoss, but blends in patchouli, bergamot and lemon, to make a heady brew. In addition, the B&M base whips up a thick, yogurty, lather which few soaps can rival. Another equally delightful offering is Le Grand Chypre, which is more lemony, but equally complex and intoxicating, and arguably another take on the Barbershop scent. For those who haven’t tried them, I recommend both.