Monday 7/13 starts Barbershop week in the 2015 Sabbatical thread. I'm planning on using Mike's Barbershop, Musgo Real classic cream,Floid Vigoroso, Pinaud Clubman and some bay rum.
Brotherhood of Barber Scents (BOBS)
- Thread starter Chadao
- Start date
Excellent, another brotherhood after my own heart. Barbershop scents are part, if not most, of what drew me back to wet shaving in its fullest. I realized one day as I was getting that magic clubman elixir splashed on my head after a simple haircut at my local barbershop that, at THAT moment, my day became perfect. I was thrown back in time to when I was a child (in that very same barbershop), a time in which my mom would give me English Leather soap on a rope and after shave for Christmas and Old Spice for Easter (and at some point I got Stetson which was responsible for drawing my first love/eventual wife to me).
It was at that moment I decide I was going to bring barbershop scents into my home. I started with Jeris because that was the first hair tonic I could find. I had tried a year or so earlier to bring back the past with Old Spice-can't do it something about the new formulation or the plastic bottle or something but splashing it on left me smelling too strong all day. I still had my ORIGINAL Stetson spray but opted to hand it off to my 16yr and get me some Clubman. I now have Clubman, Clubman Special Reserve (not sure I like it), Blue Lustray, Florida Water, Clubman hair tonic (LOVE IT!!!! THIS IS BARBERSHOP) and a jug of homemade bay rum. I found that Clubman mixed with bay rum smells really nice.
Add to the various splashes and tonics the available gels and pomade's and soaps and each day starts as perfect as that one day earlier this year ended.
My favorite Barbershop scent - Clubman hair tonic. Just the right smell, just the right strength. Second to that is Clubman AS applied in the right amount, it lasts all day and makes me feel good!
It was at that moment I decide I was going to bring barbershop scents into my home. I started with Jeris because that was the first hair tonic I could find. I had tried a year or so earlier to bring back the past with Old Spice-can't do it something about the new formulation or the plastic bottle or something but splashing it on left me smelling too strong all day. I still had my ORIGINAL Stetson spray but opted to hand it off to my 16yr and get me some Clubman. I now have Clubman, Clubman Special Reserve (not sure I like it), Blue Lustray, Florida Water, Clubman hair tonic (LOVE IT!!!! THIS IS BARBERSHOP) and a jug of homemade bay rum. I found that Clubman mixed with bay rum smells really nice.
Add to the various splashes and tonics the available gels and pomade's and soaps and each day starts as perfect as that one day earlier this year ended.
My favorite Barbershop scent - Clubman hair tonic. Just the right smell, just the right strength. Second to that is Clubman AS applied in the right amount, it lasts all day and makes me feel good!
Today it was OS classic. (Using it at least 3 times this hot week). Brings back memories and a smile! 
- Thread starter
- #184
I used Pinaud Quinine...technically a hair dressing, but I love the scent.
- Thread starter
- #185
Okay, I've never used Proraso AS. I know, I know...call it a character flaw. I must rectify this. Which one do I start with?
Pierce:
Clubman Aftershave is that classic, quintessential 'old school' barber shop scent!!!
​
[FONT=&]"Hard work is the aftershave [and cologne] of accomplishment". Author Unknown [/FONT]
This scent reminds me of that 'timeless, old school and quintessential' barber shop experience. One must go back in time to a simpler (and better?), age (which our family had 'credit' because I never paid for haircuts). To when I was a young 'whipper-snapper' after getting a fresh haircut ('high & tight'), and getting a 'splash' of Clubman and a scalp massage. To where;
1. The men & boys would wait their turn without number tickets (just the honor system of being a gentleman), to be called "
"!!!
2. The only phone (rotary type...thanx Tony for your input), on the shelf or wall either rang very quietly or quite loudly (in which you covertly tried to overhear the Barber's quiet conversation [i.e., the barber never talked on the phone while cutting your hair],..in which slang
and/or code words were used because of your innocence and youth).
3. Leather strops attached to the leather backed hydraulic Barber Chairs.
4. The numerous tall canisters of blue Barbicide ​
(with it's distinctive faint smell of ammonia), w/ combs, small brushes, clippers attachments, razors, scissors and other implements.
5. Talcum powder 'duster' brushes were within reach.
6. Hot lather
& steamed towel machines
were waiting to be used for 
shaves, neck & razor 'line' touch-ups.
7. The built-up shoe- shine
stand w/ 2 chairs (one for the shoe-shine man when business is slow), and the scent of tins of Kiwi and Lincoln shoe polish, glass bottles of liquid edge dressing, polishing cloths and leather mingling in the shop.
8. The slightly 'musty' scent of cut hair in the air (including the 'tufts' of hair on the floor), after the Barbers ceremoniously 'snap' the capes (that was around many necks), in the air to remove cut hair signifying the end of the haircut 'ballet'.
9. The faint aroma of men smoking
and reading newspapers.
10. The 'manly' scent of the many glass bottles of Clubman and Hair Tonic (which always seemed to get 'splashed' on the floor besides on
your head).
11. A full magazine rack (sorry boys...no Playboys), of Ebony, Life, Jet, National Geographics and Highlights Magazine for kids.
12. A black & white TV (with 'rabbit ears' and the volume set at low), in the corner.
13. The never-ending barber task (or us kids asking for the honor), of sweeping up hair clippings. ​
Now, don't get me wrong...because I'm not the sort of man to wallow around in nostalgia but, ahhhh...those were the 'good ole days'!!! ​
​
[FONT=&][Nostalgia is like] time passing like a hand waving from a train I wanted to be on
Jonathan Foer[/FONT]
This scent reminds me of that 'timeless, old school and quintessential' barber shop experience. One must go back in time to a simpler (and better?), age (which our family had 'credit' because I never paid for haircuts). To when I was a young 'whipper-snapper' after getting a fresh haircut ('high & tight'), and getting a 'splash' of Clubman and a scalp massage. To where;
1. The men & boys would wait their turn without number tickets (just the honor system of being a gentleman), to be called "
2. The only phone (rotary type...thanx Tony for your input), on the shelf or wall either rang very quietly or quite loudly (in which you covertly tried to overhear the Barber's quiet conversation [i.e., the barber never talked on the phone while cutting your hair],..in which slang
3. Leather strops attached to the leather backed hydraulic Barber Chairs.
4. The numerous tall canisters of blue Barbicide ​
5. Talcum powder 'duster' brushes were within reach.
6. Hot lather
shaves, neck & razor 'line' touch-ups. 7. The built-up shoe- shine
8. The slightly 'musty' scent of cut hair in the air (including the 'tufts' of hair on the floor), after the Barbers ceremoniously 'snap' the capes (that was around many necks), in the air to remove cut hair signifying the end of the haircut 'ballet'.
9. The faint aroma of men smoking
10. The 'manly' scent of the many glass bottles of Clubman and Hair Tonic (which always seemed to get 'splashed' on the floor besides on
your head).
11. A full magazine rack (sorry boys...no Playboys), of Ebony, Life, Jet, National Geographics and Highlights Magazine for kids.
12. A black & white TV (with 'rabbit ears' and the volume set at low), in the corner.
13. The never-ending barber task (or us kids asking for the honor), of sweeping up hair clippings. ​
Now, don't get me wrong...because I'm not the sort of man to wallow around in nostalgia but, ahhhh...those were the 'good ole days'!!! ​
​
Getting ready for Friday. Pinaud Clubman is on the bathroom counter ready to work (and do it's magic!)
As far as AS goes:
Pinaud Clubman is my go to;
I do enjoy Myrsol F./Extra though, especially for days where I feel a tad burned (razor or sun);
I'd also like to get some T&H Clubman, but boy-o-boy is it pricey.
For soaps though, I've tried a few Barbershop scents, and though many are very nice, none have come across as very barbershop-y (I've tried Mama Bear's, which i couldn't get a decent lather from thanks to my hard water, and I've been enjoying Shannon's, which smells more like clean laundry to me than a barber shop). I've also got a sample of Mike's coming soon. I always welcome recommendations.
Pinaud Clubman is my go to;
I do enjoy Myrsol F./Extra though, especially for days where I feel a tad burned (razor or sun);
I'd also like to get some T&H Clubman, but boy-o-boy is it pricey.
For soaps though, I've tried a few Barbershop scents, and though many are very nice, none have come across as very barbershop-y (I've tried Mama Bear's, which i couldn't get a decent lather from thanks to my hard water, and I've been enjoying Shannon's, which smells more like clean laundry to me than a barber shop). I've also got a sample of Mike's coming soon. I always welcome recommendations.
- Thread starter
- #189
I like Mike's Barbershop enough, I just ordered more.
As far as AS goes:
Pinaud Clubman is my go to;
I do enjoy Myrsol F./Extra though, especially for days where I feel a tad burned (razor or sun);
I'd also like to get some T&H Clubman, but boy-o-boy is it pricey.
For soaps though, I've tried a few Barbershop scents, and though many are very nice, none have come across as very barbershop-y (I've tried Mama Bear's, which i couldn't get a decent lather from thanks to my hard water, and I've been enjoying Shannon's, which smells more like clean laundry to me than a barber shop). I've also got a sample of Mike's coming soon. I always welcome recommendations.
I'm putting the finishing touches on a tin of Mike's Barbershop right now. Will definitely reorder this one.
Since this is the place for the "barbershop" style aftershaves, I have a question for you guys. Does any one here have any experience with Lustray, Black Magic, and/or Barbershop Aid aftershaves? I see them at different barbershop supply stores but I don't really know anything about them.
I hereby submit my membership for BOBS. For me, it's a toss-up between the classic Pinaud Clubman and a good bay rum. Both scents take me right back to my childhood.
My father always took me to the same local barber shop and I continued to go there for 20+ years until I moved out to the suburbs. They had an old-fashioned till with a hand lever on the side, and an old rotary phone right up until the early 2000's. They had old-fashioned barber chairs, complete with ashtrays in the arm rests, mint green porcelain enamel, and black leather upholstery. Each one had a well-used leather strop clipped to the chair and a big robust handle to raise/lower the chair. When you walked in there, the smell of Clubman and bay rum filled the air. You would always hear all sorts of good chatter going on - city politics, dirty jokes, war stories, and sports. (Maybe this year the Red Sox will finally win the World Series?)
The shop is still there, but all the old-timers who used to work there have retired or passed away. The young guys running the place now have kept it going but it's a little more modernized. The old till has been replaced by an electronic one, the tv's are large flatscreens, and they expanded the shop, so the newer side doesn't have the same feel. One thing that remains, though, is that timeless smell.
My father always took me to the same local barber shop and I continued to go there for 20+ years until I moved out to the suburbs. They had an old-fashioned till with a hand lever on the side, and an old rotary phone right up until the early 2000's. They had old-fashioned barber chairs, complete with ashtrays in the arm rests, mint green porcelain enamel, and black leather upholstery. Each one had a well-used leather strop clipped to the chair and a big robust handle to raise/lower the chair. When you walked in there, the smell of Clubman and bay rum filled the air. You would always hear all sorts of good chatter going on - city politics, dirty jokes, war stories, and sports. (Maybe this year the Red Sox will finally win the World Series?)
The shop is still there, but all the old-timers who used to work there have retired or passed away. The young guys running the place now have kept it going but it's a little more modernized. The old till has been replaced by an electronic one, the tv's are large flatscreens, and they expanded the shop, so the newer side doesn't have the same feel. One thing that remains, though, is that timeless smell.
Just looked at the top 4 in my rotation:
Pinaud clubman
Lucky Tiger
OS classic
Fine American blend
All barbershop (almost) all the time!
Pinaud clubman
Lucky Tiger
OS classic
Fine American blend
All barbershop (almost) all the time!
- Thread starter
- #196
Bravo.
Just looked at the top 4 in my rotation:
Pinaud clubman
Lucky Tiger
OS classic
Fine American blend
All barbershop (almost) all the time!
Sunday I used Proraso green soap and splash. My face felt a little dry so I grabbed the Proraso "Protective" balm and spread some on my face. The combination was perfect. I love Italian barber scents. I'd add Vitos Aftershaving and Figaro Monsieur Gold to the list of barber scents. I just got a bottle of the Figaro and I love it. It should be more popular in the States than it is. Its $24.95 for the 400ml bottle. A lot like the Spanish Floid Vigoroso. Menthol and powder. I think I also detect some tobacco leaf in it (?).
My barber used Stephans Bay Rum and Clubman talc. Its a combo that I have found many Boston area barbers use. The barber holding his thumb across the mouth of the long necked bottle to control the flow, rubing his hands and then rubbing them on the back of my neck where he had just shaved with hot cream or soap. Then the Pinaud Clubman talc with a brush. I still use that combo several times a week. I have a good barber where I live now but there's no slick-um smell-um in any of the barber shops I've been in here. However, there's a Turkish barber I just learned about last week. I'll be visiting him soon. Went to a Turkish barber in London a couple times and if the experience is anything like that I will be thrilled.
I used Booster Polar Ice this very morning. Its my only blue aftershave. Subtle menthol indeed, and softened by the glycerine. Its definitely a barbershop scent, and you can get a 400ml bottle for about $12 USD.
- Thread starter
- #200
I've been looking at the Booster brand every time I go to Pasteur in Manhattan. The plastic bottles give me fear. I've had plastic AS bottles express themselves all over the inside of my suitcase. I'll be back there the week of February 12 for Toy Fair. Should I chance it? 
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