Both CC soaps and AS are long time favorites of mine. I can't speak to CC creams, but I've been a user of CC soaps and AS since I won a bottle of CC Bay Rum AS at a B&B meet in 2011. I still have some of that early AS left, made with Pure Grain Alcohol, Witch Hazel & Rum. I also have some early CC BR soap, when it was first released under the RazoRock label. Modern formulas of the soaps and AS are just as good as the early ones.
Captain's Choice - Sampling the soaps and creams
- Thread starter Hawkweber
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
Shave #5 - Lime Cream, Razorock Barber 24 Synth
Today I added an additional dab of cream to my face before lathering. This produced more lather than before. Still not voluminous by any means but a decent amount for the first pass and an ok amount for the second pass. Third pass was requiring me to really squeeze out the lather for complete coverage. However, it was denser than before, and it seemed to maintain its body/structure better without dissipating. More is better, apparently. Still not where I would like it, so tomorrow gets another dab of cream. That will be with the boar brush (my nemesis), and it will be interesting to see how that goes...
If it doesn't do so well, I do have other ideas I will try when I move on to the next scent. I am still trying to avoid the bowl.
The shave today was so-so. I am part of Tuck at a Time and am using the Gillette Silver Blues right now, but one of my personal criteria for this is to make sure that I use the blades in all 3 of my razors including my 34C which has never been stellar. Typically, I get a rather poor shave out of it and have to clean up with either the Progress or Weber and then I move the blade to one of those to finish 3 shave run. Unless I find a blade that works well in it after I go through all brands I have left, it will be put aside. Today, surprisingly, I got an SAS+, or perhaps CCS-, and I told myself that was good enough for a Sunday and let it go at that.
Today I added an additional dab of cream to my face before lathering. This produced more lather than before. Still not voluminous by any means but a decent amount for the first pass and an ok amount for the second pass. Third pass was requiring me to really squeeze out the lather for complete coverage. However, it was denser than before, and it seemed to maintain its body/structure better without dissipating. More is better, apparently. Still not where I would like it, so tomorrow gets another dab of cream. That will be with the boar brush (my nemesis), and it will be interesting to see how that goes...
If it doesn't do so well, I do have other ideas I will try when I move on to the next scent. I am still trying to avoid the bowl.
The shave today was so-so. I am part of Tuck at a Time and am using the Gillette Silver Blues right now, but one of my personal criteria for this is to make sure that I use the blades in all 3 of my razors including my 34C which has never been stellar. Typically, I get a rather poor shave out of it and have to clean up with either the Progress or Weber and then I move the blade to one of those to finish 3 shave run. Unless I find a blade that works well in it after I go through all brands I have left, it will be put aside. Today, surprisingly, I got an SAS+, or perhaps CCS-, and I told myself that was good enough for a Sunday and let it go at that.
- Thread starter
- #23
Shave 6 - Lime Cream, Zenith 24mm Boar (and Shavemac 24mm G5C Synth)
Today was a very frustrating day but I did have a "breakthrough" afterwards. I have been seriously trying to get this soap/cream to work but it hasn't been nice to me at all. I mean, there are people who rave about CC soaps/creams and some use it exclusively, so why isn't it working for me? Well, I might have figured it out (Spoiler alert - it's at the end).
Razor today was Progress set to 4 using a Gillette Silver Blue blade (use #2).
I put 5 dabs of cream on my face this time and started to face lather with the boar brush. The brush didn't want to have anything to do with it. It didn't want to lather it at all and wouldn't even start to splay at any point. After trying for a while, I gave up, broke down and pulled out the bowl. Put cream in it and started the process. After a long time, I was able to eke out some semblance of an OK lather and used that. While the GSB was able to cut through my whiskers on this pass, it was actually "sticking" at times, particularly when the polished cap met skin - there was no slickness. Time to ditch this batch of lather, which wasn't much, the boar brush, and go to my Shavemac synth. I didn't get a super face lather with it last time and I have been trying to figure out what might be causing it. Now, I do have somewhat hard water, and while that doesn't seem to cause an issue with Stirling soap, perhaps it adversely affects CC soap? Time to break out the distilled water.
Since I have been doing a lot of brushing on my face today, I figured I would stick with the bowl. Put a healthy dollop of cream in it and again went to town. Again, I was only able to get a middling amount of lather which was barely enough to get through the XTG pass and a buffing pass. The buffing pass wasn't too much fun as the cap kept sticking to the skin. Even with all that, I did end up with a decent DFS shave.
Had some lunch and was brooding over this whole thing as this makes no sense. Increasing the amount of soap didn't work. Removing the hard water aspect by using distilled water didn't help. Bowl lathering vs face lathering didn't help. I decided to experiment a bit.
I grabbed the bowl again and put all of the remaining Lime cream in it, grabbed the G5C, and attempted to lather. All I got was the same weak, non-slick lather.
Rinsed out the bowl and brush, grabbed the sample of Bay Rum cream, put a normal-sized dollop in the bowl and attempted a lather. And got this rather quickly:
More than enough for 3 passes.
So, my theory here is that the Lime samples (both soap and cream) might have been bad (it could have happened during shipping due to the heat). I will test this tomorrow when I go back to face lathering with soap. This time it will be 45th Parallel.
Today was a very frustrating day but I did have a "breakthrough" afterwards. I have been seriously trying to get this soap/cream to work but it hasn't been nice to me at all. I mean, there are people who rave about CC soaps/creams and some use it exclusively, so why isn't it working for me? Well, I might have figured it out (Spoiler alert - it's at the end).
Razor today was Progress set to 4 using a Gillette Silver Blue blade (use #2).
I put 5 dabs of cream on my face this time and started to face lather with the boar brush. The brush didn't want to have anything to do with it. It didn't want to lather it at all and wouldn't even start to splay at any point. After trying for a while, I gave up, broke down and pulled out the bowl. Put cream in it and started the process. After a long time, I was able to eke out some semblance of an OK lather and used that. While the GSB was able to cut through my whiskers on this pass, it was actually "sticking" at times, particularly when the polished cap met skin - there was no slickness. Time to ditch this batch of lather, which wasn't much, the boar brush, and go to my Shavemac synth. I didn't get a super face lather with it last time and I have been trying to figure out what might be causing it. Now, I do have somewhat hard water, and while that doesn't seem to cause an issue with Stirling soap, perhaps it adversely affects CC soap? Time to break out the distilled water.
Since I have been doing a lot of brushing on my face today, I figured I would stick with the bowl. Put a healthy dollop of cream in it and again went to town. Again, I was only able to get a middling amount of lather which was barely enough to get through the XTG pass and a buffing pass. The buffing pass wasn't too much fun as the cap kept sticking to the skin. Even with all that, I did end up with a decent DFS shave.
Had some lunch and was brooding over this whole thing as this makes no sense. Increasing the amount of soap didn't work. Removing the hard water aspect by using distilled water didn't help. Bowl lathering vs face lathering didn't help. I decided to experiment a bit.
I grabbed the bowl again and put all of the remaining Lime cream in it, grabbed the G5C, and attempted to lather. All I got was the same weak, non-slick lather.
Rinsed out the bowl and brush, grabbed the sample of Bay Rum cream, put a normal-sized dollop in the bowl and attempted a lather. And got this rather quickly:
More than enough for 3 passes.
So, my theory here is that the Lime samples (both soap and cream) might have been bad (it could have happened during shipping due to the heat). I will test this tomorrow when I go back to face lathering with soap. This time it will be 45th Parallel.
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- #24
Shave 7 - 45th Parallel Soap, Shavemac 24mm G5C Synth
Ok, now we're cooking with grease! The soap stayed where it was in the tin instead of moving out to the edges, the brush loaded well, and I was able to get a decent face lather, with enough for 3 passes. It wasn't as voluminous as I usually get with Stirling, but it might just need more loading or perhaps this is just how the soap lathers. They are different bases - Stirling is tallow and CC isn't - and that might also be where the lather difference lies, so I might have to change my expectations. This also seems to affirm my thought that the Lime soap and cream samples were faulty as they couldn't produce this lather.
The lather was slick. Not as much cushion as the Stirling, but that could be due to the density difference. There was no residual slickness after passing over with the razor, so no going back over a shaved area.
The scent description from CC is "A heavenly fusion of almond and cherry". I will say that it truly is a fusion - I can almost smell the individual black cherry and almond notes, but just when I think I've pinpointed one it's gone back to the combination. A fine balancing act. I found the scent to be very subtle. It was pleasing, though. I just wish it was stronger.
Today's shave was with a Gillette Silver Blue blade (second use) in a Weber SS. DFS+. Nice shave.
Ok, now we're cooking with grease! The soap stayed where it was in the tin instead of moving out to the edges, the brush loaded well, and I was able to get a decent face lather, with enough for 3 passes. It wasn't as voluminous as I usually get with Stirling, but it might just need more loading or perhaps this is just how the soap lathers. They are different bases - Stirling is tallow and CC isn't - and that might also be where the lather difference lies, so I might have to change my expectations. This also seems to affirm my thought that the Lime soap and cream samples were faulty as they couldn't produce this lather.
The lather was slick. Not as much cushion as the Stirling, but that could be due to the density difference. There was no residual slickness after passing over with the razor, so no going back over a shaved area.
The scent description from CC is "A heavenly fusion of almond and cherry". I will say that it truly is a fusion - I can almost smell the individual black cherry and almond notes, but just when I think I've pinpointed one it's gone back to the combination. A fine balancing act. I found the scent to be very subtle. It was pleasing, though. I just wish it was stronger.
Today's shave was with a Gillette Silver Blue blade (second use) in a Weber SS. DFS+. Nice shave.
I always think 45th is more a nice European bakery smell than a sweet candy smell to my nose 
very fun scent though
very fun scent though
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- #26
Shave 8 - 45th Parallel Soap, Razorock Barber 24 synth
I got a decent amount of lather, still probably could have loaded a bit more to improve its density, but it was enough to provide 3 passes worth. I do like the smell of this scent, but it really is too light. I kept finding myself pausing during shaving breathing in deeply trying to get a good whiff of it, but it was barely there, and totally gone after shaving under my nose. I could have been shaving with an unscented soap and wouldn't have noticed the difference.
Today's shave was with a Gillette Silver Blue blade (3rd use) in the Progress set to 4. The GSB has been impressing me a lot through the first 2 uses and I was thinking that maybe I could not only get a good 3rd use out of it but even go on to try a 4th - blades usually don't last past 3 with my whiskers. But it started showing the usual signs of decline and got tuggy under the nose and on the chin and not quite so close on the cheeks. So, this one gets ditched. However, still ended up with a DFS so that's good.
I got a decent amount of lather, still probably could have loaded a bit more to improve its density, but it was enough to provide 3 passes worth. I do like the smell of this scent, but it really is too light. I kept finding myself pausing during shaving breathing in deeply trying to get a good whiff of it, but it was barely there, and totally gone after shaving under my nose. I could have been shaving with an unscented soap and wouldn't have noticed the difference.
Today's shave was with a Gillette Silver Blue blade (3rd use) in the Progress set to 4. The GSB has been impressing me a lot through the first 2 uses and I was thinking that maybe I could not only get a good 3rd use out of it but even go on to try a 4th - blades usually don't last past 3 with my whiskers. But it started showing the usual signs of decline and got tuggy under the nose and on the chin and not quite so close on the cheeks. So, this one gets ditched. However, still ended up with a DFS so that's good.
I’ve tried to like CC soaps and creams but I just can’t get good lather from them. They will lather okay, but the lather is always thin and dissipates during the shave. Only soap I’ve ever used that does this. It’s super slick though just not thick and rich like I like.
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- #28
Shave 9 - 45th Parallel Soap, Zenith 24mm Boar
This is the last test with the 45th Parallel soap and I will test the cream starting tomorrow.
Tried to face lather with the boar brush - loaded the brush for 2x the normal amount and just barely had enough lather for the first pass. Broke out the bowl, added more soap to it, and created lather for the next 2 passes. The soap just doesn't want to cooperate with boar brush face lathering and requires a bowl. At least with me. Moving forward I will attempt another face lather with this brush using the cream, but if that fails then there will be no more attempts, and I will just stick with the synths. Unless I feel like using the boar and want to bowl lather.
Today's shave was with a Gillette Silver Blue blade (3rd use) in a Weber SS. I could feel it starting to have issues on my neck, so this one is done. However, still ended up with a very nice DFS shave.
This is the last test with the 45th Parallel soap and I will test the cream starting tomorrow.
Tried to face lather with the boar brush - loaded the brush for 2x the normal amount and just barely had enough lather for the first pass. Broke out the bowl, added more soap to it, and created lather for the next 2 passes. The soap just doesn't want to cooperate with boar brush face lathering and requires a bowl. At least with me. Moving forward I will attempt another face lather with this brush using the cream, but if that fails then there will be no more attempts, and I will just stick with the synths. Unless I feel like using the boar and want to bowl lather.
Today's shave was with a Gillette Silver Blue blade (3rd use) in a Weber SS. I could feel it starting to have issues on my neck, so this one is done. However, still ended up with a very nice DFS shave.
- Thread starter
- #29
Shave 10 - 45th Parallel Cream, Shavemac 24mm G5C Synth
First use of the cream version of this scent. Spread a nice dollop of it on my face and lathered up using the G5C. This produced a nice lather with enough for 3 passes. It isn't dense and I guess that is the nature of the CC soaps/creams so I will stop hoping that I get that type of consistency. It is also not as slick as Stirling, but it is more than enough for the shave.
Today's shave was with a new GSB blade in the Progress set to 4. DFS+.
I just really wish the scent of the cream was stronger.
First use of the cream version of this scent. Spread a nice dollop of it on my face and lathered up using the G5C. This produced a nice lather with enough for 3 passes. It isn't dense and I guess that is the nature of the CC soaps/creams so I will stop hoping that I get that type of consistency. It is also not as slick as Stirling, but it is more than enough for the shave.
Today's shave was with a new GSB blade in the Progress set to 4. DFS+.
I just really wish the scent of the cream was stronger.
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- #30
Shave 11 - 45th Parallel Cream, Razorock 24mm Synth
This brush produced an even better lather than the G5C brush. Also, it painted the lather on in a thicker more even way. This brush is much softer, and I think that was helpful as the stiffer backbone of the G5C tended to push the lather instead of laying it down.
Today's shave was with a GSB (second use) in the Progress set to 4. DFS+.
This brush produced an even better lather than the G5C brush. Also, it painted the lather on in a thicker more even way. This brush is much softer, and I think that was helpful as the stiffer backbone of the G5C tended to push the lather instead of laying it down.
Today's shave was with a GSB (second use) in the Progress set to 4. DFS+.
- Thread starter
- #31
Shave 12 - 45th Parallel Cream, Zenith 24mm boar, no wait, Razorock 24mm Synth
I was hoping that I could get a good face lather with the cream using the boar brush, but alas, that was not meant to be. I used the same amount of cream spread over my face and the brush just soaked the cream up. Wouldn't lather or even splay. I added a dollop of cream directly into the top of the brush and went to the face again. Still the same thing - it just ate it. Apparently, this brush will only do well with CC soaps/creams when being used with a bowl. This is quite a large fan head and that might have something to do with it and perhaps a smaller knot with a bulb will work better for face lathering. I will do no more testing of the samples using the boar brush unless I feel like bringing out the bowl.
Switched to the Razorock brush and face lathered, which performed just like yesterday.
Today's shave was with a GSB (second use) in the Weber SS razor. DFS+.
As I have now pretty much figured out that I will need to use the synths for testing the rest of the soap/cream samples, it will speed things up (4 shaves, 2 each soap and 2 each cream). I will also focus on the scents and rank them in my future updates which will take place after each scent test. If anything crops up in between, good or bad, I will update that as well.
Grabbing a random sample out of the bag, the next scent to be tested is Nor'Easter.
I was hoping that I could get a good face lather with the cream using the boar brush, but alas, that was not meant to be. I used the same amount of cream spread over my face and the brush just soaked the cream up. Wouldn't lather or even splay. I added a dollop of cream directly into the top of the brush and went to the face again. Still the same thing - it just ate it. Apparently, this brush will only do well with CC soaps/creams when being used with a bowl. This is quite a large fan head and that might have something to do with it and perhaps a smaller knot with a bulb will work better for face lathering. I will do no more testing of the samples using the boar brush unless I feel like bringing out the bowl.
Switched to the Razorock brush and face lathered, which performed just like yesterday.
Today's shave was with a GSB (second use) in the Weber SS razor. DFS+.
As I have now pretty much figured out that I will need to use the synths for testing the rest of the soap/cream samples, it will speed things up (4 shaves, 2 each soap and 2 each cream). I will also focus on the scents and rank them in my future updates which will take place after each scent test. If anything crops up in between, good or bad, I will update that as well.
Grabbing a random sample out of the bag, the next scent to be tested is Nor'Easter.
- Thread starter
- #32
Shaves 13-16 - Nor'Easter soap and cream
As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).
This review is called "A Tale of Two Scents - With the Same Name".
Nor'Easter is CC's menthol offering. Both the soap and cream have lavender in them, which I wasn't too thrilled about as I am not a big lavender fan - this isn't just as far as shaving goes, but in general.
Soap
So, I was surprised when I opened the soap and, while I can detect lavender in it, it wasn't very pronounced. The soap scent description reads, "a refreshing soap with a masculine base note - amber, spicy berry, lavender, citrus - topped off with a blast of menthol." It was probably the blend of the other components that toned it down. I couldn't really detect those individual scents, but as a whole, it was all complementary. Even though it was still lavender. The menthol aspect of it, well, not really a "blast". This was more like the weather report indicating a Nor'easter that will drop 2 feet of snow, but instead you end up with 2 inches. Was there menthol? Yes. Was it very cold? No. I would say the cooling effect of it was akin to that of Stirling Eucalyptus Mint (not menthol) - it was there and cooling. It was less than the standard menthol of Stirling offerings (I am comparing to Stirling Black Ice).
I loaded the brushes for double the amount of time in order to get a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3 pass shaves. Typical density for what I have found CC to produce this way. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
This is why I titled my review as I did. The scent description for the cream is "an invigorating cream that has a masculine base note - amber and lavender - topped off with refreshing menthol." Do you see the difference? Gone are the spicy berry and citrus notes. And yes, it is VERY noticeable. The scent of this was like someone just hit you in the face with a sheaf of lavender clippings - over and over again. If you like lavender, then this one is definitely for you! I, on the other hand, did not appreciate it quite so much, but still did the two lathers and shaves with it. Now, remember the not so "blast" of menthol that the soap provided? Well, this "refreshing menthol" was like the weather report indicating a Nor'Easter that will drop 2 feet of snow but instead you get 4+ feet! I have not tried the Stirling "Glacial" menthol offerings, so I don't know if this compares to it, but it is definitely mentholated above what I was expecting. This was so strong that it almost burned. The second shave with this cream I used a little bit less and that toned it down a touch, but still was really strong.
Face lathering with both brushes provided nice lather, denser than the soap, for 3 pass shaves. Shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of Nor'Easter. The main reason is, well, lavender. I seriously try to avoid anything that has it in it. Under many circumstances lavender will give me a headache. This didn't, surprisingly based on the potency of it in the cream, but it wasn't enjoyable for me. Then there is the totally different scent profiles of the soap and cream. I didn't mind the soap scent so much as it was balanced, but the cream was not. Finally, the differing menthol amounts which was like night and day.
If you don't mind lavender and like a slight cooling sensation, then get the soap.
If you love lavender and can't get enough of it and also want to feel like your skin is burning with frostbite, then get the cream.
Me, I'll pass on this one.
As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).
This review is called "A Tale of Two Scents - With the Same Name".
Nor'Easter is CC's menthol offering. Both the soap and cream have lavender in them, which I wasn't too thrilled about as I am not a big lavender fan - this isn't just as far as shaving goes, but in general.
Soap
So, I was surprised when I opened the soap and, while I can detect lavender in it, it wasn't very pronounced. The soap scent description reads, "a refreshing soap with a masculine base note - amber, spicy berry, lavender, citrus - topped off with a blast of menthol." It was probably the blend of the other components that toned it down. I couldn't really detect those individual scents, but as a whole, it was all complementary. Even though it was still lavender. The menthol aspect of it, well, not really a "blast". This was more like the weather report indicating a Nor'easter that will drop 2 feet of snow, but instead you end up with 2 inches. Was there menthol? Yes. Was it very cold? No. I would say the cooling effect of it was akin to that of Stirling Eucalyptus Mint (not menthol) - it was there and cooling. It was less than the standard menthol of Stirling offerings (I am comparing to Stirling Black Ice).
I loaded the brushes for double the amount of time in order to get a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3 pass shaves. Typical density for what I have found CC to produce this way. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
This is why I titled my review as I did. The scent description for the cream is "an invigorating cream that has a masculine base note - amber and lavender - topped off with refreshing menthol." Do you see the difference? Gone are the spicy berry and citrus notes. And yes, it is VERY noticeable. The scent of this was like someone just hit you in the face with a sheaf of lavender clippings - over and over again. If you like lavender, then this one is definitely for you! I, on the other hand, did not appreciate it quite so much, but still did the two lathers and shaves with it. Now, remember the not so "blast" of menthol that the soap provided? Well, this "refreshing menthol" was like the weather report indicating a Nor'Easter that will drop 2 feet of snow but instead you get 4+ feet! I have not tried the Stirling "Glacial" menthol offerings, so I don't know if this compares to it, but it is definitely mentholated above what I was expecting. This was so strong that it almost burned. The second shave with this cream I used a little bit less and that toned it down a touch, but still was really strong.
Face lathering with both brushes provided nice lather, denser than the soap, for 3 pass shaves. Shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of Nor'Easter. The main reason is, well, lavender. I seriously try to avoid anything that has it in it. Under many circumstances lavender will give me a headache. This didn't, surprisingly based on the potency of it in the cream, but it wasn't enjoyable for me. Then there is the totally different scent profiles of the soap and cream. I didn't mind the soap scent so much as it was balanced, but the cream was not. Finally, the differing menthol amounts which was like night and day.
If you don't mind lavender and like a slight cooling sensation, then get the soap.
If you love lavender and can't get enough of it and also want to feel like your skin is burning with frostbite, then get the cream.
Me, I'll pass on this one.
| Rank | Scent | Notes |
| 1 | 45th Parallel | Very nice blend of almond and cherry. Unfortunately, it was too light in both soap and cream and needs to be stronger. |
| 2 | Lime | Soap - was somewhat Lime-y citrus. Cream - had more lime and stronger. Still neither one was an OMG LIME! scent. |
| 3 | Nor'Easter | Soap - a good blend of lavender and other components which tone each down. Mild menthol. Cream - very lavender in-your-face forward. Strong menthol - it was close to burning. |
- Thread starter
- #33
Shaves 17-20 - Italia soap and cream
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
Italia is CC's nod to "Old World" Italian barber shops. They describe it as "the warm and alluring scent of almond", and yes, that is what it is. It is a good sweet almond scent with just a bare hint of vanilla and cherry.
The Stirling soap similar to this is their Almond Creme, which is VERY sweet, almost smells like marzipan, and good enough to eat. The issue I have with Almond Creme is that while it smells really good in the tub, once it gets lathered and applied to the face the sweetness and marzipan aspect disappears and you are left with just almond. Almost bitter almond. Glad it was only a sample.
CC Italia doesn't make me want to eat it, which is a good thing. It does what it is meant to do and that is smell good. The scent profile remained from beginning to end and I really liked it. So much so that, halfway through my samples, Italia is the top scent at this time.
Soap
I loaded the brushes for double the amount of time in order to get a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3 pass shaves. Typical density for what I have found CC to produce this way. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
There was, unfortunately, an issue with the cream sample and that was oil separation. When I opened the container, I was greeted with this:
I got a toothpick and stirred it up and it merged (some lather bubbling occurred) and it ended up looking a bit like whipped cream.
I put several dabs on my face, rubbed it around, and then face lathered and it produced the proper amount of lather for my shave. The scent strength of the cream, when applied, was lighter than that of the soap. I am not sure if that is normal or perhaps due to the separation issue.
I skipped a day before the next shave and when I opened the container the oils were starting to separate so I had to stir it up again. This time I put a dollop of cream right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided the proper amount of lather for the shave. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
Putting aside the oil separation issue of the cream (which could be due to overheating during shipping) and it also being a bit lighter on scent, I really like Italia in both formats. Even if the other 4 samples to be tested rank higher than it, I would still use it. It sets a scent bar that the other samples should strive for.
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
Italia is CC's nod to "Old World" Italian barber shops. They describe it as "the warm and alluring scent of almond", and yes, that is what it is. It is a good sweet almond scent with just a bare hint of vanilla and cherry.
The Stirling soap similar to this is their Almond Creme, which is VERY sweet, almost smells like marzipan, and good enough to eat. The issue I have with Almond Creme is that while it smells really good in the tub, once it gets lathered and applied to the face the sweetness and marzipan aspect disappears and you are left with just almond. Almost bitter almond. Glad it was only a sample.
CC Italia doesn't make me want to eat it, which is a good thing. It does what it is meant to do and that is smell good. The scent profile remained from beginning to end and I really liked it. So much so that, halfway through my samples, Italia is the top scent at this time.
Soap
I loaded the brushes for double the amount of time in order to get a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3 pass shaves. Typical density for what I have found CC to produce this way. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
There was, unfortunately, an issue with the cream sample and that was oil separation. When I opened the container, I was greeted with this:
I got a toothpick and stirred it up and it merged (some lather bubbling occurred) and it ended up looking a bit like whipped cream.
I put several dabs on my face, rubbed it around, and then face lathered and it produced the proper amount of lather for my shave. The scent strength of the cream, when applied, was lighter than that of the soap. I am not sure if that is normal or perhaps due to the separation issue.
I skipped a day before the next shave and when I opened the container the oils were starting to separate so I had to stir it up again. This time I put a dollop of cream right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided the proper amount of lather for the shave. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
Putting aside the oil separation issue of the cream (which could be due to overheating during shipping) and it also being a bit lighter on scent, I really like Italia in both formats. Even if the other 4 samples to be tested rank higher than it, I would still use it. It sets a scent bar that the other samples should strive for.
| Rank | Scent | Notes |
| 1 | Italia | A sweet, but not cloying, almond scent. Traditional and good. The scent of the cream was lighter than the soap, but still strong enough. |
| 2 | 45th Parallel | Very nice blend of almond and cherry. Unfortunately, it was too light in both soap and cream and needs to be stronger. |
| 3 | Lime | Soap - was somewhat Lime-y citrus. Cream - had more lime and stronger. Still neither one was an OMG LIME! scent. |
| 4 | Nor'Easter | Soap - a good blend of lavender and other components which tone each down. Mild menthol. Cream - very lavender in-your-face forward. Strong menthol - it was close to burning. |
- Thread starter
- #34
Shaves 21-24- Eucalyptus soap and cream
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
These last four shaves were with the Eucalyptus soap and cream. CC's cream description indicates, "Unique for its camphor-like and lemony notes, eucalyptus is native to Southeastern Australia. The uplifting scent blended with a dash of spearmint will stimulate the senses for an uplifting experience. And the soap description indicates, "The dash of spearmint added to what is already a naturally invigorating aroma". Ok, fine.
Now, if you don't already know what eucalyptus smells like, then you may not know what camphor smells like either, so the description doesn't help. Camphor smells like mothballs, or vice-versa depending on your point of view. And I think that does quite a disservice to the description as, while some types of eucalyptus smell a bit like camphor, other kinds smell nothing like it. And even those that do have a lemony or citrusy and woodsy component to it. So, I will just put it out there that this doesn't smell like mothballs. Just a note, many doctor offices have vases by their doors that have these leafy branches in them that have a pleasing smell. That would be eucalyptus, and most look like this:
Anyway, enough of the plant lecture, and on with the review.
Putting aside the odd camphor reference, this is a very pleasing eucalyptus scent. It is rather strong, does have the citrusy and slight wood component to it, and also a hint, or as CC indicates "a dash" of spearmint. The mint is VERY subtle. If you blink or don't focus on it you might miss it, but it is there. I think it rounds out the scent and the overall fragrance would suffer a bit without it. And it does add a tiny amount of a cooling effect. Nothing too drastic nor indicative of menthol for those who don't like that sort of thing.
The Stirling soap similar to this is their Eucalyptus Mint. Their eucalyptus component is similar; however, they use peppermint instead of spearmint and they add more of it, hence the addition of "Mint" to the scent name. The larger amount of mint reduces the overall eucalyptus strength, and it adds a nice amount of cooling - almost close to menthol but without any burn.
Soap
I loaded the brushes for double the amount of time in order to get a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3-pass shaves. I actually found that this produced a thicker lather than usual, so I cut back a bit on the second shave loading and it also produced a thicker lather. Scent strength was good throughout the shave. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided thicker lather than usual for both shave loadings and enough for 3-pass shaves. Scent strength was good throughout the shave. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
While eucalyptus in general is not typically a preferred scent of mine, I do find that I like it when it comes to certain things and shaving is one of them. I got turned on to it with the Eucalyptus Mint sample from Stirling, and while the CC Eucalyptus doesn't have the stronger mint component, it is refreshing just the same. If I want to have a minty or cooling shave session, I will grab the Stirling, but if I just want a nice smelling shave session, I will have no problems reaching for the CC Eucalyptus. I also like that both styles of it, soap and cream, face lathered nicely and densely, with less effort than the other samples I have tried so far.
From overall scent preference, out of the 5 tested so far, I would have to place it at #3, just below 45th Parallel. Again, it is a good scent, but I prefer some more than it and others less than it.
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
These last four shaves were with the Eucalyptus soap and cream. CC's cream description indicates, "Unique for its camphor-like and lemony notes, eucalyptus is native to Southeastern Australia. The uplifting scent blended with a dash of spearmint will stimulate the senses for an uplifting experience. And the soap description indicates, "The dash of spearmint added to what is already a naturally invigorating aroma". Ok, fine.
Now, if you don't already know what eucalyptus smells like, then you may not know what camphor smells like either, so the description doesn't help. Camphor smells like mothballs, or vice-versa depending on your point of view. And I think that does quite a disservice to the description as, while some types of eucalyptus smell a bit like camphor, other kinds smell nothing like it. And even those that do have a lemony or citrusy and woodsy component to it. So, I will just put it out there that this doesn't smell like mothballs. Just a note, many doctor offices have vases by their doors that have these leafy branches in them that have a pleasing smell. That would be eucalyptus, and most look like this:
Anyway, enough of the plant lecture, and on with the review.
Putting aside the odd camphor reference, this is a very pleasing eucalyptus scent. It is rather strong, does have the citrusy and slight wood component to it, and also a hint, or as CC indicates "a dash" of spearmint. The mint is VERY subtle. If you blink or don't focus on it you might miss it, but it is there. I think it rounds out the scent and the overall fragrance would suffer a bit without it. And it does add a tiny amount of a cooling effect. Nothing too drastic nor indicative of menthol for those who don't like that sort of thing.
The Stirling soap similar to this is their Eucalyptus Mint. Their eucalyptus component is similar; however, they use peppermint instead of spearmint and they add more of it, hence the addition of "Mint" to the scent name. The larger amount of mint reduces the overall eucalyptus strength, and it adds a nice amount of cooling - almost close to menthol but without any burn.
Soap
I loaded the brushes for double the amount of time in order to get a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3-pass shaves. I actually found that this produced a thicker lather than usual, so I cut back a bit on the second shave loading and it also produced a thicker lather. Scent strength was good throughout the shave. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided thicker lather than usual for both shave loadings and enough for 3-pass shaves. Scent strength was good throughout the shave. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
While eucalyptus in general is not typically a preferred scent of mine, I do find that I like it when it comes to certain things and shaving is one of them. I got turned on to it with the Eucalyptus Mint sample from Stirling, and while the CC Eucalyptus doesn't have the stronger mint component, it is refreshing just the same. If I want to have a minty or cooling shave session, I will grab the Stirling, but if I just want a nice smelling shave session, I will have no problems reaching for the CC Eucalyptus. I also like that both styles of it, soap and cream, face lathered nicely and densely, with less effort than the other samples I have tried so far.
From overall scent preference, out of the 5 tested so far, I would have to place it at #3, just below 45th Parallel. Again, it is a good scent, but I prefer some more than it and others less than it.
| Rank | Scent | Notes |
| 1 | Italia | A sweet, but not cloying, almond scent. Traditional and good. The scent of the cream was lighter than the soap, but still strong enough. |
| 2 | 45th Parallel | Very nice blend of almond and cherry. Unfortunately, it was too light in both soap and cream and needs to be stronger. |
| 3 | Eucalyptus | A good eucalyptus scent with just a hint of mint. Both soap and cream had strong scent and produced very nice lather. |
| 4 | Lime | Soap - was somewhat Lime-y citrus. Cream - had more lime and stronger. Still neither one was an OMG LIME! scent. |
| 5 | Nor'Easter | Soap - a good blend of lavender and other components which tone each down. Mild menthol. Cream - very lavender in-your-face forward. Strong menthol - it was close to burning. |
I was caught when I saw that there is availability of Captain's Choic Italy soap.
Is it possible to know more about the fragrance and olfactory notes of this soap?
Is it the classic almond-scented Italian soap or slightly different with some other less dominant fragrance?
- Thread starter
- #36
I can't vouch for how it compares to many other "classic almond-scented Italian soaps", such as Cella red, as I haven't tried any of them - only the Stirling Almond Creme. I stated the scent components that I got from the Italia as "a good sweet almond scent with just a bare hint of vanilla and cherry." The blend is really good, and the nuances are difficult to pick up - in addition to the almond is it a bit more cherry than vanilla or vice versa? I can't really tell. Scott at CC doesn't seem to make scent blends that incorporate a whole bunch of fragrances. He keeps them simple (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that).
From what I have read about Cella Red is that the cherry scent is more pronounced.
I will tell you, though, that I am finishing up with the sixth scent sample tomorrow and Italia is still my #1 pick.
Yes, when compared to Cella many say that in addition to almond it smells a bit like cherry but to my nose I don't smell cherry.
If the Captain's Choice Italia soap in addition to the sweet almond scent also smells like a pronounced hint of cherry then I would say I will like it.
Thanks for letting me know when you try it.
- Thread starter
- #38
Shaves 25-28- Venture soap and cream
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
These last four shaves were with the Venture soap and cream. Venture is a riff of Aventus by Creed. CC's scent description indicates, "a hint of pineapple followed by a foundation of bergamot and jasmine". Aventus by Creed contains those components as well as about another 20, with top/middle/base notes and varying levels that change about 5+ times depending on how long you have it on your skin. There are several brands of shave soap that try to emulate or are "inspired by" Aventus, Stirling Executive Man being one of them. Venture hits the high notes of the fragrance but doesn't try to be it. And that is fine. No need to overcomplicate shaving soap scents.
The first thing that really stands out is the pineapple. It is brief as the other two components quickly come into play. Every now and then, while applying the lather, the pineapple would assert itself again, but fleetingly. The blend is very pleasing and was the same in both the soap and cream. However, once again, it is too light. I'm not really asking for the strength to be so much that the entire bathroom smells like the soap as soon as I open the lid, but I would like it to be strong enough that I can smell the wonderful fragrance throughout the entire shave. Scott did a very nice job with this scent, and I would like to be able to enjoy it to its fullest. Please, please, please, put more fragrance oil in the product.
Soap
The soap consistency was also very, very soft. I would say that it was slightly firmer than the cream and was sticking to my fingers as I pressed it into the aluminum tin. Loading the G5C brush required more work as its stiffness just pushed the soap out to the edges of the tin. I reset the soap into the center for the second use with the softer Razorock brush and it also pushed the soap out of the way. I was able to manage a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3 pass shaves. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided thicker lather than usual for both shave loadings for 3 pass shaves. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
I like the scent, but it is too light. For placement it in my rankings it became a toss-up between it and the current #2 of 45th Parallel. Both are good scents, but both are also weak in strength. After mulling it over I would have to place it at #3, below 45th Parallel, but just barely - it was that close.
I am down to two remaining scents to try. Next up will be Sandalwood.
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
These last four shaves were with the Venture soap and cream. Venture is a riff of Aventus by Creed. CC's scent description indicates, "a hint of pineapple followed by a foundation of bergamot and jasmine". Aventus by Creed contains those components as well as about another 20, with top/middle/base notes and varying levels that change about 5+ times depending on how long you have it on your skin. There are several brands of shave soap that try to emulate or are "inspired by" Aventus, Stirling Executive Man being one of them. Venture hits the high notes of the fragrance but doesn't try to be it. And that is fine. No need to overcomplicate shaving soap scents.
The first thing that really stands out is the pineapple. It is brief as the other two components quickly come into play. Every now and then, while applying the lather, the pineapple would assert itself again, but fleetingly. The blend is very pleasing and was the same in both the soap and cream. However, once again, it is too light. I'm not really asking for the strength to be so much that the entire bathroom smells like the soap as soon as I open the lid, but I would like it to be strong enough that I can smell the wonderful fragrance throughout the entire shave. Scott did a very nice job with this scent, and I would like to be able to enjoy it to its fullest. Please, please, please, put more fragrance oil in the product.
Soap
The soap consistency was also very, very soft. I would say that it was slightly firmer than the cream and was sticking to my fingers as I pressed it into the aluminum tin. Loading the G5C brush required more work as its stiffness just pushed the soap out to the edges of the tin. I reset the soap into the center for the second use with the softer Razorock brush and it also pushed the soap out of the way. I was able to manage a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3 pass shaves. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided thicker lather than usual for both shave loadings for 3 pass shaves. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
I like the scent, but it is too light. For placement it in my rankings it became a toss-up between it and the current #2 of 45th Parallel. Both are good scents, but both are also weak in strength. After mulling it over I would have to place it at #3, below 45th Parallel, but just barely - it was that close.
| Rank | Scent | Notes |
| 1 | Italia | A sweet, but not cloying, almond scent. Traditional and good. The scent of the cream was lighter than the soap, but still strong enough. |
| 2 | 45th Parallel | Very nice blend of almond and cherry. Unfortunately, it was too light in both soap and cream and needs to be stronger. |
| 3 | Venture | A nice simple riff on Aventus by Creed. Just missed displacing 45th Parallel rank spot. Both soap and cream scent strength were too light and need to be stronger. |
| 4 | Eucalyptus | A good eucalyptus scent with just a hint of mint. Both soap and cream had strong scent and produced very nice lather. |
| 5 | Lime | Soap - was somewhat Lime-y citrus. Cream - had more lime and stronger. Still neither one was an OMG LIME! scent. |
| 6 | Nor'Easter | Soap - a good blend of lavender and other components which tone each down. Mild menthol. Cream - very lavender in-your-face forward. Strong menthol - it was close to burning. |
I am down to two remaining scents to try. Next up will be Sandalwood.
- Thread starter
- #39
Shaves 29-32: Sandalwood soap and cream
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
These last four shaves were with the Sandalwood soap and cream, and it is one of their top sellers. CC's scent description for the cream indicates, "Imparting a distinctively warm and woody fragrance, the Far East is reflected in this classic scent." The soap description indicates, "Our interpretation of sandalwood delivers a low-key and yet sophisticated scent profile." One might think that sandalwood is sandalwood and wonder what interpretations or low-keyness could be applied, but many sandalwood fragrances out there are imbued with florals such as jasmine, rose, bergamot, or sometimes other woodsy/earthy scents like cedar or patchouli. These enhancements change the overall effect by "brightening" or spicing it up, making it fuller, etc. I guess the low-key take from CC is that those additions, if any, are minimal, and what you seem to get is sandalwood or as close to it as you're gonna get. Which is fine. Again, CC isn't out to complicate things.
Many sandalwood scents out there bother me, and it most likely is due to the addition of all the other components. This one was rather nice. It did have a "flat" sense, such as it probably needed a bump with one of the other items to maybe "sweeten" it up. Not like sugar, but just a bit of something to make it smell more than just the wood. This is where fragrance specialists would come in and figure it out. So, it was an enjoyable scent, but it could use something, whatever that would be, to just kick it up a notch, and it would be great.
Soap
The soap consistency was also very, very soft. Like the previous soap, I would say that it was slightly firmer than the cream and was sticking to my fingers as I pressed it into the aluminum tin. Loading the G5C brush required more work as its stiffness just pushed the soap out to the edges of the tin. I reset the soap into the center for the second use with the softer Razorock brush and it also pushed the soap out of the way. I also seemed to need to load up more, but I was able to manage a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3-pass shaves. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered. This amount of cream used, however, did not lather up quite as well, and I had to add more to the brush for both shave brush loadings in order to get 3-pass shaves. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
It is a good scent. As indicated, it could use just a bit of something to round it out, but as sandalwood scents go, I like it. I am going to place it between Venture and Eucalyptus.
The final scent, Bay Rum, coming up...
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
These last four shaves were with the Sandalwood soap and cream, and it is one of their top sellers. CC's scent description for the cream indicates, "Imparting a distinctively warm and woody fragrance, the Far East is reflected in this classic scent." The soap description indicates, "Our interpretation of sandalwood delivers a low-key and yet sophisticated scent profile." One might think that sandalwood is sandalwood and wonder what interpretations or low-keyness could be applied, but many sandalwood fragrances out there are imbued with florals such as jasmine, rose, bergamot, or sometimes other woodsy/earthy scents like cedar or patchouli. These enhancements change the overall effect by "brightening" or spicing it up, making it fuller, etc. I guess the low-key take from CC is that those additions, if any, are minimal, and what you seem to get is sandalwood or as close to it as you're gonna get. Which is fine. Again, CC isn't out to complicate things.
Many sandalwood scents out there bother me, and it most likely is due to the addition of all the other components. This one was rather nice. It did have a "flat" sense, such as it probably needed a bump with one of the other items to maybe "sweeten" it up. Not like sugar, but just a bit of something to make it smell more than just the wood. This is where fragrance specialists would come in and figure it out. So, it was an enjoyable scent, but it could use something, whatever that would be, to just kick it up a notch, and it would be great.
Soap
The soap consistency was also very, very soft. Like the previous soap, I would say that it was slightly firmer than the cream and was sticking to my fingers as I pressed it into the aluminum tin. Loading the G5C brush required more work as its stiffness just pushed the soap out to the edges of the tin. I reset the soap into the center for the second use with the softer Razorock brush and it also pushed the soap out of the way. I also seemed to need to load up more, but I was able to manage a good loading and face lathered which provided enough lather for 3-pass shaves. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered. This amount of cream used, however, did not lather up quite as well, and I had to add more to the brush for both shave brush loadings in order to get 3-pass shaves. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
It is a good scent. As indicated, it could use just a bit of something to round it out, but as sandalwood scents go, I like it. I am going to place it between Venture and Eucalyptus.
| Rank | Scent | Notes |
| 1 | Italia | A sweet, but not cloying, almond scent. Traditional and good. The scent of the cream was lighter than the soap, but still strong enough. |
| 2 | 45th Parallel | A very nice blend of almond and cherry. Unfortunately, it was too light in both soap and cream and needed to be stronger. |
| 3 | Venture | A nice simple riff on Aventus by Creed. It just missed displacing 45th Parallel rank spot. Both soap and cream scent strength were too light and needed to be stronger. |
| 4 | Sandalwood | Sandalwood without a lot of extra scent components. Both soap and cream had a strong scent. |
| 5 | Eucalyptus | A good eucalyptus scent with just a hint of mint. Both soap and cream had a strong scent and produced a very nice lather. |
| 6 | Lime | Soap - was somewhat Lime-y citrus. Cream - had more lime and stronger. Still, neither one was an OMG LIME! scent. |
| 7 | Nor'Easter | Soap - a good blend of lavender and other components which tone each down. Mild menthol. Cream - very lavender in-your-face forward. Strong menthol - it was close to burning. |
The final scent, Bay Rum, coming up...
- Thread starter
- #40
Shaves 33-36 Bay Rum soap and cream
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
The final four shaves of the samples were with the Bay Rum soap and cream. Ok, I have a confession to make. I already knew what the CC Bay Rum smelled like as I was PIF'd a jar of the soap at the end of last year. But I have been sampling the 8 scents available and have to figure out where in the list this scent falls.
The soap description indicates it is "infused with a delightful bay scent and hints of vanilla and cinnamon," and the cream says, "A marvelous bay scent with traces of vanilla and citrus." It's odd that the soap and cream have different components, the soap having cinnamon and the cream having citrus, especially since, to me, they both smell exactly the same. The overarching fragrance is Bay Rum, very much similar to the essential oil from Bay West Indies (Pimenta Racemosa) leaves. I know this as I used to make natural deodorant using this essential oil and it smells like it. Now, the descriptions also indicate "hints" and "traces", and I will have to say that I had to try very hard to identify any of those components in either the soap or cream, other than what is normally part of the basic leaf aromatics. These weren't added, or at least didn't seem to be.
Overall, it is a pleasing Bay Rum scent. It is one that I am well accustomed to and like it. I also like my Bay Rum to be a bit "spicier" and also enjoy the Stirling Bay Rum which does have other components added such as orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove (the nutmeg is a nice addition). If you like Bay Rum in its traditional form, without all the extras, then this is a perfect example of what you should be looking for.
Soap
The soap consistency was very soft and sticky. Now, since I had a jar of the soap to compare it to, I was surprised at how different the two were. While the soap in the jar is soft and malleable it isn't super soft and sticky. Instead of putting the sample soap into an aluminum tin I put it all into the jar and pressed it down where it adhered well. I loaded the brushes from the jar and got a good loading. Face lathering produced enough lather for 3-pass shaves. The lather seemed denser at the start but thinned out during the other passes. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided thicker lather than usual for both shave loadings for 3-pass shaves. Like the soap, the lather thinned out during the other passes. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
I like Bay Rum. Not only in shave software but just in general. To me this is what Bay Rum, pure and simple, smells like, and it is good. Both the soap and cream scent strength was good from the jar to lathering to shaving. Not too strong and not too light. A perfect way to end this scent sampling.
Looking at my chart, I am placing Bay Rum at #4. While it is nice and I like it, to me the other top three spots stand out a bit more. Even though they had their own issues mostly having to do with the scent strength either being different between the soap and cream or just too light in general, they were more interesting. Italia was my definite overall favorite, and 45th Parallel and Venture were so close that there was no way to squeeze Bay Rum between them.
And that closes out my sampling of Captain's Choice soap and cream scents. Next will be a post with a write-up of the overall experience and my thoughts on the products.
[As I continue to work through the samples, note that the first shave with each type (soap/cream) will be with the Shavemac 24mm G5C synth (fan) and the second will be with the RazoRock 24mm synth (bulb).]
The final four shaves of the samples were with the Bay Rum soap and cream. Ok, I have a confession to make. I already knew what the CC Bay Rum smelled like as I was PIF'd a jar of the soap at the end of last year. But I have been sampling the 8 scents available and have to figure out where in the list this scent falls.
The soap description indicates it is "infused with a delightful bay scent and hints of vanilla and cinnamon," and the cream says, "A marvelous bay scent with traces of vanilla and citrus." It's odd that the soap and cream have different components, the soap having cinnamon and the cream having citrus, especially since, to me, they both smell exactly the same. The overarching fragrance is Bay Rum, very much similar to the essential oil from Bay West Indies (Pimenta Racemosa) leaves. I know this as I used to make natural deodorant using this essential oil and it smells like it. Now, the descriptions also indicate "hints" and "traces", and I will have to say that I had to try very hard to identify any of those components in either the soap or cream, other than what is normally part of the basic leaf aromatics. These weren't added, or at least didn't seem to be.
Overall, it is a pleasing Bay Rum scent. It is one that I am well accustomed to and like it. I also like my Bay Rum to be a bit "spicier" and also enjoy the Stirling Bay Rum which does have other components added such as orange, nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove (the nutmeg is a nice addition). If you like Bay Rum in its traditional form, without all the extras, then this is a perfect example of what you should be looking for.
Soap
The soap consistency was very soft and sticky. Now, since I had a jar of the soap to compare it to, I was surprised at how different the two were. While the soap in the jar is soft and malleable it isn't super soft and sticky. Instead of putting the sample soap into an aluminum tin I put it all into the jar and pressed it down where it adhered well. I loaded the brushes from the jar and got a good loading. Face lathering produced enough lather for 3-pass shaves. The lather seemed denser at the start but thinned out during the other passes. Shaves were uneventful.
Cream
I put a dollop right into the top of the brush and face lathered and it also provided thicker lather than usual for both shave loadings for 3-pass shaves. Like the soap, the lather thinned out during the other passes. The shaves were uneventful.
Final Scent Thoughts
I like Bay Rum. Not only in shave software but just in general. To me this is what Bay Rum, pure and simple, smells like, and it is good. Both the soap and cream scent strength was good from the jar to lathering to shaving. Not too strong and not too light. A perfect way to end this scent sampling.
Looking at my chart, I am placing Bay Rum at #4. While it is nice and I like it, to me the other top three spots stand out a bit more. Even though they had their own issues mostly having to do with the scent strength either being different between the soap and cream or just too light in general, they were more interesting. Italia was my definite overall favorite, and 45th Parallel and Venture were so close that there was no way to squeeze Bay Rum between them.
| Rank | Scent | Notes |
| 1 | Italia | A sweet, but not cloying, almond scent. Traditional and good. The scent of the cream was lighter than the soap, but still strong enough. |
| 2 | 45th Parallel | A very nice blend of almond and cherry. Unfortunately, it was too light in both soap and cream and needed to be stronger. |
| 3 | Venture | A nice simple riff on Aventus by Creed. It just missed displacing 45th Parallel rank spot. Both soap and cream scent strength were too light and needed to be stronger. |
| 4 | Bay Rum | Bay Rum, Plain and Simple. Nothing really extra to it, but just nice, clean Bay Rum. Both soap and cream had scent strength that lasted throughout the shave process. |
| 5 | Sandalwood | Sandalwood without a lot of extra scent components. Both soap and cream had a strong scent. |
| 6 | Eucalyptus | A good eucalyptus scent with just a hint of mint. Both soap and cream had a strong scent and produced a very nice lather. |
| 7 | Lime | Soap - was somewhat Lime-y citrus. Cream - had more lime and stronger. Still, neither one was an OMG LIME! scent. |
| 8 | Nor'Easter | Soap - a good blend of lavender and other components which tone each down. Mild menthol. Cream - very lavender in-your-face forward. Strong menthol - it was close to burning. |
And that closes out my sampling of Captain's Choice soap and cream scents. Next will be a post with a write-up of the overall experience and my thoughts on the products.
