Grey Flannel Aftershave - Don't Fear The Flannel

[Phog Allen]

Gents, I have to post about this remarkable fragrance value. I had been considering trying Grey Flannel again after nearly thirty years. I remembered it overwhelmed my senses beyond belief when I first tried it. It was the edt and was gifted me by a friend's mother for my birthday. It had this acrid, overwhelming top note that would render me a headache in short order. I suspect I put too much on but it was stout to my senses. Over the years I would attempt to try it again only to be thwarted by the bottle smell. Lately I have wanted to try this again for some reason. So I sourced a bottle of the aftershave from TJ Maxx and was pleasantly surprised by its price, scent, and performance.

First up the bottle smell. It did not overwhelm me and I rather liked it. After a glorious shave with Mystic Water Violet shave soap I splashed on a goodly amount of the Grey Flannel and was immediately struck by two things. First, the scent did not overwhelm me and second, there was almost no burn. Now mind, I was using Mystic which almost always translates to no need for a/s product of any kind. So I was more scenting myself than anything. Still, it went on smooth and cool and dried down rather quickly to a very dense and dusky violet leaf/green/light woods scent. VERY nice indeed. It is a modern fragrance and no mistake but compared to the awful stuff in most department stores these days this was a nice trip backward in time If you have been looking for a floral and not quite comfortable with something like Taylor #74 Traditional then give this venerable but grand fragrance a try.

Cheers, Todd

 

[OkieStubble]

Great stuff.

 

[JCinPA]

Interesting. I have a bottle on the way right now! We may be starting a Grey Flannel resurgence!


Would you mind listing the ingredients? Does it use glycerin? Thanks!

 

[Phog Allen]

Sure thing John. This is completely synthetic fragrance and that is fine with me. Sometimes synthetics get a bad rap but since the early 20th century some of the nicest scents made were heavily synthetic. Oh well. That is another matter. I suspect most of what we are reading is synthetic versions of essential oil scents.Here's the list.

Cheers ,Todd

Alcohol(Denatured)
Water(Aqua)
Propylene Glycol
Fragrance(Parfum)
Benzyl Benzoate
Benzyl Alcohol
Benzyl Salicylate
Butyphenyl Methylproponal
Cinnamyl Alcohol
Citronnelol Eugenol
Geraniol
Hexyl Cinnamal
Hydroxycitronellal
Hydroxyisohexyl-3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde(what a mouthful!)
Isoeugenol
Limonene
Linalool

 

[JCinPA]

Cool, propylene glycol, I think serves the purpose of glycerin ... soothing, skin moisturizing. I add a bit of glycerin to my AS that do not use them, like the Pinauds. I probably won't have to with this. I should have it Monday, can't wait to try it!

Thanks for the list!

 

[Torky]

Todd, my story is strangely similar to yours. Even found the Flannel at TJMaxx as you did. It wasn't my fave back in the day, but I sure do like it now. Cheers to you, and Rock Chalk from a Husker.

Terry

 

[Antique Hoosier]

Takin me back to 1977 there Todd. A Christmas present back then for me as I recall.

 

[JCinPA]

Well, it arrived today! I got a boxed set of the AS and the spray (I almost never use sprays, it will be in my den when I die), cuz it was cheeep on Amazon.

It's not the same scent, but sniffing the QCS soap and then the Grey Flannel, back and forth, I think it's a very good matchup. Can't wait to try it tomorrow.

 

[JCinPA]

Wow! Holy scents revisited, Batman, I have not used this since college days for sure, but it is a superb fall/winter scent!

It is not GIT, but it melds well with it. Did the QCS Green Irish Tweed cream shave this morning, followed up by Thayer's alcohol-free toner, then the Grey Flannel. Very nice combination, indeed.

The alcohol is not too high, and just the right amount of PG for a nice soothing finish to the shave. Highly recommended, not just because it is economical, but because it is fantastic. I will still look for some Aspen to try, but I doubt I'll go for the Creed's. No need to.

 

[Phog Allen]

John, if you have any Crabtree and Evelyn Nomad shave soap or cream around, give it a go as well. I always liked the Nomad scent and even though it is labeled as a woodsy scent there is something a bit floral about it. And when I lathered it up last week after playing around with the GF a/s the lights when on over my head. These two mix quite well together. Glad you had a good experience with it.

Cheers, Todd

 

[JCinPA]

And you know I'll be recycling the bottle!

Classic glass with reduced orifice (in the glass itself, not a plastic 'orifice reducer'). Will load that up with a Pinaud product when that is gone.

 

[OkieStubble]

And you know I'll be recycling the bottle!

Classic glass with reduced orifice (in the glass itself, not a plastic 'orifice reducer'). Will load that up with a Pinaud product when that is gone.

Good luck on getting the Grey Flannel smell out of the glass when you're done.

 

[jesseix]

just got Grey Flannel AS and EDT delivered today, found the set on the 'bay for $14. Interested to try it out on the next shave.

 

[Crag]

Grey Flannel is a great example of an English take on French Fougere! It is in rank with Drakkar Noir, and the new Penhaligon's Sartorial, albeit the Grey smells quite a bit different to my nose than the Sartorial, which is provacative and outside the box. The Flannel faintly reminds of Houbigant's Fougere Royal and was at one time commissioned by royal warrant to HRH Charles, Prince of Wales.

For my HS graduation gift, in 1985, I got a Grey Flannel 10th anniversary Promotional store box from Sears which had a Flannel Scarf, 90g shave soap, 100ml after-shave, 50ml cologne, a 75ml deodorant and a bath soap-on-a-rope - all the rage back then! My mom still has the box, but the innards are all gone...we used to BATHE in the Flannel! The Colognes of the day (for HS school Kids) were Grey Flannel, Pierre Cardin, Drakkar Noir and Polo (Worn with our Member's Only Jackets and RB Wayfarer SG's)...What more could you ask for?!

 

[Phog Allen]

I will tell you what I would ask for; The Grey Flannel shave soap! What a find in the wild that would be these days. And ten to one in 1985 it was tallow based and supplied by one of the big boys which means it was probably fantastic.

Cheers, Todd

 

[Kerrplunk]

I really want to try some. My wife says it smells awful. I'm not sure when/where she's smelled it?? Hmmm.

 

[JCinPA]

Oh lordy! This has been my most used scent in the last week. I used The Veg once and Clubman once, this is taking over my rotation.

It is such a perfect fall scent! I tried D.R. Harris Marlborough yesterday for the first time, followed up by this. Perhaps the best soap/AS combo I've experienced so far in 2 1/2 years of this.

 

[MrEdifus]

I just couldn't get past that top note that Grey Flannel has. I've tried several times but it just never happens.

 

[Phog Allen]

John, if you like it with Marlborough, wait til you use it with C&E Nomad. It is like they were designed to go together. Fantastic combination. And I am loving the GF scent. At least the aftershave. I do understand the overwhelming nature of the top note of the edt. I had/have(?) the same issue. I have not sniffed the edt in years. Some say it has changed and for the better. I can say this aftershave is rock solid. Easy on the nose, easy on the skin. What an absolute bargain at $7.99 per 100ml bottle.

Cheers, Todd

 

[ham_bone]

I remember getting a bottle of Gray Flannel long before I started shaving. I was probably 10-12 yr old. I grew up backwoods hillbilly for sure, so the only fragrance we ever got as a kid was a slash of Pappy's brute 33 before church on Sunday. When I got that bottle of Gray Flannel I remember thinking I'd hit the big time now! I remember to this day the first wiff was awful! But I wore it proud! I can still remember the sent. Guess I will have to get a bottle. Thanks for bringing back a memory!