This month, I had a horrible case of BRAD (Bay Rum Aquisition Disorder). It's easy to see why; bay rum comes in so many different scents and formulations and it's a favorite among artisan aftershave makers. My wife likes bay rum because it's spicy, manly, but fleeting. With bay rum, it's hard to overdo. You will never be "that guy" because the scent doesn't project and doesn't last very long. Prices vary wildly, but price doesn't really correlate with quality or performance. Aside from a couple of stinkers, all of bay rums I've tried work as advertised, they all do it just a little bit differently.
Aubrey Organics Spice Islands -- This is a milder bay rum with practically no burn. The scent lasted about 30 minutes on me and was predominately bay with a bit of patchouli in the background. You may think this is an odd combination, but it works well. You may also be able to find this one locally at your organic food grocery store. Face feel was nice with no moisturizing or no drying. It's similar to using straight witch hazel. Cost is $8 to $12 for 4 ounces.
Masters -- couldn't stand the stickiness. I tossed it. From what I understand, it's been reformulated, so I may have to pick up a new bottle.
Stephan -- This one usually sits next to the Clubman in many barbershops I visit. It has a pleasant bay rum that is more rounded and mature. There's a slight plastic scent that I pick up when smelling it from the (plastic) bottle that disappears once it's on. This bay rum is moisturizing for a splash and would be suitable for the times when you need more moisturizing properties than a splash but don't need a balm. It's not sticky. Cost is $13 for 15 ounces.
Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum -- Most everyone on B&B is familiar with this one. It has a strong clove scent that some people love or hate. I personally, I like it because it reminds me of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The clove scent fades pretty quickly, but I can still pick up traces of it throughout the day. If you like burn, this is the one for you. I've had times where the burn was pleasant and mild and I've had time where I thought I applied molten lava to my face. This AS will definitely uncover any flaws in your shaving technique. The major downside to this one is its drying effect. I highly recommend layering it with an unscented balm unless you have naturally oily skin. Cost is about $9 (with shipping) for 6 ounces or $12 for 12 ounces.
Hawleywoods Layrite No. 9 Bay Rum -- This bay rum is scented with cloves. The cloves are prominent, but they don't overpower the scent of the bay. Definitely not as strong as VIBR. When applying this, there's a moderate burn. Not the same face-melting burn as VIBR, but it will get your attention and last about 30 seconds before it mellows out. This bay rum is slightly moisturizing. It left my face feeling smooth. This bay rum is for humid summers. In dryer months, I would recommend a balm or Stephan's bay rum. The scent hung around for about an hour and a half. Cost is $11 for 4 oz (shipping included).
Hold Fast -- I found this one on Etsy. I'm a sucker for creative packaging, and this one wins first prize for presentation. The scent is very spicy and very complex but also subdued. It doesn't hit you like some of the EO-based bay rums. Looking through the bottle, I saw some sediment at the bottom. The ingredient list is long, but also very appetizing: Rum, Vodka, Bay Leaf Oil, Rosemary Oil, Lime Zest, Ginger Root, Cinnamon, All Spice, Witch Hazel, Vegetable Glycerin. After applying this, I experienced no burn. The scent is very light but seemed to linger for a few hours. It made my face feel very nice. It wasn't sticky or drying; it almost felt like I had applied a fine coat of talc on my face. Cost is $20 for 8 ounces.
Ogallala Bay Rum -- About a year ago, I ordered the Ogallala Bonanza Pack. I've used these bay rums throughout the year and always found them enjoyable. The scent is slightly darker bay but with a more oriental background. If Old Spice did a bay rum, it would smell like this.* The burn was quite healthy and every bit as intense (if not moreso) than Cat O Nine Tails. The burn lasted several minutes. The scent is also one of the longest lasting bay rum scents I've tried. I catch whiffs of it a few hours later. It's slightly drying on my face, but not bad. In dry months, I might be tempted to use an unscented balm underneath. Cost is $16 for 8 ounces.
St. Charles Shave Bay Rum Balm -- I ordered a sample of this balm for winter use. In the bottle, the balm has a nice bay rum scent. Once applied, however, there's a lot more to this scent. The bay rum takes a back seat to musk and menthol. The scent is very light, and on this particular morning, I had a difficult time discerning each scent component. The menthol gave me a cooling sensation that lasted for several minutes and the musk hung around for a while too. After application, my face felt waxy. Once my skin started to absorb the balm, my face felt softer, but there was still a stickiness to the balm that lasted a couple of hours that I didn't care for. I had a couple of spots on my face that stung a little afer using this, but there wasn't the drama associated with high-alcohol bay rums. Price is $13 for 4 ounces without shipping.
Barclay Crocker Bay Rum Balm -- This is probably my favorite balm. It's non greasy and absorbs into the skin relatively quickly. Even on humid days, the balm doesn't make your face sweat and there's no waxy residue. It leaves my skin feeling soft and moisturized. There's no burn when applying. Barclay Crocker has a variety of custom scent options. I chose the Bay Rum with Amber. The bay scent hangs around for 30 minutes and then gives way to the amber which hangs around much longer (several hours). This also happens to be one of the best values around. $6.95 for 4 ounces (not including shipping). When you buy one, you're given the option to buy another 4 oz bottle for $5. When using this, a little goes a long way.
Captain's Choice Cat O 9 Tails -- Nice burn, if that's your thing, that lasts for a couple of minutes. The scent is predominately bay with muted spices far in the background. The scent lasted about 1 hour on me. Was not moisturizing or drying on me. Cost is $24 including shipping ($18 if you can find free shipping) for 4 ounces.
The American Bay Rum -- Very boozy and very spicy. The rum completely dominates this AS while applying. After a few seconds of sobering up, the spiciness takes over. The bay scent is there, but it takes a back seat to the overpowering rum and spices. The scent lasts about an hour. It's not really moisturizing, although I can detect a little glycerine. It doesn't leave my face soft. The bottle is really cool and will enhance the appearance of any shelf or counter top. Cost is $20 (including shipping) for 5 ounces.
Gabels Bay Rum -- Out of the bottle, this smelled heavenly. It was bay which was a little clovey, but there was something else added, perhaps musk, that gave it a nice masculine scent with decent projection. Aside from the musk-like scent, there wasn't much else. It wasn't spicy or boozy or overly complex. The scent, however, is short lived. It lasted maybe 30 minutes on me and I doused myself with this stuff, liberally applying it to my face, arms, and chest. Burn was moderate. It tightened my face a few minutes after I splashed it on and didn't dry out or moisturize my skin. Cost is $7.50 (plus $5.49 for shipping on Amazon) for 16 ounces. But here's the kicker. You can get a GALLON of this stuff on the bay about $35 shipped. Cheapskates rejoice!.
Flying Bird Botanicals Bay Rum -- This was another ETSY find. When I first poured it into my hand, it had a thick, somewhat oily consistency. I thought I didn't shake the bottle well enough, so I tried it again. Same consistency. A liquid balm is how I would describe this. There was no discernible burn and it actually had a mild cooling effect which felt great against my skin. This is, by far, is the most moisturizing bay rum I've ever tried outside of bay rum scented balms. My skin felt very soft and smooth without being greasy. The scent is very light and resembles a sweet and spicy rum with very subtle bay leaf. The scent lasted only a few minutes on me. For people with sensitive skin, I highly recommend checking this one out. Price is $12.75 + $4 shipping.
Superior 70 -- I was excited to try this one because it seems to garner much love on the forum. I was sorely disappointed. Out of the bottle and onto my skin, this bay rum has an artificial/synthetic/chemical smell that reminded me somewhat of vinegar. Thank goodness the scent is light and only lasted on me for a few minutes. It has a mild burn that quickly goes away after a few seconds. Even after a rough shave, it only stung a little. Face feel is practically non existent and it dried my face. Luckily, this stuff is hard to find. I paid $11 + free shipping for 12 ounces.
*Note: Several artisan bay rums I've tried are quite pungent out of the bottle when they first arrive at my doorstep. I believe it's because the EOs used haven't had time to settle down. After setting them aside for about 3-4 months, they really mellow out and become quite well rounded.
