indentifying a barbershop aftershave

[Jan Sobieski]

Many years ago, before I got as interested in this hobby as I am now, I would go to an old, classic American barber who used a particular aftershave on us customers, but at the time I never thought to ask what it was. It was something with a light "orange" type of scent and it absolutely had to be one of the classic barbershop "bulk" aftershaves commonly used by traditional barbers in the middle of the 20th century. I would smell it at the barber but then only if I'd touch my neck a couple of hours later in the day. I am familiar with the Pinauds (it was none of those) and major drugstore brands (Old Spice, Brut and such) but not as much with the bulk barber-supply types such as Master, Gabel's, Lustray, Jeris and that type of thing. I am convinced for many reasons it has to be one of those types. I may have spotted an orange-colored liquid in a bottle on his shelf but could be imagining that or conflating it in either direction with my memory of the "orange" smell.

Does anyone know what might fit the description? Light orangey scent, maybe some light spice for all I know?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Owen Bawn]

Sounds like a bay rum, perhaps? Possibilities include Stephans, Gabels, and Master, one of which is found in virtually every American barbershop. All are orange in appearance.

 

[Jan Sobieski]

Sounds like a bay rum, perhaps? Possibilities include Stephans, Gabels, and Master, one of which is found in virtually every American barbershop. All are orange in appearance.

Thanks, Owen, a quite reasonable supposition. However, I was familiar with bay rum back then, had even used some, and didn't recognize it as one at the time... I am beginning to wonder if that "orangey" smell was something like one of the 70s musk types or some kind of generic orange spice type thing. I have a strong feeling whatever it was came in one of those plastic gallon jugs!

 

[Multum in parvo]

Thanks, Owen, a quite reasonable supposition. However, I was familiar with bay rum back then, had even used some, and didn't recognize it as one at the time... I am beginning to wonder if that "orangey" smell was something like one of the 70s musk types or some kind of generic orange spice type thing. I have a strong feeling whatever it was came in one of those plastic gallon jugs!

Definitely not the thing that you are looking for but if you ever get your hands on Vitos - Orange treacle & Barbershop talcum

 

[Owen Bawn]

Definitely not the thing that you are looking for but if you ever get your hands on Vitos - Orange treacle & Barbershop talcum

View attachment 1631448

Isn't that the most delightful aftershave? I still have two 400ml bottles with the old label, though one is evaporating. Lousy plastic caps.

 

[Multum in parvo]

Isn't that the most delightful aftershave? I still have two 400ml bottles with the old label, though one is evaporating. Lousy plastic caps.

I have squirreled 3 old 400ml glass bottles away and saw that they are now selling 1 litre plastic ones. I’ll be next week in Italy so perhaps I find one in the wild.

 

[luvmysuper]

Does anyone know what might fit the description? Light orangey scent, maybe some light spice for all I know?

Maybe 4711?

Not orange in color - it's more of a yellowish tint, but absolutely in the "orange" smell department. It's light, and to me - fades rather quickly, but then I'm used to the staying power of Clubman.

Opening this fragrance are citrus top notes of lemon, orange and grapefruit combined with bergamot. A hint of floral middle notes of rose and rosemary softens the blend backed up by strong base notes of sandalwood, musk, neroli, and petitgrain.

 

[luvmysuper]

Here's a pic of the huge bottle I have so you can see the color:

 

[Owen Bawn]

I have squirreled 3 old 400ml glass bottles away and saw that they are now selling 1 litre plastic ones. I’ll be next week in Italy so perhaps I find one in the wild.

View attachment 1631453

This morning I used Vitos Aftershaving and chased it an hour later with 3 sprays of Boucheron pour homme EdT. Very compatible scents.

 

[Jan Sobieski]

Isn't that the most delightful aftershave? I still have two 400ml bottles with the old label, though one is evaporating. Lousy plastic caps.

I must try it. How does it compare to Floid?

 

[CANES]

Possibly Boosters? They had an orange colored one. I got a bottle of it in a trade once (a long time ago) but don't remember what the scent was.

Barbasol Musk was orange, also.

 

[RayClem]

Was the aftershave orange colored, or did it have an orange scent?

Many aftershaves have an orange tint. Pinaud Clubman is one such aftershave that was commonly used in many barbershops.

If it had a orange scent, one possibility is Florida Water by Lanman and Kemp.

There is no standard for barbershop scents. They can be anything that reminds you of a barbershop of year's past. That can include powdery scents from talc, leather chairs, printer's ink from magazines, tobacco or smoke, etc. Many barbershop scents utilize patchouli as one of the scent notes. Because barbershoips vary around the USA and around the world, a barbershop scent can be most anything you want it to be.

 

[Doug57]

Lucky Tiger, maybe?

 

[JCarr]

It may have been an Eau de Portugal hair tonic. Mild but unmistakable citrus scent. The only other thing I can think of is Lustray Spice...it's not a citrus scent...it's more like a mild spice scent.

 

[Paul Bearer]

has to be lucky tiger or Floid suave/vigaroso

 

[jaro 101969]

Could it be Myrsol I mean they are old enough and have the right scent And are a barbershop scent...

 

[masonjarjar]

Master Wellcomb Lord & Master
Sadly discontinued, but definitely orange.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Pinaud Eau de Portugal has that type of scent. It has no color, though, looks like water. Sold as a hair tonic, but works fine as an aftershave, especially when mixed with a bit of witch hazel.

Something from Master, perhaps. They used to have a very large variety, now discontinued.

 

[Jan Sobieski]

It may have been an Eau de Portugal hair tonic. Mild but unmistakable citrus scent. The only other thing I can think of is Lustray Spice...it's not a citrus scent...it's more like a mild spice scent.

Thank you - I have a feeling Lustray Spice is a good candidate, so I plan to try it and see. I have Eau de Portugal and it's not that one.
To answer the other posters, it was an "orangey" smell (but that could also be a musk or spice) and possibly also colored orange, but I'm not sure I saw the bottle. This was an absolutely standard old-school barbershop, so whatever the barber was using had to be something out of one of those big plastic industrial-size barbershop supply bottles.
I really appreciate everyone's efforts to help me, here.

 

[kwickone]

I was thinking maybe Florida Water…