Finding a woman worthy of your love is a very personal thing, and in my book Mason Boutique's"Isabella" starts with two strikes against it.
First, I don't really care for cologne-scented shaving soaps. The ones I've encountered so far on this shaving adventure of mine have been overpowered and musky. When I use them, I feel like a man decades older, one ready to troll the nursing home for "babes." No thanks.
Second, I don't like most cedars. A big whiff of cedar reminds me too much of the guinea pig cages my younger siblings kept when I was growing up. To my scent memory, cedar chips = guinea pigs; and boy did I detest those squealing, stinking rodents. Ugh. So, alas, poor Isabella, you just don't stand a chance. But I made a date, and I decided to keep it.
So, after a leisurely Saturday shower, I prepared my tools for the shave. Scooping a peanut-size portion out of the container, I swirled it into the bottom of my scuttle and wiped the remaining bits on my brush. I brought brush to scuttle and began to lather. I reached count of 30 when my vigorous strokes really brought Isabella alive, and the foam began to build in thick layers.
As I splayed the brush against my face, I was struck by Isabella's sheer thickness. She's lustrous and dense - sticky and tacky as wallpaper paste. It is a real pleasure to coat your face with this chewy, concentrated goodness. I also began to appreciate the delicate balance of Isabella's aroma.
Jennifer Marting, Mason Boutique's proprietor, has really pulled off a terrific trick here. Cedar, which normally turns me off, is very much present, but isn't sappy or resinous. This is more the freshly-sanded Spanish cedar of a fine cigar box than the young, stinking cedar of cheap woodcraft or a sweater chest. The fruit, flower and honey scents are backup players, sure - but they play a perfect balancing act with the leather and cedar, taming this aggressive duo from asserting an unadulterated, swaggering-type of masculinity to this fragrance.
Unlike most cologne scents, there is no musk here - just a woodsy goodness, offset by the richness of leather and honey, with a hint of something else... a distant patch of flowers or fruit trees. To sum up this aromatic highwire act in a word: Superb!
But if there is a second descriptive word for Isabella, it is "protection." This stuff is thick and sticky. Though I haven't ventured into the straight razor game yet, this is precisely the sort of protection I will want when facing down the naked blade. Isabella, for her part, is not particularly slick, but is more of a mother hen, ready to shelter you from the razor's edge with a thick bumper. I never make a third pass against the grain of my sensitive neck, but I did today, with no residual issues. I'm impressed.
After the third pass, I added a bit more water to the scuttle and soaped my face up a 4th time. I called the wife up to the bathroom. Quoth the wife: "Oh! Your face smells so kissable." This, friends, is the desired effect.
So let me sing Isabella's praises: Her strong suits are 1.) scent and 2.) protection. She is worth the little extra work to whip her into shape. And, if you are seeking a match to your cologne, she offers lovely compliments, not interference. Isabella is not the jealous type. I believe I picked wisely as Yves St. Laurent's "L'Homme - Intense," seemed to make an excellent match.
I got my generous sample of Isabella directly from Mason Boutique's website , but she can also be found elsewhere on the web. After today's shave, I ordered the full size tub from The Handlebar Supply Company, who has the 5 oz. jar on sale for $8.00. Eight lousy bucks - what a deal! Here's a link in case you're interested:
http://www.thehandlebarsupply.com/mason-boutique-isabella-shave-soap/
Smooth shaving, friends.