Dude you're killing it with these pics lately, really nice work on this one.
Catie's Bubbles | Blugère
Phoenix Shaving | The Starcraft | Roswell Hybrid Synth
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE
I know there are other fragrances featuring blueberry, but not being a legitimate frag head, I wasn't aware of them. It wasn't until Mammoth Soaps introduced Mood Indigo that I realized what an interesting element blueberry brings to a fragrance. Under the right circumstances, blueberry can bring more than whimsy to the table.
When Catie's Bubbles began dropping hints about their meet-up exclusive, "Jersey Blues", I was hoping to someday see it offered to the public. "Blugère" is indeed the same product with a, dare I say, even more creative name.
Blugère utilizes Catie's Bubbles' lauded Luxury Cream base. I've spoken highly of this base many times previously, so in the interest of time, I'll just reiterate that this is one of my favorite bases. I have seborrheic dermatitis involving my scalp, and while shaving alone is useful, no other product staves this off better than Catie's Bubbles' jojoba-rich vegan bases.
Catie's Bubbles' EdPs are usually a safe blind buy for me, so I went all in for the full set. I began using the EdP for a couple days prior to even cracking open the other products. When time and the product allows, I really like exploring a new set this way. It allows me to fully appreciate the intended fragrance initially. Then, I can compare that to what's lost in the soap base. Blugère opens, as you would expect, with an unmistakable natural, fresh blueberry note. Almost immediately, there is a competing sharp, citrusy bergamot. As simple as this sounds, I would be happy if it never developed beyond that. It is gourmand with measured sweetness, and bright enough for Summer as the bergamot is almost lime in this combination. Eventually, this bright happy opening relents to a stable sustained woodiness with controlled floral and herbaceous peppery lavender. This accord is the longest lasting element of the fragrance, and it's absolutely lovely. The dry down allows an earthy but clean vetiver to dominate with intermittent dry grassy elements. I continue to enjoy this parfum concentration just beyond a 10-hour indoor active work day.
The soap is very similar in the opening, but the citrus is less prominent allowing the blueberry through even more. Overall the step-wise unveiling of the elements is very similar to that of the EdP but of course on a shorter time frame. I do believe the soap is slightly less resinous in the mid. Regardless, if you're in love with the soap, you will not be disappointed in the EdP. The splash, to my nose, is indistinguishable from the EdP in fragrance as I noted no coloring at all. It's just simply a lighter/weaker concentration. I did experiment by foregoing the EdP layering and found that the splash lasts about 4 to 5 hours under similar circumstances. It can't sustain the middle nearly as well or as long as the EdP, so it's still not a substitute for people that really like this fragrance of which I count myself as one.
Great stuff. Great shot. Great effect.SOTD - Sunday 11 August 2019
- Safety Razor: Charcoal Goods - Level 1 Bishop
- Blade: Polsilver - Super Iridium
- Shaving Brush: BristleBrushwerks - Virginia Sheng - 24mm Bulb (Silvertip Badger)
- Shaving Cream: Extro - Bergamotto di Calabria
- After-Shave: Extro - Bergamotto di Calabria - Splash
Thanks!
