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What happened to Brut?

Good post @RayClem. I am a collector of vintage and modern aftershaves. I have lifetime supplies of vintage classic aftershaves such as Shulton’s Old Spice, English Leather, British Sterling and even Brut by Faberge.

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While I agree wholeheartedly with the fact that many modern aftershave formulas have changed from their original versions because of synthetic substitutes and other variables, I have to politely and respectfully, disagree, that their modern versions “don’t smell anything like their past, original versions?”

While scent and individual smell is a ymmv thing, I believe saying, modern versions smell nothing like the older versions is simply inaccurate.

From my personal experience of collecting and using over 200 modern and vintage aftershaves, I can confidently say, vintage Brut is much better than modern Brut.

However, the scent of modern Brut, is the exact same scent as vintage Brut. I can name, list and tell you, a dozen different reasons, why Shulton Old Spice is better then it modern Procter & Gamble formula. But I also, have and need to honestly say, modern Old Spice still smells the same in its familiar scent profile.

Is it as strong? No.
Is it as spicy? No.
Is it as smooth and wonderful a bouquet of aroma’s as vintage Shulton. No, it is not.

But modern Old Spice does indeed smell like…. Old Spice.

And modern Brut smells like Brut.

It may have some synthetic overtones which can give off a very slight chemical note in it’s dry down, but it’s familiar scent profile is very much still the same classic fougere as the original Faberge.

Of all of my collection, I think modern English Leather versus my vintage MEM, probably is the biggest difference of an example of formula change.

Modern EL, just has a harsh scent of dirty leaves that just isn’t there with the vintage MEM. But again, if you miss the smell of English Leather and don’t have any vintage on hand?

The modern’s basic scent profile, even with all of it’s formula changes is still similar and very reminiscent of and still can and will be recognized as “English Leather”.

And so does/will classic modern Brut. If you love the scents of the classic’s of yesteryear, feel free to use the modern versions, because I still do. :)

I am not a FragHead at all, I seldom use aftershaves, colognes or EDTs. However, I know that those who are FragHeads think even high-end perfumes and EDTs change from year to year, just as wines do from great vineyards. There is no way to keep a fragrance smelling exactly the same from batch to batch unless everything in the fragrance is synthetic. Natural essential oils vary depending upon sourcing and weather.

Also, when you say that your vintage Brut and modern Brut smell the same, you are making an assumption that a 50+ year old bottle of Brut smells the same as it did when it was first bottled. Just like wines age over time, so do other organic compounds like fragrances. If your vintage bottle of Brut was ever opened and exposed to oxygen, the changes will occur even more rapidly, just like wine does once it is uncorked, unless it is kept under vacuum or purged with nitrogen.

The only way to know for sure that the scent has not changed over time would be if there were a gas chromatograph record obtained when the fragrance was first bottled and then compare it to a gas chromatograph of the modern fragrance.

I do agree with you that modern Brut smells very much like the Brut of old, at least as far as my scent memory can tell.

I have a bottle of store brand "Old Spice". It does smell like the Shulton Old Spice I remember.

At least to my nose, English Leather sold by Dana is different than the English Leather developed by MEM. I used to love the MEM version, but do not care for the modern scent. I cannot tell you what is different; I can just tell you that I won't wear it again.
 

OkieStubble

Dirty Donuts are so Good.
There may be differences in their formulas, but their scent profiles are the same.

This is why when I smell 50 year old Brut it smells like Brut. It’s why when I smell 5 month old Brut it still smells like Brut.

I don’t like modern Dana English either. And while it smells nothing of the goodness of MEM English Leather, it’s scent profile, still smells like English Leather.

Modern Old Spice is nothing in comparison with vintage Shulton goodness. The modern is too watery, too floral and not spicy or strong as Shulton.

But both of their scent profiles are still indeed Old Spice. And that’s why they both can still be identified as Old Spice.

one can say, modern Brut doesn’t smell like vintage Brut. They can even prefer one over the other. They can even say they love one and hate the other, or it doesn’t smell like it used too.

But what can’t be denied is that they both, still smell like and are identified as Brut.

It’s why artisan companies can also make aftershaves that smell like Brut, by simply copying the fougere scent profile that identifies as smelling like Brut. :)
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I've never tried/had the opportunity. I'd probably like it. I liked their Spicy.
I can fix that for ya. I know that I've got more than I need. AND it would make my War Department less contentious if I got rid of some! Lol, if she ever reads my crud on here I am toast.
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
I can fix that for ya. I know that I've got more than I need. AND it would make my War Department less contentious if I got rid of some! Lol, if she ever reads my crud on here I am toast.
Very nice. I'd love some and if I can help the war on the home front, I'm in. :)
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Very nice. I'd love some and if I can help the war on the home front, I'm in. :)
I'll go through my stuff tomorrow. My lovely best friend was tickled pink I sent out 3 packages this week of "that junk you keep getting!"

Poor woman. But I do keep her laughing, if not always happy!
 
Hey all. Quick update. The Brut continues to improve in the glass bottle. Every time it has a less acrid opening scent and I enjoy it more and more.
Unfortunately, we've had some life issues come up for our family so my vintage after shave acquisition, as well as the rest of my acquisitions, will be put on hold for the foreseeable future.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Hey all. Quick update. The Brut continues to improve in the glass bottle. Every time it has a less acrid opening scent and I enjoy it more and more.
Unfortunately, we've had some life issues come up for our family so my vintage after shave acquisition, as well as the rest of my acquisitions, will be put on hold for the foreseeable future.
Keep us posted my friend.
 
@FarmerTan - Sorry if it sounded dire. It's actually good news for both of our kiddos. My daughter, who is special needs, just got moved from the wait list to active list for one of the few child occupational therapists in our area. She gets to start this week. Additionally, our son was recently moved from the wait list to the active list for a child speech language pathologist to help him with his stutter and pronunciation and starts this week also. The only downside is that insurance doesn't cover either for our kiddos so we pay out of pocket for it. Also, please don't read this with a tone of disappointment or a lack of happiness. I would gladly take on an additional job or two to provide all of the services my daughter and son need to be as successful and happy in this life as possible. God blessed me with 2 amazing kiddos that teach me about Him and me everyday. The least I can do is give them everything they need and I will do that happily everyday.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
@FarmerTan - Sorry if it sounded dire. It's actually good news for both of our kiddos. My daughter, who is special needs, just got moved from the wait list to active list for one of the few child occupational therapists in our area. She gets to start this week. Additionally, our son was recently moved from the wait list to the active list for a child speech language pathologist to help him with his stutter and pronunciation and starts this week also. The only downside is that insurance doesn't cover either for our kiddos so we pay out of pocket for it. Also, please don't read this with a tone of disappointment or a lack of happiness. I would gladly take on an additional job or two to provide all of the services my daughter and son need to be as successful and happy in this life as possible. God blessed me with 2 amazing kiddos that teach me about Him and me everyday. The least I can do is give them everything they need and I will do that happily everyday.
You brought tears to my eyes. Not pity, I don't do pity. But a healthy kind of pride to know another person who knows what real blessings are.

I guess by today's standards I'd be classified as special needs as a kid. My dad never let me get away with THAT for an excuse. LOL, he just gave me the gumption to werk harder. Never gave me a break the ol' fart!

So I just learned how to get stuff done how I had to get it done.

I sat at a potluck dinner after church yesterday AM with a kid. As soon as I sat down I knew he was a mini me. I said, so you must be the smartest kid in your class!

He looked kinda sad for a second and said no way, I'm ADHD!

I said so was I, I still am, and I'm the smartest person in any room I ever walk into!

The adults at the table may have been insulted, but I will bet you a nickel I was 90% right, lol!

That kid and I had a great time. His dad said he was really bright. I said he's probably smarter than his teacher and has her lesson plan all figgered out after she's spoken two sentences! At least that was my experience. I can't IMAGINE my poor Dad! Sitting in a one room skool house and listening to the same stuff over and over! No wonder he quit skool after the seventh grade!
 
@FarmerTan - for a good portion of the 1st couple of years after my daughter was born I did the whole "Why me God, why my daughter, my family, my life, how could you let this happen?" I then had a mentor at my church say the following to me. "If you truly believe that God is sovereign, omniscient and omnipotent, then you can't believe that He "let" this happen. If He is all of those things that you believe then surely He ordained this to happen. Your job is not to ask 'Why me?' You job is to ask 'What can I learn, what are showing me and how does I use this to point to you."

I've never had one seemingly simple conversation so drastically change my perspective on something. I truly believe that my kiddos are blessings and reflections of Him and I'm lucky to learn from them each day.
 
.. he made sure to make memories with my mom, brother and I as often as possible. I don't ever remember the times that he wasn't around because all the memories were made during the times that he was. It's a good lesson that I learned and am putting into practice with my kiddos.

+1! Great story and WONDERFUL advice!! :a29::a29:
 
I've heard that us guys in the UK have the closest original brut scent in that you can buy, AS (glass bottle) splash (plastic) and EDT (glass). Cologne though is a little harder to find.
 
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I can get this locally. How is it? Made in Mexico.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Smells like Brut from many years ago. Skin goodies are sufficient. I do think this smells better than the oval bottle with the long snout. Get yourself a bottle!
Oh my friend! You are an enabler of the werst order!

I will be sure to blame you when my lovely War Department gets upset at my growing kollection...
 
Oh my friend! You are an enabler of the werst order!

I will be sure to blame you when my lovely War Department gets upset at my growing kollection...
Proceed, because for years I have been blamed, accused, labeled, as a man responsible for many things gone haywire or awry. But, how can you guys resist Brut?! I splashed some on last evening after shaving, and, this new bottle design does smell brighter and less heavy than my bottle that is about three years old. Also, the new deodorant round stick smells better, too. Maybe I'm "all wet" here, but my thoughts now are that the scent has been reformulated, and it is more like the Brut of, say, twenty years ago. I still want to try the European version of Brut in aftershave and cologne. Brut is one of few scents that smells great, refreshes, enhances your manliness, is priced where it is affordable, and brings compliments from others, especially the ladies.
 
The Euro brut is nice, but for me underwhelming. See This thread for a recent comparison of brut aftershaves.
I've only smelt the Australian AS and splash-on, Euro AS and Vintage Faberge AS, not the different current/recent US versions.
I found the Euro brut was the furthest from vintage juice, mainly for eliminating the aniseed/liquorice note.
If that is the note that you don't like, the Euro brut might suit, but the vintage stuff definitely had that aniseed note.
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
40 years ago, I'd use my Brut deoderant spray as a torch on the flies that found their way into my bedroom window, awakened and then did the zombie circle around my light as I did homework. Once their wings are gone, they ain't much!
 
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