Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Nice setup but hope you still have some variety man 
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cmh737 Straight Venture Journal Continued
- Thread starter cmh737
- Start date
Oh man, I've still got enough variety to last me 10 lifetimes! No 3017 projects for me!!Nice setup but hope you still have some variety man
I bid $20!
I have always wondered about that Electric Sheep Scent and Soap! But since you have it Chris...it must be good!
SteveChuckFrank
Close Enough*
Glad to see you’re doing well Chris, although I don’t know how I feel about this den clearing business...
I totally dig the Electric Sheep! The post shave face feel is fantastic. As everyone knows, I'm a big Stirling fan, as they work extremely well with the water at my house. There's only one potential ding for the Electric Sheep, but thankfully it doesn't apply for me - and that is that the scent is heavy citronella - so if one does not like that particular scent, then it would be best to avoid this one. However, I like it - a lot! On another note, unrelated to soap, but just to be clear, I still loathe "The Veg"!
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MONDAY
What an awesome shave! Still enjoying the Merkur Progress w/Persona Red. And the Rudy Vey w/AMACK4 Game Changer synthetic really whipped up a fantastic SCS lather. My goodness, how I dig SCS soaps! Finished up with Sampson's unscented balm, and then some AdG Profumo. Folks, if you like the original AdG, and you haven't tried this Profumo flanker (that debuted in 2015), you must give it a go. This juice is marvelous! It's more refined than the original, and has a bit more weight behind it, so the longevity is much better. It's a big thumbs up!
What an awesome shave! Still enjoying the Merkur Progress w/Persona Red. And the Rudy Vey w/AMACK4 Game Changer synthetic really whipped up a fantastic SCS lather. My goodness, how I dig SCS soaps! Finished up with Sampson's unscented balm, and then some AdG Profumo. Folks, if you like the original AdG, and you haven't tried this Profumo flanker (that debuted in 2015), you must give it a go. This juice is marvelous! It's more refined than the original, and has a bit more weight behind it, so the longevity is much better. It's a big thumbs up!
woodpusher
TSC’s International Man of Meh
Saint Charles Shave's little pucks are simply wonderful. The Bulgaria Rose is made with real rose EO as opposed to many rose scents which use an FO instead.
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Nice stuff Chris and great pic
Good Stuff Chris
Friday's shave, and probably my longest shaving/fragrance journal entry to date, so read on if you dare.....
Let me begin by saying that I had an incredible shave this morning! I used some of my best gear, which included the British Aristocrat #16 (w/PermaSharp), the Simpson Chubby 2, Martin de Candre Fougere, and Sampson’s unscented balm.
But the real star of today’s set up was the fragrance - the one that started a genre – this one:
Houbigant Fougere Royale
The world of fragrances is another “rabbit hole” that I’ve ventured down the past several months, and I’m enjoying the learning process. It’s amazing how technical it can be, and I approach the topic much like a puzzle – trying to find out how things go together. It’s also humbling in that I could fill volumes of what I don’t know. Anyway, here are some thoughts about Houbigant Fougere Royale.
This is a landmark fragrance, to say the least! It was first introduced in 1882, and yepper, that wasn’t a typo. I’ll spare everyone the pain of a history lesson, except to say that this was the first fragrance to use a synthetic aroma chemical. The parfumier, Paul Parquet, was the first to isolate coumarin from the tonka bean, and thus able to use it in fragrances at greater economy. This is also the first fragrance to be named “fougere”.
We all know that “fougere” is a French word meaning, “fern”, or “fern like”; but what exactly does a fern smell like? Actually, nothing; it has no scent. But the name was used as a “suggestive” name that was meant to give the impression of being in a damp forest where the ground is covered in ferns. Or at least, the “imagined” scent of what a fern might smell like if it indeed had a scent. “Fougere”, in time, defined a new fragrance family.
So what exactly are some characteristics of a fougere fragrance? First and foremost, it’s the use of these three primary ingredients: lavender, oak moss, and coumarin (and fern is actually not an ingredient in a fougere). There are of course, other ingredients used in various fougeres, such as citrus (bergamot often). Some examples of notable fougere fragrances for men include: Chanel Pour Monsieur, Azzaro Pour Homme, YSL Rive Gauche, Brut, Paco Rabbane Pour Homme, Penhaligon’s English Fern, just to name a few. And then there are sub categories of the fougere family such as, “aromatic fougere”, and others.
So what about this Fougere Royale from the House of Houbigant? Well, for starters, it was discontinued long ago, but was re-introduced in 2010 in EdP concentration, and I gotta say that I totally dig this juice! Here is the “official” note description from the Houbigant website:
“Fougère Royale’s nuanced scent composition opens with a vibrant, sparkling cocktail Bergamot, lavender and Mediterranean Herbs.
“A redolent heart follows, where the floral-spicy "Rondeletia" accord is revealed through rich geranium nuances and warm spices. A floral intermezzo showcases rare rose essences and absolutes, spiked by pepper, cinnamon and carnation.
“Finally, a grand finale of earthy, ambery and woody harmonies, where moss notes join a sensual patchouli theme enriched by warm coumarinic undertones of tonka beans and clary sage absolute..
“Head notes: Bergamot, Mediterranean Herbs, Lavender, Chamomile.
“Heart notes: Rondeletia, Geranium, Rose de Mai, Cinnamon, Clavel.
“Base notes: Amber, Oakmoss, Coumarin, Patchouli, Tonka beans, Clary Sage.”
The lavender, to me, is not the dominate note in the opening; it’s more a salvo of citrus and herbs, with the lavender acting as a supporting cast member. After about 15 minutes, the floral notes emerge accompanied by a comforting sweetness. The final dry down is a warm spiciness that is quite cozy. This is definitely a masculine fragrance, IMHO, and not unisex (as many fragrances are). The longevity lasts several hours on me, going on about seven hours now and still counting. The projection is moderate in that it creates a close scent bubble, noticeable, but certainly not a “reach out and grab someone” type of thing. I believe that this would work in any season, but I suspect that it might be a bit much in the dog days of summer. I’ve been sampling this fragrance since last fall, but having just now finally gotten a full bottle, the jury is still out for summer temps - it might work if easy on the trigger. As to age group, I think that this is for the mature personality. Notice that I didn’t give an actual age – a young man who exudes confidence can certainly wear this. And I view this as a more formal leaning fragrance, or for serious professional settings, or for special occasions, rather than casual. Could this be an office fragrance? Depends. If you wear a suit and tie to the office, then yes. If your work space/atmosphere is casual, then perhaps not. But only the wearer can be the judge of that.
All in all, this a fragrance that exudes class and sophistication. In a word, it’s magnificent! I totally dig it! My wife and daughter definitely like me wearing this as well, so that’s validation for me.
One last thought….if one is quite fond of Penhaligon’s English Fern (as I know many cadre members are), and haven’t yet tried this Houbigant Fougere Royale, then try this one for sure. For me, and I’m only giving my personal opinion, this is much, much more enjoyable than the current Pen’s – by a wide, wide margin.
Let me begin by saying that I had an incredible shave this morning! I used some of my best gear, which included the British Aristocrat #16 (w/PermaSharp), the Simpson Chubby 2, Martin de Candre Fougere, and Sampson’s unscented balm.
But the real star of today’s set up was the fragrance - the one that started a genre – this one:
Houbigant Fougere Royale
The world of fragrances is another “rabbit hole” that I’ve ventured down the past several months, and I’m enjoying the learning process. It’s amazing how technical it can be, and I approach the topic much like a puzzle – trying to find out how things go together. It’s also humbling in that I could fill volumes of what I don’t know. Anyway, here are some thoughts about Houbigant Fougere Royale.
This is a landmark fragrance, to say the least! It was first introduced in 1882, and yepper, that wasn’t a typo. I’ll spare everyone the pain of a history lesson, except to say that this was the first fragrance to use a synthetic aroma chemical. The parfumier, Paul Parquet, was the first to isolate coumarin from the tonka bean, and thus able to use it in fragrances at greater economy. This is also the first fragrance to be named “fougere”.
We all know that “fougere” is a French word meaning, “fern”, or “fern like”; but what exactly does a fern smell like? Actually, nothing; it has no scent. But the name was used as a “suggestive” name that was meant to give the impression of being in a damp forest where the ground is covered in ferns. Or at least, the “imagined” scent of what a fern might smell like if it indeed had a scent. “Fougere”, in time, defined a new fragrance family.
So what exactly are some characteristics of a fougere fragrance? First and foremost, it’s the use of these three primary ingredients: lavender, oak moss, and coumarin (and fern is actually not an ingredient in a fougere). There are of course, other ingredients used in various fougeres, such as citrus (bergamot often). Some examples of notable fougere fragrances for men include: Chanel Pour Monsieur, Azzaro Pour Homme, YSL Rive Gauche, Brut, Paco Rabbane Pour Homme, Penhaligon’s English Fern, just to name a few. And then there are sub categories of the fougere family such as, “aromatic fougere”, and others.
So what about this Fougere Royale from the House of Houbigant? Well, for starters, it was discontinued long ago, but was re-introduced in 2010 in EdP concentration, and I gotta say that I totally dig this juice! Here is the “official” note description from the Houbigant website:
“Fougère Royale’s nuanced scent composition opens with a vibrant, sparkling cocktail Bergamot, lavender and Mediterranean Herbs.
“A redolent heart follows, where the floral-spicy "Rondeletia" accord is revealed through rich geranium nuances and warm spices. A floral intermezzo showcases rare rose essences and absolutes, spiked by pepper, cinnamon and carnation.
“Finally, a grand finale of earthy, ambery and woody harmonies, where moss notes join a sensual patchouli theme enriched by warm coumarinic undertones of tonka beans and clary sage absolute..
“Head notes: Bergamot, Mediterranean Herbs, Lavender, Chamomile.
“Heart notes: Rondeletia, Geranium, Rose de Mai, Cinnamon, Clavel.
“Base notes: Amber, Oakmoss, Coumarin, Patchouli, Tonka beans, Clary Sage.”
The lavender, to me, is not the dominate note in the opening; it’s more a salvo of citrus and herbs, with the lavender acting as a supporting cast member. After about 15 minutes, the floral notes emerge accompanied by a comforting sweetness. The final dry down is a warm spiciness that is quite cozy. This is definitely a masculine fragrance, IMHO, and not unisex (as many fragrances are). The longevity lasts several hours on me, going on about seven hours now and still counting. The projection is moderate in that it creates a close scent bubble, noticeable, but certainly not a “reach out and grab someone” type of thing. I believe that this would work in any season, but I suspect that it might be a bit much in the dog days of summer. I’ve been sampling this fragrance since last fall, but having just now finally gotten a full bottle, the jury is still out for summer temps - it might work if easy on the trigger. As to age group, I think that this is for the mature personality. Notice that I didn’t give an actual age – a young man who exudes confidence can certainly wear this. And I view this as a more formal leaning fragrance, or for serious professional settings, or for special occasions, rather than casual. Could this be an office fragrance? Depends. If you wear a suit and tie to the office, then yes. If your work space/atmosphere is casual, then perhaps not. But only the wearer can be the judge of that.
All in all, this a fragrance that exudes class and sophistication. In a word, it’s magnificent! I totally dig it! My wife and daughter definitely like me wearing this as well, so that’s validation for me.
One last thought….if one is quite fond of Penhaligon’s English Fern (as I know many cadre members are), and haven’t yet tried this Houbigant Fougere Royale, then try this one for sure. For me, and I’m only giving my personal opinion, this is much, much more enjoyable than the current Pen’s – by a wide, wide margin.
Excellent shave and review, Chris. It's great take on a true classic. I was so close to pulling the trigger on a bottle as a landmark purchase, but decided to go a different route at the last minute. It is still very high up on the list, and I'll be getting a bottle soon.