GearNoir
“The Disney Princess’s Apprentice”
Welcome to the Frankenshave Lab!
When it comes to the ultimate finish to our [insert preferred term abbreviation here]BBS shave, we brook no slouches, suffer no fools, spare no expense!
A good aftershave puts a proper cap to our post shave regimen like nothing else!
Sometimes we just can’t find that right match though. The sensory image we want to project for the day just can’t be found on a store shelf (internet or otherwise). That’s the time we must look to the creativity of ourselves, our traditional shaving brethren, and most especially our aftershave enthusiasts who are our mad scientist aftershave mixers in disguise.
This thread is dedicated to the homemade aftershave concoctions of the traditional shaving community. If you have a favored, tried and true aftershave mix, and want to share the wealth, by all means, submit it to the list! This post will be updated with submitted aftershaves periodically.
Currently preferred submissions will look like this:
Name: Name of AS mix. To the best of your ability, if a mix is not your own creation or is an established mix, please try to find and use the original name!
Primary Scent Category: This is currently how the mixes will be ordered, to simplify searches. Scents can be quite subjective, but hopefully this identification will give the main thrust of the overall scent. The Primary Scent Category will be one of the 4 basic divisions of Michael Edwards’ Fragrance Wheel (Floral, Oriental, Woody, Fresh).
Scent Notes: This is where you can let loose your inner AS scent nerd and give a more detailed description of what the heck we’re getting into beyond the most basic Primary Scent Category. As the list grows, mixes may eventually find themselves also sub categorized under Secondary Scent Profiles (see the scent ring of Michael Edwards’ Fragrance Wheel), so you may want to plan ahead and attempt to identify this in this section.
Mix Notes: This is where you detail the combination of ingredients used in the creation of your mix. Please include any specific processes and percentages that are necessary or helpful in creating the mix!
Let the mixing begin!
Michael Edwards Fragrance Wheel Reference:
Frankenshave Lab Submissions (last updated 10/11/18):
Floral Mixes:
Tabacaveg:
Tabac
Pinaud Lilac Vegital
All equal parts.
Oriental Mixes:
Bootlegger’s Bay Rum:
This is the original folks, accept no substitute. Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum, while long lasting, has a very strong burn, and is very clovey and spicy. The Master has real bay oil and a nice scent (although too sweet for some), but has so much glycerin that it can feel tacky or sticky, by itself. Superior 70 is wonderfully cheap, has real Puerto Rican bay oil, and a very high alcohol content (70%), making it more a medicinal rub than an aftershave. But all 3 bay rums mix together for a synergistic bay rum utopia! The alcohol in the Superior 70 cuts down the glycerin in Master, making the glycerin level just right, while it's Puerto Rican bay oil gives it an authentic bay rum scent. The Master’s glycerin nourishes the face and calms down the high alcohol levels in Superior 70 and spice of Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum, making the amount of burn just right. And lastly, the Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum gives the mix its perfect color and longevity of scent, unlike the fleeting scents of some of the higher dollar bay rums. It is the perfect bay rum for the holidays!
Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum
Master Bay Rum
Superior 70 Bay Rum
All equal parts. The longer it ages, the better!
Bootlegger’s El Dorado:
Pinaud Special Reserve is loved by many, just the way it is. However, there are some who just can't warm up to it, even though the idea of a smoky, leather type aftershave appeals to them. For some folks the cheaply made scent of Pinaud Special Reserve is just missing something. The dry down seems old and dusty. Some people call it an 'Old Lady' scent.
Bootlegger’s El Dorado maintains the leathery and smoky notes and what makes Special Reserve... 'Special'. While softening its edges and rounding out the dry down into something a bit more refined, with an added touch of class and a hint of sophistication. If you wanted to like Pinaud Special Reserve, but just couldn’t, then Bootlegger’s El Dorado could be the aftershave for you.
Pinaud Special Reserve
Pinaud Classic Vanilla
English Leather
Two parts each Special Reserve and Vanilla. One part Leather.
Bootlegger’s Lime Bay Rum:
All the benefits of the original Bootlegger’s Bay Rum with the added scent of Lime! Lots of different lime scents were sampled and tested before settling on Pinaud Citrus Musk for this recipe. It blends perfectly with Bootlegger’s Bay Rum, like it was made for Bootlegger’s. The perfect summertime bay rum!
Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum
Master Bay Rum
Superior 70 Bay Rum
Pinaud Citrus Musk
All equal parts.
Bootlegger’s Perfecto Maduro:
Originally, there was only going to be one Bootlegger’s Perfecto recipe. Two recipes were created and samples were sent out to some B&B members for review. The masses spoke and the reviews were split down the middle, so now there are two! Bootlegger’s Perfecto Maduro gets a slight leathery and smoky scent from the addition of Pinaud Special Reserve, making it a darker and richer bay rum, well suited for colder months.
Master Bay Rum
Superior 70 Bay Rum
Vito’s Colonia Tobacco
Pinaud Special Reserve
Equal parts Master, Superior, and Vito’s. Half part Pinaud.
Bootlegger’s Perfecto Virginia:
Many bay rum lovers want a summertime bay rum, without the heavy, cloying scent of clove & spice. Bootlegger’s Perfecto is a light & breezy bay rum, with a light masculine scent of Virginian leaf tobacco, (hence the name "Perfecto") blended with a bright summer scent of orange citrus. Smells like Cuba!
Master Bay Rum
Superior 70 Bay Rum
Vito’s Colonia Tobacco
All equal parts.
Chilly Old Man:
Pinaud Clubman - 12 Pts
Lucky Tiger - 4 Pts
Old Spice - 1 Pt
Dissolve menthol crystals to liking.
Happy Hour:
Pinaud Whiskey Woods
Pinaud Brandy Spice
Pinaud Gentleman’s Gin
All equal parts.
Lucky Old Man:
Pinaud Clubman - 12 Pts
Lucky Tiger - 4 Pts
Old Spice - 1 Pt
Fireman:
Good face feel, smells like you took a Clubman out of the club and put him around a campfire!
4 parts Clubman
1 part Stirling Texas on Fire WH
Orange Spice:
Old Spice - 2 Pts
Florida Water - 1 Pt
Rich’s Dog From Every Town:
Bay Rum mixed from all available sources.
VEZmerize Oriental Spice:
Skin Bracer
Brut
Master Jade
All equal parts.
Woody Mixes:
Fresh Mixes:
Black Box Brut Fresh:
Brut Splash on frag
Generic witch hazel (moderately cut in)
Wintergreen Isopropyl (cut in to taste)
Blue Steele:
Aqua Velva
Florida Water
Bootlegger’s Arctic Lime Blast:
If you are looking for a great lime scented aftershave with the added cooling of the arctic, then this is the blend for you. Pinaud Lime Sec is a sweet lime scent, very sweet (candy-like). Too sweet on its own, for many. Osage Rub tames the sweetness of Pinaud Lime Sec, and in return the great lime scent eliminates the medicinal scent of Osage Rub. Another great cooling summertime scent!
Osage Rub
Pinaud Lime Sec
All equal parts.
Bootlegger's Green Freeze:
Osage Rub is great. It’s a cold blast that feels great on your face, especially in the summer. But unfortunately it smells very medicinal (like Vicks VapoRub) from the menthol and eucalyptus, and it has no lasting scent after the dry down. Skin Bracer has a great scent with notes of vanilla, musk, powder, and lavender (but mostly vanilla). It contains menthol, but doesn’t offer the same punch as Osage Rub. Mixing the two makes the perfect combo! The vanilla from the Skin Bracer is a perfect summer time scent and perfectly masks the medicinal scent of Osage Rub. They both have menthol, but the extra menthol and eucalyptus from Osage Rub, gives the mix an extra cooling boost, taking Skin Bracer to the next, next level! This is a favorite of many AS mixing enthusiasts.
Osage Rub
Mennen Skin Bracer
All equal parts.
Rich’s Mongoose:
Mostly Everclear
Some Glycerine
Then start putting in Menthol crystals till no more will dissolve. Leave a little headroom for more Everclear because sometimes Menthol will precipitate if you exceed a saturated solution.
VEZmerize Blue Floyd:
4711 - 60%
Aqua Velva - 40%
