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What is the "Barbershop" scent?

Spider

Spider

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So, I wanted to continue the discussion that @BarberDave @mrdoug and a few other were having about Barbershop scents in the thread started by @Dragonsbeard



So, what exactly is a Barbershop scent, or what is it supposed to be? To me, it could be one of two things.

A) Barbershop could be a scent that olfactorily conjures up images or, more importantly, memories of walking into a barbershop. It should represent the scents you would experience as you first opened up the door and walked into your barbershop.
or
B) Barbershop could also be defined as the scent representing the products that your barber used back in the day. What Shave Soap, Aftershave, Tonics, Talc, etc. was he using back in the day?

Now, I do believe that the more correct answer is A. If so, you'd expect the scent to be more heavy on the medicinal/clean kind of smell that comes from Barbicide. There'd certainly be the smell of leather from the chairs and strops. Probably a paper/linen note from the stacks of newspapers/magazines in the waiting room. There's going to be a powder note from the talc flying around in the air. Personal preference here, but there may be a tobacco note in there as some gents would have a cigar/pipe in the waiting area. And then you are going to have some notes from the shave soaps/and probably more especially the aftershaves wafting about as well. So, is that what barbershop is supposed to be?

I've tried a few Barbershop scents, and I can honestly say that not a single one has ever sparked a memory or taken be back to the days of going to the barber in my youth. There is only one product that has ever done that for me. Jeris Hair Tonic. Every single time I open the bottle it immediately takes me back. Granted, it's only a small portion of what barbershop probably "should" be comprised of, but it works for me.



Also, since Dave pointed out that there is a difference between American, Italian, and English Barbershop scents, I'm curious how each of them are "defined", and what makes up a scent in each category.
 
I don’t have an answer...just throwing in some thoughts.

I don’t see why it couldn’t be both A and B. Presumably the some of the scents from the barber’s products waiting to be used would also be a part of the A experience.

As the profession has continued and grown, I’d imagine it would be much more difficult to come to a consensus on what constitutes “barbershop” today versus 100 or more years ago, simply due to the increasing variety of products, methods of schools/instructors, influx of non-master barbers, etc. Then there’s the ever present threat of word appropriation and how the meaning of a word can change over time in general and/or in geographical (or niche) circumstances. In example, the 3 different “categories” of barbershop you mention - American, Italian, and English. It’s probably safe to say that American barbershop did not originate here, but in in England, was carried over by immigration, and began to develop separately from its origin, so has noticeably different characteristics.

Much like YMMV in this hobby, it may be correct to say YBEMV (Your Barber Experience May Vary).

Just as extra reference, there’s some scattered thoughts from folks in here too:

Barbershop scents

Since I now have many different barbershop scents, @bentheduck encouraged me to start a discussion thread about them. I am very interested in learning more about this scent category which has numerous different interpretations and hearing about other soaps & splashes that Cadre members like and...
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GearNoir said:
Just as extra reference, there’s some scattered thoughts from folks in here too:
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Yes, I tried to start a similar discussion in that thread, but nobody went for it. That thread was more about the specific products that were barbershop scented. I don't necessarily want to talk about the products here, to debate which ones smell better. I want to get to the root of what exactly the Barbershop scent is, or is supposed to be.

As you mentioned it can, and has, changed over time. Absolutely! Let's talk about what a Barbershop scent was in 1800, 1850, 1900, 1950, and 2000..... how did they differ?
 
1800-1850 -Floral due to limited baths and showers florals wee used in bathing and heavy use if pomades that would cover smell and allow hair to appear clean
1850-1900- As more indoor plumbing was established and better care anticeptics were used , ie steam towels, alcohol towels, blood scents, as remember we were barber surgeons and dentists back them
1900-1930's heavy oils pomades, still very floral but Italian shops were taking off using essential oils from their region citrus eucalyptus, and in Britain the Lavenders became very apparent
1930-1950's Geaser, pomade the advent fo Vitalis, barbacide, talc steam towels fragranced haro products, hair spray and the smells of Barbasol hot lather
1950-1970's more citrusm, the advent of synthetic scents, Brut, Bill blass, Piere Cardin and the use of Clubman by pinaud in Large areas as Pinaud was considered a "Barber Use Aftershave and talc
Late 1970's - late 1990's The death of the Barbershop Quick Cuts and Salons took over so the "Barbershop smells became perm, hairspray etc in America British and Italian stayed true
Late 1990's to present A resurgence of nostalgia, Clubman, Bay Rhum, Lilac Vegetal Powder, alcohol, barbacide. The days of leather and wax are gone as most barberchairs, except for few are Vinyl
 
I'm not a big believer in calling use of a term that used loosely right or wrong. Barbershop is just being used so many ways, and I'd agree with @GearNoir it's generally used to mean anything in category A or B. Either evoking a barbershop experience or a shaving experience in general and maybe even more broadly that that.

There are a number of fougeres out there for example that are called 'barbershop' scents, though I've never smelt one in a barbershop that I can recall, it's just the association with the loud aftershaves that were popular in the 70's and 80's.

Maybe a catch all definition would be scents with some sort of nostalgia associated with shaving or going to the barber worldwide.
 
For me Barbasol and tobacco is what reminds me of a barbershop. The shop I go to now smells more like barbicide, leather, alcohol, and powder. I wonder if in the US, your barbershop scent depends on where you grew up. With the US being a blend of cultures, could it be possible that within the US there are multiple barbershop scents (excluding salons and quick cuts type places).
 
HMan said:
m not a big believer in calling use of a term that used loosely right or wrong. Barbershop is just being used so many ways
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That’s exactly why I started this discussion. An attempt at nailing down a definition. Not that it’s probably truly possible, but the discussion should prove useful and may get us close.
HMan said:
I'd agree with @GearNoir it's generally used to mean anything in category A or B.
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Oh, I agree, that it’s currently being used in both categories, depending on which ones you get. But which is correct? Or better yet, what is the proper definition of a barbershop scent?
 
Spider said:
That’s exactly why I started this discussion. An attempt at nailing down a definition. Not that it’s probably truly possible, but the discussion should prove useful and may get us close.

Oh, I agree, that it’s currently being used in both categories, depending on which ones you get. But which is correct? Or better yet, what is the proper definition of a barbershop scent?
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Well I think that's both Chris' and my point, they are BOTH correct. It's a very broad category, and you kind of need to add more to it to qualify what you mean in practice.

For example, Floid Vigaroso is a great barbershop scent in the Spanish tradition.

Or Brut by Fabrege an old school barbershop powerhouse of a scent. A fougere that takes no prisoners.

Noble Otter Barrbarr - Citrus, herbs, and woods combined to smell like a can of vintage Gillette shaving foam.

People are using the term really loosely and it's tilting with windmills to try and change that IMO.
 
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I love this discussion and I'm glad KJ decided to continue it in it's own thread. A lot of good points and thoughts in this thread already. I'm going to go a little off the beaten path here and say I see both the use of Aromatherapy and Aromacology. in a lot of the words used in the posts. What's the difference? The short version is Aromatherapy tells or almost dictates to what your going to feel if you smell an aroma. For example if you take a whiff of Peppermint essential oil you will feel energized, enlivened, invigorated, refreshed awakened etc etc. Whereas with Aromachology if you smell Peppermint oil it may bring back memories of candy canes hanging from your Christmas tree and the way they smelled or tasted or maybe the smell that hit you in the face when you opened a Peppermint patty etc. It's more about the emotions or memories you'll have when smelling something. In my example it was Peppermint Oil but it could be anything. I was at the NYC Suppliers day years ago in the 80's when Aromacology was first brought to the show by the Sense of Smell institute and and the Fragrance Foundation along with IFF which is the biggest supplier of fragrances to many of the brands we all recognize on the Retail market and there was a huge debate that actually got ugly on stage about the differences between the two. Well know it's been years and there are still those that stay in one or the other camps and still defend their choice. I for one believe in both philosophies and an I practice and use both in coming up with or should I say developing aromas.

So getting back to the whole Barbershop definition I think that it's a little of both but also a very individual thing. So yes there are some common things that one may smell when entering a barbershop such as Barbasol, Leather, powder etc. the scents of the aftershaves would be maybe different depending on what barbershop your going to and as far as in America in what state, city, town or neighborhood. Go to a high end barbershop in NYC and there's a really good chance you'll smell modern products like Holy Black, Penhaligons, Floris, Burning Barbershop as a few examples wheres in a small town in middle America you may smell more traditional scents like Clubmen, Pinaud etc. I do have memories of the barbershops and the way they smelled and the products they used on me from when I was a young boy and all the way up until I started in the beauty salon business as a hair stylist and things changed for me as I never went back to a Barbershop with the exception of a now and then visit to some of my friends who owned one or when going into one that carried my hair product line which came in the late 90's so the scents I experienced when going into Barbershop's have varied from shop to shop and decade to decade up to now. So I have a perception of what a Barbershop scent is to me and it's more about the products used rather than the overall scent I get when walking into one. So when I think of a Italian Barbershop scent I think of ADP type scents or should I say Colonia type scents and there are a lot of them in Italy and brands that most people in the US are probably not familiar with and of course there's Proraso which is used in many many Barbershops and homes in Italy. I have family in Sicily, South of Naples in Calabria , In Rome and in Abruzzi and trust me Proraso is a staple there. When I think of English barbershops in London I think of habadshery type looking shops with Mahogany wood, Deeper darker lighting and as far as scents I think aromas like Lavender, leather, Woods, more darker scents or what some would call more sophisticated aromas but I'm sure there are also small town barbershops that use a lot of the same products we use here in the US and again some we may never have heard of over here. So I could make a Proraso inspired type scent for example and put it in the Italia Collection which is definitely one I'll be offering in the near future or I could put it in the Barbershop Collection representing the Italian Barbershop. Either way to me works in my opinion. I'm in this hobby and business to have fun and enjoy it and the people I've meet and just maybe to leave my little mark on the hobby with my products. I'm sure there will be those that like what I'm doing and those that don't. I have to follow my vision and path forward and can only hope folks like what I'm doing.

So just my 2 cents on the subject. I thought I'd put my thoughts in here rather in my thread as the discussion came up there and has moved here. Im enjoying the thread already and I can't wait to read more posts on the subject.

Great shaves all.
 
What I really love about this discussion is that it's super clear that everyone has a slightly different interpretation of what a barbershop scent profile is / should be. Which obviously explains the wide variation of products labeled as such, as well as how they will generally have widely variable reviews, with some loving and others hating!

Personally the powdery scent of talc is what reminds me of my father taking me to his barber shop growing up. That, along with Old Spice and the Barbasol-esque scent that the hot lather machine soap smelled like for the neckline.
 
The barbershop I grew up going to was a Clubman shop, so that's what I identify as a barbershop scent. I might recognize barbicide, since they used it.

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I like this topic

But we will never get a clear definition.

As mentioned. Style changes over the years as well as different regions of America. That give us a lot of diversity in everything.

My first recollection was in the late 70's. So I think of Pinaud Clubman aftershave as the true barbershop Aftershave.

But if we are talking about what a barbershop smelled like inside. Then there's more to it.

So I'm intrigued reading a scent profile of Artisans take and how they try to capture that experience in a barbershop aftershave.

So besides the times I could smell the Clubman aftershave when being applied or on the guy after he just got out of the chair. I'll start with what I recall coming in the door the first things I noticed where the scent of the barbacide and lather from the hot lather machine as well as powder. I always liked that scent. While sitting and waiting like everyone else. I'd catch the scent of the newspaper the guy next to me us reading, maybe a coffee stained magazine, the vinyl from the waiting chair. Once or twice I recall a guy smoking a cigarette while we waited.

When it was your turn for the barber chair. You would smell the leather and get boosted up. Seemed like you could smell those scents I fist mentioned walking through the door. But detect them more individually as to where he had them. As well as a hair gel or clean soapy shampoo kind of scent. Maybe even a light pine cleaner scent coming from the sink by him. I assume that's what the sink was cleaned with or maybe the mop water went down the night before.

So pretty close to what BarberDave describes from that era. I moved away from that small town and to a bigger city in the mid 80's and just as BarberDave said they all smelled of over applied hair spray that made me want to gag and a lightly burnt perm smell that gave me a headache.

Never have found a barbershop that came close to all the memorable scents going on like that place had. Dad even said he missed that place too, after we moved.
 
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