Why the importance of scent?

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by Der Koenig, Jan 15, 2018.

  1. brit

    brit in a box

    i agree,fish or motor oil would work well but ......
     
  2. MisterGrain

    MisterGrain New Member

    Midnight Stag by Chiseled Face has a very leathery scent. Not sure I'd call it "new car" though.

    Their Gear Head scent maybe, but I've never smelled it.
     
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  3. SHAVEWIZARD420

    SHAVEWIZARD420 Well-Known Member

    Soap scent adds to the overall enjoyment of the shave. It's the whole reason I started wet shaving, once finding out that shave soap can be made in any scent you can think of, it makes shaving less of a chore and more of a peaceful "zen" experience.
     
  4. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    What will be interesting is using a nicely-scented soap with an unscented aftershave. I expect the soap scent will show through, but I'm open to being corrected here.
     
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  5. DesertTime

    DesertTime Well-Known Member

    My guess is most shavers choose a soap based on performance first. Sterling wouldn't be so popular if it wasn't a stellar performer. The fact that it comes in such a wide variety of scents is a bonus. If you have a terrific soap and you can get it in a scent that pleases you, why not?
     
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  6. MntnMan62

    MntnMan62 Well-Known Member

    Scent is very important to me. Some of my fondest memories as a child are either triggered by or have a scent that goes along with it. When I shave I want to first and foremost have a strong level of performance and a close second have a scent that I really love. Most of my time shaving is building lather, lathering up my face, shaving, relathering my face, shaving, and so on. I like an amazing scent to accompany my relaxing "me" time. I guess scent isn't important to everyone but scent is huge for me. Like when I am in the mountains and wake up on a chilly morning and catch the breeze off the lake, fresh and full of nature's scents, there's nothing like it. But hey, that's me.
     
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  7. brit

    brit in a box

    i havent noticed any soap scents lasting after the last rinse, well maybe the ghost town barber, but then i use the matching splash..i have used just thayers after a shave with no a/s and not noticed any lingering soap scent for the most part..
     
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  8. Trigger

    Trigger Double Jedi Knight

    I disagree. The fragrance of the soap puts you in a better state of mind while shaving. Of course, it depends if you truly like the scent or dissipate it by opening windows.
     
  9. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    Perhaps so. I stand by my statement that scent does not effect performance of the soap at all. A unscented soap will do the job just as good as a scented soap.
     
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  10. MntnMan62

    MntnMan62 Well-Known Member

    Strictly or technically speaking you are correct of course. Scent added to shave soap or cream is not intended to effect how smoothly the razor glides over your face. Scent is for your mind. It can help set a mood. And since the amount of shaving time spent using soap or cream lather represents the largest block of time during these ablutions, it can ultimately have a profound impact on your technique which directly impacts your overall shaving performance. Even soaps that don’t have any scent added still have their own scent, usually of soap unique to the ingredients used in that soap. And let’s not forget that you can either smell a glorious mix of ginger, citrus, white pepper, vetiver, mint, cedar, amber, & musk or you can sniff the odorous remains of your time sitting on the throne that morning. Which would you choose?
     
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  11. Trigger

    Trigger Double Jedi Knight

    Mountainmn62, you got my implications of why scented soap does affect performance. Great minds think alike.
     
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  12. MntnMan62

    MntnMan62 Well-Known Member

    I realize that taste is involved here but this captures the essence of the impact of scent during my shave.

     
  13. KUSTOM

    KUSTOM Well-Known Member

    I've got a pile of "mood changer" soaps that can seriously start my day off on the right foot.
     
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  14. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    One of my soap nominations for the 2019 Stoylin Tony Awards was Naked&Smooth., one of Doc Ezlovan's unscented ones. Would be interesting to compare that one to Williams.
     
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  15. KUSTOM

    KUSTOM Well-Known Member

    You are totally on to something here.
     
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