Highly YMMV comment: I'm starting to think I'm doing something wrong - but to me the A/S scent is not really a big consideration - it seems like all aftershaves I've tried only really last for anything between 5 and 20 minutes then they are gone. If you use a cologne the A/S scent is almost immediately [to me] masked by the more powerful cologne. Then again I may just not have a very refined nose - but I spend more time and money picking a good cologne and base my A/S purchase on how it makes my face feel. Interesting discussion on the topic over at basenotes.com here
A little bit of cross-posting here, but thought I'd share my experience from my SOTD: ecided to try something different since my wife has said she has disliked the traditional scents I've tried this far (namely, Clubman Pinaud, Master Bay Rum, and Aqua Velva Ice Blue). So I did some sniffing (literally) around the cabinet with colognes and perfumes in our master bathroom, and found a scent I liked. And taking a cue from this thread, I chose the White Citrus Eau du Cologne from Bath and Body Works. I took about 1 oz. of the unscented Clear Head by Head Blade after shave treatment and added about 7-8 spritzes of the White Citrus EdC, mixed it all together, checked it to make sure I approved, and splashed it on. Turns out it seems to be a hit with my wife! So... Lesson learned: maybe some scents are *not* gender-specific after all! Thanks to Queen of Blades et al for the inspiration!
Glad to hear you are branching out into other scent territories and I appreciate your comments on the "gender" of scents. I would just like to point out that a lot of what we consider "masculine" and "feminine" fragrances are very cultural too. In the USA masculine for a long time meant heavy musk, woody, or spicy scents and flowery or sweet scents were thought to be more for the ladies. But in some European countries like France and Italy: Rose, Lavender and Almond notes are commonly considered masculine. It's an interesting meditation on what is masculine really?
For the most part, I agree. Also, I don't put on an AS splash if I know I'm going to put cologne on too. I'll either go commando or put on a balm. There are some AS splashes that don't die down once they dry down. (See what I did there?) Aqua Velva Musk, Clubman Reserve, Lilac Vegetal, Stetson Cool Moisture are all ones off the top of my head that stick around like a fat kid at the samples table.
I've heard tales of people finding it at the Bed Bath & Beyonds that have bath products and toiletry items (not all do, kind of only their 'superstores'). I've never seen it though.
Not everyone can pull it off, but patchouli can be quite nice as well so long as it works with your particular body chemistry. But it's another one (scent) that's often over-done and also suffers from a generally pejorative image in America...
The pejorative factor is one reason I'll never buy Old Spice (classic anyway). And not only does it have a "your grandfather used it" stigma, but I had a 10th grade Poli Sci teacher who wore it daily, and even one sniff of the stuff now reminds me of smelling it every day while listening to him ramble about the vagaries of the two-party system. Funny how for some things (in my case, Old Spice), "your grandfather used this" conjures a negative image of being passé or obsolete,... while in other cases (shaving gear, a leather-bound journal, the old wooden snowshoes my grandfather had on his wall in his basement), "your grandfather used this" makes it that much cooler and desirable.
You sound very much like a guy who would state,"…ya know, someday I'm gonna have to try some of that amateurly-prepared fugu sashimi so I can find out what all the fuss is about…."
I love Speick, but I don't pick up a lavender scent from it. I like WSP Lavender soap and Purple Grapefruit from Catie's Bubbles.
