Thread: Clubman Friday

The Special Reserve kept calling....

Originally Posted by ZipZop

Aloha!

I ordered a new Horsehair Brush (Vie-Long from Spain) that came yesterday along with a new bottle of LIlac Veg. I ordered the Veg prematurely (I still had plenty) so I could experiment with that Barber trick I posted earlier of mixing a tablespoon of Wintergreen Alcohol with some water to dilute the Veg and tame it down.

FIRST, I like the Lilac Veg as it is. The key IMO is do not try to smell it out of the bottle as it' is a bit pungent to some from a bottle-sniff. Also, give it a while to sit on the skin before you make a final decision. Most approve after it's applied. But just the same, I experimented;

Attachment 267317

The new Horsehair brush (my first Horsehair - probably won't be my last) along with the new bottle of Veg and to the far left, the Wintergreen alcohol. This is already cut from 70 percent down to 35 percent by adding distilled water in the decanter to use as a quick aftershave. Since it's already cut by 50 percent, I put in a tablespoon for about 1/4 bottle of the Veg, and then put in about the same amount of distilled water.

It does indeed take a bit of the bite out of the fragrance. You still smell it, but it's not as hard-hitting, yet it seems to last just as long. This may be a solution for those that for some reason don't like the Veg. And, it will double the amount of your aftershave. Again, I like the Veg it as is. But being of inquisitive mind, I just had to experiment with this so-called "Barber-Trick" that I read about.

-Zip

Just an update.

I put regular Lilac Veg on one arm this morning, and on the other arm I put on the diluted Veg with Wintergreen alcohol. Both sides lasted all day, and as typical, I can still smell both of them (slightly) even after my evening shower. So the dilution does not effect the staying power. But honestly, to my nose, I prefer the Veg mixed with the Wintergreen Alcohol cut with Water better. It is much less "Pungent" for lack of a better word.

I tried just diluting the Veg with water. It's not the same. You need that Tablespoon of Wintergreen Alcohol to change the chemical makeup of the odor. I'm not a cosmotologist, but somehow that Wintergreen Alcohol changes the chemical makeup in a way that tones it down and mellows it out, without effecting the staying power, and the extra water also helps tone it down.

So you get TWICE the amount and a more mellow scent. This is one barber trick that I have to say actually works.

Again, I diluted the Veg with an equal part of distilled water, and added 1 tablespoon of 35 percent wintergreen alcohol to about half a bottle of Veg, so I'd use 2 tablespoons for a whole bottle. YMMV, but for me, I think this is a really neat trick. If you have 70 percent wintergreen alcohol, you may want to start with 1 and 1/2 teaspoon for half a bottle and see how that works for you. You can always add more wintergreen alcohol if you think you need it.

-Zip

Maybe not for a single user but if you were a barber using it multiple times a day I can see where the savings could add up.

Originally Posted by 32t

Maybe not for a single user but if you were a barber using it multiple times a day I can see where the savings could add up.

Aloha!

True, but that's not the point of the barber trick. The point is to mellow-out and tone-down the Lilac Veg. Some do not like the pungent fragrance, especially out of the bottle. this trick really changes the chemical make-up and mellows the fragrance out. And again, it's not just because of cutting it with water. The Wintergreen Alcohol is a critical component. I've tested that completely. No Wintergreen Alcohol and you just end up with more Lilac Veg at a "slightly" lower fragrance volume. With the alcohol, it's a much tamer animal with a different tone. Having "More" because of this trick is an ancillary benefit, not a goal. But if you are a barber using it, heck yes, the fact that it doubles the volume is nice. But you can do that by simply cutting it with 50 percent distilled water and not worrying about changing the tone of the fragrance. Again, the "trick" is in the Wintergreen Alcohol combined with the distilled water.

-Zip

Speaking of Lilac Vegetal, I just picked up this vintage bottle in an antiques shop. Time to fill it up again[emoji41]

Nice grab, make sure you clean it good first

Originally Posted by Mrchick

Speaking of Lilac Vegetal, I just picked up this vintage bottle in an antiques shop. Time to fill it up again[emoji41]

Brilliant score Mrchick ...how is the rear label ?...give it a good clean and it will be a beautiful addition to your aftershave armoury !!

Originally Posted by bongo

Brilliant score Mrchick ...how is the rear label ?...give it a good clean and it will be a beautiful addition to your aftershave armoury !!

Thank you! The back label is 3/4 missing. I'm struggling with getting this bottle clean as it has a very small shaker opening.

I finally got my package containing the Veg, I'm about to open it and give it a go. If I don't report back please alert the authorities.

Originally Posted by ReardenSteel

I finally got my package containing the Veg, I'm about to open it and give it a go. If I don't report back please alert the authorities.

I will tell them to go Nowhere in particular!