The Constants

Gentlemen,

A friend introduced me to English Leather aftershave in the early 1960s. I was young and living in Chicago. If I recall, at the time I was also using the original Clubman and Old Spice.

I especially loved the clean, soapy and leathery fragrance of English Leather. I still do. Since then, I don't think I've ever been without English Leather, except in the Vietnam's jungles. Nor have I been without Pinaud's Clubman, a clean and soapy fragrance that keeps my memories of the old time barbershops alive.

Those two have been constants in my humble shave den since my youth. No so much Old Spice, although I still use it from time to time.

In the later years, Woods of Windsor, and Spanish Leather by Truefitt & Hill, also became constants in the shave den. Woods of Windsor is another clean fragrance, very much a British gentleman's moniker. The aftershave is no longer made, but Woods of Windsor is available as eau de toilette.

Spanish Leather by Truefitt & Hill has an intoxicating fragrance dressed in fruit, bergamot, orange, patchoulli, rose and a few other notes. A little goes a long way, and the fragrance lasts in a subtle measure throughout the day. Love the stuff. (By the way, this Spanish Leather is quite different from the one by Trumper, which I also like.)

And so, these four fragrances have been constant in my shave den for years, and will do so into the next century, when I'll continue to shave seven days a week.

Gentlemen, do you have any constant fragrances in your shave den?

The one scent that never leaves my shave den is Avon "Spicy." Its very much in the same vein as Old Spice but with a little more punch to it. The scent lasts the day and unopened bottles of the vintage stuff are everywhere.

I also used MEM English Leather as a young man. Sadly, I no longer have the original. I do have the Dana version in my den, but it just does not seem to have the same scent I remember from bygone days. I do not know whether the current fragrance is different, my olfactory perception has changed with age, or my scent memory is faulty.

Very few things stand the test of time with me, I always want new and different.
Saying that though, Charles Street by Mark Birley will always be my special fragrance..

I'm always trying different aftershaves, but the only one I always restock is good old Aqua Velva Ice Blue.

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Originally Posted by RayClem

I also used MEM English Leather as a young man. Sadly, I no longer have the original. I do have the Dana version in my den, but it just does not seem to have the same scent I remember from bygone days. I do not know whether the current fragrance is different, my olfactory perception has changed with age, or my scent memory is faulty.

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I know what you mean, Ray. English Leather is not what it used to be. Was the formula changed, or did we change? Who knows. It's still a delight to use.

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

I'm always trying different aftershaves, but the only one I always restock is good old Aqua Velva Ice Blue.

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AV and any Pinaud Clubman, especially Brandy Spice, are always in the rotation.

You have peaked my curiosity about English Leather
Obie, if you could bring a little to Dave's, I'd love to give it a sniff.

Pete <:-}

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Originally Posted by petercp4e

AV and any Pinaud Clubman, especially Brandy Spice, are always in the rotation.

You have peaked my curiosity about English Leather
Obie, if you could bring a little to Dave's, I'd love to give it a sniff.

Pete <:-}

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I will do that, Pete. I think you'll like it. Such a fresh, clean and soapy fragrance. Love it. The aftershave is refreshing summer or winter. Good stuff.

Thanks Obie!

I remember it from years ago but just can't recall the scent.

Pete <:-}

You guys kill me. Now i got to go out and buy English Leather. I think I seen it a Wally World. But the one i will always have is Vanilla and/or Original Clubman.

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Originally Posted by Obie

I know what you mean, Ray. English Leather is not what it used to be. Was the formula changed, or did we change? Who knows. It's still a delight to use.

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In my scent memory, English Leather is supposed to smell like a Cooper (Avirex) A-2 goatskin flight jacket worn by pilots during WWII. The aroma is similar to the aroma you smell when walking into a Wilson Leather store. I do not get that aroma when smelling the Dana version.

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Originally Posted by RayClem

In my scent memory, English Leather is supposed to smell like a Cooper (Avirex) A-2 goatskin flight jacket worn by pilots during WWII. The aroma is similar to the aroma you smell when walking into a Wilson Leather store. I do not get that aroma when smelling the Dana version.

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That's a good point.

One that's been in the cabinet since day one...Skin Bracer.

Its scent always reminds me of my pop's, and grand pop's.

And I never found a woman who didn't like it, either.

Great thread Obie! English Leather is an ole favorite that I have neglected for years. Aqua Velva Ice Blue is a constant for me along with Stetson. Some newer ones that will remain with me are Dempsey II from Avon and Polo by Ralph Lauren.

My grandfather used Old Spice, my father used English Leather. I used
English Leather when I was in high school, but switched to Old Spice in
college. Now I use Ogallala Bay Rum Sage and Cedar almost exclusively,
because that's what my wife really likes.

I like it, too, but...when she's not around...I'm open to trying
something else: menthol-eucalyptus, lime, "lighter" fragrances in
summer.

I've tried some of the recent issues of bay rum, but I prefer the old
standby to the more "complex" new stuff.

I do believe that tastes change, but one's sense of smell also changes
with age. These days, for me, Old Spice seems like a very bold scent;
and English Leather is way too sweet and strong for me.

YMMV

The most "leather scent"AS I have found is Stirling British Leather.
Smells like a tack room and is a pretty good AS

Brut for me, love the stuff, the wife likes it too.

Oh, and I forgot that I always keep Swiss Pitralon Polar on hand (another "blue" AS). Love the stuff!

Gentlemen,

One of my constants has been Pinaud Clubman. Unfortunately it is not one of the dearly beloved's favorites. She says my other aftershaves smell better. That's why I limit my use of the Clubman. Still good stuff, though. That's why I should my list to English Leather, Spanish Leather by Truefitt & Hill, and Woods of Windsor, with Clubman in the backseat.

As a young lad in the 50's I enjoyed watching my grandfather and father shave, but loved the scent of my grandfather's Old Spice and my father's Mennen Skin Bracer, and I used these products almost exclusively for many years. Unfortunately, my wife thinks that I smell like a pine tree when I use Skin Bracer, which I think is a complement although that isn't her intent. I still enjoy these scents, but find them a little overpowering while at work, and tend to reserve them for weekends. I now either use a scentless aftershave so that I can use an EdT of my choice, or an aftershave that matches a classic scented soap or cream, such as Penhalligon's, D.R. Harris, or Truefitt & Hill.

Another aftershave that I am really growing fond of is Fine Platinum.
It's on the lighter side and not overpowering which I like.
It is based on the scent of Creed Aventus only not $350.00 a bottle.

Pete <:-}

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Originally Posted by evnpar

As a young lad in the 50's I enjoyed watching my grandfather and father shave, but loved the scent of my grandfather's Old Spice and my father's Mennen Skin Bracer, and I used these products almost exclusively for many years. Unfortunately, my wife thinks that I smell like a pine tree when I use Skin Bracer, which I think is a complement although that isn't her intent. I still enjoy these scents, but find them a little overpowering while at work, and tend to reserve them for weekends. I now either use a scentless aftershave so that I can use an EdT of my choice, or an aftershave that matches a classic scented soap or cream, such as Penhalligon's, D.R. Harris, or Truefitt & Hill.

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I always liked Pinaud's Lilac Water. My wife and two daughters, however, made me pour out the last of my bottle of it. They said it smelled like public urinals. OY!

Yep
Bon said Floid Black had definite essence of Body Odor.
Vic won it in an auction. Upon arrival an Colorado, it was banned again.

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Originally Posted by Obie

I always liked Pinaud's Lilac Water. My wife and two daughters, however, made me pour out the last of my bottle of it. They said it smelled like public urinals. OY!

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Sounds like "The Veg" (Lilac Vegetal) I tried a sample bottle of that a few years ago; I think whoever said it smells like a cross between cat piss and a urinal cake had it pretty close-definitely a YMMV product. Some guys love it, though.:shrug:

About all I use is a Bay Rum of some sort.

One of my favorite special occasion scents is Lagerfeld , I still have a small bottle of vintage edt, and a bottle of the “classic “. The original is better and has more staying power. And Proraso AS will never leave the den!

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Originally Posted by JoeSomebody

One of my favorite special occasion scents is Lagerfeld , I still have a small bottle of vintage edt, and a bottle of the “classic “. The original is better and has more staying power. And Proraso AS will never leave the den!

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Yeah, I've got a bottle of the classic Proraso AS that I will probably replace too.

Thinking about it more I couldn't do without these 3.

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Also Brut was the first cologne both my young uns smelled when I cuddled them at birth.

Going back to when I started, I have always had Old Spice an AV Ice Blue in the shave den. More recently AV Sort Original and Tabac have joined them.

Bob

Original Old Spice (I don't know how long I've had this bottle), English Leather, and Clubman for Fridays. Also British Sterling for a cologne.

I like the Ogallala in regular and lime and peppercorn. A bottle of Sage and Cedar is on my shopping list.

Gentlemen,

Initially my Constants were English Leather, Clubman and, in the later years, Woods of Windsor and Spanish Leather by Truefitt & Hill. It took me a while after I started this thread to realize I had forgotten one more Constant: Spanish Leather by Geo F Trumper.

The Trumper version of Spanish Leather is quite different from that by Truefitt & Hill. The Trumper versions has notes of musk, patchouli, sandalwood and vanilla, which combine to create a clean and soapy fragrance with a hint of leather. Love the stuff.

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