Captain's Choice Bay Rum (impressions/review)

Alright, I haven't posted much since I have been absorbing as much information as possible in my straight razor journey.

However, it is one of my hobbies to critique and review the nicer things in life, and as such I would like to give my impressions and review of Captain's Choice Bay Rum. An aftershave made by an independent maker out of fine ingredients. It is available on the maker's website

Home Page

Ok, on to the goods!

I will start out with a list of ingredients in this particular formula. According to the maker's website, the formula took much time and experimentation with different ingredients and different quality of ingredients. And suffice to say that according to this reviewer, it is an excellent blend.

The ingredients are as follows from the label.

"Alcohol, Witch Hazel, Essential Oils and Extracts, Glycerin"

To the average user the ingredients list is not as important as how the product itself performs. However I am a believer in the principle of "You are what you eat" and the same goes for a product. This list contains the essentials to a good aftershave, and even includes one that some aftershaves I have used neglect (more on that later). The ingredients according to the maker are of a high quality, however this reviewer feels as though some list of the different types of oils and extracts used would be more satisfying, however considering the amount of time the maker has devoted to his product it is understanding that he might wish to keep his exact list secret.

First Impressions/Frangrance/Feel

When you open the box, you are first met with a very attractive container for the aftershave. Instead of a plastic container or a dark colored material the aftershave is displayed with great pomp in a glass container and an attractive label as seen below.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7253/7...308b460c_c.jpg

The aftershave itself even appears as it's Rum namesake to a certain degree.

I found some disappointment with the mouth of the glass container, mostly for the fact that it is so large that it is easy to pour out far too much of the aftershave than desired. However with some care you can get out only what you need.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8004/7...357e8628_c.jpg

When you open the jar you are greeted with a sweet tinge of cinnamon, followed strongly by the pungent fragrance of Bay leaf. However nicely and surprisingly there is not a clovish overtone to the scent. It is complex and warm while simultaneously invigorating. After it is applied to the skin, the Bay leaf scent becomes more intertwined with the cinnamon overtones and becomes more inviting as it dries upon the skin. The nicest aspect about this Bay Rum is the fact that it does not come across as being "Old Mannish" in it's scent and presentation.

The amount of time that the fragrance remains strong leaves a little to be desired. I find that when I apply it, it lasts for a little over 4 hours before it is not noticable by myself.

The most noticable factor when the aftershave is on the skin is the fact that one of the ingredients "Glycerin" I think (not an expert) adds a smooth feeling to the skin that makes the skin feel "full" and not drying out from the alcohol. This is perhaps the most welcoming aspect of this aftershave for the wearer. In my opinion this one ingredient makes this aftershave stand out slightly more than the others I have used.

I have used this aftershave for almost a month, and I will continue to use it since I have a soft spot for Bay Rum and it's warm and welcoming scent.

Hope you all enjoyed reading!

It must be a factor of Bay Rum, as none of the Bay Rum AS and Cologne's really last very long.

Very nice critique!! Thanks.

M

This is a great product as you mention, pretty much natural without any chemicals. I ordered a bottle of it from Geo and was excited to get an alcohol based aftershave. Unfortunately, I couldn't take the smell. To me, it smelled too "clovey". I called the owner of the company, a super nice guy BTW, and he said they put NO cloves in it but I just couldn't take it. It had that hippy smell. Well,... it made a nice gift for an employee's husband.

Fair enough, to my nose it doesn't have the "clovish" smell. Alot of people in my experience mistake the smell of cloves for the smell of bay leaves. But to each their own :)

If you love Bay Rum this is a thread you might want to peruse

http://straightrazorpalace.com/presh...ade-atc-3.html


I also found this to lean more toward the "Old West" clove/cinnamon scent then the lighter "Island Scent" but also this is a relative thing to each person's nose I honestly don't put much faith in my nose :rofl2: I trust the wife's way more.

BTW for all us canucks, this aftershave is now available in Canada through Fendrihan.com. Got my order in today.

I've only ever had one Bay Rum; Dominica, and only one bottle at that; for the last year or so. I like it, but am looking for something which lists more than just fragrance and alcohol as ingredients. I do like Dominica's scent and bottle, though. This one looks interesting. I've ordered some Pashana Bay Rum hair tonic. I intend to use it on my face as much as my hair (I think).