Thread: Robeson Shave Guide

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Doesnt bay rum do the same thing as witch hazel and other aftershaves?

Tone skin, tighten pores, etc...?

Ben,

from what I know there's many applications as to using bay-rum. I wouldn't try using it as a mouthwash or rum drink but as a pre-shave, A/S, body splash, bath water, foot massage lotion, antiseptic and skin toner it works wonders. It is more versatile to use as a product compared to witch hazel or a regular A/S. You gotta love the scent, that's all.

Thanks. There is a Sally beauty supply near here that sells masters. Will go snag a bottle after work to try.

Originally Posted by Maximilian

Ben,

from what I know there's many applications as to using bay-rum. I wouldn't try using it as a mouthwash or rum drink but as a pre-shave, A/S, body splash, bath water, foot massage lotion, antiseptic and skin toner it works wonders. It is more versatile to use as a product compared to witch hazel or a regular A/S. You gotta love the scent, that's all.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Doesnt bay rum do the same thing as witch hazel and other aftershaves?

So... Picked up some Masters Bay Rum. Did not realize how clove smelling it was.

After looking at the ingredient list(water,bay oil, alcohol, glycerin), i'm wondering if the secret ingredient is the glycerin.

If so you could probably get away just using rubbing a little glycerin in if you didnt like bay rum?

Going to try the bay rum experiment tonight or tommorrow. then just glycerin the shave after.

Masters was my first bay rum until I got the Ogallala and Dominica.

It's the bay oil.

"Bay rum is a distillation of the leaves of Pimenta racemosa or the West Indian Bay Tree. Traditionally, the leaves have been steeped in rum to pull out their essential oils, although modern bay rum is made by blending distilled oils with a variety of tropical fragrances

The scent of bay rum is very distinctive. It is used in aftershave, cologne, soaps, and moisturizers, and in addition to bay, the product may include things like citrus, lavender, rosemary, juniper, and other fragrances. Most blends have a slightly woody, sweet, earthy scent, which will slowly dissipate throughout the day, especially when the wearer is in warm weather.

This scent originates in the West Indies, where sailors have been using the leaves of the bay tree for centuries. With the establishment of formal colonies in the West Indies, people came up with all sorts of creative ways to use local products, and bay rum was one of them. Thanks to sugar cultivation, rum would have been readily available in the area, making it convenient as a medium for steeping bay leaves and other plant products from the region, such as vanilla, which originated in Mexico.

To make modern bay rum, producers press the leaves and subject them to a steam distillation process to extract the fragrant oils. Once extracted, the pure oils can be blended with carrier oils, water, and other fragrance oils to make bay rum products. Several West Indian companies continue to produce bay rum, relying on formulas which they have been using for decades to create a familiar product. Producers outside the West Indies also make their own bay rum blends, which may use ingredients from outside the tropics for a distinctive scent.


Now go shave!

Splash is not a noun.

I read on another website discussing bay rum and its medicinal uses that the essential oils are "an excellent anti-inflammatory." Perhaps that is part of the reason for Max's splendiforous shaves when he uses it as a pre-shave. It helps reduce or eliminate razor burn.

IDK, but I've tried it twice now and as Max said 'it does the skin good', I'm another convert.

Originally Posted by fccexpert

Splash is not a noun.

Yes it is. I'll use it in a sentence for you:

I tried my splash this morning between lathers, and I couldn't tell a difference.

Well I did this, this morning..

Prep:
Jump out of bed and grab cup of coffee
Lather
Put hot water in scuttle and strop.
Rinse off lather and do the bay rum manuever.
Re-lather, massage in with fingers.
Do the shave locomotion
Cold water rinse
Bay Rum

I did add my Nivea ASB to the end. I have had bad luck with alcohol based toners in teh past drying out my skin....

But no shower or hot towels and was a nice shave. Skipped my normal alum block, in order to try to follow the instructions