Thread: Oleo’s Rougere

It all started way back in the day when some vendor threw in a sample of someone’s Rose cream. I opened it, sniffed it and loved it, but thought, WAY to feminine for me. I put it in my cabinet, and there it sat for some time until I went on an urban vacation and needed to pack lightly. I grabbed one of my samples and went.

So there I was in a nice(ish) hotel in KS City Kansas, about to go out for a nice dinner, looking down at my shaving gear realizing I had grabbed the Rose, kind of disappointed. But I had to shave.

The Rose smelt so regal in that marbled out bathroom. The scent had nothing to compete with - it smelled just like my youth when I ran amongst the roses in the rose farms my friends dads owned in Jamaica. I was in nostalgia heaven!

Then my wife came in... it was all over. She loved it too. Moreover, she convinced me it wasn’t a feminine scent. So it stands to reason that at all times, I generally have a rose scented something in my den. Enter the Oleo Rougere.



Now this stuff isn’t only rose scented, it’s got duck fat! Must try!!

Scent notes: Rose, Geranium, Oud, Lavender, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Coumarin, Tonka, Vetiver

Ingredients. Canard Base: Stearic Acid, Water, Kokum Butter, Potassium Hydroxide, Palm Kernel Oil, Duck Fat, Sodium Hydroxide, Castor Oil, Glycerin, Jojoba Oil, Fragrance & Sodium Lactate


This is going to be another of my week long reviews where I use the soap for a week, updating as I go. I’ll tell you upfront, I’m in love with this stuff - but maybe not the whole brand. More to come after today’s shave. Stand by.

I think i’ll pass on a week long review of this product. I already know I love it, and today’s shave just reaffirmed that love.

After lathering up the soap, I still maintain a hayish or grassy scent mixing in with the oud and rose. The lather is without a doubt both cushioning and viscous. I went two passes with an insanely awesome blade brought about by mixing CrOx on my Black. Then just to see, I did a third pass with my DE to ensure my neck got the closest shave too... it was awesome, there was NO sting from my Alum block after the shave. This stuff works! And smells great to boot!

Now, the splash afterwards is always a blast! A blast of cold! The menthol is seriously amped in the splash. A lovely, lovely thing in the summer. A little much today being fall. The balm is just a lovely finish. Both have an awesome rose/oud scent. Spectacular!

The thing is, I thought after using the Rougere, that I’d probably replace my entire soap collection with Oleo products. I love that they have a splash and balm for each soap. I’m a huge fan of layering all 3 on every shave(soap, splash, balm). But that wasn’t the case. I bought another three-some of awesome, but was burned. Literally.

The new soap burned my upper lip pretty badly. I’ll probably never try another Oleo product, but I will replace the Rougere. It’s a fantastic product. This is a great tallow soap.

Ah, my friend,

This is a good review. Thanks for taking the time. With a knee operation that presented some complications, and with possibly another knee operation coming up in couple months or so, I am a wee bit out of sorts. So it's good to see my friends leading the charge on quality shave products.

Oleo still is. Right now I am out of Oleo soaps. Perhaps Rougere should be next on my purchase. I love the rose scent and have tried many soaps and creams with that scent. Of course, some have been more natural than others. I expect nothing but the best from Oleo.

It’s a very interesting take on rose Obie. I’m sure that mixing in oud is what makes it more complex. The splash and balm are still complex, but the rose shines through more in them. Though complex, it’s still a fun scent - masculine, and a great product all round.

Evidently my nose cannot distinguish a rose scent from cherry, so I think I will revisit the Oleo Rougere sample today and see if I cannot give a more accurate scent description. Very complex and difficult to pin down I found.

I don't care for floral scents whatsoever -- rose or lavender to name two -- and yet this Rougere does not in any way turn me off. When David detected a rose/hay scent in our 2018 Mystery Soap thread, I was a bit stunned. It will be interesting to see what my nose "sees" today now knowing the label's complex, aromatic makeup:

Rose, Geranium, Oud, Lavender, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Coumarin, Tonka, Vetiver

Originally Posted by Speedster

Evidently my nose cannot distinguish a rose scent from cherry, so I think I will revisit the Oleo Rougere sample today and see if I cannot give a more accurate scent description. Very complex and difficult to pin down I found.

I don't care for floral scents whatsoever -- rose or lavender to name two -- and yet this Rougere does not in any way turn me off. When David detected a rose/hay scent in our 2018 Mystery Soap thread, I was a bit stunned. It will be interesting to see what my nose "sees" today now knowing the label's complex, aromatic makeup:

Rose, Geranium, Oud, Lavender, Patchouli, Oakmoss, Coumarin, Tonka, Vetiver

I am genuinely interested to hear your take after today's shave Mark. Generally speaking, I haven't known scent to be as subjective as other things, but maybe it is more so than we can imagine. Of course today you will be searching out the rose, so I'd be surprised if it doesn't at least pop out a little.

Again, I look forward to hearing your input.

Originally Posted by Obie

Ah, my friend,

This is a good review. Thanks for taking the time. With a knee operation that presented some complications, and with possibly another knee operation coming up in couple months or so, I am a wee bit out of sorts. So it's good to see my friends leading the charge on quality shave products.

Oleo still is. Right now I am out of Oleo soaps. Perhaps Rougere should be next on my purchase. I love the rose scent and have tried many soaps and creams with that scent. Of course, some have been more natural than others. I expect nothing but the best from Oleo.

Obie

I was able to make Rolodave's meetup this past weekend. I was really looking forward to meeting you as well as the others. I am sorry your knees were acting up.

I passed out about sixty different soap samples during the meet. Had you been there, you could have picked up a couple of the Oleo Soapworks samples as well as others.

I hope you second knee operation goes well. I am looking forward to meeting you at Dave's next year.

Ray

Originally Posted by RayClem

Obie

I was able to make Rolodave's meetup this past weekend. I was really looking forward to meeting you as well as the others. I am sorry your knees were acting up.

I passed out about sixty different soap samples during the meet. Had you been there, you could have picked up a couple of the Oleo Soapworks samples as well as others.

I hope you second knee operation goes well. I am looking forward to meeting you at Dave's next year.

Ray

Ray, my friend, I'm sorry I was unable to come. The knee operation went well, but something caused considerable verve damage to my foot, making walking a wee bit difficult. Also, my other knee is really bad, as well as the sciatic nerve pain in that leg. I can't drive more than a block before the leg explodes in pain. No way I could have made the drive to Dave's chateau without croaking. Anyway, I was so looking forward to meeting everyone. Well, next year.

UPDATE:

Gentlemen, I lied. I said after buying the second Oleo which burned me, that I wouldn’t buy any Oleo product save the Rougere - that was incorrect.

I just ordered the “Bonaire.” Soap, splash, and balm! How couldn’t I? I lived in Curaçao for 5 years. We’d hang in Bonaire (good air). It’s again - nostalgia!!

But beside that, for a guy who grew up in the West Indies, check out the scent description!

Scented with bergamot, lime, mandarin, coconut, copra, jasmine, hibiscus, ylang ylang, ginger, tonkin musk, white rum, sugar cane

OMG!! It’s going to be an olfactory party! I’m telling you, I’m pumped lol! Hibiscus!?! Ylang ylang! Oh man. I can’t wait!

But I’m going to have to. I didn’t pay for expedited shipping. $40 for it all. The soap, the splash and the balm. Good stuff at a good price.

Originally Posted by earcutter

I think i’ll pass on a week long review of this product. I already know I love it, and today’s shave just reaffirmed that love.

After lathering up the soap, I still maintain a hayish or grassy scent mixing in with the oud and rose. The lather is without a doubt both cushioning and viscous. I went two passes with an insanely awesome blade brought about by mixing CrOx on my Black. Then just to see, I did a third pass with my DE to ensure my neck got the closest shave too... it was awesome, there was NO sting from my Alum block after the shave. This stuff works! And smells great to boot!

Now, the splash afterwards is always a blast! A blast of cold! The menthol is seriously amped in the splash. A lovely, lovely thing in the summer. A little much today being fall. The balm is just a lovely finish. Both have an awesome rose/oud scent. Spectacular!

The thing is, I thought after using the Rougere, that I’d probably replace my entire soap collection with Oleo products. I love that they have a splash and balm for each soap. I’m a huge fan of layering all 3 on every shave(soap, splash, balm). But that wasn’t the case. I bought another three-some of awesome, but was burned. Literally.

The new soap burned my upper lip pretty badly. I’ll probably never try another Oleo product, but I will replace the Rougere. It’s a fantastic product. This is a great tallow soap.

Earcutter, that was an interesting post. There were a couple of things I noted.

1. Oleo duck fat does make a soap.
2. You shave two passes with a straight and then do a clean-up pass with a DE. That is exactly the procedure I follow. My chin and jawline have weird grain that makes it hard getting close enough with a SR alone.
3. I have six of the Oleo soaps in my den, but have not tried Rougere. If the rose scent is light, I would probably like it as the fougere (lavender, oakmoss, and tonka bean) and vetiver scents are fine. I tend to be sensitive to strong rose and strong lavender scents.
4. For me, Oleo soaps have a great post shave feel. My only aftershave product is witch hazel. Any product with alcohol or menthol tends to burn my face. In winter, I may use a shave balm.
5. Don't confine yourself to only one soapmaker. I know people that confine their usage to one soap, or a few. For me, there are too many great soap bases and too many great scents to confine myself. I know I have way more than I need, but exploring new soaps and new scents is fun.