Scents: why bother?

I currently use Proraso Green, Haslinger Sandalwood, ToOBS Eton, and Ogalla BRw/Burnt Orange.

I love all the scents, but after I rinse with cold water, splash with witchhazel, apply a bit of unscented moisturizer/balm, and a light dusting of Pinaud Talc under the arms, I can't smell the soap or cream.

Not that I like heavy scents, because IMHO there's nothing worse than a guy that slathers on Grey Flannel, Axe, or some other olfactory obscenity :td. You know the type, you can smell him before you can see him. Uggh. You feel like shaking them, screaming "Advertisers are selling you a myth! Girls like CLEAN, not overpowering!"

But I digress....

Since smell of soaps/creams seems to dissipate fairly quickly, if not immediately, wouldn't it make more sense to pick a soap or cream based solely on the your satisfaction of the lathering qualities and post-shave feeling of the skin? Even if it's unscented?

I guess if I wanted a post-shave scent, but don't want to use an after-shave, balm, or (gasp) cologne, I could always add a drop of the scent I enjoy to my moisturizer.

What do you think?

It's all about enjoyment for me if I use a soap partly because of the scent.

You figure a shave takes 10 to 15 mins so I get to enjoy the scent the whole time.

Also there are some scents that just seem to cling to me. I actually noticed it the other day. I shower after I shave so I really drown out any scent from my shave soaps but just the other day I used the real shave company cream and I kept getting whiffs all day.

Now I would not choose scent over performance but have two soaps the work as good and one with a more pleasing scent I'll take the scent

Means nothing to me,but I am old:(

I've often thought the same thing with some scents but I've found if the soap has a powerful scent that has a bit of staying power you can layer with the aftershave making the soap's scent an undertone of sorts making the scent more complex. I try to keep my scents sophisticated and subtle if I can. Some soaps I've found smell so strong that the scent really won't leave you. I love Mama Bear's frankincense and myrrh soaps because of their serious business staying power. Finding frankincense and myrrh aftershave is a real pain but said soap is so strong that I barely need a matching aftershave.

On the flipside there are those that are truly horrible scents that you can't stand to use because they offend you so much right? Well, for me anyway. Tabac was one of those. But yes, sometimes the scent lingers most of the day. Proraso red and blue are like that for me. And in some cases, you can have your cake and eat it too. DR Harris Marlborough is like that. I love the scent and love the lather.

I mainly in it for the lather, but I won't turn my nose up at something that smells good too.

I see your point and more or less agree. I don't care for the scent of Cella or Vitos Red but use them anyway no big deal. I do like the scent of Tabac and Arko. None of these last long after the shave. Never had a soap so awfully smelling it was not useable or interfered with my aftershave scent.

Bob

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Originally Posted by Chuck

What do you think?

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To me the scent adds to the whole experience. If I really like the scent, and want to carry it on on to the public past the shave, I may get the matching aftershave and/or cologne/EDT. But sometimes it entertains my olfactory to shave with one scent and wear a completely different one. But, your post now makes me want to try unscented to see if my nose would miss it.

I'm not big on aftershaves or cologne so I enjoy a nicely scented soap. The soaps do have to perform though, I won't use a soap that just smells good. My favorite soap these days is C&S Oxford and Cambridge, really like the scent and get wiffs of it through most of the day. You can get both performance and scent.

I like the scent of the soap or cream as I'm using them. I also find that some have great staying power (such as Proraso or O Melhor) so at times I don't use an AS over the top and find I can still smell the scent of the soap or cream at lunch time.

I get your point, though, that the cushion and glide properties of a soap or cream should possibly be more important to the user than the scent; esp if the cushion and glide aren't that great; even if the scent is.

I think that a really great scent makes cutting yourself a more enjoyable experience.

IMO performance comes first, scent comes second. I'm lucky in that my favourite performers also happen to have a very pleasant scent :D.

I agree with your point and actually just use VDH soap for that reason. It works and doesn't have much smell but the smell that it does have is fine.

Aftershaves are the same way for me. I have most/all of the scents in the Pinaud line of aftershaves.

It's fun to splash a different one on everyday but unless I rub my hand over my face and smell it the smell isn't very obvious by the time the shave is over...so why do it? :)

For me the answer is that it's just part of the shaving routine for me. It smells good as I put it on.

It's inexpensive so there's little reason not to do it and like you I don't like cologne or strong scents in general.

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

IMO performance comes first, scent comes second. I'm lucky in that my favourite performers also happen to have a very pleasant scent :D.

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Same here but I really enjoy the scent WHILE I'm shaving. I don't expect it to last afterwards. As you say, that's what aftershaves are for :)

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

IMO performance comes first, scent comes second. I'm lucky in that my favourite performers also happen to have a very pleasant scent :D.

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Yes,,, I agree.

I recently got some Jack Black, love the scent , but it does not perform like my AOS cream.

Disclaimer:
.....my cream scent does not have to last more than 10 minutes, because the Clubman Pinaud is warming up on the sidelines,,,remember women love Pinaud. :nj :rofl2:

idk but i just wipe off the excess lather with a wet towel and i can smell my shave soap for hours after im done shaving !! not all day but at least 2-3 hours plus and if i shave late at night i enjoy the scent or pick up hints of it while laying in bed ... i use mostly Proraso sandalwood but even the SRD vanilla bourbon lasted a while on me .. i do know that any of the Williams or TOBS scents havent made it much longer then the shave itself ...

ive been told i have abnormal sense of hearing and smell so maybe that makes a bit of difference ?? but i do agree that performance out weighs scent !!

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Originally Posted by Hirlau

Disclaimer:
.....my cream scent does not have to last more than 10 minutes, because the Clubman Pinaud is warming up on the sidelines,,,remember women love Pinaud. [/FONT][/SIZE] :nj :rofl2:

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Exactly what I was going to say, scent doesn't matter when you have the Clubman Pinaud or bayrum AS ready to go.

I definately enjoy the scent while I'm shaving. Then if you follow up with an aftershave and cologne that compliments the soap then you just keep that scent going. Another little bit of added enjoyment I get comes from the goatee that I keep. Sometimes I dont get the soap fully rinsed out and I get to keep smelling it throughout the day LOL :)

I started with unscented soaps when I started. Then I got sick of the "no-scent" smell. Having a soap that smells nice is more relaxing to me. And makes the shave just all that more enjoyable.

I think alot would agree that it's not about the scent staying with you. It's about enjoying the scent while shaving, I think of my shaving time as spa time (not to sound to girly) shaving time is "me" time so i could care less if anyone else can smell it.