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First 20 guys get a FREE sample!

The sample arrived Friday and used it for the first time this morning. I like to use a new product 3 times before I review it. So far first impressions are positive. Will update soon.

Thank you for sample.
 
I tried the sample this morning, and was very impressed.

First of all is the scent. Ah yes, the scent. Classic Bay Rum of just the right intensity. Strong enough initially to be thoroughly enjoyed, but not overpowering. Mellows fairly quickly for me.
The consistency of an ASB doesn’t really matter much to me, and this is definitely on the thicker end of the scale. This is fine, and makes getting the application amount you want easy. As others have mentioned, a little goes a long way! I put a SMALL dab on both cheeks and on both sides of my neck, and spread it with my fingertips. The effect is very pleasant and soothing, certainly not greasy or oily feeling.
I can easily see using this as a great alternative to an alcohol-based aftershave when a calming balm is wanted rather than something with a burn or freeze. I can also see using this as a moisturizer any time of the day, not just after shaving. It would be a great midafternoon pick-me-up at the office, or even before going to bed.
Overall I’ll give this a big thumbs up. A very pleasant experience that I’m looking forward to repeating tomorrow. Or maybe right now! And yes, SWMBO has given it 10 points for the scent. Ah yes, that scent.
I’m a bit of a minimalist when it comes to soaps, creams, aftershaves, etc., I don’t have dozens of everything. However, at the right price point I would definitely add this to my meager collection. It is that good.

Again, many thanks to The Captain for the opportunity to check out the sample, and good luck with this product!

-Jared
 
First thanks to the Captain for giving me an opportunity to try out another of his fine products.

First thing I noticed was the wonderful scent that perfectly matches the Captain's flag ship scent. Nice and pleasant. At the same time not overwhelming or overpowering.

As everyone else has mentioned nice and thick....a little easier to control the amount applied compared to other balms. It had a real nice moisturizing component without the tackiness. I still felt the moisturizing effects into the afternoon through my 5 O'Clock shadow.

The only minor criticism is that I didn't think it had the instant calming sensation that I get from the CC Splashes or Speick (for those days I get careless and have a rough shave). It does calm down razor burn...just not as quickly as CC Splashes and Speick. However, want to point out that I feel the CC splashes and Speick are exceptional in this category. I would rank CC splashes an 8, Speick a 9 and the ASB a 6 in this regards.

All in all a very nice product. I have largely abandoned balms largely in part to the greatness of CC splashes. Of the balms I have used this as good as any, especially in moisturizing abilities. I could even see having some around for real cold drying winters (especially if it comes in the North scent).

Thanks again Captain for the opportunity.
 
I've used my sample 3 times now and agree with all that is being said. The scent is the CC Bay Rum we all know and love. I find the scent on my sample of the balm to be just slightly more subtle than the CC Bay Rum splash I have.

The moisturizing effect is fantastic and lasts quite a long time. I get dry skin during the winter and use a face cream of my fiancé' that she gets from Mary Kay. I've liked using her cream because it is very light and not greasy at all. The captain's balm reminds me very much of the face cream. Whenever the full version comes out, I will be ordering some for the winter.

One thing that I did miss between using the splash and the balm was the "burn" you get when you first apply. You know that initial smack you get when you first apply the Bay Rum splash after shaving? I don't get any of that with the balm. It just feels like I am putting on a fragrant light cream. Not necessarily a bad thing, just different.

All in all I'd say that Captain's Choice has another winner. I look forward to trying the Lime ASB someday.
 
I have used the sample for 2 shaves now. So far so good, will give review after third shave. I had a little mishap today and it messed with the scent. I got done with my shave and wanted my face to dry for a minute before I used the balm. I went to the kitchen and started cooking breakfast. I opened a package of bacon and put it into a fry pan. I then went back to finish up my shave routine. I forgot to wash my hands before I applied the balm. The smell of bacon overpowered the scent of the balm.
 
Tonight was the first opportunity I had to both shave and use the fine Captain's sample as intended. Overall, I stand by my previous comments about the scent, consistency, and the right amount to use. It went on cleanly and it feels nice on my skin. Positive points here. We'll see how my skin feels in an hour or two.

All of that said, the issue I have with balms this thick is the time it takes to apply. The product is so dense -- and, really, that's a compliment! -- that you have to take care with how much you use, so instead of splash-and-go, it's a much more deliberate process. Part of that I ascribe to my unfamiliarity with the product, but part of it is also the nature of the product itself. I'm not used to having to take time to apply a post-shave product.

I, personally, could see using a product like this in the cooler months, but it seems too heavy to use in the warmer months. To give you an idea, I stop considering my current ASB as a candidate when it's time to shut the heat off for the season.

I'll post some additional thoughts in another shave or two, once the sample is depleted. I will say that, thus far, I have a favorable impression of the product.

As always, Captain, thank you for your generosity and for the opportunity to try out this product!

ETA:I concur with Cosmos Mariner's comments concerning missing that initial jolt when you first apply the product. It's not good or bad, it's just different.
 
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Thanks to the Captain for giving us an opportunity to try a new product.

The consistency of the balm was on the thicker end, but in a way that will make it easy to control how much you are dispensing. With thinner balms, I have found myself inadvertently squeezing enough out of the bottle to last a week. Despite its thickness, a very small amount spreads out a long way; a small (maybe size of a small pea) dab covered half my face, a dab for the other half and one for my neck. I liked that by the time I was done rubbing it in, there was no sheen on my face, or oily feeling.

I've used it twice so far, once after a quick, before work shave, and once this weekend after chasing that perfect shave with my H2. That was the test for the soothing factor. It was a good comfortable shave, but left my lower neck feeling like I could take a couple more passes. I think the product formula is a winner.

The scent was exactly what I expected. Perfect Captain scent. I would vote for it to be just a little bit stronger. It does fade rather rapidly, so I would like to be able to bask in it for a little bit before it settles away.

Especially in the winter, I will often follow a splash with a balm. I would also be interested in an unscented version, to go with any profile.

Thank you, Captain. It was fun to try out a great new product before it even hits market. Will look for it's launch.
 
As the title states, I wanted to try all 3 Bay Rum products together so I could have the whole experience.

1) CC Bay Rum Soap
2) CC Bay Rum AS splash
3) CC Bay Rum Balm

This is an excellent combination. I typically put all my balms away when the weather gets so hot during the summer but I made an exception in this case because the Captain needs our feedback.

I used one of my synthetic brushes and whipped up a great lather. That led to a nice gentle shave that didn't need anything to calm my skin down. The Bay Rum splash gave me a momentary burn which I like. After that dried, I then applied the balm. I read a review here that said a little goes a long way and that is certainly true. My face feels and smells great right now.

The only possible negative, (and I want to stress the possible negative) is that right after applying the balm, my face felt tacky. However, within minutes, and without doing anything, the tackiness was gone. So to my way of thinking, that is nothing to be concerned about.

Congratulations to The Captain for another superb addition to his fine line of products!
 
One question, Captain. When might this be available!??

Our goal is for a fall release, perhaps the end of September. This gives our retailers time to get it in stock and listed in time for the holidays. It also adds a third Captain's Choice product line (aftershaves, shaving soaps, shave balm) so that they don't as much carry our products but represent what has become a brand. There is much to be done - collect feedback like this for any tweaks to the formula, select a container, label design, possible new pump for filling a much more viscous product and more. A new line is more involved than you might imagine as we learned with our shaving soaps this past spring.
 
Finally got around to testing out the new Bay Rum ASB sample. It was a good thing to because I got a little lazy in my technique and I caused some irritation on my neck. I finished my shave, rinsed off then dried off. I then applied a liberal amount of the ASB. It's been about 20 minutes later and it has all absorbed in. My face feels refreshed and I don't think I have any irritation anymore. It does go on a little thick, but that means that a little will go a long way. The scent is very close to the CC AS but it seems a tad sweeter to me. Not a bad thing just an observation. Overall, I would definitely buy this. Actually I would buy two; one for me and give one away.

I don't think this could get any better...except for finishing off with some Captain's Choice Bay Rum Aftershave after it dries. Oh yeah, that's the stuff.

Don
 
Thanks, Captain for the sample.

I got my sample last Thursday, but with a long weekend starting Friday, I didn't shave until yesterday.
First thought: very nice scent. I am definitely a bay rum guy!
Second thought: I was dubious about the instruction to use only a little, I figure balm is balm, coverage and effect wise, but I followed the instructions for a first try.

Turns out I was right, more would have been better, scent and moisturizing and soothing-wise. Luckily, I had gotten one of my best shaves ever and so I didn't have a big need for the emollient effects

Today, I used it again, applying more generously. For purposes of comparison, I would say I used a blob about the volume of a nickel the first time, and three nickels today. This greater amount seemed right and it's a bit more balm than I usually apply.

In either case, the scent dissapates almost immediately which is dissapointing. Bottom line, it won't go into my rotation.
 
My sample came some time ago but with two little ones in the house I did not get a chance to shave until last night. First off a BIG thank you to the Captain for the sample! The Captain makes one heck of a nice product and I expected this to fall in line with the rest that I have tried. So on to the review.

The initial smell is exactly what you would expect. The Captains bay rum is the best there is and this has that same great smell. The balm is thicker then I would have expected but using the advice on the included note I used a minimal amount after my shave. Now I had not shaved for almost a week and I took my time but still had a little irritation on the neck and jaw line. After applying the balm that irritation was soothed away. The balm was not greasy and went on clean, filling the air with the sweet scent of bay rum. My face felt moisturized and nice. It is a quality product. My face this morning still feels moisturized and smooth!

The only issues I have with the balm are as follows: I wish the scent lasted longer. I enjoy the scent but it seemed to have vanished within 10 or so min. Now I know this is and AS not a cologne and is formulated as such, so it is not meant to last but still it would be nice. I would also echo other reviewers before me about missing the "bite" of the alcohol based AS. Now this is not really a fault of the product as it is not meant to have that same feeling but when I smell this bay rum I just think it should have the feeling.

Over all I would highly recommend this product to balm users. I like to use more balms in winter and this would be one I would pick up. However, I don't think it would be on my list of everyday use products as I just like the Captains AS so much it would be hard to go away from them.
 
Let me start off by thanking the captain for the sample, it was fun being a tester.

I used the balm for 2 morning shaves and 2 evening shave. During the week I shave at night since I have to get up to early in the morning for my liking. On the weekends I shave after my morning shower. To keep conditions consistent I used my tried and true setup for the first 3 shaves. The 4[SUP]th[/SUP] shave I used a new brand of blade. I am not a person that likes product that has a really heavy strong scent. I prefer a balm to and aftershave.

The balm has a pleasant lite scent that does disappears in a short time period which is what I like. A little dab will do you and goes a long way. The small amount is easy to apply to your entire face very easily. For me it does what it is supposed to do for a balm. The only thing I was not a fan of was when I used it after my morning shave it felt like I could feel the product just sitting on my face hours after applying it. When I used it at night obviously I did not notice the product once I went to bed.

Overall I think that it is a good product and would be worth having in the rotation.

Any time you need a guinea pig to test product I would be happy to help. Thank you again.
 
I've used the sample twice now, and all I can say is that in my experience, I will be purchasing a full size of this when available. As others have said, a little of it goes a long way, so whatever the price, I'm sure the purchase will stretch over a long while. Also, the scent is a pleasant spicy kick to add to my morning shaves. It doesn't linger long, which I wouldn't mind if it did, but that isn't really a drawback, either. It feels as though it moisturizes well, and while it's presence on the face definitely is something that is felt, it is not a heavy or greasy feel, so to me it was not annoying.
 
Thanks Cap'n for the opportunity to test your new balm.
I have used the balm for a week now, and second all the other reviewers thoughts on the wonderful scent. It is very subtle, but seems to linger for an hour or so.
i absolutely love the moisturizing properties that it delivers, without feeling greasy afterwards. I can't wait for you to begin offering this product for purchase!
 
I want to thank all of you for your help as volunteers. Your feedback is much appreciated! Presently we are evaluating different containers for our shave balm as well as sorting out production issues. Our goal is to have a full line of balms released by October first so stay tuned!
 
For container I like a bottle with pump dispenser that way you get the same amount with each pump. Just my 2 cent. Will keep an eye out for the balms when they become available.
 
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