Scent Notes - Familiarizing Yourself

[Well_Groomed_Yeti]

Good morning gents,

About 7 months into the hobby... and like most probably... have become a total degenerate with this stuff. I wanted to start a post as I am a software junkie, but a cautious one. I am very hesitant about purchasing full size tubs/splashes without knowing what it smells like. The big 3-4 retailers that offer samples are great, but they can only stock so many samples from so many vendors.

My question to y'all, when you got started, how did you train your nose to pick up on different scent notes? How did you all familiarize yourself with what different scent notes smelled like in order to know that you would like a particular blend listed on a vendor's website?

Looking forward to hearing everybody's experiences!

Thanks!

 

[Barbarian80]

It just takes time and trying many different scents. If you can pick products that are simpler rather than complex compositions- vetiver, vanilla, tonka, oud, florals, etc...thats how I've learned the most. On the flip side are the artisan products that transport you into a different frame of mind- like a dusty cowboy riding a sweaty horse on some Wyoming ranch- these are the the soap whores you pay a fortune to spend the night with only to forget about them forever after a couple days. Yes, they're alot of fun, but try to refrain from buying too many or you'll end up with a pile of tubs and splashes collecting dust. Everyone has different tastes, I'm just explaining my own.

 

[Well_Groomed_Yeti]

It just takes time and trying many different scents. If you can pick products that are simpler rather than complex compositions- vetiver, vanilla, tonka, oud, florals, etc...thats how I've learned the most. On the flip side are the artisan products that transport you into a different frame of mind- like a dusty cowboy riding a sweaty horse on some Wyoming ranch- these are the the soap whores you pay a fortune to spend the night with only to forget about them forever after a couple days. Yes, they're alot of fun, but try to refrain from buying too many or you'll end up with a pile of tubs and splashes collecting dust. Everyone has different tastes, I'm just explaining my own.

Hahaha, this was a phenomenal answer sir. Thanks for your input, so overtime, you learned what the individual scent notes all smelled like and can pick them out?

 

[Albert V]

In my quest to test/try various fragrances and soaps, I have purchased probably over 40 different samples from Maggards and Stirling. Stirling offers samples of their EDT, after shqves, whitch hazel toners, ans 1 ounce soap pucks. Maggards offers small containers good for 6 or so shaves. I have learned what soaps work best with regard to lather, slickness, and scent fragrance and strength. Even within a brand, some fragrances can be weak and others potent. So far my favorite soaps include Chiseled Face, Ariana and Evans, Maggards brand, and Stirling mutton tallow based soaps. Chiseled Face has some of the most masculine scents, especially Midnight Stag. Hope that helps

Shaving Soap, Shaving Cream and Aftershave Samples

Artisan Shaving Soap Samples, Shaving Cream Samples, and Aftershave Samples

maggardrazors.com

 

[Barbarian80]

Hahaha, this was a phenomenal answer sir. Thanks for your input, so overtime, you learned what the individual scent notes all smelled like and can pick them out?

I can pick out a good amount but that's not really the goal of this hobby. Enjoying fragrances is not some quizz to see who can pick out the most scent notes. Their qualities, clarity, longevity, silage, uniqueness, the evolution of the scents as time passes are the things I appreciate the most and piques my interest.

 

[Well_Groomed_Yeti]

I can pick out a good amount but that's not really the goal of this hobby. Enjoying fragrances is not some quizz to see who can pick out the most scent notes. Their qualities, clarity, longevity, silage, uniqueness, the evolution of the scents as time passes are the things I appreciate the most and piques my interest.

Totally agree, my goal is more to be able to make a more educated guess on how much I will like a soap/splash just off of reading the notes online to ease my fear of commitment and that is why I want to learn what all the different notes smell like and how they blend

I am learning though that the BST groups are phenomenal if you get something and it is just not your thing

 

[SydneyShaver]

Ironically, I recommend the British creams as a great place to start. They are quite strongly scented, relatively simple and widely available even here in Aus. Going through sample packs of ToBS, DRH, GFT, T&H, SJoL (I’m sure I’m missing a couple brands) and will have you understanding the main scent notes and genres very quickly at comparatively little investment. The creams won’t beat artisan soap but for this purpose they are excellent. Then grab some samples of popular (and unpopular colognes). TDH, Bleu de Chanel, Sauvage, AdP, Drakkar Noir, Polo Green, Creed Aventus, et al. After this you’ll be a certified scentologist

 

[helicopter]

I buy lots and lots of samples, especially cologne decants and 2mL sample bottles, but also soap and splash samples. For the fragrances, I go on Fragrantica and research the notes to see if I can detect things. I get samples of things that are similar to the ones I like, or from houses that produced something I liked. I go into The Razor Company's store and smell lots of things and I do the same in Sephora. I keep a journal of everything I actually try.

If you are trying a lot of things, you're not going to use up full sized containers of the stuff anyway, so it just makes sense to buy samples. I have a bunch of creams and splashes because I didn't immediately settle on this process, and I am trying to use up the interesting ones and work my way down to a few good products that are pleasant to use and blend well with cologne. I will get some unscented soap and splash at some point, but I don't see myself switching to all unscented, because I like to smell the stuff while I am doing my routine.

For me, it doesn't actually make sense to get bundles of matching soap, splash and cologne. I would rather wear a designer or niche cologne and just have a simple splash and soap that agree with it. The goal for two years down the road is to have tried a few hundred fragrances, and have settled on like 5 soaps, 3 creams, 10 splashes, and like 10 bottles of cologne, and maybe another 20-30 5-10mL decants, which means trying lots of new things, and cutting inventory a bit, but not radically. I am going to have to unload some cologne to get there, because it is impossible to use up all the cheap bottles I have accumulated. With cologne under $20, sometimes it is just easier to pick up a bottle blind to try it.

 

[tehnothing]

Good morning gents,

About 7 months into the hobby... and like most probably... have become a total degenerate with this stuff. I wanted to start a post as I am a software junkie, but a cautious one. I am very hesitant about purchasing full size tubs/splashes without knowing what it smells like. The big 3-4 retailers that offer samples are great, but they can only stock so many samples from so many vendors.

My question to y'all, when you got started, how did you train your nose to pick up on different scent notes? How did you all familiarize yourself with what different scent notes smelled like in order to know that you would like a particular blend listed on a vendor's website?

Looking forward to hearing everybody's experiences!

Thanks!

I didn't. That is how I acquired 8 to 10 medium uhaul boxes of shaving software.

 

[tehnothing]

It just takes time and trying many different scents. If you can pick products that are simpler rather than complex compositions- vetiver, vanilla, tonka, oud, florals, etc...thats how I've learned the most. On the flip side are the artisan products that transport you into a different frame of mind- like a dusty cowboy riding a sweaty horse on some Wyoming ranch- these are the the soap whores you pay a fortune to spend the night with only to forget about them forever after a couple days. Yes, they're alot of fun, but try to refrain from buying too many or you'll end up with a pile of tubs and splashes collecting dust. Everyone has different tastes, I'm just explaining my own.

Even Vetiver has a different scent from every maker. Proof? Cyril R Salter French Vetiver and Martin de Candre Vetyver. Edit another example the horrendously priced Le Peire Lucien Vetiverr after shave no one wants on the bst because it is too expensive.

 

[Well_Groomed_Yeti]

I buy lots and lots of samples, especially cologne decants and 2mL sample bottles, but also soap and splash samples. For the fragrances, I go on Fragrantica and research the notes to see if I can detect things. I get samples of things that are similar to the ones I like, or from houses that produced something I liked. I go into The Razor Company's store and smell lots of things and I do the same in Sephora. I keep a journal of everything I actually try.

If you are trying a lot of things, you're not going to use up full sized containers of the stuff anyway, so it just makes sense to buy samples. I have a bunch of creams and splashes because I didn't immediately settle on this process, and I am trying to use up the interesting ones and work my way down to a few good products that are pleasant to use and blend well with cologne. I will get some unscented soap and splash at some point, but I don't see myself switching to all unscented, because I like to smell the stuff while I am doing my routine.

For me, it doesn't actually make sense to get bundles of matching soap, splash and cologne. I would rather wear a designer or niche cologne and just have a simple splash and soap that agree with it. The goal for two years down the road is to have tried a few hundred fragrances, and have settled on like 5 soaps, 3 creams, 10 splashes, and like 10 bottles of cologne, and maybe another 20-30 5-10mL decants, which means trying lots of new things, and cutting inventory a bit, but not radically. I am going to have to unload some cologne to get there, because it is impossible to use up all the cheap bottles I have accumulated. With cologne under $20, sometimes it is just eIasier to pick up a bottle blind to try it.

Mmm thank you very much for this thorough response.. you make a lot of great points! Totally agree on the soap/splash sets, I will go through a soap much faster than a splash therefore my splashes are reserved for the scents I really love and treat like cologne.

I will definitely check out Fragrantica! Unfortunately, I am in Florida and almost zero access to shave soaps in stores outside of the most generic: proraso, van der hagen, etc... that is sick you live close enough to their store though!

Update: Scrolling Fragrantica right now on the various notes... this is EXTREMELY helpful, thank you for sharing!

 

[helicopter]

Mmm thank you very much for this thorough response.. you make a lot of great points! Totally agree on the soap/splash sets, I will go through a soap much faster than a splash therefore my splashes are reserved for the scents I really love and treat like cologne.

I will definitely check out Fragrantica! Unfortunately, I am in Florida and almost zero access to shave soaps in stores outside of the most generic: proraso, van der hagen, etc... that is sick you live close enough to their store though!

It is awesome. I can't walk in there without spending like $300, though.

 

[Well_Groomed_Yeti]

Even Vetiver has a different scent from every maker. Proof? Cyril R Salter French Vetiver and Martin de Candre Vetyver. Edit another example the horrendously priced Le Peire Lucien Vetiverr after shave no one wants on the bst because it is too expensive.

Ironically, Fragrantica explains this... according to them it depends on where the vetiver note comes from, geographical differences produce different scents of the same note

 

[tehnothing]

Ironically, Fragrantica explains this... according to them it depends on where the vetiver note comes from, geographical differences produce different scents of the same note

Also what part of the plant is used changes the scent massively as well. There are some that smell mostly of dirt, and others like Marten de Candre that are lovely floral scented.

 

[tehnothing]

Even Vetiver has a different scent from every maker. Proof? Cyril R Salter French Vetiver and Martin de Candre Vetyver. Edit another example the horrendously priced Le Peire Lucien Vetiverr after shave no one wants on the bst because it is too expensive.

I really wish I would have sampled the soap first on the Le Pierre Lucien Vetiver. At almost $50 for the after shave it was not exactly one of my best decisions. I was just so stoked to find it shipped within the US that I ordered without thinking.

 

[tiberius]

How did you all familiarize yourself with what different scent notes smelled like in order to know that you would like a particular blend listed on a vendor's website?

From my experience there isn't a "standardized" way to describe a scent, artisans being creative and having different interpretations on the same description of an idea (the scent description) is a feature, and then even different carrying media (e.g. soap vs aftershave) have different chemical considerations, so, ultimately you have to try the soap/aftershave for yourself to actually know the scent and if you like it or not.

You don't have to try many soaps, since soaps from the same artisan often using the same base, and soaps with same base works alike, so you only need to find an enjoyable scent for a base, right? (I must confess that it's not the case for me, looking desperately to my soap stockpile ...)

I heard that one can use a mass spectrometer to accurately duplicate a scent, and many artisans make duplicates of famous fragrances (you can search for "Shaving Fragrance Homages" on the net), but they are often not "exact" duplicates for various reasons, you can still sniff differences between them. e.g. before I looked it up I never think Stirling Soap Executive Man, The Goodfellas' Smile Chronos, Saponificio Varesino Opuntia, RazoRock Emperor have the same scent, but I never sniffed Creed Aventus either

but they can only stock so many samples from so many vendors.

(Just kidding, at least partially.)

From where I live, to obtain a full jar of 5.8oz Stirling Soap would cost ~25 USD, and getting a 1oz sample puck with shipping costs ~16 USD, so on most occasions I would buy a full jar, at least I got the tub and a pretty waterproof label ...

 

[Harald]

Good morning gents,

About 7 months into the hobby... and like most probably... have become a total degenerate with this stuff. I wanted to start a post as I am a software junkie, but a cautious one. I am very hesitant about purchasing full size tubs/splashes without knowing what it smells like. The big 3-4 retailers that offer samples are great, but they can only stock so many samples from so many vendors.

My question to y'all, when you got started, how did you train your nose to pick up on different scent notes? How did you all familiarize yourself with what different scent notes smelled like in order to know that you would like a particular blend listed on a vendor's website?

Looking forward to hearing everybody's experiences!

Thanks!

I've been into wet shaving for quite some time now, and one thing I've learned over the years is that it often takes a while to truly appreciate certain scents that I might not have liked initially.
When you read reviews of soaps that seem appealing, your brain can form an expectation of what the scent will be like before you open it. If the actual scent differs from your expectation, your brain might convince you not to like it.

I remember having a bad experience with La Toja, because I expected something completely different. Today, it is one of the scents I value the most.
For me, it has almost become an obsession. I have far too much, but I keep buying more. What’s a bit strange is that I often find myself returning to the clean, mild scents.

My advice: if you open soaps that aren't quite your style, keep them. You might find that you like the scent once you get used to it.

 

[Well_Groomed_Yeti]

I've been into wet shaving for quite some time now, and one thing I've learned over the years is that it often takes a while to truly appreciate certain scents that I might not have liked initially.
When you read reviews of soaps that seem appealing, your brain can form an expectation of what the scent will be like before you open it. If the actual scent differs from your expectation, your brain might convince you not to like it.

I remember having a bad experience with La Toja, because I expected something completely different. Today, it is one of the scents I value the most.
For me, it has almost become an obsession. I have far too much, but I keep buying more. What’s a bit strange is that I often find myself returning to the clean, mild scents.

My advice: if you open soaps that aren't quite your style, keep them. You might find that you like the scent once you get used to it.

Thanks for you input... this is great advice. I am only about 7 months into the hobby and I completely agree.. there are already some scents that I have started to think about revisiting now that my nose is starting to mature a bit.

 

[ButterfaceX]

This is topic is scent-ational....
I could of smelled it coming..
BFX

 

[Barbarian80]

From my experience there isn't a "standardized" way to describe a scent, artisans being creative and having different interpretations on the same description of an idea (the scent description) is a feature, and then even different carrying media (e.g. soap vs aftershave) have different chemical considerations, so, ultimately you have to try the soap/aftershave for yourself to actually know the scent and if you like it or not.

You don't have to try many soaps, since soaps from the same artisan often using the same base, and soaps with same base works alike, so you only need to find an enjoyable scent for a base, right? (I must confess that it's not the case for me, looking desperately to my soap stockpile ...)

I heard that one can use a mass spectrometer to accurately duplicate a scent, and many artisans make duplicates of famous fragrances (you can search for "Shaving Fragrance Homages" on the net), but they are often not "exact" duplicates for various reasons, you can still sniff differences between them. e.g. before I looked it up I never think Stirling Soap Executive Man, The Goodfellas' Smile Chronos, Saponificio Varesino Opuntia, RazoRock Emperor have the same scent, but I never sniffed Creed Aventus either

No matter how close the fragrance is the soap will be different- and also the splash. The ingredients used in the product will alter the scent- for better or worse. In general, light citrus and florals are most negatively impacted by the ingredients, and on the flip side of things, stronger scented soaps- maybe like dirty vetivers can greatly benefit from the products added to the soap and round out the profile a bit. When you see sheep tallow (especially) and various milks as the first few ingredients listed on a tub of soap, you'll want to be extra wary about purchasing a clean, fresh scent because those ingredients will alter the fragrance the most. This is why soaps like MdC are so heavily favored for their scents- there is nothing in that jar to cloud the scent except plain soap and fragrance.