Reviews of Old Spice by Procter & Gamble — Basenotes.net Show all reviews When I was a kid my grandfather had Old Spice and Skin Original beside the bathroom sink.Whenever he splashed some Old Spice on it smelled very good.As an adult and wearing it though...opposite feelings. From an old bottle by Shulton circa 1993 this stuff is just rough.Bitter cinnamon with a character that feels like someone mixed black pepper in it and shoved it up my nose.A creamy vanilla but strangely smells like popcorn dipped in vanilla.The anise can smell pleasant but the heat amplifies the hell out of it...smells like a whole anise star constantly under my nose.Wearing it is a dare to me,but to others around me it smells good.On a pleasant note I do like that burn of the cinnamon in the aftershave.But yes as much as I like the old-school scents?Old Spice was hard to enjoy. 10th January, 2017 Show all reviews The stuff is classic... What else is there to say? The original Shulton is what I'm talkin about here people!

I work as a firefighter in a busy city so needless to see if I'm going to smell like something other than smoke it better be masculine. I'm a younger guy so I don't overdo it but the senior men appreciate the classic vibe as it relates to a strong physical work ethic and overall masculine nostalgia. Some things never die. 20th August, 2016 Show all reviews I respect everyone's views on this fragrance ..if you don't like it then fair enough but for me to give this fragrance a bad review I'd feel pretty evil ..I can't begin to imagine the good times men have had while wearing this through the ages ..it's like critisising a Swiss army knife or a nice pair of levis..old spice has been a man's best friend and has kept the population growing for decades. 24th July, 2016 I love it, fresh clean not overpowering, and perfect. It takes a certain individual to wear this scent and pull it off. The drydown is where the magic happens in this scent.

One of the best scents ever made 11th July, 2016 Show all reviews United States I have to give it a thumbs up just for its staying power. I wouldn't wear it now unless I was really nostalgic. It was spicy, cinnamon, oak moss, a real man's fragrance. Everyone's grandfather and father smelled of this in the 50s-80s. Make fun of it if you want, but it has been around longer than most of us have. 28th June, 2016 United States (This review is for the original formula by Shulton) Wow, what a spicy/creamy scent! I recently acquired a NOS set of Old Spice aftershave and cologne from the late 1950's - early 1960's. The original formula is such a treat, nothing like the Old Spice sold today from Procter & Gamble! I highly recommend the vintage version, but if that is not an option for you then I would suggest the version made in India. Though the Indian formula is not identical to the stuff sold once upon a time, it remains pretty close.

I just cannot understand why P&G hacked up the formula of this classic (as if ruining the bottle and logo wasn't enough). 01st December, 2015 (last edited: 20th April, 2016) Show all reviews United States I'm not quite a "young man" anymore, but I'm not "old" either. I've loved Old Spice since I was a little boy, and I can remember sniffing at my dad's bottle in my parents' bathroom and thinking that the name suited the smell very well -- to me it smelled "older" and it was definitely "spiced." My dad wore it and the smell made its way into the favorable part of my brain. By that measure, I've never worried about smelling "old" or whatever wearing it because I wear it for me, not for anybody else. The smell that got etched into my memory was whatever formulation was going around in the late 80s and early 90s. You know, the one that others moan about. I love this scent, and it was my first aftershave.

I will say that this formulation, which came in a glass bottle, was different from the one in the plastic bottle you can find today. The plastic one smells good initially but then turns very cloying and synthetic, so I just threw it away. The glass one I grew up with didn't do that, it was just nice and mellow, clean and warm with no chemical smells. Now at age 28, I have both a glass bottle of P&G OS that is the formulation I grew up with, and an old bottle of Shulton OS that I only came to know recently. I love them both. They're similar but distinctly different. The Shulton, to my nose, smells "older" for sure, and by that I mean heavier and spicier. I can only wear the Shulton one during cold weather, and all I need is the aftershave. The Shulton cologne is too much for me. Anyway, I love them both and to me they are timeless and respected. Whatever lucky girl I end up with is going to have to learn to love Old Spice if she doesn't already, because I have no intent to part with this beloved smell of classic masculinity.

I attached a photo of my two bottles in case anyone was wondering what they look like. The aftershave on the left is Shulton, and the cologne on the right is P&G. 26th September, 2015 Show all reviews United States In post WW-II America, every dad and grand dad had a bottle of Old Spice in the bathroom medicine cabinet. It is probably the most popular male scent ever produced. The original is a barbershop fantasy - the citrus, bay, clove spiciness is very strong and lasting. Bracing and the cinnamon, amber, frankincense and vanilla base warm it to a powdery softness in the dry down. A masterful barbershop fougere. Beware the current reformulation with its emphasis on rose, pepper and bay. It bears no relation to the original. 04th June, 2015 Show all reviews A late returnee to Old Spice here and the surprise is a pleasant one. I've encountered bottles at varying points in the last 30-odd years, but now it seems the time is right. I can't remember if the scent of those past bottles differs from the current one I have.

This one is the 'original' aftershave, purchased in Europe and apparently made here. Very reasonably priced and in the satisfyingly weighty glass bottle. Some of the negative reviews have dismissed it as a cheap musk-bomb, but that's a highly simplistic appraisal. As it goes on the first experience is the spiced orange-bergamot with a light talc-like undertone. This rapidly gives way to the cinnamon mingling with roses, but the bottom notes also start to emerge quite early on. Eventually those bottom note aromas of woodiness, muskiness and the frankincense -citrus spiciness, which is really there throughout, give a warming finish. Like warm, spiced brandy and woodshavings dropped into a beautiful lady's leather handbag...if you will! The top and middle notes don't last quite long enough before the bottom notes take over, which is it's only real fault. The spicy dry-down also manages not to smell like detergent. Yes, it has the associations with traditional grooming and barbershops and clubs of another era (nearly everyone once wore it), but that is reassuringly satisfying. Old Spice doesn't shout like a modern fragrance, it is subdued and self-assured.

Some young-men under 30 will probably not want to, or be able to wear Old Spice without feeling self-consciously fogeyish; though for others it may just work. The 20-something crowd need not even apply to club Old Spice, but for the over 30s it can work a treat. 04th May, 2015 (last edited: 05th May, 2015) Show all reviews A very spicy and floral scent that has stood the test of time. I'm in my mid 30's and use it every day. If you want to experience the true classic scent of Old Spice, you need to purchase the Indian made version. It comes in the classic glass bottle and has the "true" fragrance of Old Spice. For some reason, the USA Proctor and Gamble version smells too sweet while the Indian made version smells just right (more spicy and less sweeter than the USA version). 27th February, 2015 Show all reviews United States What else can be said about the grand daddy of men's perfumery? Probably the most successfully marketed fragrance of all time and still smells great even straight out of the plastic bottle.

Although, I never agreed with P&G changing to plastic so I just refill my vintage glass bottles with the new stuff. Keep the splash alive, wear your Old Spice proudly and give your son someone to look up to even more. Thumbs up for Dad's everywhere! 26th January, 2015 Netherlands Must have smelled really exotic when it was lounged in 1973. This is a comfortable home scent, the older version. Haven't bought a bottle in years though. 29th September, 2014 Show all reviews United States GQ published an article circa 2008 on men's cologne, deriding fragrances from the '80s, and any others that made you "smell like a dad." I was a bit nonplussed--why should I worry about smelling like a dad? After all, I am one. What I took this to mean is that perhaps this scent is not for everyone, maybe younger folks who are still searching for that perfect frag, knowing it to be just beyond the next horizon. Well, for me, here it is, no further beyond the horizon than my nearest drugstore.

It is my daily go-to, constant companion and, at the risk of sounding d�class�, simply a classic. Now I love designer fragrances, but if I went missing and my kids had to wave something under the bloodhounds' noses, it would be Old Spice (and they'd probably put a bottle for me as well in the little barrel around the St. Bernard's neck). Sometimes a scent doesn't need to do anything spectacular, doesn't need to prove anything. It just has to work for you. This does for me. 10th March, 2014 (last edited: 11th March, 2014) Show all reviews United States If we set nostalgia aside, memories from a time when men's fragrances were manly because they were soaked in musk, we have to face the fact that they do not smell very good. I continue to receive these scents-Old Spice, Brut, Aqua Velva, etc. -as gifts and remember in the 60s and 70s when these were worn by virtually every man around.

They are rugged and manly, but it seems that they ADD to the masculine aromas we would prefer to counteract (body odor, sweat) rather than compound. I have never found any pleasing qualities in these fragrances and have witnessed countless instances when men wearing these fragrances pass by and folks assaulted by the scent wrinkle their noses or cough. There are some excellent manly fragrances from this period; Aramis, Halston Z-14, and Lagerfeld to name a few. In summary, Old Spice and Brut need to go away because they are simply awful. 18th January, 2014 (last edited: 03rd February, 2014) Show all reviews United States old spice has a nice refreshing cinnamon scent with a moderate lasting strength. I was told my grandfather wore this back in the day. I heard the original shulton version was much better then this newer version by procter and gamble. over all I say it might be best for daytime use. seems to give you a after shower clean feeling. 16th January, 2014 Gave it a thumbs up, just. Soft, warm and spicy. Somehow calming. Inoffensive.

I wouldn't say it's a 100% masculine scent, which I was surprised to find considering it's reputation. It's just too... gentle. In it's favour, it smells far less dated than some of the other drugstore colognes (like Tabac). Still, younger guys might want to opt for some of the modern spinoffs, like OS Whitewater. 15th January, 2014 (last edited: 23rd January, 2014) Show all reviews You can't go wrong with this traditional favorite! Nice, spicy scent with citrus tone make it a great refresher; the only drawback is is that it does have a fairly high alcohol content, that needs to be toned down a bit, but not much. Otherwise, a great product. 4 stars out of 5. 06th December, 2013 Show all reviews I can only recommend the vintage formulation You may see other reviewers claiming that the vintage formula of Old Spice is better than what is currently available in stores.

I can agree with this after recently purchasing the current version at a grocery store labeled 'Original' in a plastic spray bottle ($9 for 4.75 oz.) as well as purchasing a vintage bottle circa 1975 on ebay ($40 for 6oz.). In the last hour, I've been basking in the goodness of the original formula and can say with absolute certainty that the new formula is actually very different. The overall concept is similar, however the original scent is very soothing where the new version is cloying. The original lingers in your nose and creates a warmth similar to a good brandy, while the new scent is distracting with it's sweetness and overuse of powder in an attempt to be a close representation of the original. When sniffing the new bottle, it smells very much like what it smells like the whole time it is worn. The vintage scent has a distinct cologne smell from the alcohol (albeit the vintage bottle is a splash decanter), which mellows down to the fragrance that most people over 40 are familiar with.

I considered leaving this bottle (a factory sealed special edition decanter) in it's packaging to retain it's value, but my disappointment with the new version got the best of me and I needed to know if the original smelled as good as I hoped. I have vague recollections of this fragrance from the 80's as a child, which most likely were of the original. The modern spice fragrances that I've been purchasing lately actually seem to take notes from this original Old Spice. I'm pretty sure that most of you would not recognize this original (made by Shulton) as what you consider to be the old man scent you associate with Old Spice. It's VERY good and may take a more prominent role in my daily rotation. I recommend finding a bottle before they all disappear. An American classic that I'm very proud to own. The plastic bottle will probably never get used again. 5 stars goes to the vintage version. 2 stars for the new version. Pros: Warm, spicy scent Show all reviews Original is a Lovely Scent; Reformulation has harsh notes There are two versions of this venerable old scent--the original formulation, made by Shulton, and the 1989 reformulation, produced by Proctor and Gamble.

The original scent is far superior, in my opinion, although some people may not be able to tell a difference. It's a warm, spicy, smooth scent. I would have to classify this as my very favorite scent. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find in the States. The original formulation is made only in India, so the consumer has to buy it from an import company. The reason it was reformulated in the 1980s is that P and G decided to switch from a glass bottle to a plastic one. Unfortunately, the original recipe contained something that reacted to the plastic in the bottle, which required a hasty reformulation. The new recipe will please some noses; it's still has a pleasant, spicy, powdery smell, but the basenotes contain something very harsh. I can't identify that harsh basenote, but it reminds me of cleaning fluid. I'd recommend spending a little bit more money for the original. Just look for "Old Spice by Shulton" on the label.

Pros: Inexpensive, good sillage Show all reviews results don't lie People will detract from the Old Standard because it doesn't seem to be a premium brand (some call it cheap), but if I had a dollar for every time a woman asked me with a very interested smile what fragrance I was wearing when I had put on some Old Spice for the evening, I'd be a rich man. Women like it, and it attracts them like moths to a flame. During my dating years (mid 90's), most guys shied away from Old Spice because there were others that seemed more in style, but none of my friends ever got asked about the fragrance they were wearing... and it was always meant in a very nice way. It became my signature long ago, and will forever remain as such.

Pros: affordable, easy to find, smells GREAT Cons: none I can think of" 20th September, 2013 United States Used to love it, now despise it My initiation with perfumes in High School was Aqua Velva (wasn't everybody's then) but became bored pretty soon, I moved up to English Leather (still in HS) but after just one bottle I couldn't stand it anymore, so I switch to Old Spice. I loved it, in college all I used was OS, the AS, the soap (in the rope), deodorant etc, and for over 30 years I was so happy with it (and everybody else it seems because I always was complimented for the way I smelled) It never crossed my mind to use anything else until I met the girl that became my second wife, she hated it so I started to look for alternatives. And that initiated the craziness I am involved now, with over 500 perfumes in my wardrobe, and growing almost everyday now.

I should point out that the OS that I liked was made by Shulton, and that was a great perfume, but today's is made by Procter and Gamble and is not even the shadow of its former self. I have smelled it a myriad of times in the supermarket and/or drugstore and being repulsed every single time by its nastiness. My review here is for the P&G version because that is what is available to us. Well, that foul concoction doesn't deserve to be called Old Spice, it is a shame and a mockery for all us us that loved so much the Shulton version. I am wiping the tears of my face thinking in the crime committed against a classic. Pros: Well blended, decent longevity Cons: The new version doesn't deserve to be called Old Spice 25th May, 2013 Show all reviews Scotland This is my first review on Basenotes. So I thought I'd make it about one of my favourite scents. After years of thinking OS had been discontinued, I only rediscovered it in 2010 when searching online for Brut products after I'd been given a Brut gift set for Christmas.

(I'd thought that was discontinued too.) I'm no fragrance expert but I'm sure I love the smell of cinamon and vanilla from this. It brings back memories of my mum dropping big hints that I get "Old Spice for Daddy?" when she took me Christmas shopping. A classic clean smell that I'm very glad is still around. 12th May, 2013 This one is right up there as one of the best fragrances EVER. Absolutely brilliant. 22nd April, 2013 Show all reviews United States Even in its current formula, Old Spice is a winner. Spicy irresistible opening, that women of all ages go bananas for. It turns into a soft powdery vanilla base with a lot of musk; unfortunately too musky for an everyday wearer for me, as I am not keen on musky scents. If only they made this in an EDT spray. The $$$ would come rolling in. Old spice is excellent, and one of the best blended male scents ever made. Unfortunately, longevity is pretty poor, as is projection. I guess if you shave your face with a razor (which I don't) - this would work well.

17th April, 2013 (last edited: 08th May, 2014) United Kingdom For the price, scent and longevity Old Spice has got to be one of the best splashes out there on the market. My father always used Old Spice and to match the bottle of splash, he had an Old Spice shaving mug and brush (from the '70s). Occasionally, I will buy a bottle of this classic fragrance because it reminds me of my dad and I adore the fresh coastal notes it acquires. I can picture an elegant yachtsman wearing Old Spice. 14th April, 2013 Show all reviews United States Old Spice is truly one of the most divine concoctions ever created by man. Inexpensive? Yes. Cheap smelling? No! It is a fragrance that has withstood the test of time. It may have been stigmatized as being an "old man" scent, but I think it is a fragrance that any man can successfully pull off. The hilarious ads are certainly an attempt to market the product towards a younger generation, but I think the product inside the bottle can sell itself.

I have recently purchased a bottle of the cologne made by P&G, and I also have a vintage bottle of the Shulton made aftershave which I found in my now deceased great-uncle's house, with the packaging carrying a copyright of 1980. Although I am comparing aftershave to cologne and P&G to Shulton, both are similar enough to each other that a whiff of either registers to my mind as "Old Spice." The Shulton product seems to have a little bit of a sweeter aroma (almost brown sugar like), and seems a little bit smoother overall. The P&G product, while still smelling great, just seems like it is a bit rougher around the edges. I've only used a little bit of the Shulton because I feel kind of guilty using it, but the P&G has a decent longevity, although after a few hours a aroma stays pretty close to the skin. I definitely want to check out the Family Dollar version and see how it compares to the original formula. 19th January, 2013 Show all reviews United States I tried, I really did.

I sampled, I blind bought, I perfumed courted, I tried every way I could to find a scent my wife likes better than Old Spice. And I failed. Her dad literally still wears it, and yet she still thinks Old Spice is the sexiest fragrance I ever wear. Plus it comes in a body wash. And a deodorant. Really, if I were smart, I would quit Basenotes and just stick with the OS body wash/ deo combo and I would be set for life. 08th December, 2012 40 years ago...And now- Old Spice: Long way to sail before dropping anchor | Business Standard News 40 years ago...And now- Old Spice: Long way to sail before dropping anchor Once known as the definitive aftershave brand, its deodorant avatar is yet to become such an icon March 19, 2015 Last Updated at 21:40 IST email this article Type address separated by commas Your Email: Enter the characters shown in the image.

Send me a copy: ALSO READ An ode to Omaha Duracell's power to last a bit longer Swachh Bharat campaign to help hygiene firms, says Swedish company Indian battery market awaits effects of Duracell sale Price cuts, ad spending shield HUL from regional players The lone surfer riding the waves to the stirring score of the 20th-century German composer Carl Orff's 'O Fortuna' formed the Old Spice TV ad that played through the 1980s-90s. A splash of the aftershave lotion here and a woman's visage there completed the ad that said, '...Old Spice, the classic fragrance; the mark of a man.' The ad did not have to jostle for mindspace like today's men's fragrance brands. But founded in the late thirties, having changed hands from its original promoter to its current multinational parent, Procter & Gamble (P&G), in 1990, the brand became a pale shadow of itself at the turn of the century. Two decades later, in 2010, it came back into focus with a fresh positioning globally and, then in 2013, in India.

However, even though it got portrayed as a deodorant brand, as aftershave is a vestigial category now, it faces an uphill climb to the top. Life in India With the prominent blue yacht logo across its buoy-shaped ivory bottle, Old Spice was the aftershave of choice in the 70s through the 90s. The UK-based original promoter, Shulton Company, and the Goa-based Cosme Matias Menezes (CMM) group brought the brand. CMM manufactured and distributed it. It continued through the sale of Shulton to American Cyanamid in 1970, and then P&G's acquisition in 1990. It was in 1993, that the Godrej group with which P&G had aJV, took on the sales and distribution, followed by Marico Industries (from 1999 till 2002). The duties were given back to CMM group, which continued till 2012, before being brought in-house. The companies distributing Old Spice reportedly paid a hefty licence fee for the brand, which enjoyed good recall but was not core to P&G, according to press reports and company statements.

Its focus had been on feminine hygiene and health care products rather than personal care brands. The company declined to comment for the story. Madhukar Sabnavis, vice-chairman, Ogilvy and Mather, says, "In the 1980-90s, very few ads targeted men the way Old Spice did. Its iconic status was helped by its international antecedents." Experts point out that the brand suffered in the 1990s-2000s as competition introduced new kinds of men's grooming products, while Old Spice was available mostly as an aftershave lotion, shaving cream and talcum powder. Erstwhile competitor (but now owned by P&G since 2005) Gillette got its razors, shaving gels and foams to town, while competitors like Hindustan Unilever (Axe), Nivea and local players such as Emami had deodorants, fairness creams, facewash etc. According to market estimates, the men's grooming market is now worth Rs 4,300 crore. Modern hurdles Following a popular resurgence in advertising in the US, P&G resumed Old Spice's advertising in India in 2013.

The project, with the deodorant range, was given to Wieden+Kennedy (which worked on the US Isaiah Mustafa ad, 'Smell Like a Man, Man' that went viral in 2010). Sunaina Sainath, director of strategy at the agency's branch in India, says, "Research showed that it was seen as an aftershave brand that one's dad used. It had become dusty. But the legacy of masculinity was still strong and there was familiarity among the youth." "We had to make the brand's masculinity more relevant and differentiate from the competition. Even though its deodorant existed, we had to give it a fresh start. P&G had not advertised much till then, while the competitors were marketing to a metrosexual man," says Sainath. The resulting ad featuring actor-supermodel Milind Soman, with the tagline 'Mantastic', got Old Spice noticed again. Tongue-in-cheek, it was in contrast to the chocolate-boy ads of the competition, according to Sainath.

Neha Sharma, the director of account management, says, "Our target was the 18-24 years of age." P&G, however, has gone back to playing Old Spice's international ads now. Global longevity When William Schultz bottled the classic, spicy citrus scent with lingering powdery musk notes as Old Spice, he went with the Colonial nautical theme. Hence, the logo of the brand - from clipper ships to a yacht (changed in 1992). Even TV ads in the 1970s had sailors, asking viewers to wake up to the freshness of Old Spice. In the early-90s, P&G dropped the sailor theme and spoke to first-time deodorant users, mostly teenagers with new deodorants in the US. In India, there is still a long way for Old Spice before it anchors itself firmly among the leading men's grooming brands.

Advertisements 40 years ago...And now- Old Spice: Long way to sail before dropping anchor Once known as the definitive aftershave brand, its deodorant avatar is yet to become such an icon Once known as the definitive aftershave brand, its deodorant avatar is yet to become such an icon The lone surfer riding the waves to the stirring score of the 20th-century German composer Carl Orff's 'O Fortuna' formed the Old Spice TV ad that played through the 1980s-90s. A splash of the aftershave lotion here and a woman's visage there completed the ad that said, '...Old Spice, the classic fragrance; the mark of a man.' The ad did not have to jostle for mindspace like today's men's fragrance brands. But founded in the late thirties, having changed hands from its original promoter to its current multinational parent, Procter & Gamble (P&G), in 1990, the brand became a pale shadow of itself at the turn of the century.

Two decades later, in 2010, it came back into focus with a fresh positioning globally and, then in 2013, in India. However, even though it got portrayed as a deodorant brand, as aftershave is a vestigial category now, it faces an uphill climb to the top. Life in India With the prominent blue yacht logo across its buoy-shaped ivory bottle, Old Spice was the aftershave of choice in the 70s through the 90s. The UK-based original promoter, Shulton Company, and the Goa-based Cosme Matias Menezes (CMM) group brought the brand. CMM manufactured and distributed it. It continued through the sale of Shulton to American Cyanamid in 1970, and then P&G's acquisition in 1990. It was in 1993, that the Godrej group with which P&G had aJV, took on the sales and distribution, followed by Marico Industries (from 1999 till 2002). The duties were given back to CMM group, which continued till 2012, before being brought in-house.

The companies distributing Old Spice reportedly paid a hefty licence fee for the brand, which enjoyed good recall but was not core to P&G, according to press reports and company statements. Its focus had been on feminine hygiene and health care products rather than personal care brands. The company declined to comment for the story. Madhukar Sabnavis, vice-chairman, Ogilvy and Mather, says, "In the 1980-90s, very few ads targeted men the way Old Spice did. Its iconic status was helped by its international antecedents." Experts point out that the brand suffered in the 1990s-2000s as competition introduced new kinds of men's grooming products, while Old Spice was available mostly as an aftershave lotion, shaving cream and talcum powder. Erstwhile competitor (but now owned by P&G since 2005) Gillette got its razors, shaving gels and foams to town, while competitors like Hindustan Unilever (Axe), Nivea and local players such as Emami had deodorants, fairness creams, facewash etc.

According to market estimates, the men's grooming market is now worth Rs 4,300 crore. Modern hurdles Following a popular resurgence in advertising in the US, P&G resumed Old Spice's advertising in India in 2013. The project, with the deodorant range, was given to Wieden+Kennedy (which worked on the US Isaiah Mustafa ad, 'Smell Like a Man, Man' that went viral in 2010). Sunaina Sainath, director of strategy at the agency's branch in India, says, "Research showed that it was seen as an aftershave brand that one's dad used. It had become dusty. But the legacy of masculinity was still strong and there was familiarity among the youth." "We had to make the brand's masculinity more relevant and differentiate from the competition. Even though its deodorant existed, we had to give it a fresh start. P&G had not advertised much till then, while the competitors were marketing to a metrosexual man," says Sainath. The resulting ad featuring actor-supermodel Milind Soman, with the tagline 'Mantastic', got Old Spice noticed again.

Tongue-in-cheek, it was in contrast to the chocolate-boy ads of the competition, according to Sainath. Neha Sharma, the director of account management, says, "Our target was the 18-24 years of age." P&G, however, has gone back to playing Old Spice's international ads now. Global longevity When William Schultz bottled the classic, spicy citrus scent with lingering powdery musk notes as Old Spice, he went with the Colonial nautical theme. Hence, the logo of the brand - from clipper ships to a yacht (changed in 1992). Even TV ads in the 1970s had sailors, asking viewers to wake up to the freshness of Old Spice. In the early-90s, P&G dropped the sailor theme and spoke to first-time deodorant users, mostly teenagers with new deodorants in the US. In India, there is still a long way for Old Spice before it anchors itself firmly among the leading men's grooming brands. Sayantani Kar Aftershave | A Man's World A Man's World Man stuff and things you should know.

Aftershave Posted in: Aftershaves & Colognes , Fashion , Reviews . Tagged: $25 , Aftershave , Amber , Cologne , Fall , Halston , Review , Woodsy , Z-14 . Leave a comment Yes, you are reading that right. Halston Z-14. A blast from the past. It was introduced in 1976 but I didn’t become aware of it until the early 80’s. This is not to be confused with Halston 1-12 men’s cologne. That one was introduced the same year and is the more popular of the two. In fact, it won the FiFi Award for best men’s fragrance in the Luxe category in 1977 but we’re not here to talk about that one. I am wearing Z-14 right now and I have to say it is quite different. Straight from the bottle, it smells very sweet with a hint of spice but once on (after about an hour) the sweetness fades but doesn’t disappear. It transforms more to a ‘Fall’ scent and by ‘Fall’ I mean it tends to smell like well, Fall, as in the season.

It smells cinnamon-ly(?), warm and woodsy with that touch of sweetness and possibly some vanilla lingering in there somewhere. I’m guessing it’s the amber that smells ‘Fall-ish’ to me. It is a good mature (meaning it would be out of place for a teenager to where this one), casual cologne that retains it’s scent quite well. It’s good for the office or school and for the evening but if I had to choose, I would say this was more an an evening cologne. It is not an overpowering scent but do be careful when applying. It does have a decent amount of sillage (French for ‘wake’ like how a boat leaves a wake in the water), meaning that the scent tends to leave a wake in the air when you walk. If too much is applied, it can be sickening so again, be careful when applying. I have received several comments from people here in the office and out in public. There have only been two other colognes on me that have garnered more (positive) comments but those do not fall into the under $25 range we are trying to stay within.

Speaking of cost, I bought this one online for $23 and change (that number includes the shipping) and so it falls close to our limit but well worth it. This is a nice cologne that has been around for a long time. There was a time when it was not available in stores and in fact, still may not be but it is certainly available over the web. I would encourage you strongly to try this one. Yes, it is old but like I have said before, these old ones that are still around are still around for a reason. They’re good, this one is good. Posted in: Aftershaves & Colognes , Fashion , Reviews . Tagged: Aftershave , Black Musk for Men , Cologne , Jovan , Musk , Review , scent . Leave a comment So the first aftershave/cologne up for review under $25 is Jovan Black Musk for Men. This is a very nice masculine scent that was released in 2009. I have worn this one several times and have had the same results every time. It is a great woodsy scent and has a good solid base of musk with floral hints and a touch of citrus on top.

Unfortunately, this is where the review turns south. I put this on around 6:00 am and in all honesty, it’s essentially gone within four hours. In order for anyone to smell it, they would have to practically bury their nose into my neck. I met my wife for a date after work one day when I wore this and she could not smell it at all except for, as I said above, when she buried her nose into my neck and then could smell it. The ‘good’ news was that it still smelled woodsy. I say this because their original Musk for Men lost it’s masculinity and ended up smelling very clean and not masculine at all. So this one at least keeps its masculine scent albeit, you can’t smell it. So, if you want to try this one be sure to use A LOT. I ended up filling my hand up with a huge puddle of it and slapped it on all over and still…..nothing after four hours. It’s sad really because the scent is really, really nice. Cost runs about $18 for 4oz. bottle so its not bad but personally, I think there are others out there that are a better sniff for your scratch.

Posted in: Aftershaves & Colognes , Fashion , Reviews . Tagged: Aftershave , Cologne , Colognes , Grooming , Man Stuff , Manhood , Manliness , scent , smell . Leave a comment Ok, I’m a tight-wad when it comes to spending but I love aftershaves and colognes (A/C). If you have been following this blog you will know that I have been hitting this subject hard recently. So to be short and to the point, here’s my take on aftershaves and colognes. For every day wear, wear a good smelling A/C that is inexpensive and save the really good stuff for those special occasions and the special someone in your life. Not to sound rude but why waste a $75 bottle of cologne on offices-mates or classmates? Especially when there are perfectly good A/Cs on the market for a fraction of the cost? “But what’s out there in that price range?”, you ask. “Which one is good and which one do I need to stay away from?” might also cross your mind. Well that’s where this blog will come in handy.

Over the next few weeks I will be reviewing aftershaves and colognes that are no more than $25 and can be bought at your local drug store or grocery store….and of course on line. The idea for this started with this post in which I covered quite a few already but there will be some that I will review again with a separate post. I will (hopefully) be able to give a bit of history of the A/C, the price I paid for it, my impression and or the impression of those who comment about it. My hope is that you may find something that peaks your interest and give it a go which will hopefully save you some money in the long run. If you have a particular one you want me to review, let me know and I’ll see what I can do. Eric Posted in: Aftershaves & Colognes , Fashion , Reviews . Tagged: Aftershave , Cologne , eau de toilette , Gift , Legend , Mont Blanc , Shower Gel . Leave a comment Mont Blanc does perfumes and colognes? Apparently, yes they do. And do it quite well I might add. I had no idea.

I know of their pens since I am really into fountain pens but I had no idea about their fragrances….or watches, jewelry, eyewear or leather. I need to come out from under my rock more often I guess. I am wearing this fragrance today for the first time, Mont Blanc Legend. My beautiful bride bought me a gift set last October and held on to it until Valentine’s Day this year and presented it to me as a gift. I have not heard of this cologne until she gave it to me but in doing some research, it looks like it is more popular up north than in the south or west. It was introduced in 2011 so it’s fairly new on the scene. Retail for a 3.4 oz. bottle is $72 but you can find it in the mid $50s if you look for it. I normally don’t wear such expensive cologne (Edt) for the office (click here for my thoughts on this) but I wanted to wear this to get a handle on how it was perceived by others The gift set she gave me contains the shower gel, aftershave balm and the eau de toilette.

It is packaged in a large classy black box as you can see. It measures slightly smaller than a square foot and is about four inches in depth. Pretty impressive really. The shower gel lathered up really well and had a smooth texture/feel to it. Rinses well too. The scent was of course, the same as the Edtbut very light. It would be something to use by itself for a casual night in with your lady. The aftershave balm has little to no alcohol in it at all, at least that I could tell. It did not burn/sting in the least when I applied it this morning. It went on smooth and did not feel greasy as a lot of balms do. Six hours later and my face does not feel oily at all which usually happens when I use balms or gels. It, of course, has the same scent as the shower gel and Edt and falls in between the two as far as strength goes. So using the shower gel and the aftershave together works well and should be enough if you are around people who are sensitive to aromas. The Edt is much stronger but not overpowering as one would guess with all the nice masculine packaging it comes in.

One packaging item to note is the weight of the cap. It is quite heavy for a cap and just adds to the effect of being more masculine than most other colognes. I sprayed a little here and there in my normal places trying to be careful not to over do it. I hate it when men (women) wear too much cologne. Makes you look like you’re trying too hard and besides, no one likes being around that person. It just stinks. In describing the notes , I would say the top notes are fresh and bright with a hint of apple and cedar, maybe? A clean scent really but not soapy in the slightest. As the heart notes emerge, they become more flowery on me but quickly turned woodsy and much more masculine. Which makes sense considering this cologne is classified as predominantly fougère or ‘fern-like’. It has a basic accord (works well with) lavender (which is probably what I interpreted as ‘flowery’) in the top note and oakmoss and coumarin in the base notes and has a small hint of spice as well. The base notes are dry and “leathery” as one person in my office put it, or “smells like a man” as another said.

It is definitely a very masculine scent. Some have compared it to Abercrombie & Fitch’s Fierce but calling it more ‘mature’. Although it is recommended for casual wear, I think (opinion alert) that it is a little too ‘sexy’ for the office or classroom. My opinion of course as I am a happily married man and I don’t wear cologne to attract anyone, just smell good. But so far the response have been positive. Although, the responses have not let me know if I put on too much, just enough or too little as the results to that question are split equally. Something I am sure to work out over the next few times I wear it (with my wife). But I think I like it, like it a lot. Yea, this one I believe will become a staple in my rotation. Posted in: Aftershaves & Colognes , Fashion , Reviews . Tagged: advertising , Aftershave , Aqua Velva , Brut , Cologne , English Leather , Hai Karate , Jovan Musk , Jovan Sex Appeal , Lee Horsley , Matt Houston , Old Spice , Pete Rose , Pierre Cardin , Rolling Stones , Skin Bracer , What's old is new .

1 Comment There is a small trend moving it’s way through the Kingdom of Man (or otherwise known as Mandom) and it revolves around the old school colognes. Primarily those that your father and grandfather wore. As one marketing slogan goes, “If your grandfather hadn’t worn it, you wouldn’t be here.” Tis true, as one of my grandfathers wore one of these everyday. You find them in your local drugstores (and national chains as well) and sometimes in your local grocer. Even though they have been around for decades, they are a good option for your everyday wear especially when you take their cost into account. Most usually go for around $8 to $12 with some below and some slightly above. I wear some of these often and the younger ladies of the office often comment on how good it smells. The more mature ladies look at me with a tilted head and an expression like they should know but can’t quite figure it out.

I know it seems odd, in this day and age, with all the new fragrances out and well, really nice ones at that, which I will address in another blog post soon, but there’s just something about the old ones that are alluring and dare I say, really nice. And for the price, really, c’mon, you cannot beat them. Besides, there also seems to be a small cult following of these older aftershaves and colognes of people who just like to collect them in all their varying bottles and versions. So here I am. Admitting that I wear some of these for everyday use and why not? For work or school, these are perfectly acceptable and you’re not wasting your nice $80 a bottle cologne. You wear that on special occasions for special people. And besides, you can’t beat them for the price, especially in this economy! So let’s review these gems of old and see what we can find out here and why men are starting to come back to or in some cases discover these colognes for the first time.

I’ll start with the ‘big three’ from my earliest days then move on to later ones that may or may not ring a bell for you but in my opinion, those that are available, are still a viable option for todays man. I’ll give a little splash of history and background both public and private as I dare and I’ll throw in some old commercials and print ads to boot. By the way, for those that need a refresher on the differences between an aftershave and a cologne, you can read my earlier post here. Aqua Velva Aqua Velva got it’s start as an alcohol based mouthwash for men in 1929 by the Williams company. I would not recommend trying the current version as a mouthwash though. Nor would I recommend using Scope or Listerine as an alternative to aftershave. It is still available (as an aftershave and cologne) at your local drugstore or even local grocer for around $5. My youngest son has taken to this aftershave and cologne as he is now beginning to shave. WARNING: If you have the pain tolerance of a three year old girl, then brace yourself for this one when you put it on after you have shaved.

If you can stand the stinging for a short while, it really does leave you feeling fresh and clean. It’s not a strong scent but it is noticeable and for me at least, tends to fade throughout the day and is not necessarily for an evening out with your lady. Regardless what the print ad below suggests in the photo. And check out the price at the end of the ad. Check this out. Pete Rose singing! I really dig the plausible scenario that a fan would shout out to the athlete asking him the all important question, “What’s a man really want form an aftershave?” Vic Tayback (the fan) is more widely known for paying Mel, the old, grumpy, dirty shirt wearing owner and chef of Mel’s Diner in the late 70’s sitcom, Alice. Also, Vic and the peanut vendor seem to really get into the song. An interesting offer (at least to me) is this gem. Aqua Velva Frost Lime. Gonna have to scour the Bay for a bottle of this. Brut I’m wearing this one today. It was launched in 1964 by a company called Faberge. In 1968 a budget version was released called Brut 33.

It contained 33% of the fragrance found in the original cologne. Through numerous changes of the guards, in 1989 the Chesebrough-Ponds division of Unilever dropped the ‘33’ nomenclature from it’s range of products (colognes, aftershaves, deodorants) and rebranded it to just ‘Brut’. So the Brut bottle you see on the shelf is actually the old Brut 33 inside. If you want the original Faberge ‘Brut’ (full strength) then you need to look for “Brut Classic by Faberge”. This bottle below with the silver ‘medallion’ on it. Brut has hints of spicy woods mingled with citrus top notes and is recommended for evening wear. Although, I do wear this one throughout the day as I don’t view it as an ‘evening’ cologne per se. I mean I could see it as a cologne you would wear when you go out with the buds for a drink or a sporting event but certainly not when you are with your lady. So, take the ‘recommendation with a grain of salt.

Joe Namath….how could you go wrong in 1973 when you had this guy pluggin’ your stuff to “go all the way man.” Ok, so here’s a short (16 second) not so vintage commercial that I thought was funny. Old Spice This is the one my granddad wore. I can still remember seeing the bottle in the bathroom and on his dresser and smelling it on him as we sat in the truck driving to church Sunday mornings when I would visit. Old Spice actually started out in 1937 as a woman’s product (who knew?). The men’s product didn’t come out until a year later in 1938. It was founded by William Lightfoot Schultz in 1934 under the Shulton Company. It is full bodied and quite exotic. It has top notes of orange, sage, and lemon that blends into carnation, geranium, cinnamon, jasmine and heliotrope. Following that up is the vanilla, cedar wood, frankincense, Tonka and musk. Again, quite exotic. It was marketed in white glass bottles with gray stoppers and had a nautical theme of sailing ships on the side.

An interesting note is that the original ships were the Grand Turk and the Friendship. Other ships used were the John Wesley, Salem, Birmingham, Maria, Teresa, Propontis, Recovery, Sooloo, Star of the West, Constitution, Java, United States and Hamilton. 1990 was the year Proctor & Gamble bought the company and of course made some changes. The sailing ships are now replaced with a yachting logo and in early 2008 the original Old Spice scent was repackaged as “Classic” and the glass is now plastic and the gray stoppers are now red. Old Spice has three lines and since we are only talking about the original scent, you need to know which line carries it. It’s the “Classic” line. Kind of makes scents really (pun intended). My oldest son likes the Red Zone line of products. New generation gets new scents I guess. Original with the Grand Turk ship New packaging…bleh. Why does the term ‘stalker’ come to mind? They evidently felt a need to offer some lime scented products as well. Introduced in 1966 and sold until the early 1990’s.

The name changed to “Fresh Lime” in 1977. “Things happen…” Like the bottle cap exploding? They also sold other variations like Old Spice Burly and Old Spice Musk and Old Spice Herbal. The burley I assume would have more of the tobacco smell as the only burley I know of is a type of tobacco plant. Would love to get my hands a bottle of this stuff. The Musk and the Herbal? Haven’t got a clue and not that interested really. ______________________________________________________________________________ Ok, so those are the big three. Still readily available except for some of the variations, although you might find them on the Bay or CList. But like I said in the beginning, there seems to be a resurgence in these older aftershaves and colognes in the land of Mandom. I don’t have any empirical data to support that, just observations across the web I have taken note of and conversations I have had with other men and store clerks. I seriously encourage you to try one if not all of these out. There really is no excuse not to. At the current prices….how can you go wrong? Besides, we wear vintage tees, jeans, belts, hats and jackets.

Why not colognes as well? So those were the most widely used colognes in the day but there was another level of colognes that were popular as well but just didn’t dominate the market like those above. Let’s take a look at some of these. This one, some would argue should be up there with the big three making it the big four and in some cases, that is true. My dad wore this one for a long time and it is still available, easy to spot with its famous wooden cap and always a pleasure to wear…. English Leather. Got it’s start in 1949 by Javier Serra of Taboo, Ambush, and Canoe fragrance fame. It is a mix of lemon, orange, honey, vanilla, leather and bergamot fragrances giving it a very masculine sent that lasts all freakin’ day. This is a classic scent that a lot of my early year buddies wore as well. Take note of the last line in the ad. You can still get it for under that price. I remember this commercial (below) simply cause it had a young girl in it and her voice was oh so disturbing to me for some reason….it still is.

This commercial is also (IMO) quite the departure from the regular cologne ads that promote sex appeal and really, to be honest, it’s kind of weird. I mean I get what they are saying but still….. Apparently, lime scented cologne was the ‘in’ thing back in the day as English Leather did as well and in the same year as Old Spice, 1966. Personally I have never tried any of these lime versions so I have no idea what they smell like (this one has grapefruit in it but no lime as far as my research has lead). Would love to see what they (Aqua Velva Frost Lime, Old Spice (Fresh) Lime and English Leather Lime) are like. In fact, I was high bidder for a bottle of this stuff but soon lost as the bottle (with wooden box) went for $45!! Time to hit up the local Goodwill stores. Skin Bracer “By Mennen”, sung in three notes at the end of every commercial is the famous slogan for this brand.

The company name, “Mennen” is not however a play on their demographic, men but rather the actual last name of Gerhard Heinrich Mennen who came up with his first product in 1878, a talcum-based powder and obviously, the founder of The Mennon Company. Skin Bracer is a clean scent that is pretty light. I have a bottle of this stuff and it’s ‘okay’. Tends to end up smelling rather ‘soapy’ on me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very clean smell so it’s not bad at all, just not ‘manly’?Certainly not a “He-man aroma” as the ad suggests below, IMHO. If all you are looking for in an aftershave is a clean, light scent then this is the aftershave for you. This was a very popular commercial starring Jack Palance. Most people now days would probably know him best as Curly Washburn in the film, City Slickers that starred Billy Crystal. He is also known for doing something rather unique at the Oscars one year. Jovan Sex Appeal C’mon, say it out loud. “Jovan”.

It’s got that cheesy 1970’s “I’m sexy and I know it” sound to it. Can you see “Jovan” on the hood of his 1978 Buick Regal, white pants, open shirt with silver and gold chains around his neck?…. shutter at the image. Believe it or not, it’s still available. “This provocative, stimulating blend of rare spices and herbs was created by men for the sole purpose of attracting women.” Hmmm….for what other purpose does a man wear cologne? Sex Appeal is a mix of patchouli and sandalwood among others ingredients that was introduced in 1976 and is a classic oriental scent. It is more of an evening cologne and a bit much for the office I would think. The ad campaign for this cologne is a bit weird to me. One would think that with a name like “Sex Appeal” the campaign would center around the relationship between a man and a woman and try to define ‘sex appeal’ or something like that. At least in my brain it would.

So it’s a bit unexpected I guess to see a Herculean/Conan type character that has a benevolent, Jorel (Superman’s dad) type father figure giving him the “power”. Animated cologne commercial…..interesting approach. Jovan Musk My dad wore this one for a short period of time. This one was introduced in 1973 and has citrus, lavender and spices that produces a very strong sent at first but then mellows out to a smooth clean smell. It is a great daily office aftershave/cologne and well worth the price of $15. “It’s what attracts. The cologne works with your body’s natural chemistry to make a sexy scent. A blend of exotic spices and woods meets with the seductive power of musk. The result is a masculine, powerful persuasive fragrance.” This seems more in line with Sex Appeal ad campaign than the Musk. Maybe there was a mix up in the advertising department and these got switched? Who knows. Oh wow, Lee Horsley or should I say Matt Houston! It was a TV show back in the early 80s (1982-1985 on ABC).

Matt Houston was a millionaire private investigator that always got the bad guy…..it was a poor competitor of Magnum P.I. (1980-1988) which starred Tom Selleck on CBS. Other than that, nothing more to add here about the cologne or the campaign….. okay, so I lied. In 1981, Jovan paid one million dollars to put it’s name on Rolling Stones tickets during their Rolling Stones’ American Tour 1981 that promoted their Tattoo You album. Now there’s some useless bits of information that will never earn you a dollar. In fact, nothing in this blog will ever earn you a dollar but thanks for reading anyway! Pierre Cardin Ah yes, launched in 1972 this cologne is classified as a refreshing, subtle oriental fragrance. I remember having this on my dresser or did I steal it from one of my brothers? Hmmmm.

“It is an elegant cologne, fresh and tonic with notes of bergamot (BTW, bergamot is a type of orange grown mostly in Italy), lavender, orange (the real kind I guess?), sandalwood, oak and geranium moss, oil of opoponax and Russian leather.“ It is suited more for daytime wear than evening. I liked this one. Becky in fourth grade liked it too. Only thing I remember was going over to her house one Saturday afternoon. She cleared the back porch so we could dance. Only thing was, I didn’t know how to dance so I just sat there like the 12 year old idiot that I was and watched her dance then went home. And last but not least….. Hai Karate This post wouldn’t be complete without Hai Karate. I will state emphatically, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO WEAR THIS ONE…until you have memorized the self defense instructions (against the inevitable onslaught of women) that came with each bottle.

This was introduced in 1967 as a budget cologne and strangely enough, held it’s own against the likes of Old Spice, Brut, and Aqua Velva before coming to an end in the 1980’s. It was most known for the marketing campaign than the cologne itself really. After seeing the video, you’ll know why. They too offered a lime version….wonder if this one had grapefruit in it too. There are of course others I’m sure like, Polo, Drakkar Noir, Jacomo, Arimis, Chaz, Sante Fe, Paco Robanne, Azzarro just to name a few but I didn’t want to include those in this post. I will however blog about those in another post soon. Such weird memories of that time in my life, Jr, High school and high school…..bleh. So there you have it. The old become new again….sort of. I encourage you to go visit your local drugstore or corner store. Take a stroll down the perfume and cologne isle in your grocery store and take a look-see. Don’t take yourself so seriously, loosen up and have fun, be brave, grab one and try it out.

If anything it is a great conversation starter. Cheers.

Question: Since 1992, what type of boat is the logo of aftershave ‘Old Spice’?
Answer: Yacht