Razor: Rex Envoy
Blade: Gillette Wilkinson Sword
Brush: Tournure de bois 26mm White Synthetic
Soap: Wholly Kaw 1776
Aftershave: Wholly Kaw 1776 Splash
To my American friends, Happy 4th of July! A quick browse through my shave den and it was pretty easy to pick which set to use in honour of your Independence Day. I picked this set up in a trade a while back and I have to say it was a complete surprise to me. Based on the artwork, I’m not sure what I was expecting, fireworks? American Pie? but surprisingly, this isn’t that at all. Rather, it is a subtle fresh and green scent. I don’t mind the artwork but honestly, I’m not sure how the concept matches the scent. But I digress….
Scent notes on this are osmanthus, benzoin, labdanum, grapefruit, artemisia, tarragon, patchouli, musk, tonka bean, cedarwood. Scent strength on this is on the lighter side, present but not in your face. That is actually bang on what it should be for this style of fragrance. To my nose I get a clean, yet subtle herbal-white floral vibe with just a touch of citrus. Think clean, fresh, slightly green and slightly sweet. If you are a fan of fragrances like Lacoste L12.12 Blanc, this would be a win for you. It isn’t a dupe of that but doesn’t smell far off. It is also in a similar vein as another release from Wholly Kaw (which I also have), Eroe. If you have that set, I’d pass on this as being a bit redundant. (not the first time I’ve experienced that in the Wholly Kaw lineup sadly).
This particular soap I have in their Tallow Siero base. I really enjoy this soap base for performance. It is fairly easy to work with and gives a really rich and slick lather. What I don’t like is the pricepoint. At almost $40CAD a tub, this is one of the higher priced artisan soaps you can pick up in Canada. It is a great product, but I’m not convinced it is worth the high price tag. All the Wholly Kaw products I’ve had I’ve picked up off the secondary market and while I enjoy them all, I can’t see myself buying a set full retail. There are just too many fantastic alternatives.
Matching splash performs well, punches in with a touch more zippy citrus and has a bit of cooling menthol (which does alter the scent a bit). This does have really nice post shave feel for a splash but again, punches pretty high in pricepoint at almost $30CAD a bottle. That isn’t the most I’ve paid for a splash but definitely puts in in the upper tier.
I can say I really enjoy this scent and got a fantastic shave. If the price point isn’t an issue (almost $70 for the set) and the scent sounds like it’s up your alley, this could be a big win for you. I know I certainly will be using it a lot during the warmer months. If you are lucky enough to find it on the secondary market as I did, then I would for sure add it to your den.
All for now – J
