History of Barrister and Mann
Uncommon scents. Made with awesome. Tested on people.
Last updated on April 20, 2024
Contents
- Introduction
- Foundation
- Released Soaps and Lines
- Ingredients
- Standard Soap Lines
- Barrister's Reserve Soap Line
- Latha Soap Line
- Aftershaves
- Wonderbalm and Balms
- Additional Notes
Introduction
Barrister and Mann has had a relatively short history, but has become very popular among wet shavers - many of the releases are highly sought after today. We present this history of Barrister and Mann and the products they've released over the years in an effort to document these scents... One of the cornerstones of the brand. Performance, as many will confirm, is second to none even in the early releases. It has only gotten better over time and the latest formulations are arguably a benchmark of artisan soap performance. No matter how you look at it, the history below is a fascinating journey.
Foundation
Barrister and Mann was founded on March 18, 2013 from Boston, MA (currently operating out of Hartwick, NY) by William Carius. From their "About Us" page is this history:
Barrister & Mann is the the result of my extremely sensitive skin. I first began traditional wet shaving because I couldn't use modern shaving methods without serious irritation. While using a double-edge safety razor and a brush did help, I had trouble with soap performance. I needed something that would perform reliably and that would work well for my skin. I spent 5 months testing different formulas in the kitchen of my tiny apartment in Boston, researching different ingredients and experimenting with different ratios until I had a soap that produced a lovely, slick, creamy lather that didn't dry my skin. I mentioned to the wet shaving community on reddit.com and was persuaded to send a few samples for testing. It turned out what worked for me worked for a lot of other people as well, and Barrister and Mann was launched March 18, 2013 from Boston, MA. We later developed alcohol-free aftershaves and a beard oil, and most recently have begun selling alcohol-based aftershave splashes as well. The business has grown and is now a family operation; my parents have been kind enough to help me keep everything running as smoothly as possible, and we continue to expand both our staff and our product lines...
Currently, Barrister and Mann is a family business involving not only William Carius, but his mother Paula and father Hal as well. As for the origin of the name, here is what William said about that:
Lol. I get that question often. The name comes from the fact that I was still in law school when I founded the company (a barrister is a kind of British attorney), and the fact that it was originally intended for men ("Mann" being a stylized "man"). :)
Released Soaps and Lines
Below is a list of soaps released by Barrister and Mann along with their history and scent descriptions. They range from the early days (released as pucks), to the White Label, Black Label and Limited Edition periods - up to and including the most recent releases.. See below for the Latha line.
Many releases have come and gone, never to return ("Discont"), some are seasonal ("Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter") and some are returning at some point (Timeframe). This will be noted below. You can also check out pending releases on their published Release Schedule.
Standard Lines
Generally offered in a tallow-based formula with lanolin (with some vegan Tre-Citta) releases). The White Label and Black Label lines were the standard, containing all the high-end ingredients - the latter arriving later - which added sodium citrate in an effort to improve hard water lathering. They were discontinued in June 2015, as starting with Le Grand Chypre a new formulation was debuted, named Glissant - with the goal to increase slickness and glide. After this initial release, almond oil was quickly substituted with high-oleic safflower oil which had the effect of increasing slickness further. This lasted until November 2018, with Vespers ushering in the new Excelsior formula. Essentially combining the best properties of White Label, Glissant and Barrister's Reserve bases.
Latha Line
The Latha line was born because many people exhibit lanolin sensitivities and that so many people still prefer tallow soaps, they should devise a simple tallow soap with superior slickness and skincare. Over the course of many months, they tested and retested until they had assembled a truly spectacular product, a soap that was easy to lather, dense, creamy, slick, and which did not exhibit the same quirks as their main lines. Argan oil and shea butter were chosen as the superfats to enhance the slickness and help to mitigate the drying effects of the product. They added sodium citrate to protect the lather from hard water and to aid the user in working up a dense, slick lather quickly and easily.
Latha was discontinued in February 2018.
Ingredients
Standard Soap Lines
Click names below for review(s)... See also, Aftershaves below.
| Released | Status | AS | Scent Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | May 2015 May 2016 May 2017 May 2019 May 2020 May 2021 May 2022 | Spring | T/D | For Towel Day, the commemoration of Douglas Adams’ authorship of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Barrister & Mann presents our tribute to his brilliant work: 42, a soap that smells of petunias, ambergris, tea, and Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster (lemon sugar). Grab a copy of the Guide, a cup of tea, and your shaving brush; it’s going to be a hell of a ride. |
| Adagio | Jun 2014 Jun 2016 Jun 2017 May 2023 | Summer | T | A “cool green fruit” fragrance consisting of lime, cherry, violet leaf absolute, lily of the valley, and a beautiful floral musk called Galaxolide. The soap is rounded off with a light mentholated coolness, not super cold but enough to refresh the face in the swelteringly hot weather of Summer. |
| Adumbrare | Nov 2017 | Limited Edition | T | Barrister and Mann has teamed up with /r/wetshaving to invite you to make discoveries of your own. Join your sense of mystery with your sense of smell as you attempt to unravel the puzzle of Adumbrare. Notes are sandalwood, grapefruit, petitgrain, tobacco absolute, honeysuckle and currant. |
| (Tre Citta) Almond | Nov 2013 | Discont | - | Drawing upon the results of our shaving cream research, we created a completely vegan shaving soap comprised of only five main ingredients: stearic acid, castor oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, and glycerin. This simple but superb soap produces a beautifully thick, rich, lubricious lather at the cost of no animal lives and is scented with the traditional almond fragrance for which the originals are so justly famous. The name comes from the Italian term for "Three Cities," a reference to the Genoan, Milanese, and Neapolitan master soapmakers of the Old World to which we pay homage. |
| Amazelnut | Jan 2020 Nov 2021 | Winter | D | One of our favorite releases from the Soft Heart series returns for the cooler months! Amazelnut is a creamy, woody blend of vetiver oil and hazelnut, with touches of vanilla to bring depth and warmth. We like to think of it as the olfactory equivalent of running your hand over your stubble while sipping hazelnut coffee in the morning (there's no coffee in it, but hazelnut coffee is a shop favorite). A little rasp, with a touch of sweetness, it's the perfect way to either get going in the morning or relax and unwind a little after a long day. Ideal for the cooler months and especially for days when you feel like a little coziness is needed, Amazelnut is one of the most comforting scents we've ever produced, and we're delighted to have it back! |
| Anise & Vetiver | Sep 2014 | Discont | - | The famous Robin's Candy Shop in Boston stocks a remarkably dry, rich licorice from Denmark with deliciously tangy undertones. This soap smells rather like that. Sweet, woody, and slightly salty, Anise & Vetiver is one of those soaps that smells so good that you have to stop yourself from tasting the lather. You know, for science. |
| Arctique | Jul 2015 May 2016 Jul 2017 | Summer | T | We blended our lovely floral/black pepper base with Japanese Peppermint and enough menthol to make even the most hardened skin prickle in fear. The goal was to create one of the coldest soaps on Earth, the kind of soap that separates the hobbyists from the seriously dedicated. We’re proud to say that we were successful. It is unbelievable. It is horribly, hatefully, bone-chillingly cold. |
| Atomic Holiday | Dec 2022 | Limited Edition | D | Today, December 2nd, is the 80th anniversary of the CP-1 experiment, the first successful test of an artificial nuclear reaction. To pay homage this momentous scientific achievement (though not, perhaps, all that came after), Barrister and Mann has crafted Atomic Holiday, a sparklingly cheerful blend of pineapple, lime, bergamot, labdanum, and ozone. The perfect way to brighten your morning against the bitter cold, or against the hazards of an unshielded reactor, Atomic Holiday is one of our brightest releases in a long time, built to look forward to the brave new world. |
| Bay Rum | Mar 2013 | Current | K/T | This is a classic bay rum scent consisting of West Indian Bay (none of that cooking bay stuff), sweet orange, real blackstrap rum, benzoin (a warm, vanilla-like scent), and just a hint of cassia cinnamon, which provides a pleasant warmth. A favorite for winter, but great for any time of year. Note that my bay rum is entirely clove-free. |
| Beaudelaire | Aug 2014 Feb 2019 Dec 2023 | Limited Edition | T/D | We blend the classic fougère accord of lavender, oakmoss, and coumarin with ylang ylang, rose, sandalwood, and the deep, richly bitter character of Mousse de Saxe to produce a fougère unlike anything else in the shaving world. |
| Behold the Whatsis! | Mar 2019 April 2022 | Limited Edition | D | Behold the Whatsis! is a sprightly, Spring-like blend of grapefruit, rose, and our own version of the smell of childhood memories, a combination of tangerines, sugar cookies, and dryer-warm blankets. Far from cloyingly sweet, Behold the Whatsis! elegantly and quietly hails back to what it’s like to be very small. |
| Braeburn | Nov 2023 | Limited Edition | D | Apple, Sage, Orange, Vetiver, Amber, Spices. |
| Caledonia Rose | Sep 2014 | Discont | - | The original intent behind Caledonia Rose was to produce a rose/sandalwood soap using only the necessary plant absolutes. Unfortunately, we couldn't quite get it to where we were satisfied with it. We had hoped that the scent would be stronger (though it's definitely still rosy), so we've decided to simply charge just enough to cover our investment and only produce one batch. It's a gentle, smooth rose scent with creamy sandalwood undercurrents and the same great performance as all of our vegan soaps. A singular batch not to be missed! |
| Cheshire | May 2013 | Current | K/T | A combination of bergamot, clary sage, lavender, and patchouli, this soap captures the classic essence of Earl Grey tea using only high-quality essential oils. The perfect complement to the morning routine of the discerning shaver. |
| Citricuyá C2 | Nov 2017 | Limited Edition | T | An exclusive release for SFWS, it has notes of blood orange, passionfruit, pink pepper, pear and galbanum. A second and final run named "C2" appeared June 2018. |
| Cologne Russe | Sep 2015 | Discont | T | Notes of lemon, bergamot, petitgrain, and herbs dry down to violet, rose, bay, and amber. The scent is distinctly warmer than most other cologne-type fragrances, owing largely to its inclusion of castoreum, benzoin, and vanilla. |
| Clusterfig | Sep 2019 | Fall | D | Clusterfig is a soft, evanescent blend of green fig, orange blossom, jasmine, amber (the old-school benzoin/labdanum/vanilla version), lemon, apple, and violet. Sweet and floral without being heavy, delicate without being overtly feminine |
| Death (The Four Horsemen) | Oct 2022 | Limited Edition | D | Citrus, resins, moss. |
| DFS (Damn Fine Shave) | Oct 2015 | Discont | T | A warm, autumnal soap with notes of apples, cinnamon, cloves, oak, and berries, much like the mulled cider that so characterizes the cooler months in the Northeast. Spicy and sweet. |
| Diamond | May 2015 Apr 2017 Apr 2019 Apr 2021 | Spring | D | Notes of freshly cut grass, stadium soil, beer, leather, pine, cedar, popcorn, and caramel to conjure the unforgettable experience of attending a big league game during every shave. |
| Dickens | Nov 2013 Nov 2015 Nov 2016 Nov 2019 Dec 2023 | Winter | T | Patterned after one of our favorite holiday cookies, this soap combines notes of cherry, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, and lemon into a spicy, sweet, festive soap just perfect for a shave before that ugly sweater party that your boss is making you attend. |
| East Egg | Jun 2019 | Limited Edition | D | Notes of nutmeg, lemon, bergamot, and clary sage open with scintillating sparkle, the flash of glittering affluence, and descend to a rich floral heart of ylang ylang, geranium, and violet. A base of sandalwood, amber, and vanilla buttresses the core, classic cigarette perfume of vetiver and vanilla. |
| Eigengrau | Dec 2020 Dec 2021 | Winter | D | The very essence of the desolate elegance of a frigid mountainside, framed by pristine snow and forbidding pines, so isolated that you feel as though you stand at the edge of the world. Notes of heliotrope and iris bring forth the smell of desiccated powder, underlaid with the smell of frigid air and primeval accents of lichen, moss, vetiver, and fir needle. A vivid rendering of one of the most starkly bewitching sights that the North has to offer, Eigengrau is a reminder that in the dark and the bleak may be found some of the most enrapturing beauty of all. |
| Eventide | Nov 2017 | Winter | T | Derived from the natural defenses of the agarwood tree, oud is tremendously strong, tar-like, and woody. Where most scent makers tend to play up the woody, ambery characteristics of the material, we decided to do things a bit differently. To soften the rough, phenolic character of oud, we decided to blend the scents of rose and raspberry, then added a healthy dose of tangy, acidic lime to keep it from getting too heavy. The overall scent is warm and inviting, fruity without being candy-like, and wholly suited to the darkness of wintertime. |
| Famine (The Four Horsemen) | Oct 2022 | Limited Edition | D | Dust, hunger, citrus, resins, moss. |
| Ferox | Mar 2013 Sep 2020 | Discont | - | Ferox (Latin for "fierce") is comprised of a bright, invigorating combination of grapefruit, sage, thyme, rosemary, tea tree, and vetiver. An unusual soap sure to get you ready for sunshine and gardening! |
| Fireside | Dec 2014 | Discont | - | Lie de vin (distilled into "cognac oil") with a powerfully fruity, alcoholic aroma carrying anise and vanilla facets as well as a woody undertone, we blended fennel (which has an herbal, anisic character), vanillin (a perfumery material of legendary power and versatility) and Virginia cedar oil with a healthy dose of the genuine article. Still not satisfied, we added lime oil as well to bring out the fruitier notes in the cognac. |
| First Snow | Feb 2014 Nov 2016 | Winter | T | Premised on the notion of a "gentleman's menthol," First Snow is comprised of a fresh, invigorating blend of real fir needle oil with hints of leather and just a touch of menthol. This is no face-freezer but instead a clean, natural-smelling soap with a hint of coolness to brighten up your morning. |
| Fougére Angelique | Aug 2019 | Limited Edition | D | The upstairs cousin to our famous Fougère Gothique EdP, Fougère Angelique is an gleamingly citrusy, approachable fougère touched by the cleansing flames of the heavens. Sprightly and charming, Fougère Angelique is the inverse of Fougère Gothique, a scent meant to invigorate the mind and make you feel blessed to be alive. Opening notes of lime, lemon and neroli; a heart of lavender, geranium, sandalwood and tonka bean with base notes of cedar, balsam fir, smoldering flame and oakmoss. |
| Fougére Aromatique | May 2014 Nov 2014 May 2015 | Discont | - | Only 40 tallow and 40 Tre Citta (vegan) made in first batch, ~250 in second and third batches. We blended the fragrance with touches of lime, cardamom, and thyme as an homage to Invasion Barbare, Stephanie Bakouche's remarkable aromatic masterpiece. The rest of the skeleton is constructed around geranium, clary sage absolute, violet leaf, and various other natural oils to produce a full-power, teeth-out scent completely divested of any resemblance to the prim little English fripperies that followed the original. Rich, gleamingly spicy, and utterly without pretense, Fougère Aromatique is a reminder of what it means to carry yourself with style. |
| Fougére Classique | Nov 2022 | Discont | D | The product of our very first aftershave and based on the original formula for the legendary Fougère Royale, Fougère Classique is a rich, floral, mossy, elegantly old-school blend of lavender, oakmoss, coumarin, bergamot, geranium, jasmine, ylang ylang, benzoin, labdanum, patcuouli, heliotrope, musk, and vanilla. Beautifully powdery and plushly luxurious, Fougère Classique is one of those soaps that we've always wanted to make, and we're very happy to bring it to you so you can smell great during the most wonderful time of the year. |
| Fougére Gothique | Oct 2017 | Fall | T | I began with the core skeleton of all fougères, the classic combination of lavender, oakmoss, bergamot, geranium, and tonka bean. To this were added the ancient, primordial influences of balsam fir, vetiver, cedar, and mushroom, topped off with the richness of smooth musks, sandalwood, leather, and tuberose. Finally, and most distinctly, I blended in the essences of black ashes and smoldering flame to echo the fires of Hell, burning for all time. |
| Fougére Imperiale | May 2014 Nov 2014 May 2015 | Discont | - | Only 40 tallow and 40 Tre Citta (vegan) made in first batch, ~250 in second and third batches. We built the scent on an accord of oakmoss, French lavender, tonka bean, and hay absolute, a smell akin to liquid sunshine. We then added West Indian Sandalwood (actually a plant called Amyris) and Siberian Fir for a woody, mineral effect similar to that of the drier fougères that characterized the 1950s and 60s. The rest of the skeleton is constructed around geranium, clary sage absolute, violet leaf, and various other natural oils to produce a fresh, clean, elegant scent reminiscent of the smell of a father's shaving set. Bright, understated, and charmingly smooth, Fougère Imperiale is the ultimate progression of natural perfumery. |
| Frankly My Pear | Sep 2020 | Fall | - | When I was a child, my parents ran a bakery. They made pies, cookies, scones, and various sweet breads, but my absolute favorite thing when the Autumn came was my mother’s pear ginger pie, characterized by three types of ginger, fresh, sweet pears, and, if she was feeling fancy, cranberries. It was a lovely treat, and went superbly well with a mug of hot cider and a scary movie. Frankly My Pear is my tribute to this pie, a sweet, inviting blend of pear, ginger, lemon, currant, and the lightest touch of balsamic sugar. While not an exact duplicate of the flavor from my memory (fresh pears are a delicacy like no other), it’s a perfect way to greet the cool weather of Autumn, and one of my favorite gourmands to date. |
| Full Measure of Man | Feb 2021 | Current | D | Introducing The Full Measure of Man. It was inspired by photos of richly appointed libraries, peppered with winged leather armchairs, a glass of fine whiskey, and the smell of aging teak and mahogany wafting from the shelves. Genteel and smooth, the fragrance combines notes of cured tobacco, sandalwood, Mousse de Saxe (whose inky tang suffuses the entire scent like a whispered promise), citrus, vanilla, resins, myrrh, and geranium. This is one of our best "classic" masculine fragrances ever, one to make you feel like enjoying a glass of aged brandy in a bespoke suit before a roaring fire. Simply put, it smells awesome, and so will you. Take advantage of that at your discretion. |
| Hallows | Oct 2013 Oct 2015 Oct 2016 Oct 2018 Oct 2020 Aug 2023 | Fall | T | We were tasked with creating a seasonal scent unlike any the world had ever seen before. Taking inspiration from the swamps of Boston, we combined vetiver, oakmoss, black pepper, cocoa, labdanum, and cedar to produce a deep, cold scent suited to the chilly, bitter days of late October. Gloomy, rich, and perversely elegant, Hallows is a reminder of why men once feared the dark. Took a year off in 2017. |
| Jacinthe | Mar 2018 | Spring | T | Springtime always puts us in mind of cool morning dew, white garden trellises, and three-piece flannel suits. Crisp citrus-floral scents just seem to work with those visuals, and Jacinthe’s clean, understated blend of lemon, hyacinth, a dash of sweet pear, and the spicy greenness of real tomato leaf absolute fits the bill perfectly. Strangely reminiscent of the flavor of Lemon Pez®, Jacinthe is a perfect way to start your day! |
| Lavanille | Jul 2014 | Current | T | Chiefly built on our recreation of the famous Mousse de Saxe perfume base, blended with lavender, vanilla, cedar wood, and the elegant musk Exaltolide to create a dark, leathery, elegant soap unlike anything seen for nearly a half century. |
| Lavender | Aug 2014 | Discont | - | Lavender is one of those old-school, classic scents that hails from the early days of men's shaving. This is an honestly good lavender soap. See also: Latha Lavanda - same scent! |
| Le Grand Chypre | Nov 2015 | Current | T | Lime, bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum, Mousse de Chyprée (we recreated another vintage base!), patchouli, peach skin, rose, frankincense, cedar, musk. |
| Leviathan | Sep 2014 Sep 2022 Sep 2023 | Current | T | We discovered the formula for an archaic, forgotten Russian leather accord and blended it with notes of sandalwood, coffee, cedar, and musk to create a dark, feral scent well-suited to its namesake. Elemental and at times slightly unsettling, Leviathan is a scent to accompany you to the end of the world. |
| Lime | Mar 2024 | Spring | D | With notes of Siberian fir, petitgrain, lemon, and lime, this soap smells like a citrus cocktail on steroids. But don't worry about getting overwhelmed by all those scents - sweet, crisp, zesty, juicy lime is the real star here. And what a star it is! It's refreshing yet invigorating, just like a margarita on a hot summer day (minus the tequila). |
| Lime, Lavender & Cedarwood | Jan 2013 Sep 2017 | Discont | T | Top notes of lime are softened by notes of earthy lavender and deep cedarwood. An invigorating, masculine scent. |
| Lyssa | Oct 2019 | Fall | D | We have combined rose, geranium, ashes, nutmeg, saffron, sage, oud, labdanum, oakmoss, patchouli, tobacco, and violets (specifically those taken from deceased persons) to produce a working zombie repellent. We have code named the formula Lyssa, after the virus which causes zombification. |
| Marilyn | Feb 2023 Feb 2024 | Limited Edition | D | Introducing Marilyn, our sprawling, baroque tribute to Monroe and her legacy. Blended with notes of amber, bergamot, cedar, clary sage, coriander, fir, labdanum, leather, opoponax, tonka, tobacco, sandalwood, vetiver, and ylang ylang, Marilyn is a powdery, cedary descent into what it means to feel stylish and sexy, capped with herbs and florals and underlaid by the promise of desire. |
| Mélange | Nov 2021 Nov 2023 | Fall | D | In case you can't tell, we're huge fans of Dune at Barrister and Mann, so, in honor of both one of our favorite novels of all time as well as its recent cinematic adaptation, we wanted to create something truly special. Thus was born Mélange, our interpretation of the scent of the spice itself. Notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, bay, musk, and desert air blend to produce an intensely spicy, all-encompassing aroma that brings to mind remote deserts, underground cultures, and the rumblings of revolution. |
| Midnight Special | Nov 2023 | Limited Edition | D | Sandalwood, Nagarmotha/Cypriol, Copaiba, Opoponax, Peppercorn, Nutmeg, Rasped Wood. |
| Mûir(e) Wood | Sep 2022 | Fall | D | In keeping with Muir's love of the forests, we've attempted to capture the crepuscular gloom of the woods at dusk, all purples and greens and blues. Blackberry seemed a perfect choice to blend with the jammy resin of balsam fir, while oakmoss and vetiver lace the undergrowth, imparting earthy mossiness and wood. The scent of damp air, so common in the Pacific Northwest where Muir made his home, wends its way through the fragrance, leaving a hauntingly gossamer shimmer in its wake. |
| Night Music | Feb 2016 Feb 2017 | Discont | T | We blended heaps of vanilla with peppery bergamot and silvery iris to form the core of the fragrance, then layered the whole thing on top of 5 different musks to create the raunchiest, naughtiest fragrance we’ve ever smelled in shaving. We finished it off with just the tiniest fraction of strawberry, so light that you’d probably never even know it’s there, to sweeten the design and make it just a little bit more fun. |
| Nocturne | Sep 2013 Sep 2018 | Discont | - | After the aroma of a New England Harvest Festival using the scents of apples, newly fallen leaves, woodsmoke, styrax benzoin, and the faintest touch of cinnamon. |
| Nordost | Nov 2019 Dec 2021 Jun 2023 | Winter | D | Rich and elegant, with undertones of dusky sweetness, Nordost is the smell of smoked oranges, their peels made leathery by the heat, their juice darkened and concentrated and wonderful. This is no weak, muddled orange scent, handicapped by the fragility of the fruit’s natural oil, but instead an intense, distinctly authentic fragrance so deeply luscious that you’ll swear you’ve buried your face in a basket of the real thing. |
| Oceana | Jul 2023 | Summer | D | One of our most enduringly popular fragrances, and one that we've been asked to bring back many times, Oceana is a super clean scent reminiscent of a day at the beach. Notes of salt water, bergamot, sandalwood, and jasmine are blended for an endlessly versatile, supremely wearable aquatic at home in any setting. Oceana is perhaps the ultimate aquatic, and a welcome promise of sunlight to come. |
| Orange & Cedarwood | Discont | - | Sweet Orange and Virginia Cedar essential oils. Classic French scent, very clean and masculine. | |
| Passiflora | Nov 2016 Feb 2022 Mar 2024 | Discont | - | An elegant, sophisticated, spicy pomegranate fougère that plays on the green soapiness of galbanum oil. This unusual inclusion is buttressed with cinnamon, bergamot, rose, geranium, lavender, and tonka bean, and overlaid with the rich, tangy, slightly acidic edge of a truly fine passion fruit accord. Achieved unobtainium status in only three days. |
| Patches | Jun 2018 | Summer | T | What’s better than the Summers of your childhood? How about strawberry basil jam? Inspired by a wonderful farm stand jam from bygone days, we blended strawberry, basil and black pepper into a cheerful slice of countryside nostalgia. Patches is a personal favorite of several Barrister and Mann staff, and we know you’ll love it as much as we do! |
| Petrichor | Jul 2014 Apr 2017 Apr 2020 | Discont | T | A soap that smells like damp earth after a Spring rain. Utterly unlike anything else we have ever smelled, Petrichor conjures images of Scottish moors and damp forests sparkling with dew. Made with real, diluted geosmin and oakmoss from Herzogovina. |
| Plague (The Four Horsemen) | Oct 2022 | Limited Edition | D | Lavender, herbs, citrus, resins, moss. |
| Presto | May 2023 | Summer | D | Presto is built on notes of Bergamot, Cedar, Musk, Rose, Lime, Sandalwood, Lavender, Patchouli, Amber, Ginger, Galbanum, Violet Leaf, Leather, and Jasmine, and is reminiscent of a soft leather jacket with just a touch of gasoline. It's gloriously fresh and inviting, and the faintest kiss of menthol in the soap only serves to add to its lightness. |
| Promises | Nov 2017 Nov 2023 | Winter | T | Promises is an ode to this most exhilarating time of the year, the smell of a warm drink from a thermos while out on the trail with friends. Notes of orange and bergamot are suffused with the warmth of real honey, whiskey lactone, peat, and nutmeg. To finish it off, we’ve incorporated the strange, rubbery, industrial character of a high grade saffron molecule to give the scent the feel of being out on the trail with idling sleds all around. |
| Ravish | Feb 2020 | Limited Edition | D | Ravish is meant to pay homage to the glory of vanilla, fusing supporting citrus notes and resins with the luscious, sparkling whispers of cinnamon and sandalwood to produce a captivating, voluptuous fragrance that promises tantalizing encounters yet to come. Elegant, timeless, and achingly delectable, this is a fragrance for your most carnal moments, your most fervent desires. Valentine's Day will never be the same. |
| Red Letter Day | Mar 2023 | Limited Edition | D | Intended as a celebration of our tenth anniversary on March 18th, Red Letter Day is comprised of notes of vanilla, bergamot, cedar, sandalwood, leather, and cedar. It's far from the rooty, dusty cedar that we have employed elsewhere, and the woody character of RLD is crisp and clean, with a touch of creaminess from the sandalwood laid over the base vanilla character. The tangy zest of bergamot and a touch of bitter leather round out the design, a striking contrast to the rest of Red Letter Day's softly sweet, woody design. |
| Rhapsody | Mar 2015 Mar 2016 Mar 2017 Feb 2021 | Discont | T | In the spirit of the title "New York," we decided to incorporate the scent of pear blossoms, which bloom in Central Park in the springtime and have a famously pungent odor, into a citrus/floral/spice structure to symbolize the beauty of Spring (when the snow finally melts). Because using only our pear blossom accord made the fragrance rather heavy, we decided to lighten it with the scents of apple and cherry blossoms, incorporating all three accords into a base of lemon, orange, orange flower, rose, bay, thyme, sandalwood, patchouli, musk, lavender, and vanilla. The result was a clean, sweet, citrusy scent with a distinctly floral cast and a richly smooth base, perfect for still-chilly Spring mornings where it's hard to justify getting out of bed. Bright and uplifting, Rhapsody is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and ready to face the day. |
| Roam | Sep 2013 Mar 2018 Mar 2021 | Discont | KT | Inspired by the rugged individualism of American cattle ranchers, we blended the aromas of real pipe tobacco absolute, smoke, leather, herbs, damp earth, and grass into a bright, robust scent reminiscent of life on the open range. Timeless and virile, Roam harkens back to the days of the Old West. |
| Rosemary & Peppermint | Aug 2014 | Discont | - | Bright, fresh, herbal rosemary blends with cooling Japanese peppermint and the green sweetness of spearmint for a shave that’s sure to clear your head and cool your face. |
| Saeryan | Mar 2014 Feb 2015 May 2019 | Limited Edition | D | Some describe it as "candy floral" or "spicy flowers," but, to us, it smells simply of Springtime. To that end, Barrister & Mann blended ethereally beautiful facets of violet, clover, petitgrain, bergamot, and hops to create a crisp, slightly bitter citrus floral scent that invokes memories of cool, quiet Sunday mornings spent drinking tea in the sunshine. Sparklingly elegant, Saeryan is a soap best reserved for when you want to feel your very finest. |
| Sandalwood | April 2022 | Limited Edition | D | Originally developed for our Fougère Gothique EdP, our sandalwood accord was released as part of our Soft Heart series over a year ago to considerable acclaim. In fact, quite a few among our sandalwood-loving customers wrote in to claim that it's the single most natural-smelling sandalwood shaving soap that they've ever encountered. |
| Seville | Mar 2013 | Current | K/T | A traditional barbershop scent, this soap contains bergamot, lemon, patchouli, oakmoss, lavender, and rosemary. A fresh, clean fragrance that goes with pretty much anything. |
| Sinfonia | Feb 2018 | Spring | T | Jasmine, perhaps THE classic white floral fragrance, is well-known for its heady, narcotic aroma. Standing in pitch-perfect contrast to this hypnotic richness is the juicy delicacy of apricot, which lightens and smoothes the jasmine to produce an understated, elegant scent. |
| Solarion | Jun 2015 | Discont | - | Notes of bergamot, petitgrain, geranium, carnation, saffron, and black pepper to create a sunny, spicy, energizing soap that triumphantly announces the return of Summer. Stylish and sexy, Solarion is the perfect compliment to a hot day and a cold beer. |
| Smoking Bishop | Nov 2022 | Winter | D | A smooth, warm blend of wine, orange, grapefruit, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pipe tobacco that conjures images of sipping a stiff drink near a roaring hearth, the air redolent with the scents and sounds of food and drink and good company. Effortlessly charming and good-natured, Smoking Bishop is one of our best "feel-good" scents ever, and we can't wait for you to give it a try! |
| Solstice | Jun 2013 | Discont | - | A rich and elegant combination of lemon, black pepper, and rose absolute with just a touch of peppermint. |
| Sunny Lane | Mar 2020 | Limited Edition | D | Barrister and Mann is proud to introduce Sunny Lane, a peppery green, sparklingly fresh combination of bergamot, vetiver, sweet clover, and oakmoss that's reminiscent of childhood playtime in your backyard. Perfectly suited to the early springtime, Sunny Lane is charming, whimsical way to start (or end) your day with a smile. |
| Taiga | Dec 2021 | Winter | D | A relic of an older time in Barrister and Mann's history, Taiga was originally created as a member of our "Latha" line of soaps. Simple, forthright, a combination of pine, balsam, and cedar, this is the scent of an alpine reach, the evergreen treetops dusted with snow. Taiga is a perennial favorite of our packing team (who laid claim to a few jars before we had ever even made it) and is uniquely suited to long, cold Winters held back by warm fireplaces and hot drinks. |
| Tangerine & Ylang Ylang | May 2014 | Discont | - | A bright, heady combination of tangerine and ylang ylang essential oils. In order to avoid an overpoweringly floral smell, the fragrance has been balanced so that the ylang ylang is detectable and supports the tangy citrus of the tangerine, but is not overwhelmingly heady. |
| Terror | Jul 2019 Jul 2020 Jun 2021 | Summer | D | Inspired by the grisly legend of the Terror and the Erebus, our Terror shaving soap gives new meaning to bitter cold. We blended frankincense (the smell of ship’s timbers) with the very essence of cold water to bring to mind the empty wastes of the Arctic Circle, and have incorporated our custom blend of cooling agents to bring an insidious, endless chill to the experience. Tearless and stingless, unlike its mentholated cousin Arctique, Terror is a ghastly revelation, a glimpse into abyss. |
| The Full Measure of Man | Feb 2021 | Discont | D | It was inspired by photos of richly appointed libraries, peppered with winged leather armchairs, a glass of fine whiskey, and the smell of aging teak and mahogany wafting from the shelves. Genteel and smooth, the fragrance combines notes of cured tobacco, sandalwood, Mousse de Saxe (whose inky tang suffuses the entire scent like a whispered promise), citrus, vanilla, resins, myrrh, and geranium. This is one of our best "classic" masculine fragrances ever, one to make you feel like enjoying a glass of aged brandy in a bespoke suit before a roaring fire. Simply put, it smells awesome, and so will you. Take advantage of that at your discretion. |
| Tuesday | Jun 2018 | Summer | T | The perfect compliment to our Just Right for a Tuesday EdP, Tuesday is a crisp, slightly spicy blend of lavender and violet meant for those days when you don’t want anything too fussy, sweet, or heavy. The combination produces a firmly unisex floral that’s at home anywhere, at any time, and will brighten your shave, morning or night. Let the flowers out. |
| Tobacchanal | Dec 2022 | Limited Edition | D | B&M presents Tobacchanal in celebration of SFWS's EOTYB5 (December 3rd, 2022). Tobacchanal is a tobacco forward accord featuring notes of eastern oud, dark patchouli, fresh musk, rose and classic amber. On any occasion where you have cause to celebrate, Tobacchanal fits the bill. |
| Unscented | Mar 2013 | Current | - | White label soap - sans scent! |
| Vanille | Jan 2014 Jun 2016 | Discont | - | Scented with a combination of real bourbon vanilla absolute and the richly vanillic and woody resin styrax benzoin. Together, the oils combine to produce the most gorgeous vanilla scent in shaving today, a voluptuous, elegant, and deeply sensual fragrance that will remind your date of the meaning of desire. |
| Vespers | Nov 2018 Nov 2019 Nov 2022 | Winter | T | Vespers is the product of a specific picture, the image of a quaint mountain town in late December, snow falling gently on the peaked roofs, lights twinkling in the square. As one of the historic meeting places of Lower Saxony, we felt it necessary to incorporate our legendary version of Mousse de Saxe ("Saxon Moss"), in all its velvety darkness, into any fragrance representative of the village. Onto this we layered cranberry, cardamom, balsam, and a fern accord for a spicy-jammy-forest character. Patchouli, rose, sandalwood, and bergamot round out the rough edges to produce a scent one might expect to waft from a merrymaking hall on a chill evening. |
| Vetiver, Heather & Clary Sage | Mar 2013 | Discont | K | A floral, but still deeply earthy scent that calls to mind the fragrance houses of Jermyn St., St. James, and Savile Row. |
| Vetyver Santal | Sep 2014 | Discont | - | We blended a healthy dose of lemon essential oil with Haitian vetiver and elegant, creamy New Caledonia sandalwood absolute to create a light, clean, fresh vetiver scent well-suited to cooler weather. Refined and gentlemanly, Vetyver Santal harkens back to classic fragrances from the Golden Age. |
| War (The Four Horsemen) | Oct 2022 | Limited Edition | D | Hot metal, gunpowder, citrus, resins, moss. |
| Winter Spice | Mar 2013 | Discont | - | A cozy, rich fragrance with top notes of sweet orange and amaretto bolstered by the warmth of cinnamon. Perfect for that cold winter's night when you just have to shave. |
Barrister's Reserve Soap Line
This line was released on June 9, 2017. The beta formula was seen in the Soapmakers of Awesometown release on April 1, 2017. Fougére Gothique is listed only for the sake of completeness, as the base was used for the soap. It is not part of the line, a seasonal release and without a matching Barrister's Reserve aftershave (it's regular Tonique).
| Released | Status | AS | Scent Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soapmakers of Awesometown | Apr 2017 | Beta | - | Notes of passion fruit, lavender, sandalwood, citrus and ylang ylang. |
| Classic | Jun 2017 | Current | ✓ | Some days, the perfect soap is the one with a fragrance that’s not in your face all day. Enter Barrister’s Reserve: Classic. Inspired by 60s vintage aftershaves, Classic’s clean, slightly powdery notes of citrus, lavender, moss, and sandalwood will keep you cool, calm, and collected for as long as you need to be. |
| Cool | Jun 2017 | Discont | ✓ | As clean and versatile scents go, Barrister's Reserve: Cool is refreshingly crisp. Based on a classic Italian barbershop staple, notes of bergamot, lemon, and lavender combine for a bracing, invigorating scent versatile enough to wear with your favorite cologne. |
| Fern | Sep/Dec 2017 | Current | ✓ | Barrister's Reserve: Fern is based on a combination of oakmoss, lavender, and tonka, and is the ultimate classic men's scent. Originally derived from a legendary fragrance not made for 60 years, Fern is dapper in ways that never, ever go out of style. |
| Lavender | Sep/Dec 2017 | Discont | ✓ | Barrister's Reserve: Lavender is as smooth as lavender can get. Based on a beautiful aftershave from Wales, this is the scent described by famed perfume critic Luca Turin as "Summer wind made smell" and "the greatest lavender of all time." We definitely agree. |
| Spice | Jun 2017 | Current | ✓ | Who says the old ways aren't the best ways? Barrister’s Reserve: Spice is a slice of vintage Americana. Featuring notes of carnation, nutmeg, vanilla, and tonka bean, Spice is great for when you're looking for a bit of history. Your suave, dapper grandfather? He's used soaps like this and smelled awesome doing it. |
| Waves | Nov 2018 | Current | ✓ | In the mood for something modern and not sure if the other Barrister's Reserve scents are right for you? Enter Waves. Resurrected from the early years of aquatic fragrance, Waves is a fresh, stylish blend of sea notes, lavender, geranium, and bergamot that smells great on anyone and goes with absolutely anything. If you need an aftershave that will pair with just about any cologne, Barrister's Reserve: Waves is perfect. |
| Fougére Gothique | Oct 2017 | Fall 2017 | - | I began with the core skeleton of all fougères, the classic combination of lavender, oakmoss, bergamot, geranium, and tonka bean. To this were added the ancient, primordial influences of balsam fir, vetiver, cedar, and mushroom, topped off with the richness of smooth musks, sandalwood, leather, and tuberose. Finally, and most distinctly, I blended in the essences of black ashes and smoldering flame to echo the fires of Hell, burning for all time. |
Latha Soap Line
As of the official announcement on February 15, 2018 (see below) - the Latha line has been discontinued, marking the end of a two and a half year run. This is unfortunate, as the line represented outstanding value, given the price and the quality of the ingredients of both the soap and aftershave. But as explained in the announcement, the line does not follow the new direction that Barrister and Mann is taking.
We've had a blast making Latha for the last couple of years. But we at Barrister and Mann feel that it just no longer jives with our direction as a company. We're focusing more and more on fine fragrances, and so Latha has become a bit of an outlier for us.
More than that, production of Latha is no longer sustainable, for a variety of reasons. So, awhile back, the decision was made to supply our retailers with as much stock as they needed, top off our own stores, and then let folks who really enjoy the Latha products order as much as they like before we stop making it.
While we and most of our retailers have stocked up a bit, this is the very last of Latha soap and aftershave that will ever be made. In addition, we will not be offering any unscented products for the foreseeable future, so, once the Latha Unscented that we have is gone, that will be the end of the practice.
We're looking forward to showing off all of the incredibly cool things that we've been working on, so keep your eyes open in the coming months! This is only a new beginning. Thanks to all of you who have enjoyed Latha over the past 2.5 years and for all of your business in the past, present, and future. Good things are coming!
| Released | Status | Scent Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Figgy Puddin' | Discont | The acidic, floral character of green fig is laid over a smooth, spicy combination of oak, cinnamon, clove, and the lightest touch of berry to produce a truly special holiday experience. | |
| Latha | Discont | A classic barbershop fragrance with notes of lavender, vanilla, oakmoss, carnation, geranium, heliotrope, and musk for a smooth, clean scent such as one might encounter on 1950s Madison Avenue. | |
| Lavanda | Discont | Lavender is one of those old-school, classic scents that hails from the early days of men's shaving. This is an honestly good lavender soap. | |
| Le Petit Chypré | Discont | A classic, old school coumarin chypre perfect for a brisk Spring morning. Clean, slightly resinous, and understated, LPC will make you feel ready for anything! The splash has a touch of menthol to add a refreshing tingle. | |
| Limon | Jul 2015 | Discont | Orange/Lemon/Rose - Citrus (orange and lemon) and rose make for a warm, sweet, fresh, light scent that's great for Summer or really just whenever you want something no-muss, no-fuss. |
| Oceana | Jul 2015 | Discont | Aquatic/Bergamot/Jasmine/Sandalwood - Light, clean aquatic that goes with everything. A scent that's perfect for any time! |
| Sandalwood | Discont | Sandalwood with a B&M twist! Notes of black currant, sandalwood, and amber are blended to produce a fruity, sexy scent great for the cool evenings of Autumn or just any time you feel like putting that little extra spring in your step. | |
| Taiga | Discont | A fresh, sweet, woodsy scent reminiscent of walking through an alpine forest. Perfect for any time of the year, but especially awesome when there's a little bit of a chill in the air. | |
| Unscented | Discont | An unscented aftershave is a handy thing indeed! Perfect for people who want to avoid the harshness of a much more alcoholic aftershave, or who just don't want a fragrance hanging around. | |
| Velvet | Discont | Created especially for women; Velvet is a sweet, floral affair of violet, iris, cherry, and praline with touches of vetiver, anise, and musk. |
Aftershaves
The aftershaves available from Barrister and Mann generally fall under three lines, with a fourth that is Barrister's Reserve. The regular line included Tonique which is alcohol based and Kyovu which is alcohol free. The former was used in regular and limited offerings until discontinued in 2019, while the latter was discontinued in 2016 in order to be reformulated from the ground up, to be re-released in 2017 (which never happened). The third line is Latha which is also alcohol free. While Barrister's Reserve could be considered a fourth line, it really is its own entity, under a different umbrella; it's presented here for the sake of completeness.
In February 2019, Tonique was replaced with the new Deltus forumula. Using experience gained from previous formulations and Barrister's Reserve it was time for a reformulation, as Tonique was admittedly "long in the tooth." It's crafted with witch hazel and soothing botanicals - very smooth and silky (not tacky). There are also some additions, including saccharide isomerate (Pentavitin) and allantoin. Although alcohol-based, it has more soothing, abrasion relief and moisturizing action over Tonique. It will be used on all new releases going forward and existing stock will slowly be replaced. Aftershaves in the new Deltus formula can be identified by a small triangle on the label.
This new formula made its debut with a West Coast Shaving exclusive re-release of Beaudelaire where the new formula was discussed in this video:
In the large table of scents under the Standard Line above, you'll see an "AS" column, which denotes the aftershave available for it. The type is denoted by a "T" for Tonique a "K" for Kyovu or a "D" for Deltus - a simple dash ("-") indicates that none was offered (though this may change upon re-releases; some scents like First Snow for example, offered no aftershave initially). The Latha line has a matching aftershave for each scent and thus does not include this column.
There were also a couple of one-off aftershaves without a matching soap scent. For example, Fougére Classic and Awesome.
Wonderbalm and Balms
Barrister and Mann for a long time didn't offer balms, but early on there was a special, one-off that was occasionally offered during the winter called Wonderbalm that retailed for $30 for 2oz. (a little goes a long way). It was described as:
There are some shaves so rough that nothing seems to help. In the winter, shaves like these are especially bad; dry, chapped skin exacerbates razor irritation, often causing flaking, bleeding, blistering, etc. Sometimes, there’s no substitute for a really great balm.
Enter Wonderbalm.
Wonderbalm was born as a response to the bitter, horrific Winters over the course of the last few years in the Northeast. We found that, while our Kyovu splash maintains moisture very well, it’s unable to protect skin from windburn and chapping, especially in the bitter cold. This fast-adsorbing oil-based balm soothes the skin and relieves irritation and redness associated with shaving and windburn. Nourishing lanolin and shea butter combine with German chamomile and other botanicals to protect and regenerate the skin. The balm also contains lavender absolute, which smells very much like spiced fruit, to give it a pleasant scent and add additional soothing properties. We know your face will thank you!
As for the price, it was due to the high-value ingredients:
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in earnest in mid-March 2020, it caused a serious run on alcohol (to manufacture sanitizers) which made producing aftershaves too difficult and too expensive. Balms were offered instead for the regularly stocked scents and new releases along the way. It wasn't until July 8, 2021 that aftershaves returned, with the following announcement:
It's been a long road, but we're FINALLY restocking some aftershaves in earnest! That's right, we've now restocked Barrister's Reserve® Classic, Barrister's Reserve® Spice, Le Grand Chypre, Cologne Russe, Petrichor, Seville, The Full Measure of Man, Diamond, 42, and Terror splashes! Stock is also en route to many of our retailers, including those in Canada, Malaysia, and the UK, so be sure to keep an eye out if you're overseas!
We'll be adding Lavanille, Barrister's Reserve® Cool, Barrister's Reserve® Lavender, Barrister's Reserve® Waves, Cheshire, and Lavanille in the next couple of weeks, but, for those of you who have been waiting for these beauties, they're back, and back for good.
Balms continue to be offered for regularly stocked scents but not so much for one-off releases since that announcement. The packaging has changed over time and has included low, flat tubs, tall, slender pumps and as of now and going forward - resemble aftershave bottles with a pump. We're very glad to see them continue, as they're really quite good and especially welcome in the winter.
Additional Notes
Leviathan on October 9, 2016:
Okay, you're really going to think me insane, and probably be pretty grossed out, but bear with me.
Coffee contains a striking quantity of the compound skatole, which is one of the molecules that makes feces smell so charmingly pungent. When I was a kid, I realized that coffee and fresh dog poop actually smell pretty similar. Obviously they're different, but there's a distinct similarity between the two substances. Chemistry, as I mentioned, bears this out.
When leather tanning was perfected in Russia, a specific offshoot was developed by the monks of various orders in order to preserve the books in their monastery libraries. Since they found that books bound in leather (the cheapest, most durable, and most readily available book binding material) tended to attract parasites and mites, they began tanning the leather using birch smoke tinctures, which they found repelled insects. This is what gives the leather its distinct smoky character, and was the basis for the various Russian leather perfumes that have been developed over the course of the last century.
HOWEVER, in early leather tanning methods (not just Russian ones), there was another important ingredient as well: animal feces. Very old leather has a distinctly primal, animal character to it as a result of this inclusion, and old Russian leathers, especially those used in book binding, are no different. It's not enough to be offensive, but it is DEFINITELY enough to be identifiable, and is replicated in Russian leather accords with the use of castoreum (which smells like beaver musk) and civet (which smells like, well, poop). So Russian leather perfumes often have an underlying slightly fecal character that lends them a velvety, musky scent profile. It seemed obvious that the complimentary characteristics of a good coffee fragrance, which contains TINY amounts of skatole, and a good Russian leather accord, which contains tiny amounts of civet, would be perfect for marriage in a soap.
I had also been inspired by a sample of MPG Santal Noble I had received from uncle_dubya. It's a brilliant work, a marriage of coffee and sandalwood, and arguably one of the greatest reference sandalwood perfumes of all time. While musing on the combination of coffee and Russian leather, it occurred to me that a really fine or unusual sandalwood accord could be used to smooth out whatever rough-and-tumble, angular edges might arise as a result of the assemblage. I chose a distinctly strange sandalwood for the purpose (which, in fact, only remotely resembles real sandalwood), but the sweetness of the design tempered the rough, feral edges of the coffee/leather combination.
Thus, Leviathan was born.
Le Grand Chyphre on September 8, 2016:
Chanel Pour Monsieur EdT (which is hard to get in the US) and Guerlain Mitsouko are the closest. LGC was also heavily influenced by Chanel's 31 Rue Cambon and Amouage Gold pour Homme.
Beaudelaire on August 29, 2016:
It is indeed a limited edition, and is a cousin to Lavanille. Both are built on my re-creation of the perfume base Mousse de Saxe, but, where Lavanille is dark and rich, Beaudelaire is much lighter, cleaner, and more likely to appeal to the average preference. It's a leathery fougère (fern soap), and smells a bit like if you had dumped a bottle of vintage Brut in a fine leather shop.
Hallows on August 29, 2016:
The vetiver is pretty prominent in Hallows aftershave, but it's a complicated fragrance, so it might take you a little bit to separate it from the rest of the construct. This one is an essential oil, a specific cultivar that comes from Sri Lanka. That particular vetiver is necessary for the manufacture of Hallows because of its uniquely smoky, earthy character. No other vetiver smells quite like it (and it's technically not true vetiver at all, but a crossbred cultivar) and the oil is possessed of such a distinctive character that the substance itself is actually black.
Roam on May 16, 2016:
The official note list (I can break it down into the drydown order, if you'd like, but it was constructed without a "pyramid" per se, a nod to the leather structure of Bulgari Black) is as follows: leather, smoke, thyme/herbs, tobacco, grass, musk (the lovely macrocyclic musk Velvione) and damp earth.
Leviathan on April 1, 2016:
Actually, very little of Leviathan's fragrance is natural. The sandalwood is synthetic (has to be; real sandalwood is very expensive and not very powerful in soap, coffee absolute is the same way, and Russian leather accords are comprised of a couple natural materials with a lot of synthetic ones). Ionones, phenethyl alcohol, aldehydes, and various other compounds are all extremely important to the Russian leather base we use to create that distinctly animalic effect.
I buy from PSH often and highly recommend their tomato leaf absolute. Inexpensive and absolutely gorgeous. Still trying to find a use for it that I think is good enough for such a wonderful isolate.
Fougére Imperiale and Fougére Aromatique on December 8, 2015:
Well, "based on" is a bit strong, but I did take inspiration for the original two. Fougère Imperiale was partly inspired by Penhaligon's English Fern and Fougère Aromatique was very obliquely inspired by MDCI Invasion Barbare.
Several Barrister and Mann scents on October 14, 2015
I've taught myself quite a lot about perfume theory and aroma chemistry since I founded the company and am very much a classicist at heart. Many of my scents are inspired by features of great masterpieces of perfume; for instance, Lavanille was designed as an attempt to recreate vintage Pour un Homme de Caron, which made use of the now-discontinued Mousse de Saxe perfume base. Rhapsody was based on the structure of Nicoläi New York, but I took it in a dramatically different direction by building the scent around a pear blossom accord that I devised, chosen because the pear blossom trees of Central Park bloom in Springtime. I had wanted to do a fragrance that represented Manhattan, so I chose New York as the inspiration; if you look closely at the label, you can see a blue outline that surrounds the entire graphic, which is meant to represent "Rhapsody in Blue," a musical piece that I have always felt represents New York City perfectly.
Other fragrances, like Roam and Hallows, were based on specific concepts (in the case of Roam, the American Old West; for Hallows, the Fens of Boston), while Dickens is based on a specific holiday cookie that my mother is fond of making around Christmastime. It really depends very much on what it is; there are some fragrances where I want to work with a specific ingredient (my interest in violet leaf absolute is what led to the creation of Adagio) or a specific accord/combination that occurs to me (such as the geranium/saffron/carnation accord upon which I based Solarion or the leather/coffee/sandalwood accord that comprises Leviathan). Occasionally, I attempt to recreate a real-world smell, such as the cognac model I used for Fireside (which contains real green cognac oil, by the way). Finally, I would say that my best works are those built upon the structures of specific perfume families; the two fougères, Le Grand Chypre, Cologne Russe, etc., are all designs meant to represent classical perfume families (even Rhapsody is technically an oriental, though I'd very much like to build a true oriental in the style of Emeraude or Shalimar; just haven't gotten to that one yet).
Vanille on February 25, 2014
You're right that the cost came as a result of using vanilla absolute rather than an artificial vanilla. The stuff costs a fortune, which inhibited how much of it we could use while still keeping the cost of the soap reasonable. Absolutes also have much lower diffusive rates than other types of plant extracts, which is why we found that while the soap itself is lightly scented, the scent lingers on the skin for some time.