Shaving Product Review - Eufros "Dama de Noche"
Value (Cost, Packaging and Performance)
Lather (Density, Glide and Feel)
Post-shave (Healing, Moisture and Feel)
Scent (Quality, Strength and Longevity)
From Spain comes this sweet floral with a green and earthy transition from Eufros called Dama de Noche (Night Jasmine) in #soap and #balm form! Does it live up to the hype?
Exactly two weeks ago, I did an in-depth review of Rosas from the older Regular Line. Today's offering is the latest formula, and considered the Premium Line. The software is made by a (very nice) gentleman in Barcelona, Spain by the name of Manuel Garcia (a.k.a. JabonMan on the Spanish forum Foroafeitado). The soaps originally were sold by word of mouth on various forums under this name, in clear PET tubs with a simple label for the name. Later, the packaging improved with aluminum tins and better labels and the brand name became Eufros (which is seen here). In its latest incarnation, the tins and labels have improved further; on par with Wet Shaving Products (albeit in a larger tin) or prior generation Cold River Soap Works. Getting a hold of it is still essentially word of mouth, however. There's no website, no Facebook page - or any other social media for that matter. The only way to reach him is via email. Send him a note and he'll tell you what's available, what the costs are - and then you guys work out an order and payment. Pasteur Pharmacy in NYC picked up a bunch back in September, and just last week restocked several more of the scents.
In my aforementioned review I went into some #Eufros history and current offerings, so check that out for more information. The Premium Line features "the highest quality components" including jojoba oil, linseed oil, rhassoul (mineral clay mined from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco), flax oil, shea butter, lanolin and essential oils. The packaging is a little better these days as well, with waterproof - albeit visually simpler labels... There is something to be said however, for their starkness; they look classy and don't distract. The aluminum tins are still thin and easily damaged, however. On the bright side, they weigh nothing, don't rust and with 125g of soap in the bottom, offer lots of loading room.
Let's talk about the scent of Dama de Noche (a.k.a. Night Jasmine) which literally means "lady of the night" itself. I'll say straight up that it's highly floral and perhaps not something for you "tough guys" out there. Unlike rose-based accords, a floral scent such as this might turn off a lot of guys. While unfortunate, I'm not one of them! It's a lovely accord; bright and yeah... Very floral. The only note is jasmine; rich and sultry. Towards the middle, I'm picking up what feels like hyacinth (itself is sweet, green, soft and deep) - but is not. It slowly fades into a lightly earthy base, yet retains the overall floral vibe. If you want something slightly more complex I might suggest Barrister and Mann Sinfonia which adds apricot. There is of course a lot more software with jasmine out there as well, but in a much more minor role.
Surprisingly, yes, it's just jasmine - a shrub that grows on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Its flowers open at sunset and give off the aroma - thus the name (rather than what you might have initially thought). Therefore it has to be picked at night; the scent fades greatly after sunrise. You also need a lot of blossoms (10 pounds of flowers to make one 5ml bottle) to produce this absolute/essence (not an essential oil) and as a result, is rather expensive.
The soap performance is outstanding and better than the Regular Line. It's just a bit creamier, slicker and has better skin feel. Easy to load (though I'd recommend a slightly wetter brush) and easier still to lather. Overall, abundant creamy lather with very good cushion, excellent primary and good secondary slickness. I was a little disappointed that residual slickness wasn't better, and probably my only gripe. Not that it was bad, but I believe there are better bases out there in this regard. So yeah, it's a really nice soap... But is it $24 good? There's no doubt that it's a nice base and the scent components are of very high quality. But I think the base could be a little better, the scents a bit more complex... And the (soap) packaging definitely improved. I'd peg this as a $20-22 soap (and that's before the expensive shipping, which hurts the most).
Since there's no aftershave - only a balm - I went with that. It'll run you $17 (plus shipping). The balm performance, as with my earlier review (same formula) works beautifully. It's in a pump applicator bottle and easy to dose out just enough (you don't need much). Slightly on the thinner side as far as viscosity, it absorbs right quick. On top of the already excellent skin feel of the soap, the balm is the icing on the cake. Moisturized, supple and fairly healing - yet not in the least bit tacky. Just smooth and soft.
Since the balm is the medium to get your scent for the day, you may want to apply it on key points (wrists, neck, etc.) as well. Like the soap, the scent strength of the balm is a healthy medium. It borders on strong out of the tub but mellows a bit during lathering. But the floral accord gets into your nose and is hard to ignore (in a good way). Longevity is fairly average at about four hours.
Hardware for today sees my fairly standard "aggressive edition" #TimelessRazor (with a .95mm gap on a custom scalloped/open comb combo base plate with scalloped top cap) and a titanium RazoRock Halo handle return with a fresh #PolSilver blade. The silver and purple brush from #WildWestBrushworks with a 24mm Tuxedo knot seemed a natural fit, given the accord. Lastly, the #GTP scuttle was smiling at the sweet aroma as it struggled to contain the lather, yet keeping it warm all the while.
Does Eufros really live up to the hype? Mostly, it does - at a cost (which is nearly $56 for the combo all in). It's a very nice base, but could have a little better residual slickness. The scent is extraordinary, yet a bit simple and lacks longevity for all-day wear. Regardless, both are a very high quality and you'll enjoy every shave with this combo. I think it's software that everybody should try at least once, preferably secondhand - to keep the cost in check. After a few uses, I doubt you'll dwell on the cost though.