Shaving Product Review - Tallow + Steel "Maya"

Value (Cost, Packaging and Performance)

Lather (Density, Glide and Feel)

Post-shave (Healing, Moisture and Feel)

Scent (Quality, Strength and Longevity)

Experience the scents of the ancient Maya and take a journey through the jungle with Tallow + Steel Maya #soap and #aftershave from their all-new 2017 lineup!

Ancient ruins peer out of overgrown jungle, a testament to an advanced civilization long abolished. Once, rituals took place here, where smell, sound and sight mixed into one in ceremony.

Maya is an aroma that turns back the calendar, bringing a richly exotic blend of essential oils which evokes memories of an empire reclaimed by nature. The bitter sweetness of cocoa melts into the richness of coffee and tobacco, while allspice and cardamom yield to citrus for a sensuous tang that reaches through the ages.

This spicy blend characterizes the spirit of adventure, combined with a mysticism of the ages for a bold, masculine scent.

I've written two very extensive articles on the new line, the first being Meet the All-new Tallow + Steel Products with the follow-up Tallow + Steel 2017 - First Impressions which covers the reformulations and performance (besides other aspects) so I won't repeat all of that here. I'm strictly focusing on the scent and any additional notes today.

If you're familiar with the older #tallowandsteel line, Maya might seem a bit like Dark at first blush. Whereas the latter has notes of coffee, cocoa, vetiver, ginger, benzoin and peppermint... Maya has notes of cocoa, coffee, tobacco, cardamom, allspice, lime and sour orange. Beyond the first two notes, they clearly diverge quite a bit. You definitely get the cocoa and coffee notes with both products, but whereas Dark had a sort of Peppermint Patty (chocolate and peppermint) vibe, Maya is spicy, thanks mainly to the allspice and cardamom, with the tobacco bridging the gap. The allspice is hard not to notice though. There's a hint of citrus in there too, thanks to the lime and sour orange - but it's more subtle and tangy, sitting just in the background. Maya is a bit mocha, but definitely more about the spices and citrus. An interesting accord and definitely different from the mainstream - while befitting of its name. Iit's deep, rich and inviting, as the various notes pop in and out.

Now for the more neutral view. Dark is an interesting scent in itself; not quite cut-and-dried chocolate and peppermint to every nose. The other notes made for an interesting, almost animalic accord. In fact, I wasn't sure I was really enjoying the scent, the first few uses. It definitely grew on me once lathered and used a few times. Maya is much more "friendly" out of the gate. The spicy citrus background isn't nearly as... Funky. Like I said, the similarities are mostly on the top two notes and the rest is quite different. If you weren't a fan of Dark or are and already own it, don't be discouraged to try Maya as it's a completely different beast.

Scent strength is quite robust (as are the other scents) and longevity of the aftershave is maybe four hours, tops.

Like all of the new scents, and as already mentioned regarding the sourcing of ingredients from the region, 10% of profits from Maya are donated to Mayan Families, who's mission is to facilitate sustainable development programs in impoverished communities in Guatemala.

Hardware consisted of the #TimelessRazor in the "mild edition" with a #Stork handle and a #Feather blade on shave two... Making for a mild, yet highly efficient shave. Absolutely love this setup. The freshly polished #BSB Shaving Brush made quick work of creating creamy, abundant lather in the #GTP scuttle.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, another lovely scent from Tallow + Steel from their new line-up. So far, I've been quite happy with each and every one of them as I make my way through. The underlying performance is outstanding by any measure, and the new packaging is truly a joy to behold during the routine. Next up, Himalaya!