Shaving Product Review - Wickham Soap Co. "Shangri La"
Value (Cost, Packaging and Performance)
Lather (Density, Glide and Feel)
Post-shave (Healing, Moisture and Feel)
Scent (Quality, Strength and Longevity)
Wickham Soap Co. brilliantly nails one for the floral lovers in Shangri La - in a Limited Edition #soap and #balm combo.
Shangri La is an earthly paradise, its air a mix of exquisite fragrances. Journey through harmonious valleys of wild lavender and rosemary into orchards of bergamot and angelica.
After entering this delectable land, the scent becomes richer. Sweet notes of tantalizing Turkish rose combine with a spicy dusting of iris root and a musky splash of Arabian sambac.
And finally explore the delicate yet deep base notes. Like a woven forest floor, they form the bed that holds this magical scent together. Immerse yourself in glistening golden amber, and experience the majestic notes of cedar and sandalwood.
Relax while Shangri La takes you to a land of pleasure.
A new old favorite around here is Wickham Soap Co. and today's flavor is Shangri La. I did an in-depth review of Magnum, Club Cola and Union Sq (among others) so check those out for more. Today I'm just going to talk about the scent of Shangri La. It was an "LE Dark Edition Group Buy" on the Against the Grain forum, across the pond in the UK. The order period ran two weeks, from September 24 to October 8, 2018.
Shangri La has top notes of lavender, rosemary, bergamot and angelica; bottom notes of Turkish rose otto, Arabian sambac, orris and jasmine and base notes of amber, cedar, musk and sandalwood. If you go by the product artwork alone, you'd get the impression that this is primarily a rose scent... And you wouldn't be wrong. The first hit I get is rose, but that quickly fades as the top notes take shape; a green and herbaceous lavender. Any sweetness from the lavender and rosemary is tempered by the citrusy bergamot and somewhat peppery undertones of angelica. Descending into the middle, there's no mistaking the rose otto. But it doesn't stand out by itself, as the heady Arabian sambac and jasmine offer a rather sweet counterpoint (Arabian sambac is just a regionally different jasmine). The violet-like scent of orris blends in well to round out the intensely floral middle. Nearing dry down, the base takes on a warmer, woodsy vibe while never quite losing the florals - they merely fade into the background somewhat.
At first I wasn't quite sure what to make of Shangri La. After dry down and taking in the scent quickly, as a jumble - it reminded me a bit of a fresh nappy (diaper) out of the package; that slightly floral talc sort of scent. Any closer examination and you see it more for what it is (but that image never truly left my mind). Not that this is a bad thing - but you must appreciate florals, and this one can be interpreted to lean more feminine. That said, I think that this is a brilliant springtime scent and you'll be quite a dishy to the fit birds. Do not be afraid; embrace and own it. Personally, I like it. But it quickly went one of two ways; the other side selling off an unused set straight away after the post arrived and at least a pair of blokes expressing their collywobbles. Tosh!
Unlike more than a couple of the #WSoap offerings that tend to be fairly light of scent, this one is happily a medium. Not glaringly so, but among the strongest from the artisan. Between the rose and jasmine, there's no hiding in the shadows. Projection is mild, as is sillage - but it's noticeable (I applied some to my arms as well). Again, a bit of a shame that Wickham Soap Co. only offers balms, as it's not as easily applied as aftershaves or legitimate fragrances elsewhere... But it's not the end of the world and you can make do, as I have. Longevity is nice, at 4 hours or so.
Inspired by the artwork, the hardware was ordained to be the #TimelessRazor #TRBR38 with an #Astra blade on shave two. The #LowbornSupply brush, aptly named Drac with a 24mm BOSS knot. The #GTP scuttle did its part, as expected.
Performance remains consistent; that is to say, excellent. As I've mentioned before, an underrated artisan. The soap and balm both perform beautifully. The scents all have a sort of ethereal quality to them and this one is certainly posh. For all the floral fans out there, take a gander in the usual buy and sell forums and toss it in your trolley without delay. This one hob knobs with the likes of Penhaligon's and would fit right in on High Street.