Razor: Karve CB Stainless E on Knopf Pommel Stainless
Blade: Gillette 7 O’Clock SharpEdge Yellows
Brush: Sawdust Creation Studios 26mm G5C Synthetic
Soap: MacDuff’s Soap Company / Shave Supply Catalina Soap
Aftershave: MacDuff’s Soap Company / Shave Supply Catalina Aftershave
Other: Stirling Soap Island Man
Today is the first day of my much-needed vacation, and this felt like the perfect soap and aftershave choice for the occasion. When I saw Sean post the label for this, I knew I had to pick it up even before reading the scent notes. It has a cool label, a cool name, and I knew it was going to be a great summer scent. I was not wrong. During my recent trip to Edmonton, I was able to connect with Sean over a pint and grabbed this set (along with three others). This is an exclusive to The Shave Supply, unless you’re in Canada, where you can get it directly from MacDuff’s.
The scent of Catalina is inspired by Creed’s Virgin Island Water. ‘Inspired’ is the correct term, as this isn’t a clone. It has some Creed VIW DNA, but Sean plays with the notes to add some nuance. The scent notes are:
- Top: Lime, Bergamot, Mandarin
- Heart: Coconut Milk, Rum, Ginger, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine, Saffron
- Base: Amber, Cedarwood, Musk
To my nose, this is smoother and creamier than Virgin Island Water, with an airiness to it. It’s perfect for those hot summer days. It leans less toward the cologne side, doesn’t smell gourmand or like sunscreen, and doesn’t come across as synthetic in any way. You just get a really soothing summer scent that is perfectly casual. Off the puck, it is on the lighter side of medium but opens up to a solid medium once lathered. Performance was elite level, as you’d expect from MacDuff’s. This is the V5 base, which initially concerned me since V4 is my favorite, but rest assured, the performance is pretty close to V4 while simplifying the ingredients a bit. The aftershave brings out a few more notes but maintains that casual summer scent you get from the soap.
To finish it off, I used the Stirling Soap Company Island Man, which is a dupe of Virgin Island Water. While it pairs well with this set, you can really tell how different the scents are. The VIW clone has a bit more sharpness, likely from the ginger and the lime being more prominent. It feels formulated to be more noticeable and has a bit more presence. It’s still a great scent but not as casual or smooth to my nose.
If you’re looking for a VIW dupe in a soap/aftershave, this isn’t it. But that’s not a bad thing—this is a much more enjoyable scent to me. A big win in my book, and the perfect shave to start the vacation.
All for now,
J
