Razor: Yaqi Excalibur
Blade: Kai Captain Titan Mild
Brush: Spiffo! 24mm Two Band Badger
Soap: First Line Shave Illustrious Oud
Aftershave: First Line Shave Illustrious Oud
Other: Caption’s Choice Lather Bowl, Afnan Supremacy in Oud
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2022 🙂 I figured today would be a great day to start off with my favourite scent from last year. 2021 was a banner year in terms of shave products, there were some amazing releases with a lot of wins in my den, but my favourite was a late addition last year. Sometime in early fall, I discovered the scent Oud for Greatness by Initio Parfums by way of my sample pile. I had it for some time but didn’t realize it until some frag friends of mine were raving about it and then, while browsing for something else, had it pop up in amongst the other samples I had tucked away. A few sprays later and I was hooked. I just kept going back to that sample for a spray.
A short time after, First Line Shave announced they were doing a release based on this scent. I had to have it and so I ordered on the drop date and began the wait for the shipment to arrive. Upon receiving the set, I popped the top and had an instant smile, it hit all the right notes and was an excellent match. Scent notes on this include Saffron, Nutmeg, Lavender, Agarwood, Patchouli and Musk. Scent strength is mid-strong. This scent is warm, a bit spicy, a bit sweet with a woodsy/earthy base. I wouldn’t say it is a versatile scent, definitely not office safe, but it is a powerhouse winter scent that will stand out from the crowd. This isn’t a funky oud at all, it is very approachable, a perfect Oud scent to introduce yourself to. I plan to use this a bunch this winter as once the weather warms up it will be a no-go.
Initio Oud for Greatness, while being a fantastic scent, is certainly not affordable for most. At the time of this writing, at discounters, a 90ml will run you over $300CAD. That buys a lot of shave soap, haha. I was going to be content with just having a shave soap/splash to match but then I discovered this EDP from Afnan, Supremacy in Oud. Price point was significantly cheaper and it has some good reviews so I grabbed a bottle. I’m happy to report it scratches that itch. While not 100%, it certainly brings everything it needs to the party. I’d say the opening is a little different (although very pleasant in its own right) but as it dries down it hits pretty close to the mark. Longevity is insanely good so only a few sprays are needed to rock the scent all day.
A fantastic shave today and heading into the new year smelling like a champ! All for now – J
