Ariana & Evans

OK, I guess he dupes more than I realized. I just buy the ones I think I will like based on solid reviews. Regardless, he has IMO the best shaving soap/scents available now.

Have you ever smelled ETHOS / Dragonsbeard V1.0 ?

OK, I guess he dupes more than I realized. I just buy the ones I think I will like based on solid reviews. Regardless, he has IMO the best shaving soap/scents available now.

Have you ever smelled ETHOS / Dragonsbeard V1.0 ?

Nope.

Re: "mostly" being dupes or having tobacco.  No.  Some are dupes or have tobacco notes, obviously. Others aren't as best I can tell, particularly those I've picked up in Kaizen and that I liked the most-- Peaches & Cognac, SoCal Hipster.  Nor do I know what London Gin Club (a new one), or Asian Plum, or St Barts are dupes of (maybe someone can say).  Got the two new ones today and the scents, at least prior to actually being used, are really fabulous (as are the aftershaves).  And while Club Bacarra is a dupe, Graveyard doesn't smell like anything specific I know (and, again, maybe someone can correct me).  Irrespective, if these shave as well as the other Kaizens, they will be marvelous......

Nor do I know what London Gin Club (a new one), or Asian Plum, or St Barts are dupes of (maybe someone can say).

I believe London Gin Club has a connection to Penhaligon’s Juniper Sling, but may not be a dupe, per se. Asian Plum was inspired by Calani Oriental Plum, and St. Barts by Creed Virgin Island Water.

What I’d like to know is if El Gaucho is a duplication of another fragrance, or inspired by something. That is one of my all-time favorite scents, and I hope Peter brings it back.

Thanks for filling in that info.  Seems to me there is a difference between inspiration and duplication but I've pretty vast ignorance as to scents and perfumes and the like.

Thanks for filling in that info.  Seems to me there is a difference between inspiration and duplication but I've pretty vast ignorance as to scents and perfumes and the like.

You’re welcome. Scents are their own universe, it seems. From my very limited experience, duplications try to mimic a scent exactly. Some succeed, others – not so much. If an artisan says a scent was inspired by something, I imagine it gives them a little more creative freedom, while still giving the potential customer an idea of what to expect. (This is just my understanding at the moment. If anyone wants to expand on the matter, please feel free.)

That’s what I meant and my interpretation, too. But I agree: if wrong or it is more subtle someone here might be able to explain.

If I had to put them on a scale of performance only
1. Wholly Kaw
2. Barrister and Mann
3.A&E

If I had to do the same thing but scent wise using the same companies it would be
1. Barrister and Mann
2. A&E
3. Wholly Kaw


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Interesting.  My list for both performance and scent starts with A&E, then Wholly Raw, and then Barrister and Mann.  All very very fine soaps, of course and this is somewhat splitting hairs.  But A&E Kaizen bases are at the top of my list.

A & E soaps have been some of my favorites in performance. 
I went up to the K base and I really enjoyed it. I skipped the K2 base and purchased the K2E .
 For me seems like the post shave is better but I'm not sure sure I didn't lose some of the slickness from the previous, K, base. I'm trying more water, less water, in between the two and just doesn't make any sense. 
   I'm kind of curious if anybody else has had this experience?