Feedback!

Last year I started creating new scents for Stone Cottage Premium Shaving Cream and putting them up for sale in Stone Cottage Shaving Sample Packs until I had 51 scents total to choose from!  I want to thank all the guys who tried them and I did hear back from a few and got a few orders for the new scents but I didn't hear too much from the rest of the guys and there are a few scents that no one has even tried out of the scents available.  I would love to hear some feedback from you and hear which scents were your favorites!  I will be reducing our offerings on this product and want to make sure you have everything available you like to purchase!  Here's a list of them all!  Feel free to pipe in and share your thoughts! Thanks!

Aloe Fresh – We begin with the fresh, clean scent of Aloe Vera then add the fresh and green sent of fields of Heather in the mist then add to it a little splash of Lavender which hides in the background to give this Aloe fragrance even more freshness from the fields of the Earth!  NEW!

 

Bali Isle - Bali Isle contains a base of Frankincense with resinous-balsamic undertones and the warm wood scent of Sandalwood with notes of earthy Cedarwood, Patchouli and Musk, touched with top notes of Cinnamon and Citrus on a soft a powdery base.  Lavender adds fresh and fragrant notes making Bali Isle an earthly delight!

 

Balsam Fir – A refreshing woodsy blend with notes from the Evergreen and Balsam Fir trees with a woody base of light cedar which is perfect for those who prefer the rugged outdoors or those who enjoy being home by a warm fireplace!

 

Balsam Musk and Amber – The Balsam scent of Tolu Balsam is intoxicating and highly supported by a base of Musk and middle notes of Amber help to bring out the sweet, resinous scent of Balsam making it an even deeper and lingering fragrance reminiscent of Ancient times! 

 

Bamboo Island – Imagine some remote tropical island with tons of fresh, green Bamboo stalks all around, Coconut shells poking out of the forest with Vanilla plant blossoms and Ginger flowering plants nearby along with Sweet Honey from the bees creating an unusual Bamboo Island fragrance!  NEW!

 

Basilico – Basilico begins with headnotes of Grapefruit, Bergamot, Lemon and Lime, has a heart of Basil with the addition of spice elements like Cassia and Ginger giving it some unexpected interest and they all sit on a base of Musk and Cedarwood  creating an aromatic and handsome fragrance!  NEW!

 

Bayberry - I remember walking through the Bayberry bushes as a child on Cape Cod and smelling the scent of those dark little berries.  Strong, woodsy and sharp!  Perfect for warm winter nights but more perfect all year round!

 

Bay Lime - West Indian Bay Lime is a traditional tropical fragrance that has been used for centuries on this Caribbean Island. Here this zesty Lime Peel and aromatic Bay Leaf is combined with Clove Bud to give it a nice touch of spice!

 

Bay Rum – This is our version of Bay Rum cologne which was originally made in the islands of the West Indies!  It was made of Rum and the essential oil from the leaves of the West Indian Bay tree with spices like Cloves and Cinnamon being another common ingredient.  We did our best to emulate this scent for you!  NEW!

 

Bel Homme – Bel Homme is a handsome man’s fragrance with a center of Sandalwood with notes of Cedarwood, Patchouli and Musk, head notes of spicy Carnation and fresh notes of Lavender with a base of Tonka Bean creating this handsome scent with warmth and freshness! NEW!

 

Cèdre Noir - Cèdre Noir meaning “Black Cedar” in French has the woodsy aroma of Cedarwood with a base of mysterious Musk and amorous Vanilla with spicy notes of Cinnamon and Clove and an unexpected note of Black Pepper!

 

Champaka – Champaka is known for the Hippie Chic scent of its fragrant flowers and for its wood used in woodworking.  Here it has top notes of Air, Lily of the Valley and Champaka, middle notes of Jasmine and Rose and base notes of Powder and Musk creating a harmonious blend!  NEW!

 

Coconut  Holiday – A South Sea holiday based on Island Coconut with the soft and subtle addition of tropical flowers of Jasmine and Heliotrope and a base of Vanilla Orchids and sensual Sandalwood making this holiday a tropical island treat!  BACK AGAIN!

 

Coconut Sandalwood - A tropical pairing of sweet creamy Coconut and a base of masculine Sandalwood which compliments the coconut with its' woodsy aroma with hints of Cedar and Patchouli, Citrus and Musk!

 

Doux Épices - The sweet spice Cloves is the mainstay of this scent with Cinnamon a close second followed by Nutmeg, Cassia and Allspice seated on a sweet bed of Honey and Vanilla notes giving this scent quite a staying power and sweetening up your morning!  NEW!

 

Eau de Floride – This is our version of an Eau de Cologne made of a natural Essential Oil scent blend of Bergamot, Lemon, Lavender, Cinnamon and Cloves which debuted in the 1800’s as an Eau de Cologne for both Men and Women! NEW!

 

Eau de Verveine – This fragrance begins with Citrus top notes of Lemon, White Grapefruit and Sweet Orange with heart notes of Lemon Verbena and a woody base of Virginia Cedarwood to create a sparkling and fresh Citrus scent! NEW!

 

Figg & Peare - This is for you gentlemen who like the option of a classic fruit combination of pomaceous Pears and Fig fruit that blend so nicely together with a base of Vanilla, Musk and Amber!  A great way to begin your day! A day that is full of jolly good fun! NEW!

 

Fougère - French for “Fern”, this scent is characterized by the freshness of Lavender buds and Geranium leaves and freshly cut Hay on a base of green Oakmoss and soft woody Sandalwood… in one word… Special!

Fresh Ocean - Fresh Ocean opens with Citrus Notes of White Grapefruit, Bergamot, Bitter Orange and Neroli flowers which lead into a heart of refreshing Ocean and Sea notes on a base of Musk with Ginger adding some unexpected interest! NEW!

 

Hespéride - Hespéride fragrances are light and fresh and are based on a citrus accord here containing Neroli, Petitgrain and Bitter Orange with a light floral note of Rose and a fresh herbal note of Rosemary with a base of Musk and Sandalwood.

 

Highlands – High on a hill in the Highlands is Heather growing amidst the Hay nearby and the hives of bees filled with Honey ready to harvest.  Here, Heather, Hay and Honey are combined to create a fragrance which is handsome, harmonious and heavenly!  NEW!

 

Il Barbiere - This is one of many old-time inspired barber scents from the early 1800's beginning with Lime top notes, a middle section with minty Spearmint and sweet Vanilla with a light base of Lavender gives this a note of freshness and complimenting the citrus and sweet minty Spearmint Vanilla!  NEW!

 

La Chaux Voyage - We begin this aromatic journey with top notes of strong Lime then travel down to middle notes of Jasmine then end up on an unexpected base of Mahogany wood and ending up with Leather notes in this aromatic surprise! NEW!

 

Lavende Épice - French Lavender sits on a base of Sandalwood and Musk giving it a masculine character with Cardamom and Nutmeg blending beautifully with it and giving the Lavender some subtle spice scents! NEW!

 

Lavender - Our classic Lavender fragrance made complete with pure Lavender Essential Oil, a Stone Cottage Soapworks favorite and perfect for those who want a true lavender scent! 

 

Leather and Roses – This Leather fragrance has top notes of the more masculine Rose flower, middle notes of strong and sturdy Leather and a base of Musk to give them both richness and create a harmonious blend! NEW!

 

Leather & Smoke - The masculine scent of soft and supple Leather and warm, sweet Pipe Tobacco paired to create a fragrance that captures masculinity at its' utmost and giving you even more masculine appeal!

 

Lime - Begin your day with a zesty citrus scent of Lime!  Sharper and more intense that other citrus notes and the perfect wake-up for those who like a little citrus excitement in their morning!  NEW!

 

Moroccan Mystery – This musky scent has floral notes of Carnation, middle notes of Vanilla with the essence of Clove Buds and Allspice and a base of Sandalwood and Musk to give you a sensual and mystical Moroccan experience! NEW!

 

Musc Épicé - Spiced Musk has notes of Bay, spice notes of Cassia, Clove Bud, Nutmeg and Allspice on a base of Musk with light amounts of Amber and Vanilla giving this Musk a deep and spicy scent and a warm, rich Musky base to deliver all of these wonderful scents to you!   NEW!

 

Musk - Musk is one of the oldest materials used in perfumery.  This Musk is full-bodied, deep, dark and rich with a sultry and sensual quality. 

 

Oxford - Oxford has the citrus top notes of Lemon and Lime with middle notes of Lavender with a sprinkle of Black Pepper.  Resinous woody notes of Virginia Cedarwood and the essence of Pine Needles along with rich Musk forms the base of this masculine aromatic scent. NEW!

 

Oriental Wood - A warm and sensual fragrance with Wood and Resins, Earthy notes and Spices! "Oriental Wood" has a rich base of Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Patchouli, Vanilla and Musk with Spice Notes including Cinnamon, Cardamom and Clove and Ginger.

 

Patchouli - The rich, earthy, and woody aroma of Patchouli Essential oil from East India is known by many but appreciated by only a few special connoisseurs and this is for them! Sultry and seductive!

 

Patchouli Musk - Patchouli has met its match with the fragrance of Musk!  A complimentary blend of these two elements creates pure magic by combining these two exotic scents together creating one which is sultry, sweet and sensual!  NEW!

 

Pipe Tobacco - The strong, sweet and rich scent of Pipe Tobacco is a most appealing scent to gentlemen with the aroma of Tobacco leaves and sweet Vanilla which form the base of this very handsome scent! NEW!

 

Rain Fields – Imagine walking through a field of greens and field flowers with clouds behind you and the sun in your eyes yet there is light rain sprinkling on the sweetgrass, dandelions, heather and hyacinths beneath you and you are able to take in all of these scents of nature all at once!  NEW!

 

Red Velvet – Red Velvet begins with an Oriental base of Amber with notes of light Sandalwood and powdery Musk then is joined by the floral notes of Red Carnations. To these complimentary notes of sweet and spicy Cloves are added making this a sweet and velvety creation.  NEW!

 

Rose - The unadorned scent of the Rose is unforgettable and holds its’ own quite well alone! A mainstay in perfumery, Rose is popular among women but can also be found in many Men’s toiletries!  Guys, maybe there’s a Rose in your future!

 

Sandalwood - The richness of wood from the Sandalwood tree is assisted here with notes of earthy Cedarwood and Patchouli with a base of dark, rich Musk and touched with Cinnamon and Citrus with a soft a powdery base. 

 

Santal et Patchouli – Sandalwood and Patchouli are joined together in this fragrance with a base of Vanilla and light Amber to create a fragrance that is deep and rich and is made almost completely of base notes with light notes of wood, spice and citrus complementing this unique scent!  NEW!

 

Sensual Sandalwood - The richly fragrant Ylang-ylang flower along with the intoxicating Jasmine flower lend their abundantly sweet and sensual scents to the Sandalwood tree. Clove Bud adds a light touch of spice to the exotic and seductive blend. Sandalwood at its most sensual!  NEW!

 

Soapy - Soapy is a clean and fresh scent that includes the scent of Fresh Air and Citrus top notes, middle notes of Jasmine, Cotton blossoms and Eucalyptus blossoms and Eucalyptus, with base notes of Cedarwood and White musk.  A truly clean scent that appeals to everyone! 

 

Soft Scent – This is a truly soft and light scent perfect for those mornings you want some peace and quiet and nothing to stimulate you too much just something that is sweet, soft and serene to help you slowly start your day!  NEW!

 

Spiced Bay - A classic combination of Bay leaf oil, Orange peel Oil, oils from Island spices Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Clove, all native to the Islands of the West Indies, form a traditional aromatic, citrus and spicy Men’s fragrance.

 

Suède de Kashmir - Caravans of men and merchandise meandered through the valley of Kashmir en route to deliver perfumes and spices from the East in their leather pouches… This scent combines the scent of soft Leather, deep Épices and rich Cinnamon and Clove spice from the East…

 

Sweet Pumpkin - The sweet scent of cooked Pumpkin with hints of Ginger and Cinnamon will remind you of your favorite Autumn dessert and be the perfect way to start your day during the Fall and Winter!  NEW!

 

Tolu - Tolu Balsam has a resinous and rich balsamic scent together with Cedarwood Virginiana which has a warm, woody scent and Sandalwood which has a rich and refined wood scent is combined here with a base of Vanilla which creates a sweet, deep and intense scent that will keep you wanting more!  NEW!

 

Vanille de Sainte-Marie - The island of Sainte-Marie lies just off the Eastern coast of Madagascar and is famous for the Vanilla beans it raises.  To this Vanilla we have added Lemon and Atlas Cedarwood, also native to the island, to create this special island treat! NEW!

 

Vetiver and Vanilla - Vetiver is derived from the roots of long Sri Lankan grasses and has an earthy, woody aroma with a gentlemanly sweetness that blends nicely with the creamy warmth of Vanilla and with powdery and musky base notes.

I bought a cream sampler a couple of years ago, I think. I don't remember the full list, but far & away my favorite was Suede de Kashmir. I bought a puck of it a few months ago & it's still great.

Glad to hear that you liked it!

I started the "Scent Project" to see what kind of results I would get and what kind of input.  I really enjoyed the experience and was happy with the scents I created.  Now it is time to hone in on which will stay and which will be put on the back burner.  Certain original scents like Sandalwood, Musk, Suede de Kashmir will be included but I have concern about some older and traditional scents like Bay Lime and Spiced Bay and scents like Amber Fog and Frankincense Fog will probably be on their way out.  I would like to lower the numbers to about 12 but offer "specials" on new scents at different times during the year.  I have gotten good reactions to Bayberry and Balsam Fir and will be keeping those.  I also have a "final formulation" to do with the Shaving Creams with some very slight adjustments in the formulation which will make it even lighter in consistency but shouldn't affect the lathering which has always been one of its strong points!  The Shaving Soap will also get a reformulation at some point so this is why I need to know what scents will work the best for everything!  I am currently addressing the issues with the side labels and hope to settle that soon.  The label on the lid has always been waterproof and was professionally printed but having labels made for each scent would have cost hundreds of dollars per scent which was cost prohibitive so hopefully I can settle that soon as well!

I recently did a change in formula for the handcrafted soaps I sell, many of which are matching scents to the Shaving Creams and Shaving Soaps that I offer!  I made the soap bars even larger but kept the price the same as it was when I opened my business 17 years ago!  I reduced the number of scents offered there which worked really well over Christmas time and changed the displays in the retail store, which I run single-handed seven days a week, and made a slight change in our formula where using all the same ingredients but in different percentages which seems to have worked well!  Thanks again for your input!  I hope to hear from others and welcome your replies and observations!

David 

Glad to hear that you liked it!

I started the "Scent Project" to see what kind of results I would get and what kind of input.  I really enjoyed the experience and was happy with the scents I created.  Now it is time to hone in on which will stay and which will be put on the back burner.  Certain original scents like Sandalwood, Musk, Suede de Kashmir will be included but I have concern about some older and traditional scents like Bay Lime and Spiced Bay and scents like Amber Fog and Frankincense Fog will probably be on their way out.  I would like to lower the numbers to about 12 but offer "specials" on new scents at different times during the year.  I have gotten good reactions to Bayberry and Balsam Fir and will be keeping those.  I also have a "final formulation" to do with the Shaving Creams with some very slight adjustments in the formulation which will make it even lighter in consistency but shouldn't affect the lathering which has always been one of its strong points!  The Shaving Soap will also get a reformulation at some point so this is why I need to know what scents will work the best for everything!  I am currently addressing the issues with the side labels and hope to settle that soon.  The label on the lid has always been waterproof and was professionally printed but having labels made for each scent would have cost hundreds of dollars per scent which was cost prohibitive so hopefully I can settle that soon as well!

I recently did a change in formula for the handcrafted soaps I sell, many of which are matching scents to the Shaving Creams and Shaving Soaps that I offer!  I made the soap bars even larger but kept the price the same as it was when I opened my business 17 years ago!  I reduced the number of scents offered there which worked really well over Christmas time and changed the displays in the retail store, which I run single-handed seven days a week, and made a slight change in our formula where using all the same ingredients but in different percentages which seems to have worked well!  Thanks again for your input!  I hope to hear from others and welcome your replies and observations!

David 

I have been selling quite a few sample packs lately but I still haven't heard back from anyone lately!  Now is your time to open up and share your thoughts!  I look forward to hearing from more of you!

Give any thought to doing an aftershave?

Let's see, I've already told you I like Suede de Kashmir, Lime, Balsam Fir, and Bayberry. Leather & Smoke is OK, but I'd like it better with more smoke & less leather (leather-heads, take note). Pipe Tobacco is too sweet & cherry-forward for me, though I usually love tobacco scents.

I just started in on 10 cream samples. Basilico is great--I love the slight bitterness of it--and I've confirmed that I like Cedre Noir (tried it a few years ago & thought that I'd liked it but wasn't sure). Tolu and Musk & Amber smell pretty good in the tublet, but I haven't had a chance to actually use them yet. Some of the rest I can't actually get an idea from the tub, the scent isn't strong enough for my nose, e.g. Eau de Verveine, Oriental Wood, Vetiver & Vanilla. Bamboo Island is a bit too flowery for me.

The cream is great. In one respect it's the opposite of your old soap base, in that the only way I've found to break it is by adding too much water (I got a little carried away last night). Great shaves other than that.

Glad to hear that you liked it!

I started the "Scent Project" to see what kind of results I would get and what kind of input.  I really enjoyed the experience and was happy with the scents I created.  Now it is time to hone in on which will stay and which will be put on the back burner.  Certain original scents like Sandalwood, Musk, Suede de Kashmir will be included but I have concern about some older and traditional scents like Bay Lime and Spiced Bay and scents like Amber Fog and Frankincense Fog will probably be on their way out.  I would like to lower the numbers to about 12 but offer "specials" on new scents at different times during the year.  I have gotten good reactions to Bayberry and Balsam Fir and will be keeping those.  I also have a "final formulation" to do with the Shaving Creams with some very slight adjustments in the formulation which will make it even lighter in consistency but shouldn't affect the lathering which has always been one of its strong points!  The Shaving Soap will also get a reformulation at some point so this is why I need to know what scents will work the best for everything!  I am currently addressing the issues with the side labels and hope to settle that soon.  The label on the lid has always been waterproof and was professionally printed but having labels made for each scent would have cost hundreds of dollars per scent which was cost prohibitive so hopefully I can settle that soon as well!

I recently did a change in formula for the handcrafted soaps I sell, many of which are matching scents to the Shaving Creams and Shaving Soaps that I offer!  I made the soap bars even larger but kept the price the same as it was when I opened my business 17 years ago!  I reduced the number of scents offered there which worked really well over Christmas time and changed the displays in the retail store, which I run single-handed seven days a week, and made a slight change in our formula where using all the same ingredients but in different percentages which seems to have worked well!  Thanks again for your input!  I hope to hear from others and welcome your replies and observations!

David 

As you know, David, I certainly hope you keep Hesperide! I believe it's my overall favorite soap/cream scent.

Give any thought to doing an aftershave?

Yes, I have and I will look into it and see what I can come up with!

Hespéride [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]is one of the scents on the top of the list so it will remain, Scott![/font] 

Hespéride [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]is one of the scents on the top of the list so it will remain, Scott![/font] 

Glad to hear this, David. I just ordered another tub of Hesperide shaving soap (so sublime and effective!), along with a couple of bath soaps. I should have thought of buying bath soaps from you before. But now I have!

P.S. David included me in his test group for his new soap formulation. Soap fans should check it out upon release. My favorite soap is MdC and when David asked me what soap texture reminded me most of his new formula, I responded MdC. It's a bit softer than Tabac (another favorite), but firmer than Milksteak (another favorite) and many of the other modern artisan formulations. I enjoy the new Stone Cottage soap formulation very much, yet this face still thinks his creams cannot be beat.