



History of Barrister and Mann

Uncommon scents. Made with awesome. Tested on people.

Last updated on November 15, 2019

Contents

Introduction

Barrister and Mann has had a relatively short history, but has become very popular among wet shavers - many of the releases are highly sought after today. We present this history of Barrister and Mann and the products they've released over the years in an effort to document these scents... One of the cornerstones of the brand. Performance, as many will confirm, is second to none even in the early releases. It has only gotten better over time and the latest formulations are arguably a benchmark of artisan soap performance. No matter how you look at it, the history below is a fascinating journey.

Foundation

Barrister and Mann was founded on March 18, 2013 from Boston, MA (currently operating out of Hartwick, NY) by William Carius. From their "About Us" page is this history:

Barrister & Mann is the the result of my extremely sensitive skin. I first began traditional wet shaving because I couldn't use modern shaving methods without serious irritation. While using a double-edge safety razor and a brush did help, I had trouble with soap performance. I needed something that would perform reliably and that would work well for my skin. I spent 5 months testing different formulas in the kitchen of my tiny apartment in Boston, researching different ingredients and experimenting with different ratios until I had a soap that produced a lovely, slick, creamy lather that didn't dry my skin. I mentioned to the wet shaving community on reddit.com and was persuaded to send a few samples for testing. It turned out what worked for me worked for a lot of other people as well, and Barrister and Mann was launched March 18, 2013 from Boston, MA. We later developed alcohol-free aftershaves and a beard oil, and most recently have begun selling alcohol-based aftershave splashes as well. The business has grown and is now a family operation; my parents have been kind enough to help me keep everything running as smoothly as possible, and we continue to expand both our staff and our product lines...

Currently, Barrister and Mann is a family business involving not only William Carius, but his mother Paula and father Hal as well. As for the origin of the name, here is what William said about that:

Lol. I get that question often. The name comes from the fact that I was still in law school when I founded the company (a barrister is a kind of British attorney), and the fact that it was originally intended for men ("Mann" being a stylized "man"). :)

Released Soaps and Lines

Below is a list of soaps released by Barrister and Mann along with their history and scent descriptions. They range from the early days (released as pucks), to the White Label, Black Label and Limited Edition periods - up to and including the most recent releases.. See below for the Latha line.

Many releases have come and gone, never to return ("Discont"), some are seasonal ("Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter") and some are returning at some point (Timeframe). This will be noted below. You can also check out pending releases on their published Release Schedule.

Standard Lines Generally offered in a tallow-based formula with lanolin (with some vegan Tre-Citta) releases). The White Label and Black Label lines were the standard, containing all the high-end ingredients - the latter arriving later - which added sodium citrate in an effort to improve hard water lathering. They were discontinued in June 2015, as starting with Le Grand Chypre a new formulation was debuted, named Glissant - with the goal to increase slickness and glide. After this initial release, almond oil was quickly substituted with high-oleic safflower oil which had the effect of increasing slickness further. This lasted until November 2018, with Vespers ushering in the new Excelsior formula. Essentially combining the best properties of White Label, Glissant and Barrister's Reserve bases. Latha Line The Latha line was born because many people exhibit lanolin sensitivities and that so many people still prefer tallow soaps, they should devise a simple tallow soap with superior slickness and skincare. Over the course of many months, they tested and retested until they had assembled a truly spectacular product, a soap that was easy to lather, dense, creamy, slick, and which did not exhibit the same quirks as their main lines. Argan oil and shea butter were chosen as the superfats to enhance the slickness and help to mitigate the drying effects of the product. They added sodium citrate to protect the lather from hard water and to aid the user in working up a dense, slick lather quickly and easily. Latha was discontinued in February 2018.

Ingredients

White Label

Potassium stearate, sodium stearate, potassium tallowate, sodium tallowate, aqua, glycerin, potassium ricinoleate, sodium ricinoleate, coconut milk, potassium kokum butterate, sodium kokum butterate, unrefined shea butter, potassium cocoate, sodium cocoate, lanolin, allantoin, silk protein, tocopherol acetate

Glissant

Potassium stearate, aqua, glycerin, sodium stearate, potassium tallowate, sodium tallowate, potassium ricinoleate, potassium shea butterate, sodium ricinoleate, coconut milk, sodium shea butterate, fragrance, carthamus tinctorius hybrid (hybrid safflower) seed oil, potassium palm kernelate, allantoin, lanolin, sodium palm kernelate, sodium citrate, tocopherol acetate, hydrolyzed silk protein

Latha

Aqua, potassium stearate, sodium stearate, potassium tallowate, sodium tallowate, glycerin, potassium cocoate, sodium cocoate, fragrance, argania spinosa (argan) oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, sodium citrate, sodium lactate, tocopherol acetate

Barrister's Reserve (Beta - SoA)

Potassium stearate, glycerin, aqua, sodium stearate, potassium safflowerate, cocos nucifera (coconut) milk, sodium cocoyl isethionate, potassium tallowate, sodium safflowerate, sodium tallowate, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, potassium ricinoleate, sodium ricinoleate, hydroxycitronellal, cananga odorata (ylang ylang) oil, fragrance, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, coumarin, tocopherol acetate, trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate

Barrister's Reserve (Final - Classic)

Potassium stearate, glycerin, aqua, sodium cocoyl isethionate, potassium tallowate, potassium safflowerate, cocos nucifera (coconut) milk, sodium stearate, ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, sucrose cocoate, sodium lactate, fragrance tocopherol acetate, trisodium ethylenediamine disuccinate, sodium tallowate, sodium safflowerate, linalool, d-limonene, citronellol, geraniol, coumarin, cinnamic alcohol (cinnamyl alcohol), benzyl salicylate, benzyl alcohol

Excelsior

Aqua, glycerin, potassium stearate, potassium tallowate, sodium stearate, sodium tallowate, cocos nucifera (coconut) milk, potassium kokum butterate, methyl gluceth-10, xanthan gum, sucrose cocoate, potassium ricinoleate, sodium kokum butterate, allantoin, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, lanolin, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, sodium lauroyl oat amino acids, fragrance, sodium ricinoleate, tetrasodium EDTA, tocopheryl acetate

Standard Soap Lines



Click names below for review(s)... See also, Aftershaves below.

Released Status AS Scent Notes

42 May 2015 Spring T For Towel Day, the commemoration of Douglas Adams’ authorship of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Barrister & Mann presents our tribute to his brilliant work: 42, a soap that smells of petunias, ambergris, tea, and Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster (lemon sugar). Grab a copy of the Guide, a cup of tea, and your shaving brush; it’s going to be a hell of a ride.

Adagio Jun 2014 Summer T A “cool green fruit” fragrance consisting of lime, cherry, violet leaf absolute, lily of the valley, and a beautiful floral musk called Galaxolide. The soap is rounded off with a light mentholated coolness, not super cold but enough to refresh the face in the swelteringly hot weather of Summer.

Adumbrare Nov 2017 Limited Edition T Barrister and Mann has teamed up with /r/wetshaving to invite you to make discoveries of your own. Join your sense of mystery with your sense of smell as you attempt to unravel the puzzle of Adumbrare. Notes are sandalwood, grapefruit, petitgrain, tobacco absolute, honeysuckle and currant.

(Tre Citta) Almond Nov 2013 Discont - Drawing upon the results of our shaving cream research, we created a completely vegan shaving soap comprised of only five main ingredients: stearic acid, castor oil, coconut oil, rice bran oil, and glycerin. This simple but superb soap produces a beautifully thick, rich, lubricious lather at the cost of no animal lives and is scented with the traditional almond fragrance for which the originals are so justly famous. The name comes from the Italian term for "Three Cities," a reference to the Genoan, Milanese, and Neapolitan master soapmakers of the Old World to which we pay homage.

Anise & Vetiver Sep 2014 Discont - The famous Robin's Candy Shop in Boston stocks a remarkably dry, rich licorice from Denmark with deliciously tangy undertones. This soap smells rather like that. Sweet, woody, and slightly salty, Anise & Vetiver is one of those soaps that smells so good that you have to stop yourself from tasting the lather. You know, for science.

Arctique Jul 2014 Summer T We blended our lovely floral/black pepper base with Japanese Peppermint and enough menthol to make even the most hardened skin prickle in fear. The goal was to create one of the coldest soaps on Earth, the kind of soap that separates the hobbyists from the seriously dedicated. We’re proud to say that we were successful. It is unbelievable. It is horribly, hatefully, bone-chillingly cold.

Bay Rum Mar 2013 Current K/T This is a classic bay rum scent consisting of West Indian Bay (none of that cooking bay stuff), sweet orange, real blackstrap rum, benzoin (a warm, vanilla-like scent), and just a hint of cassia cinnamon, which provides a pleasant warmth. A favorite for winter, but great for any time of year. Note that my bay rum is entirely clove-free.

Beaudelaire Aug 2014

Feb 2019 Limited Edition T/D We blend the classic fougère accord of lavender, oakmoss, and coumarin with ylang ylang, rose, sandalwood, and the deep, richly bitter character of Mousse de Saxe to produce a fougère unlike anything else in the shaving world.

Caledonia Rose Sep 2014 Discont - The original intent behind Caledonia Rose was to produce a rose/sandalwood soap using only the necessary plant absolutes. Unfortunately, we couldn't quite get it to where we were satisfied with it. We had hoped that the scent would be stronger (though it's definitely still rosy), so we've decided to simply charge just enough to cover our investment and only produce one batch. It's a gentle, smooth rose scent with creamy sandalwood undercurrents and the same great performance as all of our vegan soaps. A singular batch not to be missed!

Cheshire May 2013 Current K/T A combination of bergamot, clary sage, lavender, and patchouli, this soap captures the classic essence of Earl Grey tea using only high-quality essential oils. The perfect complement to the morning routine of the discerning shaver.

Citricuyá

C2 Nov 2017 Limited Edition T An exclusive release for SFWS, it has notes of blood orange, passionfruit, pink pepper, pear and galbanum. A second and final run named "C2" appeared June 2018.

Cologne Russe Sep 2015 Current T Notes of lemon, bergamot, petitgrain, and herbs dry down to violet, rose, bay, and amber. The scent is distinctly warmer than most other cologne-type fragrances, owing largely to its inclusion of castoreum, benzoin, and vanilla.

Clusterfig Sep 2019 Fall D Clusterfig is a soft, evanescent blend of green fig, orange blossom, jasmine, amber (the old-school benzoin/labdanum/vanilla version), lemon, apple, and violet. Sweet and floral without being heavy, delicate without being overtly feminine

DFS (Damn Fine Shave) Oct 2015 Discont T A warm, autumnal soap with notes of apples, cinnamon, cloves, oak, and berries, much like the mulled cider that so characterizes the cooler months in the Northeast. Spicy and sweet.

Diamond May 2015

Apr 2019 Spring D Notes of freshly cut grass, stadium soil, beer, leather, pine, cedar, popcorn, and caramel to conjure the unforgettable experience of attending a big league game during every shave.

Dickens Nov 2013

Nov 2015

Nov 2016

Nov 2019 Winter T Patterned after one of our favorite holiday cookies, this soap combines notes of cherry, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, and lemon into a spicy, sweet, festive soap just perfect for a shave before that ugly sweater party that your boss is making you attend.

East Egg Jun 2019 Limited Edition D Notes of nutmeg, lemon, bergamot, and clary sage open with scintillating sparkle, the flash of glittering affluence, and descend to a rich floral heart of ylang ylang, geranium, and violet. A base of sandalwood, amber, and vanilla buttresses the core, classic cigarette perfume of vetiver and vanilla.

Eventide Nov 2017 Winter T Derived from the natural defenses of the agarwood tree, oud is tremendously strong, tar-like, and woody. Where most scent makers tend to play up the woody, ambery characteristics of the material, we decided to do things a bit differently. To soften the rough, phenolic character of oud, we decided to blend the scents of rose and raspberry, then added a healthy dose of tangy, acidic lime to keep it from getting too heavy. The overall scent is warm and inviting, fruity without being candy-like, and wholly suited to the darkness of wintertime.

Ferox Mar 2013 Discont - Ferox (Latin for "fierce") is comprised of a bright, invigorating combination of grapefruit, sage, thyme, rosemary, tea tree, and vetiver. An unusual soap sure to get you ready for sunshine and gardening!

Fireside Dec 2014 Discont - Lie de vin (distilled into "cognac oil") with a powerfully fruity, alcoholic aroma carrying anise and vanilla facets as well as a woody undertone, we blended fennel (which has an herbal, anisic character), vanillin (a perfumery material of legendary power and versatility) and Virginia cedar oil with a healthy dose of the genuine article. Still not satisfied, we added lime oil as well to bring out the fruitier notes in the cognac.

First Snow Feb 2014

Nov 2016 Winter T Premised on the notion of a "gentleman's menthol," First Snow is comprised of a fresh, invigorating blend of real fir needle oil with hints of leather and just a touch of menthol. This is no face-freezer but instead a clean, natural-smelling soap with a hint of coolness to brighten up your morning.

Fougére Aromatique May 2014

Nov 2014

May 2015 Discont - Only 40 tallow and 40 Tre Citta (vegan) made in first batch, ~250 in second and third batches. We blended the fragrance with touches of lime, cardamom, and thyme as an homage to Invasion Barbare, Stephanie Bakouche's remarkable aromatic masterpiece. The rest of the skeleton is constructed around geranium, clary sage absolute, violet leaf, and various other natural oils to produce a full-power, teeth-out scent completely divested of any resemblance to the prim little English fripperies that followed the original. Rich, gleamingly spicy, and utterly without pretense, Fougère Aromatique is a reminder of what it means to carry yourself with style.

Fougére Gothique Oct 2017 Fall T I began with the core skeleton of all fougères, the classic combination of lavender, oakmoss, bergamot, geranium, and tonka bean. To this were added the ancient, primordial influences of balsam fir, vetiver, cedar, and mushroom, topped off with the richness of smooth musks, sandalwood, leather, and tuberose. Finally, and most distinctly, I blended in the essences of black ashes and smoldering flame to echo the fires of Hell, burning for all time.

Fougére Imperiale May 2014

Nov 2014

May 2015 Discont - Only 40 tallow and 40 Tre Citta (vegan) made in first batch, ~250 in second and third batches. We built the scent on an accord of oakmoss, French lavender, tonka bean, and hay absolute, a smell akin to liquid sunshine. We then added West Indian Sandalwood (actually a plant called Amyris) and Siberian Fir for a woody, mineral effect similar to that of the drier fougères that characterized the 1950s and 60s. The rest of the skeleton is constructed around geranium, clary sage absolute, violet leaf, and various other natural oils to produce a fresh, clean, elegant scent reminiscent of the smell of a father's shaving set. Bright, understated, and charmingly smooth, Fougère Imperiale is the ultimate progression of natural perfumery.

Hallows Oct 2013 Fall T We were tasked with creating a seasonal scent unlike any the world had ever seen before. Taking inspiration from the swamps of Boston, we combined vetiver, oakmoss, black pepper, cocoa, labdanum, and cedar to produce a deep, cold scent suited to the chilly, bitter days of late October. Gloomy, rich, and perversely elegant, Hallows is a reminder of why men once feared the dark. Took a year off in 2017.

Jacinthe Mar 2018 Spring T Springtime always puts us in mind of cool morning dew, white garden trellises, and three-piece flannel suits. Crisp citrus-floral scents just seem to work with those visuals, and Jacinthe’s clean, understated blend of lemon, hyacinth, a dash of sweet pear, and the spicy greenness of real tomato leaf absolute fits the bill perfectly. Strangely reminiscent of the flavor of Lemon Pez®, Jacinthe is a perfect way to start your day!

Lavanille Jul 2014 Current T Chiefly built on our recreation of the famous Mousse de Saxe perfume base, blended with lavender, vanilla, cedar wood, and the elegant musk Exaltolide to create a dark, leathery, elegant soap unlike anything seen for nearly a half century.

Lavender Aug 2014 Discont - Lavender is one of those old-school, classic scents that hails from the early days of men's shaving. This is an honestly good lavender soap. See also: Latha Lavanda - same scent!

Le Grand Chypre Nov 2015 Current T Lime, bergamot, oakmoss, labdanum, Mousse de Chyprée (we recreated another vintage base!), patchouli, peach skin, rose, frankincense, cedar, musk.

Leviathan Sep 2014 Current T We discovered the formula for an archaic, forgotten Russian leather accord and blended it with notes of sandalwood, coffee, cedar, and musk to create a dark, feral scent well-suited to its namesake. Elemental and at times slightly unsettling, Leviathan is a scent to accompany you to the end of the world.

Lime, Lavender & Cedarwood Jan 2013

Sep 2017 Discont T Top notes of lime are softened by notes of earthy lavender and deep cedarwood. An invigorating, masculine scent.

Lyssa Oct 2019 Fall D We have combined rose, geranium, ashes, nutmeg, saffron, sage, oud, labdanum, oakmoss, patchouli, tobacco, and violets (specifically those taken from deceased persons) to produce a working zombie repellent. We have code named the formula Lyssa, after the virus which causes zombification.

Night Music Feb 2016

Feb 2017 Discont T We blended heaps of vanilla with peppery bergamot and silvery iris to form the core of the fragrance, then layered the whole thing on top of 5 different musks to create the raunchiest, naughtiest fragrance we’ve ever smelled in shaving. We finished it off with just the tiniest fraction of strawberry, so light that you’d probably never even know it’s there, to sweeten the design and make it just a little bit more fun.

Nocturne Sep 2013

Sep 2018 Discont - After the aroma of a New England Harvest Festival using the scents of apples, newly fallen leaves, woodsmoke, styrax benzoin, and the faintest touch of cinnamon.

Orange & Cedarwood Discont - Sweet Orange and Virginia Cedar essential oils. Classic French scent, very clean and masculine.

Passiflora Nov 2016 Discont - An elegant, sophisticated, spicy pomegranate fougère that plays on the green soapiness of galbanum oil. This unusual inclusion is buttressed with cinnamon, bergamot, rose, geranium, lavender, and tonka bean, and overlaid with the rich, tangy, slightly acidic edge of a truly fine passion fruit accord. Achieved unobtainium status in only three days.

Patches Jun 2018 Summer T What’s better than the Summers of your childhood? How about strawberry basil jam? Inspired by a wonderful farm stand jam from bygone days, we blended strawberry, basil and black pepper into a cheerful slice of countryside nostalgia. Patches is a personal favorite of several Barrister and Mann staff, and we know you’ll love it as much as we do!

Petrichor Jul 2014

Apr 2017 Discont T A soap that smells like damp earth after a Spring rain. Utterly unlike anything else we have ever smelled, Petrichor conjures images of Scottish moors and damp forests sparkling with dew. Made with real, diluted geosmin and oakmoss from Herzogovina.

Promises Nov 2017 Winter T Promises is an ode to this most exhilarating time of the year, the smell of a warm drink from a thermos while out on the trail with friends. Notes of orange and bergamot are suffused with the warmth of real honey, whiskey lactone, peat, and nutmeg. To finish it off, we’ve incorporated the strange, rubbery, industrial character of a high grade saffron molecule to give the scent the feel of being out on the trail with idling sleds all around.

Rhapsody Mar 2015 Discont T In the spirit of the title "New York," we decided to incorporate the scent of pear blossoms, which bloom in Central Park in the springtime and have a famously pungent odor, into a citrus/floral/spice structure to symbolize the beauty of Spring (when the snow finally melts). Because using only our pear blossom accord made the fragrance rather heavy, we decided to lighten it with the scents of apple and cherry blossoms, incorporating all three accords into a base of lemon, orange, orange flower, rose, bay, thyme, sandalwood, patchouli, musk, lavender, and vanilla. The result was a clean, sweet, citrusy scent with a distinctly floral cast and a richly smooth base, perfect for still-chilly Spring mornings where it's hard to justify getting out of bed. Bright and uplifting, Rhapsody is sure to leave you feeling refreshed and ready to face the day.

Roam Sep 2013

Mar 2018 Discont KT Inspired by the rugged individualism of American cattle ranchers, we blended the aromas of real pipe tobacco absolute, smoke, leather, herbs, damp earth, and grass into a bright, robust scent reminiscent of life on the open range. Timeless and virile, Roam harkens back to the days of the Old West.

Rosemary & Peppermint Aug 2014 Discont - Bright, fresh, herbal rosemary blends with cooling Japanese peppermint and the green sweetness of spearmint for a shave that’s sure to clear your head and cool your face.

Saeryan Mar 2014

Feb 2015

May 2019 Limited Edition D Some describe it as "candy floral" or "spicy flowers," but, to us, it smells simply of Springtime. To that end, Barrister & Mann blended ethereally beautiful facets of violet, clover, petitgrain, bergamot, and hops to create a crisp, slightly bitter citrus floral scent that invokes memories of cool, quiet Sunday mornings spent drinking tea in the sunshine. Sparklingly elegant, Saeryan is a soap best reserved for when you want to feel your very finest.

Seville Mar 2013 Current K/T A traditional barbershop scent, this soap contains bergamot, lemon, patchouli, oakmoss, lavender, and rosemary. A fresh, clean fragrance that goes with pretty much anything.

Sinfonia Feb 2018 Spring T Jasmine, perhaps THE classic white floral fragrance, is well-known for its heady, narcotic aroma. Standing in pitch-perfect contrast to this hypnotic richness is the juicy delicacy of apricot, which lightens and smoothes the jasmine to produce an understated, elegant scent.

Solarion Jun 2015 Discont - Notes of bergamot, petitgrain, geranium, carnation, saffron, and black pepper to create a sunny, spicy, energizing soap that triumphantly announces the return of Summer. Stylish and sexy, Solarion is the perfect compliment to a hot day and a cold beer.

Solstice Jun 2013 Discont - A rich and elegant combination of lemon, black pepper, and rose absolute with just a touch of peppermint.

Tangerine & Ylang Ylang May 2014 Discont - A bright, heady combination of tangerine and ylang ylang essential oils. In order to avoid an overpoweringly floral smell, the fragrance has been balanced so that the ylang ylang is detectable and supports the tangy citrus of the tangerine, but is not overwhelmingly heady.

Terror Jul 2019 Summer D Inspired by the grisly legend of the Terror and the Erebus, our Terror shaving soap gives new meaning to bitter cold. We blended frankincense (the smell of ship’s timbers) with the very essence of cold water to bring to mind the empty wastes of the Arctic Circle, and have incorporated our custom blend of cooling agents to bring an insidious, endless chill to the experience. Tearless and stingless, unlike its mentholated cousin Arctique, Terror is a ghastly revelation, a glimpse into abyss.

Tuesday Jun 2018 Summer T The perfect compliment to our Just Right for a Tuesday EdP, Tuesday is a crisp, slightly spicy blend of lavender and violet meant for those days when you don’t want anything too fussy, sweet, or heavy. The combination produces a firmly unisex floral that’s at home anywhere, at any time, and will brighten your shave, morning or night. Let the flowers out.

Unscented Mar 2013 Current - White label soap - sans scent!

Vanille Jan 2014

Jun 2016 Discont - Scented with a combination of real bourbon vanilla absolute and the richly vanillic and woody resin styrax benzoin. Together, the oils combine to produce the most gorgeous vanilla scent in shaving today, a voluptuous, elegant, and deeply sensual fragrance that will remind your date of the meaning of desire.

Vespers Nov 2018

Nov 2019 Winter T Vespers is the product of a specific picture, the image of a quaint mountain town in late December, snow falling gently on the peaked roofs, lights twinkling in the square. As one of the historic meeting places of Lower Saxony, we felt it necessary to incorporate our legendary version of Mousse de Saxe ("Saxon Moss"), in all its velvety darkness, into any fragrance representative of the village. Onto this we layered cranberry, cardamom, balsam, and a fern accord for a spicy-jammy-forest character. Patchouli, rose, sandalwood, and bergamot round out the rough edges to produce a scent one might expect to waft from a merrymaking hall on a chill evening.

Vetiver, Heather & Clary Sage Mar 2013 Discont K A floral, but still deeply earthy scent that calls to mind the fragrance houses of Jermyn St., St. James, and Savile Row.

Vetyver Santal Sep 2014 Discont - We blended a healthy dose of lemon essential oil with Haitian vetiver and elegant, creamy New Caledonia sandalwood absolute to create a light, clean, fresh vetiver scent well-suited to cooler weather. Refined and gentlemanly, Vetyver Santal harkens back to classic fragrances from the Golden Age.

Winter Spice Mar 2013 Discont - A cozy, rich fragrance with top notes of sweet orange and amaretto bolstered by the warmth of cinnamon. Perfect for that cold winter's night when you just have to shave.



Barrister's Reserve Soap Line

This line was released on June 9, 2017. The beta formula was seen in the Soapmakers of Awesometown release on April 1, 2017. Fougére Gothique is listed only for the sake of completeness, as the base was used for the soap. It is not part of the line, a seasonal release and without a matching Barrister's Reserve aftershave (it's regular Tonique).

Released Status AS Scent Notes

Soapmakers of Awesometown Apr 2017 Beta - Notes of passion fruit, lavender, sandalwood, citrus and ylang ylang.

Classic Jun 2017 Current ✓ Some days, the perfect soap is the one with a fragrance that’s not in your face all day. Enter Barrister’s Reserve: Classic. Inspired by 60s vintage aftershaves, Classic’s clean, slightly powdery notes of citrus, lavender, moss, and sandalwood will keep you cool, calm, and collected for as long as you need to be.

Cool Jun 2017 Current ✓ As clean and versatile scents go, Barrister's Reserve: Cool is refreshingly crisp. Based on a classic Italian barbershop staple, notes of bergamot, lemon, and lavender combine for a bracing, invigorating scent versatile enough to wear with your favorite cologne.

Fern Sep/Dec 2017 Current ✓ Barrister's Reserve: Fern is based on a combination of oakmoss, lavender, and tonka, and is the ultimate classic men's scent. Originally derived from a legendary fragrance not made for 60 years, Fern is dapper in ways that never, ever go out of style.

Lavender Sep/Dec 2017 Current ✓ Barrister's Reserve: Lavender is as smooth as lavender can get. Based on a beautiful aftershave from Wales, this is the scent described by famed perfume critic Luca Turin as "Summer wind made smell" and "the greatest lavender of all time." We definitely agree.

Spice Jun 2017 Current ✓ Who says the old ways aren't the best ways? Barrister’s Reserve: Spice is a slice of vintage Americana. Featuring notes of carnation, nutmeg, vanilla, and tonka bean, Spice is great for when you're looking for a bit of history. Your suave, dapper grandfather? He's used soaps like this and smelled awesome doing it.

Waves Nov 2018 Current ✓ In the mood for something modern and not sure if the other Barrister's Reserve scents are right for you? Enter Waves. Resurrected from the early years of aquatic fragrance, Waves is a fresh, stylish blend of sea notes, lavender, geranium, and bergamot that smells great on anyone and goes with absolutely anything. If you need an aftershave that will pair with just about any cologne, Barrister's Reserve: Waves is perfect.

Fougére Gothique Oct 2017 Fall 2017 - I began with the core skeleton of all fougères, the classic combination of lavender, oakmoss, bergamot, geranium, and tonka bean. To this were added the ancient, primordial influences of balsam fir, vetiver, cedar, and mushroom, topped off with the richness of smooth musks, sandalwood, leather, and tuberose. Finally, and most distinctly, I blended in the essences of black ashes and smoldering flame to echo the fires of Hell, burning for all time.



Latha Soap Line

As of the official announcement on February 15, 2018 (see below) - the Latha line has been discontinued, marking the end of a two and a half year run. This is unfortunate, as the line represented outstanding value, given the price and the quality of the ingredients of both the soap and aftershave. But as explained in the announcement, the line does not follow the new direction that Barrister and Mann is taking.

We've had a blast making Latha for the last couple of years. But we at Barrister and Mann feel that it just no longer jives with our direction as a company. We're focusing more and more on fine fragrances, and so Latha has become a bit of an outlier for us. More than that, production of Latha is no longer sustainable, for a variety of reasons. So, awhile back, the decision was made to supply our retailers with as much stock as they needed, top off our own stores, and then let folks who really enjoy the Latha products order as much as they like before we stop making it. While we and most of our retailers have stocked up a bit, this is the very last of Latha soap and aftershave that will ever be made. In addition, we will not be offering any unscented products for the foreseeable future, so, once the Latha Unscented that we have is gone, that will be the end of the practice. We're looking forward to showing off all of the incredibly cool things that we've been working on, so keep your eyes open in the coming months! This is only a new beginning. Thanks to all of you who have enjoyed Latha over the past 2.5 years and for all of your business in the past, present, and future. Good things are coming!

Released Status Scent Notes

Figgy Puddin' Seasonal The acidic, floral character of green fig is laid over a smooth, spicy combination of oak, cinnamon, clove, and the lightest touch of berry to produce a truly special holiday experience.

Latha Current A classic barbershop fragrance with notes of lavender, vanilla, oakmoss, carnation, geranium, heliotrope, and musk for a smooth, clean scent such as one might encounter on 1950s Madison Avenue.

Lavanda Current Lavender is one of those old-school, classic scents that hails from the early days of men's shaving. This is an honestly good lavender soap.

Le Petit Chypré Current A classic, old school coumarin chypre perfect for a brisk Spring morning. Clean, slightly resinous, and understated, LPC will make you feel ready for anything! The splash has a touch of menthol to add a refreshing tingle.

Limon Jul 2015 Current Orange/Lemon/Rose - Citrus (orange and lemon) and rose make for a warm, sweet, fresh, light scent that's great for Summer or really just whenever you want something no-muss, no-fuss.

Oceana Jul 2015 Current Aquatic/Bergamot/Jasmine/Sandalwood - Light, clean aquatic that goes with everything. A scent that's perfect for any time!

Sandalwood Current Sandalwood with a B&M twist! Notes of black currant, sandalwood, and amber are blended to produce a fruity, sexy scent great for the cool evenings of Autumn or just any time you feel like putting that little extra spring in your step.

Taiga Current A fresh, sweet, woodsy scent reminiscent of walking through an alpine forest. Perfect for any time of the year, but especially awesome when there's a little bit of a chill in the air.

Unscented Current An unscented aftershave is a handy thing indeed! Perfect for people who want to avoid the harshness of a much more alcoholic aftershave, or who just don't want a fragrance hanging around.

Velvet Current Created especially for women; Velvet is a sweet, floral affair of violet, iris, cherry, and praline with touches of vetiver, anise, and musk.



Aftershaves

The aftershaves available from Barrister and Mann generally fall under three lines, with a fourth that is Barrister's Reserve. The regular line included Tonique which is alcohol based and Kyovu which is alcohol free. The former was used in regular and limited offerings until discontinued in 2019, while the latter was discontinued in 2016 in order to be reformulated from the ground up, to be re-released in 2017 (which never happened). The third line is Latha which is also alcohol free. While Barrister's Reserve could be considered a fourth line, it really is its own entity, under a different umbrella; it's presented here for the sake of completeness.

In February 2019, Tonique was replaced with the new Deltus forumula. Using experience gained from previous formulations and Barrister's Reserve it was time for a reformulation, as Tonique was admittedly "long in the tooth." It's crafted with witch hazel and soothing botanicals - very smooth and silky (not tacky). There are also some additions, including saccharide isomerate (Pentavitin) and allantoin. Although alcohol-based, it has more soothing, abrasion relief and moisturizing action over Tonique. It will be used on all new releases going forward and existing stock will slowly be replaced. Aftershaves in the new Deltus formula can be identified by a small triangle on the label.

This new formula made its debut with a West Coast Shaving exclusive re-release of Beaudelaire where the new formula was discussed in this video:





In the large table of scents under the Standard Line above, you'll see an "AS" column, which denotes the aftershave available for it. The type is denoted by a "T" for Tonique a "K" for Kyovu or a "D" for Deltus - a simple dash ("-") indicates that none was offered (though this may change upon re-releases; some scents like First Snow for example, offered no aftershave initially). The Latha line has a matching aftershave for each scent and thus does not include this column.

There were also a couple of one-off aftershaves without a matching soap scent. For example, Fougére Classic and Awesome.

Deltus

Denatured alcohol, hammamelis virginiana (witch hazel) distillate, fragrance, aveena sativa (oat) kernel protein, calendula officinalis (calendula) flower extract, saccharide isomerate, sodium lactate, propanediol, aqua, enteromorpha compressa (seaweed) extract, silybum marianum ( milk thistle) fruit extract, ocinum sanctum (tulsi basil) leaf extract, allantoin.

Tonique

Denatured alcohol, hammamelis virginiana (witch hazel) distillate, aqua, chamomilla recutita (matricaria) flower extract, fragrance, calendula officinalis (calendula) extract, panthenol, sodium lactate, menthol (not found in all scents)

Kyovu

Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe) leaf juice, hammamelis virginiana (witch hazel) water, cucumis sativus (cucumber) fruit water, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) flower water, juniperus communis (juniper) flower water, salix nigra (willow) bark extract, leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, lactobacillus/nereocystis leutkneana (bull kelp) ferment filtrate, sodium hyaluronate, glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, lactobacillus/chenopodium quinoa (quinoa) ferment extract filtrate, fragaria vesca (strawberry) fruit extract, allantoin, caprylyl/capryl wheat bran/straw glycosides, aqua, fusel wheat bran/straw glycosides, polyglyceryl-5 oleate, sodium cocoyl glutamate, glyceryl caprylate, citrus bergamia (bergamot) oil, citrus limonium (lemon) oil, lavandula angustifolia (lavender) oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) oil, fragrance, pogostemon cablin (patchouli) oil, benzoic acid

Latha

Aloe barbadensis (organic aloe) leaf juice, lavandula angustifolia (organic lavender) distillate, vaccinium myrtillus (organic bilberry) fruit extract, saccharum officinarum (organic sugar cane) extract, acer saccharinum (organic sugar maple) extract, citrus aurantium dulcis (organic orange) peel extract, citrus medica limonum (organic lemon) peel extract, vaccinium macrocarpon (organic cranberry) fruit extract, fragrance, caprylyl/capryl wheat bran/straw glycosides, menthol, aqua, fusel wheat bran/straw glycosides, polyglyceryl-5 oleate, sodium cocoyl glutamate, glyceryl caprylate, phenoxyethanol, malic acid, tartaric acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, glycerin, salix alba (organic white willow) bark extract, tetrasodium EDTA

Barrister's Reserve (Classic)

Witch hazel water (hamamelis virginiana), SD alcohol 40-B (alcohol denatured), water (aqua), organic licorice root extract (glycyrrhiza glabra), glycerin, taurine, phenoxyethanol, chlorella (chlorella vulgaris)/white lupin protein ferment (lupinus albus), eleuthero root extract (acanthopanax senticosus), organic alcohol, fragrance, salicylic acid, allantoin, organic aloe leaf extract (aloe barbadensis), german chamomile flower extract (matricaria recutita), provitamin B5 (panthenol), sodium lactate, benzoic acid, benzyl salicylate, linalool, d-limonene, citronellol, geraniol, coumarin, cinnamic alcohol, benzyl alcohol, hydroxycitronellal, eugenol, methyl 2-octynoate, hexyl cinnamic aldehyde, evernia prunastri (oakmoss) extract, citral

Wonderbalm

While Barrister and Mann never really offered balms, there was a special, one-off that is occasionally offered during the winter called Wonderbalm that retailed for $30 for 2oz. (a little goes a long way). It was described as:

There are some shaves so rough that nothing seems to help. In the winter, shaves like these are especially bad; dry, chapped skin exacerbates razor irritation, often causing flaking, bleeding, blistering, etc. Sometimes, there’s no substitute for a really great balm. Enter Wonderbalm. Wonderbalm was born as a response to the bitter, horrific Winters over the course of the last few years in the Northeast. We found that, while our Kyovu splash maintains moisture very well, it’s unable to protect skin from windburn and chapping, especially in the bitter cold. This fast-adsorbing oil-based balm soothes the skin and relieves irritation and redness associated with shaving and windburn. Nourishing lanolin and shea butter combine with German chamomile and other botanicals to protect and regenerate the skin. The balm also contains lavender absolute, which smells very much like spiced fruit, to give it a pleasant scent and add additional soothing properties. We know your face will thank you!

As for the price, it was due to the high-value ingredients:

Wonderbalm

Caprylic/capric triglyceride, squalane (olive), matricaria recutita (German chamomile) flower extract, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, hydrogenated palm and palm kernel glycerides, lanolin, octyldodecanol, ribes nigrum (black currant) seed oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil unsaponifiables, cardiospermum halicacabum flower/leaf/vine extract, tocopherol, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, lavandula officinalis (lavender) absolute, glyceryl monocaprylate, glyceryl monoundecylenate

Additional Notes

Leviathan on October 9, 2016:

Okay, you're really going to think me insane, and probably be pretty grossed out, but bear with me. Coffee contains a striking quantity of the compound skatole, which is one of the molecules that makes feces smell so charmingly pungent. When I was a kid, I realized that coffee and fresh dog poop actually smell pretty similar. Obviously they're different, but there's a distinct similarity between the two substances. Chemistry, as I mentioned, bears this out. When leather tanning was perfected in Russia, a specific offshoot was developed by the monks of various orders in order to preserve the books in their monastery libraries. Since they found that books bound in leather (the cheapest, most durable, and most readily available book binding material) tended to attract parasites and mites, they began tanning the leather using birch smoke tinctures, which they found repelled insects. This is what gives the leather its distinct smoky character, and was the basis for the various Russian leather perfumes that have been developed over the course of the last century. HOWEVER, in early leather tanning methods (not just Russian ones), there was another important ingredient as well: animal feces. Very old leather has a distinctly primal, animal character to it as a result of this inclusion, and old Russian leathers, especially those used in book binding, are no different. It's not enough to be offensive, but it is DEFINITELY enough to be identifiable, and is replicated in Russian leather accords with the use of castoreum (which smells like beaver musk) and civet (which smells like, well, poop). So Russian leather perfumes often have an underlying slightly fecal character that lends them a velvety, musky scent profile. It seemed obvious that the complimentary characteristics of a good coffee fragrance, which contains TINY amounts of skatole, and a good Russian leather accord, which contains tiny amounts of civet, would be perfect for marriage in a soap. I had also been inspired by a sample of MPG Santal Noble I had received from uncle_dubya. It's a brilliant work, a marriage of coffee and sandalwood, and arguably one of the greatest reference sandalwood perfumes of all time. While musing on the combination of coffee and Russian leather, it occurred to me that a really fine or unusual sandalwood accord could be used to smooth out whatever rough-and-tumble, angular edges might arise as a result of the assemblage. I chose a distinctly strange sandalwood for the purpose (which, in fact, only remotely resembles real sandalwood), but the sweetness of the design tempered the rough, feral edges of the coffee/leather combination. Thus, Leviathan was born.

Le Grand Chyphre on September 8, 2016:

Chanel Pour Monsieur EdT (which is hard to get in the US) and Guerlain Mitsouko are the closest. LGC was also heavily influenced by Chanel's 31 Rue Cambon and Amouage Gold pour Homme.

Beaudelaire on August 29, 2016:

It is indeed a limited edition, and is a cousin to Lavanille. Both are built on my re-creation of the perfume base Mousse de Saxe, but, where Lavanille is dark and rich, Beaudelaire is much lighter, cleaner, and more likely to appeal to the average preference. It's a leathery fougère (fern soap), and smells a bit like if you had dumped a bottle of vintage Brut in a fine leather shop.

Hallows on August 29, 2016:

The vetiver is pretty prominent in Hallows aftershave, but it's a complicated fragrance, so it might take you a little bit to separate it from the rest of the construct. This one is an essential oil, a specific cultivar that comes from Sri Lanka. That particular vetiver is necessary for the manufacture of Hallows because of its uniquely smoky, earthy character. No other vetiver smells quite like it (and it's technically not true vetiver at all, but a crossbred cultivar) and the oil is possessed of such a distinctive character that the substance itself is actually black.

Roam on May 16, 2016:

The official note list (I can break it down into the drydown order, if you'd like, but it was constructed without a "pyramid" per se, a nod to the leather structure of Bulgari Black) is as follows: leather, smoke, thyme/herbs, tobacco, grass, musk (the lovely macrocyclic musk Velvione) and damp earth.

Leviathan on April 1, 2016:

Actually, very little of Leviathan's fragrance is natural. The sandalwood is synthetic (has to be; real sandalwood is very expensive and not very powerful in soap, coffee absolute is the same way, and Russian leather accords are comprised of a couple natural materials with a lot of synthetic ones). Ionones, phenethyl alcohol, aldehydes, and various other compounds are all extremely important to the Russian leather base we use to create that distinctly animalic effect. I buy from PSH often and highly recommend their tomato leaf absolute. Inexpensive and absolutely gorgeous. Still trying to find a use for it that I think is good enough for such a wonderful isolate.

Fougére Imperiale and Fougére Aromatique on December 8, 2015:

Well, "based on" is a bit strong, but I did take inspiration for the original two. Fougère Imperiale was partly inspired by Penhaligon's English Fern and Fougère Aromatique was very obliquely inspired by MDCI Invasion Barbare.

Several Barrister and Mann scents on October 14, 2015

I've taught myself quite a lot about perfume theory and aroma chemistry since I founded the company and am very much a classicist at heart. Many of my scents are inspired by features of great masterpieces of perfume; for instance, Lavanille was designed as an attempt to recreate vintage Pour un Homme de Caron, which made use of the now-discontinued Mousse de Saxe perfume base. Rhapsody was based on the structure of Nicoläi New York, but I took it in a dramatically different direction by building the scent around a pear blossom accord that I devised, chosen because the pear blossom trees of Central Park bloom in Springtime. I had wanted to do a fragrance that represented Manhattan, so I chose New York as the inspiration; if you look closely at the label, you can see a blue outline that surrounds the entire graphic, which is meant to represent "Rhapsody in Blue," a musical piece that I have always felt represents New York City perfectly. Other fragrances, like Roam and Hallows, were based on specific concepts (in the case of Roam, the American Old West; for Hallows, the Fens of Boston), while Dickens is based on a specific holiday cookie that my mother is fond of making around Christmastime. It really depends very much on what it is; there are some fragrances where I want to work with a specific ingredient (my interest in violet leaf absolute is what led to the creation of Adagio) or a specific accord/combination that occurs to me (such as the geranium/saffron/carnation accord upon which I based Solarion or the leather/coffee/sandalwood accord that comprises Leviathan). Occasionally, I attempt to recreate a real-world smell, such as the cognac model I used for Fireside (which contains real green cognac oil, by the way). Finally, I would say that my best works are those built upon the structures of specific perfume families; the two fougères, Le Grand Chypre, Cologne Russe, etc., are all designs meant to represent classical perfume families (even Rhapsody is technically an oriental, though I'd very much like to build a true oriental in the style of Emeraude or Shalimar; just haven't gotten to that one yet).

Vanille on February 25, 2014