A Shaving Soap Experience
Shaving Soap Of the Gods
“Merc”
In Loving Memory of Matt Hilton
Description of Shaving Soap Scent:
Smoky, metallic. With a faint charred carne, but the gun powder to arouse your senses Uniquely the soap of mercenary adventure. How Monica words it. Then How Matt Inspires us
When I asked the Van Yulay proprietor to make a soap/splash set based on my favorite comic character, I doubt she anticipated the scent profile I would suggest: gunpowder and chimichangas! She never missed a beat, and said she’d get back with me. I can’t believe what she came up with. You have to lather Merc to even begin to appreciate it. Immediately while loading, there’s a distinct smoky, but clean, metallic fragrance. This note is never abandoned throughout the shave, but it takes on a softer, thicker, smoldering character mid-shave. I really couldn’t find the chimichanga, but I figured that might be a good thing. I asked myself, “do you really wanted to smell like chimichangas?” I answered myself, “probably not.” However, Merc is more than a singular gunpowder fragrance. Late in the shave, I detected some sharp spiciness. If this is sounding like Van Yulay’s lovely “Hephastus”, it does share some qualities, but where Hephastus’ metallic smoke is set off with a sharp lime, Merc is softer and darker. The paired alcohol-free splash has the signature Van Yulay creamy fragrance initially. Every Van Yulay splash I’ve ever used has this short-lived scent, but it fades within minutes to reveal the intended fragrance. Merc was no different, but it does get a little more interesting with time. About an hour out, a discreet charred, peppery carne note came though and it melded with the gunpowder just enough to add depth to the character of the fragrance without actually smelling like food. My wife generally prefers the spicier fragrances with my chemistry as opposed to florals and sweet fragrances. She approves of Merc. Merc incorporates one of Van Yulay’s tallow formulas. The dense slick lather is characteristic of the included clay, which I love. The post shave is on par with my other favorite artisan soaps and I find a post product is rarely needed after a Van Yulay shave, but the splashes are so nourishing, it’s a shame to skip them. Merc exceeded my expectations both with regard to the fragrance and the slick labeling. Van Yulay is finally up to my standards for labels. In the past, that’s been my biggest beef with Van Yulay, there were no bubbles or scratches, and the art has good color separation. There are times I sound like a spokesperson for Van Yulay, but it’s purely because I’m in love with the product. I’ve never received one of their products without paying for it. As to recommendations, if you like Hephastus, but want something a little darker, Merc is your man.
Description of Shaving Soap:
Van Yulay makes a croap shaving soap, that is neither a cream or a hard puck, but in between.
Van Yulay shave soap whips up into a yogurt like, creamy lather in just a few minutes. Formulated with a superior, protective cushion, we make each soap with your skin mind. With that said, we incorporate quality, vitamin enriched, oils and butters, chosen specifically to hydrate your skin.
“Leaving your skin better than when we first met.”
How to use:
Soak your shave brush in a bowl or cup filled with hot water for a few minutes before your shave. Apply a warm, damp towel to your face (or splash face with warm water) to prep your face for shaving. Apply another hot towel to your face for a few seconds. After the brush has soaked, gently squeeze out excess water, still leaving the brush mostly wet. Apply the brush to the soap in fast, repeated circular motions to coat the brush bristles well. Shave and rinse face thoroughly with cool water. For an optimal experience, finish with Van Yulay After Shave Splash then followed with your After Shave Balm by Van Yulay.
Argan Formula
Shaving Soap ingredients:
Made with Aloe Vera, Stearic Acid, Coconut Fatty Acids, Palm Stearic, Glycerin, Potassium & Sodium Hydroxide, Castor Oil, Coconut-Emu-Babassu-Argan-Tallow-Oils, Cocoa & Kokum Butter, Extracts, BTMS, Poly Quats, Allantoin, Silica, Liquid Silk,
2 reviews for Merc Shaving Soap
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Matt Hilton –
When I asked the Van Yulay proprietor to make a soap/splash set based on my favorite comic character, I doubt she anticipated the scent profile I would suggest: gunpowder and chimichangas! She never missed a beat, and said she’d get back with me. I can’t believe what she came up with.
You have to lather Merc to even begin to appreciate it. Immediately while loading, there’s a distinct smoky, but clean, metallic fragrance. This note is never abandoned throughout the shave, but it takes on a softer, thicker, smoldering character mid-shave. I really couldn’t find the chimichanga, but I figured that might be a good thing. I asked myself, “do you really wanted to smell like chimichangas?” I answered myself, “probably not.” However, Merc is more than a singular gunpowder fragrance. Late in the shave, I detected some sharp spiciness. If this is sounding like Van Yulay’s lovely “Hephastus”, it does share some qualities, but where Hephastus’ metallic smoke is set off with a sharp lime, Merc is softer and darker.
The paired alcohol-free splash has the signature Van Yulay creamy fragrance initially. Every Van Yulay splash I’ve ever used has this short-lived scent, but it fades within minutes to reveal the intended fragrance. Merc was no different, but it does get a little more interesting with time. About an hour out, a discreet charred, peppery carne note came though and it melded with the gunpowder just enough to add depth to the character of the fragrance without actually smelling like food. My wife generally prefers the spicier fragrances with my chemistry as opposed to florals and sweet fragrances. She approves of Merc.
Merc incorporates one of Van Yulay’s tallow formulas. The dense slick lather is characteristic of the included clay, which I love. The post shave is on par with my other favorite artisan soaps and I find a post product is rarely needed after a Van Yulay shave, but the splashes are so nourishing, it’s a shame to skip them.
Merc exceeded my expectations both with regard to the fragrance and the slick labeling. Van Yulay is finally up to my standards for labels. In the past, my biggest beef with Van Yulay, was the poor label execution. The art was on point, but colors were often muddy with crushed blacks. Many of them also arrived with scratches and bubbles. Apparently the material has been upgraded because they are no longer easily scratched, and Merc arrived free of bubbles. As you can see in my amateur photograph, the color separation is perfect. There are times I sound like a spokesperson for Van Yulay, but it’s purely because I’m in love with the product. I’ve never received one of their products without paying for it.
As to recommendations, if you like Hephastus, but want something a little darker, Merc is your man.
Roger Harper –
I love this scent, very intoxicating !
It is exactly as described, and the added fragrance of gunpowder is a nice touch.
The lather is exceptional, as are all the Van Yulay shaving soaps that I have used.
Both slickness & post shave feel are top notch as well.
I highly recomend this soap for a bit of a different adventure in shaving !