Aqua Velva Ice Blue (1935)
by Williams

Way to go on this one for those looking for "barbershop" minus the trip into vanilla sweetness. This is less about being macho, but simply a decent man. There is in the the drydown close to the skin a kind of much later quality of sexiness...that's right... I said it.

This is a great aftershave. It does the job for which it was made, which I can't say for many aftershave versions of expensive fragrances.

Somewhere in my apartment building is a guy who used to trail this stuff in the halls. I didn't know what it was at the time, but every time I ran into it, I thought it was so badass. Then I picked up a bottle of Aqua Velva and was delighted.I think the guy is a furnace technician or something.

But it works on anyone, not just workers in overalls. It's got a solid balance between its leathery musky and labdanum notes and barbershop astringent/powdery scents. This stuff feels damned good after a shave. Expensive ones seem to lack this basic function, and are little more than cologne. Not this.

Younger guys need to stop seeing Aqua Velva as a joke, and connoisseurs need to ignore the price. This is a classic scent that should never fall out of style.

You really can't judge this as a "fragrance." To be fair, this should be evaluated only on the merits of its efficacy as an aftershave. For what it is, it is fantastic. The healing and toning properties far exceed what should be expected from a drugstore product that only costs $4.00 or so. I use it frequently.

Concerning the scent itself, it does what it is supposed to do. It has an invigorating menthol-like olfactory kick (in addition to its pronounced menthol skin effects) - it wakes you up. I really can't discern any individual notes. It is imperceptible after about thirty minutes (as it should be), and it generally doesn't clash with EDT's.

FWIW, this smells almost exactly like the very highly regarded Italian Floid "Blue" aftershave, which sells at about a 750% markup compared to the Velva.

I've always loved this one. Very clean and simple. If you don't like it, good! more for me lol. Two thumbs way way up for this old classic.

It's refreshing and unpretentious. It's a train station in the morning. It's a pilot going through a check list. It's a baker or construction worker who are too busy being the salt of the earth to have time for bizaar hobbies. It is real. It smells "monday" in
a way that makes Rive Gauche look like a drag queen on stilettos. It can walk up to any frag and say "and how are you contributing exactly ?" I just bought a bottle again and keep splashing it on, totally ignoring everything else on my shelf.

Aqua Velva Ice Blue is used too much! I can't beilieve a lot of men use this stuff!One day I smelled it from three men! ARRRRUUUGGG! I will NEVER buy Ice Blue Aqua Velva. I will NEVER buy Aqua Velva period! The only reason why I would buy Aqua Velva is if the former scents come back. You know.... Frost Lime,Menthol Mist,Redwood and my favroite Surf! At least theres Aramis so that we can use a colonge thats similar to Redwood Aqua Velva. If Redwood and Surf Aqua Velva come back I will be very happy! So how about it Williams? Bring back Redwood and Surf Aqua Velva!