Old Spice by Procter & Gamble, 1937

My initiation with perfumes in High School was Aqua Velva (wasn't everybody's then) but became bored pretty soon, I moved up to English Leather (still in HS) but after just one bottle I couldn't stand it anymore, so I switch to Old Spice.  I loved it, in college all I used was OS, the AS, the soap (in the rope), deodorant etc, and for over 30 years I was so happy with it (and everybody else it seems because I always was complimented for the way I smelled)  It never crossed my mind to use anything else until I met the girl that became my second wife, she hated it so I started to look for alternatives.  And that initiated the craziness I am involved now, with over 500 perfumes in my wardrobe, and growing almost everyday now.

I should point out that the OS that I liked was made by Shulton, and that was a great perfume, but today's is made by Procter and Gamble and is not even the shadow of its former self.  I have smelled it a myriad of times in the supermarket and/or drugstore and being repulsed every single time by its nastiness.  My review here is for the P&G version because that is what is available to us.

Well, that foul concoction doesn't deserve to be called Old Spice, it is a shame and a mockery for all us us that loved so much the Shulton version.

I am wiping the tears of my face thinking in the crime committed against a classic.

Old Spice is truly one of the most divine concoctions ever created by man. Inexpensive? Yes. Cheap smelling? No! It is a fragrance that has withstood the test of time. It may have been stigmatized as being an "old man" scent, but I think it is a fragrance that any man can successfully pull off. The hilarious ads are certainly an attempt to market the product towards a younger generation, but I think the product inside the bottle can sell itself. I have recently purchased a bottle of the cologne made by P&G, and I also have a vintage bottle of the Shulton made aftershave which I found in my now deceased great-uncle's house, with the packaging carrying a copyright of 1980. Although I am comparing aftershave to cologne and P&G to Shulton, both are similar enough to each other that a whiff of either registers to my mind as "Old Spice." The Shulton product seems to have a little bit of a sweeter aroma (almost brown sugar like), and seems a little bit smoother overall. The P&G product, while still smelling great, just seems like it is a bit rougher around the edges. I've only used a little bit of the Shulton because I feel kind of guilty using it, but the P&G has a decent longevity, although after a few hours a aroma stays pretty close to the skin. I definitely want to check out the Family Dollar version and see how it compares to the original formula.