I am a big fan of bay rum aftershaves. I've tried Dominica, D.R. Harris, Captain's Choice, and Krampert's Finest among other samples. The problem for me is that my face does not abide alcohol-based products. As someone who suffers from rosacea, alcohol will flare the redness something fierce. So, as a bay rumhead, my only other available route was Gilbert Henry, who makes a bay rum balm, and a very good one at that. But there was no non-alcohol splash, until now!
A few months ago, I tried a tester of Barrister & Mann's Kyovu Alcohol-Free Aftershave Splash, and I loved all the characteristics of it, except the scent (purely a personal thing). Will of B&M told me he was experimenting with a bay rum version so I got excited. A few weeks ago, I received it (please note: I obtained a full bottle in a trade with Will) and have been using it for the last week straight, so I'm ready to give a better thought out review. The full bottle sells for $22, but the sample/travel sells for $3.
The attached picture gives the ingredient list, and it sounds more like a nice summer salad than an aftershave splash! Will is a stickler for listing every ingredient on his site and on his products, which I think is smart. There are lot of great moisturizing properties and it very nicely goes on the skin. It does separate a little, so you need to shake it once or twice, but it goes on like a splash but acts like a balm. This is little more viscous and "balm" like than the other sample I tried, but it is definitely not greasy.
Similar to my review of the "regular" Kyovu, there is no alcohol in this splash. I had learned from Will that even many splashes that advertise themselves as alcohol-free still have alcohol or its derivatives. Not so with the Kyovu line. So don't buy this expecting the typical alcohol "bite." But one pleasant surprise; for a few seconds after application, there is a nice antiseptic sting, which I think comes from the pimenta racemosa (West Indies bay rum) oil used. After all bay rum became the aftershave of choice due to that sting.
And the scent is great. My favorite bay rum scent is Krampert's Finest Acadian Spice Bay Rum. It has a "mature" and rich scent. Barrister & Mann's is more "youthful" and more melon/coconut-ish, like Malibu Rum, but its a great scent and one can really get more of the "bay" scent than the "rum" scent (for instance, I got more of the "rum" scent in Captain's Choice, which is another benchmark BR). Will has always had a great nose for scents, and this is no exception. Its a pure bay rum scent, devoid of cloves or other similar (but inferior) spice scents.
In all, this is a great product, and highly recommended for anyone seeking a nice alcohol-free aftershave. If you are looking for a bay rum alcohol-free splash, look no further!
A few months ago, I tried a tester of Barrister & Mann's Kyovu Alcohol-Free Aftershave Splash, and I loved all the characteristics of it, except the scent (purely a personal thing). Will of B&M told me he was experimenting with a bay rum version so I got excited. A few weeks ago, I received it (please note: I obtained a full bottle in a trade with Will) and have been using it for the last week straight, so I'm ready to give a better thought out review. The full bottle sells for $22, but the sample/travel sells for $3.
The attached picture gives the ingredient list, and it sounds more like a nice summer salad than an aftershave splash! Will is a stickler for listing every ingredient on his site and on his products, which I think is smart. There are lot of great moisturizing properties and it very nicely goes on the skin. It does separate a little, so you need to shake it once or twice, but it goes on like a splash but acts like a balm. This is little more viscous and "balm" like than the other sample I tried, but it is definitely not greasy.
Similar to my review of the "regular" Kyovu, there is no alcohol in this splash. I had learned from Will that even many splashes that advertise themselves as alcohol-free still have alcohol or its derivatives. Not so with the Kyovu line. So don't buy this expecting the typical alcohol "bite." But one pleasant surprise; for a few seconds after application, there is a nice antiseptic sting, which I think comes from the pimenta racemosa (West Indies bay rum) oil used. After all bay rum became the aftershave of choice due to that sting.
And the scent is great. My favorite bay rum scent is Krampert's Finest Acadian Spice Bay Rum. It has a "mature" and rich scent. Barrister & Mann's is more "youthful" and more melon/coconut-ish, like Malibu Rum, but its a great scent and one can really get more of the "bay" scent than the "rum" scent (for instance, I got more of the "rum" scent in Captain's Choice, which is another benchmark BR). Will has always had a great nose for scents, and this is no exception. Its a pure bay rum scent, devoid of cloves or other similar (but inferior) spice scents.
In all, this is a great product, and highly recommended for anyone seeking a nice alcohol-free aftershave. If you are looking for a bay rum alcohol-free splash, look no further!