Will the real Old Spice please stand up!

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Location
Cambridgeshire, UK
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I have in my possession 4 of the major players of Old Spice aftershave lotion as well as vintage Old Spice Cologne (a stronger scent of the original, not part of this test).
From left to right:
1. Old Spice "Original" (from India), plastic bottle (Shulton)
2. Old Spice "Classic" (from USA), plastic bottle (P&G)
3. Old Spice "Original" (from Germany), glass bottle (P&G)
4. Old Spice '70s vintage (from USA), glass bottle (Shulton, NJ)

Test 1: I had a sniff direct from each bottle.
Result 1: To my nose, the closest to the vintage original was the OS from India.

Test 2: I put a drop of each onto a square of tissue and let sit for 5 minutes then did another sniff test.
Result 2: To me and my 2 daughters, the closest to the vintage original was the OS from India.

Test 3: Let the tissues sit for an hour then did another sniff test.
Result 3: To me and my 2 daughters and SWMBO, the closest to the vintage original was the OS from India. My eldest daughter went so far as to say that the EU & US versions "smelled fake".

Test 4: Let the tissues sit for 3 hours (longevity test) then did another sniff test.
Result 4:
1. Old Spice "Original": Scent still noticeable
2. Old Spice "Classic": Scent nearly faded completely
3. Old Spice "Original": Scent still vibrant (scent had shifted slightly, harsher)
4. Old Spice '70s vintage: Scent still noticeable

A chromatograph comparison was done here: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/279212-Will-the-real-quot-Old-Spice-quot-please-stand-up

So, to my family, it looks like the OS from Shulton/India is the best match for the vintage stuff. I'll bring the stash to work and repeat the tests with the ladies and gents in the office.
 
Anybody want a bottle of the Indian Original Old Spice - red plastic bottle 100ml about £6 plus UK postage? I will have one available in a few weeks, assuming it survives the journey. Done - taken up.
 
Re: RE: Will the real Old Spice please stand up!

Nishy said:
Our supplier provides us with number three from Germany so I'm guessing this is the common saleable old spice on the high street

That's hilarious considering for the European market that it's made, bottled and packaged in Seaton Delaval, near Whitley Bay (you'll detect that neither name us desperately Teutonic) ;)
 
Most odd.

The bottle of Old Spice I'm using and loving, is a 150 ml bottle from an Amazon Vendor (amazon vouchers for christmas). It's the same creamy colour as the two right hand bottles in the picture, but it's got a white stopper.

For what it's worth the fragrance is good for a solid 12 hours with just the standard drop splashed into the palm of my hand before applying to my face :)
 
I almost bought a bottle of Old Spice ('cream' coloured glass bottle with red stopper) from Bodycare a few weekends ago. It cost a fiver, I think. Has anyone else tried it - does it differ from other versions? (I should just have bloody bought it!)

James
 
Hiya,

Over the last 6-7 years I've been lucky finding various Old Spice items at local flea markets and estate sales. Many of these things were new and full of whatever it was. At one time my arsenal held maybe a dozen vintage things like aftershave and cologne, all from different periods of time. Heh, it's down to just a few now, having given some away to a couple people and using it myself. I enjoy wearing it on occasion, but it's not a favorite.

However, I am in the minority on that, as evidenced by the many positive reviews at basenotes......seriously. Those guys love this frag.....you should look at all the notes it's made up of. Actually very sophisticated.

So I have huffed quite a few old things of that fragrance and my favorite way it smells comes from some old canned shaving cream (Smooth Shave) for the 1950s. Very rich scent, with even some slight clove note in the mix. Surprised the hell outta me when I first used it. part of a two piece 1955 NOS set with aftershave which had gone bad.

Performance is actually as good as a decent cream, with just a very thin layer being applied for each pass. I will get this out maybe twice a year and have gotten maybe 7-8 shaves with it so far. No idea how much is left in the can.

I wish everyone could sniff this shaving cream,

Martin
 

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No.4 every time old chap but it's the cologne that gets me all in a sweat. Love the stuff! Martin, the dear fellow, bequeathed me this insistent, chattering monkey over a year ago and well, as I've said, I love it.

Hunny, are you certain the P&G stuff sold here is still made in England? From what I can make out, the bottle infers German manufacture but hey, if you're absolutely sure that's good enough for me.

Those vintage milk glass bottles are just lovely - way beyond retro cool or whatever the F that is.

Erm, Martin....:D
 
Gairdner said:
Hunny, are you certain the P&G stuff sold here is still made in England? From what I can make out, the bottle infers German manufacture but hey, if you're absolutely sure that's good enough for me.

It carefully avoids stating where it's manufactured... but the perfumes division of P&G is based in Schwalbach-am-Taunus in Germany, hence the address on the packaging... last I heard from someone involved in the business (December last year) - "old mice" is still made in Seaton Delaval (the old Shultons plant)
 
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