For lovers of old-school after shaves (read: alcohol-based), summer can make selecting which AS to use a little tougher. Cloying scents that hang heavy just won’t do – you want something fresh, light and crisp. Last summer, I ordered up a bottle of Dominica Bay Rum with Lime after shave, as well as a companion bottle of cologne. Fellas – this just might be the perfect choice for warm summer months…
The Ingredients: Dominica purports itself to be an all-natural product free of any artificial ingredients. Just pure, double-distilled alcohol, water, oil extracts for scent and that’s it.
The Scent: Fantastic. The classic, masculine, somewhat clove-y bay rum scent is there in spades, but nicely balanced by the fresh lime component. Overall, the scent is clean, refreshing and just ‘feels right’ in the warm summer months. However, Dominica’s natural ingredients mean that its smell dies down quickly, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing; you get a refreshing initial blast of spicy lime, but within minutes there’s little chance you’ll impose on others. I should mention that the after shave has a stronger inherent bay rum character, while the cologne has a much more pronounced lime note.
Uses: The after shave does what it’s supposed to do very well. Following a shave, the Dominica hits you with that glorious alcohol burn followed by a nice, mild cooling sensation. But there’s no need to stop there. Take the bottle’s advice and splash liberally on your body after a shower or bath – your skin will feel clean, toned and refreshed.
Not Just for Dudes: I brought Dominica along to a couple of trips to the northern woods and Lake Michigan last summer… It got to the point where the whole group of us would pass around the bottle, guys and gals, and splash on liberally, everyone very much digging that clean, natural scent and feel.
The Packaging: I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for cool packaging, and Dominica delivers. Brown glass bottles with simple, attractive labeling. Dominica originally came with stubby, cork-topped bottles that added a nostalgic feeling the whole experience; however, they have since switched to different bottles with screw caps (pictured) – and even spray-top bottles – which is kind of a bummer, but the current packaging is still handsome.
All in all, highly recommended stuff. There are a number of places – typically online – where you can find it, but I recommend going straight to the source: California-Antilles Trading, the sole importer of Dominica. At about $14, it’s reasonably priced, particularly for a good-sized 10 oz. bottle. 6 oz. spray bottles go for 9 bucks a piece. Treat yourself to a bottle or two this summer, and you just may have a new favorite on your hands.
-Brent
