Ariana & Evans Empyrean Bay Rum Soap and Splash

Hi, welcome to Larry Shaves. Today we’re using the Empyrean Bay Rum shave soap and splash from Ariana & Evans, and what a scent this one has. For the razor today, the Merkur 34 HD in the satin matte finish with an RK blade already loaded. The brush is from Chisel and Hound with the Pure Bliss knot, one of my favorites. And we’ve got a brand-new bowl from Sharp 3D called the Vortex X. Full shave today, start to finish.

Empyrean Bay Rum: The Soap

Peter at Ariana & Evans wasn’t interested in making another typical bay rum. His words on the product: “I was never a big fan of traditional bay rum scents. I wanted to create a Bay Rum composition which is not typical.” That tells you where this one is headed. Instead of leaning on the heavy clove and cinnamon that most bay rums lead with, Empyrean goes in a different direction. Brighter. Fruitier. Warmer in a different way.

The scent notes are clementine, orange blossom, green apple, pomegranate, rum, geranium, powder, tonka bean, coumarin, bay leaf, and cedar. On paper, that reads like a tropical citrus opening with a fruity warmth through the heart. The tonka and coumarin should bring some golden sweetness, and the bay leaf and cedar anchor the finish with a woody backbone. Based on the notes, this leans closer to fruit-forward than the spiced, peppery direction traditional bay rums tend to take. If you’ve avoided bay rum because it smells like your grandfather’s medicine cabinet, this one might land differently.

About the name. Empyrean. I looked it up. It means the highest heaven, the ancient idea of a celestial realm above everything else. That’s where I think the name is coming from. The greatest version of the scent. Could be wrong, I’ve been wrong a couple of times. But it fits.

I’d had this soap for a while before finally doing a video on it. Bought it before I even started the channel, and it kept getting pushed back as new products came in. Should have gotten to it sooner.

The Vortex X Bowl from Sharp 3D

This bowl got my attention the day it showed up. I got a notification on my phone, went out to the mailbox early in the morning, came back in and opened it up. Used it that same day. And I’m glad I ordered it.

The Vortex X is named for the tornado vortex shape you see in the interior. Raised ridges all the way around the inside that work the lather up fast. Stripes along the outside for grip. Rubberized bottom. Doesn’t slide around on the counter even when wet. You can set it flat and it stays put.

Big bowl. On purpose. Some bowls I have are so small that you get soap everywhere, all over the table, all over the counter. This one’s big enough to work in without any overflow. And you can grip it around the outside, there’s enough texture for a good hold even with soapy hands. I scooped out the Empyrean soap, loaded it into the bowl, wet the brush, shook out the excess, and started building the lather. Not one drop went over the side.

You go in one direction, then back the other, add just a little water at the tips of the brush when you need it, and keep working. It built fast. I can set the brush right in the interior grooves while I prep my face, and it just sits there. The Sharp 3D Etsy page also carries brush handles with interchangeable knots, razor stands, and brush stands. Worth a look.

The Ultima base does what Ariana & Evans says it does. Dense, creamy, good slickness, solid cushion. I can agree with their copy from my own experience. The post-shave comfort was there too.

The Merkur 34 HD in Satin Matte

The original Merkur 34 was one of my first razors. Bought it because I kept seeing it come up in other people’s videos. It gives a great shave. One problem: the exposed blade tabs on the ends. When you’re working around your nose or coming down toward your ear, those tabs are right there. I stayed cautious in those spots, which meant I wasn’t fully relaxed in the shave.

Then they came out with the satin matte finish with enclosed tabs. The ends are smooth. You don’t feel the blade edge there. Fixed the problem. The grip is solid, the weight is good, not too light and not so heavy you’re fighting it. They call the Merkur 34 the workhorse of the industry, and it is. If you’re getting into wet shaving and want a mild, capable starting point, this is one I’d put on the list. The Henson is another. Either of those, you’re in good shape.

I also just ordered the Merkur 34 long handle in the same matte finish with the same enclosed tabs. When it comes in, we’ll be putting it through its paces here in the shave den.

The Shave

Wet the face, load up the lather, and go into the first pass. With the grain, north to south. The Empyrean soap kept things comfortable the whole way through. The Merkur 34 HD did its job without complaint.

Second pass, primarily east to west. On the neck I go south to north first, then map out whatever direction I need based on how my beard grows. With the residual slickness still on the face, you can do some touch-up work against the grain, but go lightly. Don’t press down. Under the nose, east to west with a slight upward angle. Under the chin, same direction. You do what works for your face and your grain pattern.

Two passes was all it took. No third pass needed today.

The Aftershave Splash

Rinsed the face, dried off, and poured a small amount of the Empyrean Bay Rum aftershave splash into my palm. It went on smooth. No burn on application, which I appreciate. The scent was outstanding. That combination of citrus and fruit from the soap is right there in the splash, and it settles into something warmer as it dries.

I’d agree with what Ariana & Evans say about this line from start to finish. The soap builds well, the base performs, and the splash finishes the job. I’m going to be reaching for this one more often.

Thanks for joining me in the shave den. If you’d like to subscribe to the channel, I’d appreciate it. We’ll be back soon for another shave, and we’d love to have you join us. Happy shaving.