HC&C Bay Rum Shave Soap and Splash

Hey, welcome to Larry Shaves. We’re in the shave den with a good one. I’m going with Hendrix Classics & Co. Bay Rum soap, paired with their Bay Rum Splash.

Bay rum is one of my all-time favorite scents. I’ve got a lot of bay rum soaps in the rotation. A lot. Not a single one I don’t like. So when I came across HC&C Bay Rum in person last spring, I was buying it. I already knew Pete’s work at HC&C. He puts out quality soaps. The Bay Rum was right there on the shelf. Hard to come up with an excuse not to grab it. Glad I didn’t try.

The Soap

I’ve used this one before. As you can see from the jar, I’ve already taken a few scoops out of it.

HC&C Bay Rum is a male artisan shave soap built around an original formula. That’s worth saying clearly: this is not a homage, not based on another fragrance. HC&C typically works their scents from other references, but not this one. Pete developed it himself, from the ground up. From the product page:

Bold tradition meets clean, modern wearability in this signature bay rum. It opens with the unmistakable spark of bay leaves, lifted by bright orange peel and zest for a fresh, energizing start. Warm aromatic spice follows through the shave, leaving a classic barbershop-style trail that feels confident, timeless, and distinctly Hendrix.

The accords are bay rum, spicy, citrus, warm, and aromatic. Primary notes: bay leaves, orange peel, and orange zest. These oils are independently sourced, HC&C selects only high-quality fragrance oils from around the world.

Bay leaves and orange peel up front should give you that classic barbershop spark right out of the gate. The warm and aromatic notes in the back round it out. On paper, this reads as a well-built bay rum with a bright citrus lift. If you like the scent family, this should land right.

I’ve gotten a lot of HC&C soaps over the years. Never gotten a bad one. Not one that didn’t smell good. Pete works on a soap until it’s right, not until a deadline says ship it. That shows up in every jar.

I’ll mention something about my approach: I’ve picked up soaps from other companies where the scent just wasn’t for me, and I don’t make videos about those. Not because they’re bad. Taste is personal. If I don’t like something, you might love it. What I can tell you is what I enjoy, and I really enjoy this one.

The Setup

For the lather, I’m using the HC&C stainless steel bowl. Lightweight for stainless, and the posts inside let you work up a real lather. Good bowl.

Wet the brush, loaded it with hot water, and started working the soap. The lather came together fast. The bay rum scent hit immediately. Outstanding.

For the razor, I’ve got the OliWorks blue aluminum, loaded with an OliBlade. The OliWorks comes with three plates when you buy it new: mild, medium, and aggressive. I’m using the mild for this shave. My face is susceptible to irritation, and I have places to be most days. The mild plate does the job cleanly. I use the medium plate on occasion. The aggressive plate is still sitting in the kit. One of these days when I have nowhere to go and nothing to lose, maybe I’ll try it. That day has not come yet.

The Shave

First pass with the grain. The lather built fast; the scent was there from the first stroke. Really, really a great pass. Bay rum all the way through.

Can’t get over how great this scent is. I’ve got a lot of bay rums, a lot of shave soaps in this family, and not one I don’t like. This one holds up against the best of them.

Second pass across the grain. One thing I’ve noticed with HC&C soaps, and this one in particular: good residual slickness. You can touch up the cheeks without re-lathering. Real quality in a soap.

I work the neck a little differently. South to north first, then lightly east to west. Keeps the irritation down for me. Might not work for everyone.

Re-lathered around the mouth for the finish. Third time going on as well as the first.

That’s the end of pass two and the end of the shave. Really, really a good shave. HC&C Bay Rum does not disappoint.

The Splash

Rinsed and dried, then applied the HC&C Bay Rum Splash. A little was poured into the palm, rubbed together, and patted onto the face.

Not much burn at all. Skin feels good. The scent carries right over from the soap, which is what you want from a matched splash. Bay rum from start to finish.

If you haven’t tried HC&C soaps and splashes yet, my opinion: you’re missing out. Pete puts out quality work and the Bay Rum is a prime example of what he can do with an original formula.

Thanks for joining me in the shave den. Happy shaving.