I want to begin with a quick paragraph about my '66 Gillette travel tech razor, which I received on Wednesday and used for the first time yesterday for a complete shave. Put simply, this is the finest razor I've ever used. It is the cleanest, closest, easiest shave from Timbuktu to Portland, Maine. Or Portland, Oregon, for that matter. What amazes me is the condition it's in; when I opened the box, I found a shining, nickel-plated tool that looked as new as the day it left the factory. I have very sensitive skin, so the mildly aggressive style of this tech is perfect for me. I also enjoy the solid audio feedback I get when using it, which is probably attributable to its tiny, lightweight handle. I recommend using eBay to grab one of these for a few bucks. They don't disappoint.
Following the shave with Myrsol's Fórmula K aftershave tonic was icing on the cake. I bought it from Smallflower, an apothecary in Chicago that has quite the internet presence, including a storefront on Amazon. The only strike against them is they sent me the wrong thing. I ordered Fórmula C, and they sent me K by accident. Hey, they're both green. I guess it could happen to anyone. Given that I don't really know one Myrsol product from the next, I decided I'd just keep the K and order C from someone else in the future. No biggie. Besides, K is wonderful stuff. It's an alcohol-based aftershave, and yes, I know how lowly they sit on the totem pole of aftershaves, but Myrsol's product is a little different.
Imagine the most literal peppermint scent possible, a handful of herbal mint buds, but delicately misted with a melted candy cane, and you have the essence of Fórmula K. It's almost entirely natural, yet there's a vaguely sugared quality to the mint that places it firmly in a friendly (and borderline cheesy) wet-shaver tradition. I once read a comment by someone who mentioned that it smells identical to the original Mennen aftershave, and I wonder if that's true.
The menthol kick from this stuff is intense. For a rough shave that leaves your face feeling hot, there's probably nothing better than a splash of K. I've never tried Osage Rub, and I've heard it's the king of menthol aftershaves, but I suspect Fórmula K could give it a run for its money. However, while I'm on the topic of money, I want to point out that Myrsol's products are ridiculously expensive. Nearly forty dollars for 180 ml might seem reasonable to some, but I think it's serious coin for a five minute scent. My skin did feel surprisingly soft hours after using it, though.
All told, I'm happy with Fórmula K. It wasn't my first pick, and I can't say I'm a sucker for mint, but when it comes to old-school Spanish barbershop, this infinitely minty little tonic, housed in a beautiful fifties-styled glass bottle, is nice. Some might think it smells too much like toothpaste or mouthwash, and I can understand that, but there's an oddly old-school barbershop aspect to K that just works. It leaves skin with a soft, sheer feeling, not dried out in any way, and it smells very good. In today's diverse society, a man who uses Myrsol is probably just as sophisticated as a guy who uses Skin Bracer, but fun is fun, and Fórmula K is undeniably a cheerful way to start the day.