Thought Forms Solid Cologne | Contains Prickly Pear Oil
Thought Forms, a most EPIC scent adventure if ever there was!
Scent Profile:Citrus, Basil, Menthol (scent not feel), Floral, Rose, Spice, Green, Amber, Cedar, Patchouli, Woody
Thought Forms is a collaboration with Dave Johnson of Youtube's Fragrance Bros channel! Well...kinda.
Close to two years ago Dave reached out to us with a scent idea, hot rocks! Meaning he wanted us to create a blend that brought hot rocks to the wearer's mind. (In perfumery, sometimes fragrance is best describe abstractly. So while the scent of hot rocks may not make sense to you, it really spoke my language!)-- I loved the idea and set to work...kinda.
You see it was a particularly busy time of year for us and I also had an epic trip coming up too, so it was utter madness here in the secret, Phoenix Shaving Underground Headquarters. But again, I really dug Dave's scent vision and thought I could at least begin creating the art for it.
Also at this time, for one reason or another the word Salamander kept popping up for me in the darnedest of places; books, tv, more books, more tv, podcasts, music on the radio and in the overheard, random conversations of crowded restaurants, to name a few examples. This phenomenon actually began a few days before Dave even came to me and continued into the next week. Yeah, yeah I know just coincidence you are thinking but how often in a year alone does the word Salamander come up in your life, never mind in one week?
I should also mention, while on a hike in Sedona I stumbled across that very creature slowly wiggling his way across the path! So yeah, it was clear the name of the fragrance would be Salamander and this, by decree of the universe, would be the best darnedest olfactory tickling rendition of hot rocks to ever be perfumed into existence!
So I began on the art design, obviously it begged for a two headed, futuristic, purple salamander, and rocks...hot ones. I finished it in a couple days and then I was pulled back into the tornado of madness that is the holidays. When that was over I suddenly found myself on the Inca Trail, hiking up to Machu Picchu! Two weeks later in a daze, I was in Southern France stumbling over the Pyrenees into Spain. Then I found myself hiking further across Northern Spain onto the West coast or what the ancients called, Finisterre or The End Of The World. At that time in history, it truly was the end of the known world!
A few weeks later I was observing the Summer solstice at Stonehenge and shortly after on my hands and knees looking for hag stones on the beach in Hastings, England. (Local Folklore made it very clear that in order to leave Hastings one must find one of these rare stones. I found two. My point is, I totally did not have my head in the hot rocks game any longer.
When I finally returned to Arizona I tried to fall back into my groove and picked up where I left off on "Salamander"...by immediately changing the name to Thought Forms and adding the image of a hag stone to the art! At the moment this all made sense and I knew I would feature these curiosities in an upcoming adventure. Again, totally went off-script and set to work on the opposite of Hot Rocks, cold rocks. Possibly more like Cold Wet Rocks. Suddenly we are in damp old mysterious foggy Britain. At least that's where it seemed to end up. There may also be elements of the clouded tops of the Pyrenees, and the vaporous, moody, glistening Galician landscape of NorthWestern Spain too! Whatever the case may be, it's definitely not hot rocks. So I apologize to both Daver and the universe for what hath transpired.
Great news though, Dave loved it! I am unsure how the universe is feeling and trusting sales will dictate the answer in that dept...fingers crossed. Honestly, I think this just might be the best way to collaborate. Though opposite what Dave had in mind, I was still moved by it and though I totally flipped the concept, it still happened, something came into existence, Thought Forms. Which is not only fitting but also rather poetic, no?
Cold, Wet Rocks you say?
I can hear you asking and the answer is a resounding NO. (That was a legit question however, we do have a history of that sort of thing.) No, no Thought Forms is not that at all, but it is a cool scent when it comes to its "energetics". A in between scent, an unending Winter into a Spring scent, sun setting later in the evening, early blooming flowers on the breeze scent. Heck, a you can wear Thought Forms into Summer and Fall as well scent!
Of course many of you already know this since we sent out samples back in early Fall of 2022! And yes, it was also stated on the label that it would be released last Fall as well. But alas, for similar reasons that began this whole wild dance, it was not to be! Of course many of you know this much too, and have been reminding me since November in emails, chats and through our contact page...and I thank you.
You Will Absolutely Fall In Love With Thought Forms. Shave On & Stay Groovy! (Special Thanks To Dave Johnson!)
Things Of Possible Interest:
Hagstones: https://www.
Thought Forms: https://psi-
Symbolism of the Salamander: https://en.
I must confess, I was not a believer in Solid Colognes until recently! Many times when asked if I would ever consider doing one, my default answer was always:
"Solid Colognes are for hippies and little girls."
I really believed this. I mean, I vividly remember my little sister getting some that came with a doll of hers when she was 5! I also remember seeing the stuff on offer in many a new age store on the shelf next to the incense in intricately carved soapstone compacts, lol.
I assure you dear reader, my answer wasn't meant to be hurtful or mean spirited, and I admit I was simply wrong and uneducated in the ways of this magical stuff!
So what changed my mind you ask? Quite simply, it was the history. It turns out I actually owned a book on solid perfumes! I know, how is this possible? But it does happen.
Whenever I delve into anything I go full tilt and many years back, when I began working on honing my skills as a perfumer, I ordered every book out there! Some books were even in French! And one, as I mentioned, was on Solid Perfumes... totally didn't read the subtitle when ordering it, all I read was "Perfume". When it arrived, uninterested, I tossed it to the side, only to stumble upon it once more, years later, while transferring books to a new shelf.
And after the many requests from people over the years I did become more curious as to what all the hoopla was about in regards to the balm. So I put the tome on my bed and promised to take a quick gander at it before I fell asleep that night. That gander turned into a marathon session, a real page turner!
I am embarrassed to say I was way wrong, my previous exposure to the stuff was very limited, and I really had no right making up my mind to write it off so quickly. Solid Perfumes & Colognes were born out of a rich history and are totally different animals when it comes to scent carriers. I was looking at them completely wrong.
Fact is, a Solid Cologne is a much more personal, intimate, and tactile creation when compared to say, an Eau De Parfum, Cologne, or Aftershave. It is not meant for everyone in the room to smell but rather those closest to you, as well as yourself. It isn't meant to live on the shelf in your bathroom, but more as a travel companion tucked in your backpack, briefcase, gym bag or carry on!
This is part of the history! Back in the day, solid perfumes were kept close, often on the body, hidden in the secret compartment of a ring, or worn close to the heart in a locket or metal ball called a Pomander. It was always there for a quick whiff or application to the hot spots or facial hair.
Many men and women even carried scent boxes with them back in the day for inhaling while walking the fowl streets of medieval cities! Some of these boxes and compacts held multiple scents to be enjoyed one at a time or all at once or in different combinations. The sniffer could turn on or off the different scents of the accord...That's just AWESOME! Like playing your own composition on a musical instrument. Scent for scents sake!
Even plague doctors got in on the act and kept solid perfume on themselves as well. Many now know that doctors of that time wore curious bird like masks, the beak of which was stuffed with aromatic herbs. These herbs were thought to prevent the spread of the plague, and they were also used to eclipse the stench coming off the patients.
What you may not know is these doctors also came outfitted with a cane that hid a secret flip lid in the handle. This compartment held a blended, solid perfume that could be accessed in a pinch and smeared under the nose. Brilliant!
In Ancient Egypt, solid perfumes were a large part of the culture. An Egyptian woman often wore what was called an unguent, or scent cone, containing the perfume, on the top of her head. Unlike modern solid perfumes, which are mixed with wax and oils, these ancient fragrances were blended with animal fat, and during the course of the hot day it would melt and anoint the wearer...that's pretty epic!
I could go on, but instead, I encourage you to do your own research. I promise you it is fascinating and will give you a greater appreciation of Solid Cologne and Perfumes!
So, with the weight of history dancing in my head I went to work on creating my own Solid Cologne, and it came out wonderful! Rather than dissolving absolutes, resins, and balsams into alcohol as I typically would for an alcohol based perfume, I carefully heated them, and along with the scent oils, blended them into the Beeswax, Shea Oil, Jojoba oil, Prickly Pear Oil matrix.
I find that, as the perfumer, the scent stays truer longer to the original shape I was going for. Meaning, volatile top notes last longer and heart notes fade slower too! Base notes will last much, much longer as they mix and mingle more organically with your own body chemistry and natural oils seamlessly.
Solid Cologne is a total and complete departure from the chemical reaction one experiences with an alcohol based product. It is more like a harmonious alchemical marriage, than a quick burn and evaporate dry down effect. Very different energetics when compared, and don't misunderstand me, they are both wonderful, but again, unique from each other, and that's what I didn't understand before.
Even the mechanics of application are different. Apply it once or revisit it many times during the day as a pick me up, no one will even notice when you do. There's a very sensual element at play here, like a secret with yourself.
I really have to say, this whole process enriched me as a perfumer, I truly felt part of a greater work. Ok, it's getting a little woo woo, but I think you are picking up what I'm putting down, no?
It's true, I really misunderstood solid perfumes in the past and dismissed them way too soon in my arrogance. If you are like I was, I encourage you to become humble and check them out, otherwise you are doing yourself a great disservice.
Now...How DO I Use Solid Cologne?
Rub a finger across the top of the solid cologne and apply it to the pulse points & hot spots: wrists, neck, inside of elbow, behind the ears, and heart. You can also use in the beard, moustache or hair. Reapply through the day or whenever yo need a pick me up!
1.5 Oz Heavy Duty Glass Jar & Bakelite Cap
Beeswax, Shea Oil Jojoba oil, Prickly Pear Oil, Fragrance & Rosemary Extract
Handmade in Arizona, USA