Aqua Velva Ice Blue

Cooling, yet spicy and decidedly masculine. This is what you use when you want that brisk, mentholated feeling on your face after a shave. Still a big seller, and still smells amazing, but unfortunately like most aftershaves it doesn't last. You'll be able to detect it on your hands for about an hour, but that's about it. Edit: I've been using this stuff for a while, and it lasts a little bit longer than I thought it did. It's very light, but it lasts a good 2 hours, it's okay and better than most aftershaves that you can find at drugstores. I own a 50ml of the vintage as well, and that one lasts substantially longer, closer to about 4 hours with a little bit better projection and it's just nicer all around, less synthetic smelling, but the same overall scent profile. PAA's Sacre Bleu, though, that's the one you really want if you want one that lasts. If you're in love with the Aqua Velva scent, but you're wanting something that lasts all day and projects and you're willing to invest in something like that, then get the aftershave AND the EDP, which together last a full work day for me easily with 4 sprays, and 6 sprays will give you a little extra oomph.

This is a classic aftershave used by men since 1917, so basically over a hundred years. Unfortunately it is now only sold in plastic bottles rather than in glass as it used to be (and in my opinion everything smells better in glass than in plastic). Luckily I still own the original glass bottle of Aqua Velva that my dad used to use (he gave it to me); when it runs out I will keep the glass bottle and just refill it with modern Aqua Velva. This is a really refreshing and cooling aftershave due to the intense menthol and mint in it. It really cools the face, while also providing a slight burn if used after shaving. As for the scent, I detect mainly mint, lavender, oakmoss, and leather - these notes are very noticeable. It's an odd combination but somehow works really well. Sillage from it is actually pretty good (although it's an aftershave) while longevity is weak as it's an aftershave. Still, it's the best "minty" aftershave out there in my opinion and will forever be a staple for me. 5/5

This is the original Aqua Velva fragrance, and it's a classic for a reason. This is a fresh, bracing, slightly sweet and mossy barbershop aftershave, which is amazingly long-lasting (especially for an "aquatic"). My Dad used it on occasion (although he was more of an Old Spice guy), and I borrowed it for my own use. It works as a unisex, especially in warmer weather. Applied lightly, this is suitable for office wear. When I was a teen, there was an amusing TV commercial with a tough American football player (I think it was Dick Butkus)who mocked a teammate's locker which contained designer men's cologne. "Must be the quarterback's locker!", he declared, then said "Real guys who get mud on their uniforms use Ice Blue Aqua Velva!". Then he walked off, flanked by two shapely cheerleaders, to the tune of the jingle "There's something about an Aqua Velva Man!".

Epic Journey Into the Bottled Yonder, 066 ------------------------------------------------------- Purchased August 2017 For a while this reminded me of Halston 1-12, but perhaps 1-12 copied around half of the Aqua Velva scent because it obviously pre-dates it. Almost the same thing except it has a dirty, raw edge that gives it the name Aqua Velva. Honestly I don't wear it because I'd rather smell like something else after a nice wet shave. I no longer use soap and brush, just a foam (not a gel, those instantly clog up all types of razors), and switched to cold water many years ago.

This is a no-brainer pick for a drugstore aftershave. The menthol is stimulating, the fragrance itself transcends it’s 1930’s heritage and is completely appropriate for the modern man. In my opinion, this is not a unisex fragrance, rather it is the fragrance of masculine ambition, experience and confidence. Aqua Velva Ice Blue lasts for several hours on my skin and seems to project at about half an arms length with light to moderate sillage. All things considered this may very well be one of the best inexpensive fragrances on the American market today.

I buy a bottle of this about every other year, and I decant it into the original glass bottle that I have kept since I was teenager. The label is long gone. I crave this stuff, and often put it on in the evening, for some reason. Anyway, my 15 old son is shaving now, so tonight I handed him his first bottle of Aqua Velva after shave. I poured a little into the palm of his hand and he immediately rubbed it on his forehead. He looked at my expression, and said, “what?”. I shook my head, and said, “Whatever. Just don’t shave your forehead”. Kids!

If you want an affordable old school classic, then you can't go wrong with this!! It smells great and won't break the bank. It's an aftershave but if you put some on your clothing it will linger a bit longer and the scent won't offend anybody. I'd say it's intended for "older" men but try it for yourself and if you like it you like it!! I'm not a huge fan of menthol type scents but this one is an exception, it smells really good.

One of my fresh fragrances as a teen. Back then it was all to me as I was just a beginner. A fresh peppermint with a hint of lavendar and musk. I also sensed a bit of dirty but in a good way. That being said it could turn someone away from wearing this but don't. It's truly comfort in a bottle for me..

I couldn't begin to pick out the notes from this juice. It's one of the best aftershaves on the market. Alcohol, Menthol and Glycerin. That's the important stuff. Other than that, Fragrance. It smells like Aqua Velva Ice Blue. And it's awesome. (and goes very well with anything Sandalwood or Musk)

In Europe this product is manufactured by UNILEVER ESPAÑA, S.A., and the bottles (200 ml and 400 ml) continue to be made of glass. The European "option" is somewhat lighter. Excellent after-shave lotion, very discreet, which can be used with any other perfume of choice without interfering with it.

This was the aftershave and scent of my grandfather. I miss the glass bottles, but the electric blue liquid inside seems to have changed little since I was young. Ever since I started shaving, I've had a bottle of this in my cabinet. That will never change. The perfect, crisp, "man's" scent.

Love it, my favorite aftershave. Cheap but smells great and makes your skin feel good. People hate it because it has been around forever, but it is a classic in my book. Just wish the scent lasted longer.

Nice fresh classic barbershop mainly lavender-menthol-sandalwood aftershave for more mature men which can shave. Those who are lazy to shave can use Acqua di Gio or other females' fragrances.

Exactly what an aftershave should smell like! A very nice balanced classic aftershave, and that's about it! Beats modern Old Spice any day.

If you love the smell of this PAA makes an EDP version called Sacre blue that smells pretty much identical but has way way better longevity

There’s something about an Aqua Velva man! Notes are stability, tradition, stature and truthfulness. Only Renaissance men need apply.

I love this, to my surprise the scent lingers almost all day. Its nice and Masculine.. I just love it 👊👊

I love this stuff. I use it all the time. sometimes for weeks on end.

I love the smell of aqua velva. It smells so clean and fresh.

The Gent is back with a classic aftershave review! Today I will be reviewing the BLUE collar legend Aqua Velva Ice Blue. When I first opened the bottle I really enjoyed the scent. It smells like an American. Think Pete Rose slapping this on before a game. The Scent is 100 percent mint. After putting this on I could not really smell the scent due to the ice cold feeling this after shave gives you after applying. In fact, I was rather dissapointed that I was unable to enjoy the scent like you smell from the bottle. However, I did enjoy that ICE COOL felling this gives you after a nice shave. As for the bottle, another reviewer mentioned that you will waste 20 percent of the product from the cap on the top of the bottle. I am sad to say that this is still the case and you will lose some of the product when applying. However, the cost of this is so cheap $3 so I really did not mind. In the end this is a gentlemens classic that should be tried if you are into classic scents. Would I buy this again? Yea probably but it is not one that I love like Clubman or Old Spice. The Gents Score: 7.5/10 (A BLUE collar icon) The Gents Aftershave Rankings: 1:Original Clubman 2:Vi-Jon Spice Scent 3:Old Spice 4:Clubman Bay Rum 5:Ogallala Bay Rum 6:Clubman Special Reserve 7:Clubman Vanilla 8:Clubman Musk 9: Aqua Velva Ice Blue 10:Clubman Lime Sec 11:Clubman Lilac Vegetal

This was THE first fragrance I ever owned, when it came in the bumpy glass bottle with the icicles on the cap. I got it in fifth grade in 1990 or early 1991. It's a bit strange now, thinking of a ten year old wearing this masculine juice. I didnt even shave yet! But I was always into the throwback manly scents and I still am. My dad got AV for me. He wore Jovan Musk every day since I was a baby. I thought the two were kind of similar. Smelling them today, I still think they're in the same ballpark. So I guess it was a father-son thing. AV and Jovan are probably what instilled my love for traditional mens fragrances. It could have been my nose at the time, but I swear AV used to be stronger. I think it was made by Beecham back then, so it's entirely possible that it was. The company insists they have never "changed the formula", but they could still have changed the proportions of ingredients or switched them out for synthetics. Odds are, that after all this time, AV has gone through some changes. I still really like it, but I dont wear it as much as I used to. But the beauty of AV is that it really would work with any old school cologne you'd wanna pair it with.

I bought this the other day, 100ml for 5 euros. But it doesn’t look like the in the pictures above, nor labelled “ice blue”, just “Aqua Velva” by Williams. It’s a squared glass bottle with dots/spikes on the sides. It’s more of a light blue fluid than the darker blue showed here. (As showed on ads here, at least for me.) Is this the same or is it another formula? I heard there’s an European version of this so maybe there’s a difference? Anyhow, I do get the cooling effect from this, but perhaps not “ice”. It’s slightly soapy and mossy, like a classic after shave should be. Soothing, fresh and not overpowering. Good value for the money, stays long on skin. Cheap enough to discard if you happen to dislike it.

This is really pleasant and predominately a wintergreen sort of fragrance in my opinion. There's some light mossiness, some cool herbaceous notes, and it's slightly sweet without veering gourmond whatsoever. It really cannot pinpoint most of these notes at all. This somehow is oldschool, but so much so (I've definitely smelled this before and recognized it today when I sniffed it, but can't recall on whom) that it's a phenomenon and doesn't register as tacky or dated. I don't have any bets down one way or the other, I'm just a gal reviewing stuff as I percieve it and I'm not the one using this, but I think it's a nice refreshing hit of fragrance for a good price, and it'll always be good.

This is what Bleu de Chanel is based on. I've been using Ice Blue for 20 years and can tell you its menthol punch is unforgettable and surprisingly modern. It's basically a slightly fruity and herbal aftershave with heavy mint and a darker, woodier drydown. Formula unchanged since the 1960s at least as I had a chance to wear vintage from that era also. I like Skin Bracer a little better than this, but when I'm wearing BdC I use Ice Blue. A quick note: this is NOT the original Aqua Velva fragrance, but it is the original flanker to it. The first in the line was simply called Aqua Velva, and I think it was amber colored and not going for the "icy" association of its successor.

peppermint candycane, with definite menthol, some sweetness, coolness, and musk later on. maybe some lavender and other ingredients like some citrus tang. It's quite nice, the scent and the menthol feel. I read that this was the original from 1917. I thought this might have been a flanker but the website says this is the original one, and was first made as a mouthwash but then made into an aftershave.

ooooh mama. man, I just splashed some of this stuff on after shaving a bit, since I havent for a couple months, and this stuff is incredible. The scent is like a lavender peppermint candycane with some type of light woody muskyness in the background. great stuff. i always like the peppermint scent in this aftershave. plenty of menthol for that cooling effect

This is a simple clean aftershave, very old fashioned. Just like another reviewer mentioned, it's not Bleu de Chanel, it just smells blue. I love the cooling effect of the menthol, and the performance.

Mid-20th century cowboys wore this aftershave. The hint of Baby Wipes only will be noticed by those who were born after the creation of Baby Wipes.

**EDIT** -- I have amended my review to one word. It is enough. yuck.

I agree with karlovonamesti below that there is a resemblance to Bleu de Chanel, notably in the fruity and floral notes that emerge from the heart after the initial menthol, lavender and vanilla hit, and also in the cedar and sandalwood base. At the other end of the continuum, with the oak moss and vetiver, is the old man ghost of Royal Copenhagen (I know because my old man used to wear it.) I also agree that this seems totally unchanged from the bottles I experimented with as a teenager, some 30 years ago. The bottle has just been redesigned, however (it's sitting on my shelf now), looking at once more retro and more modern, the flattened out kind of postmodern vintage look that has so saturated the mass market as my generation ages (sigh). At least it is really *that* old?

An old boyfriend used to wear this. Honestly, it smells a lot fancier than you'd think based on the price point and the fact that it comes in a plastic bottle. One of the things that first attracted me to the old boyfriend was how nice he smelled, so this could be considered a stealth chick magnet. He smelled even nicer when I had him try a sample of a more upscale men's fragrance I'd gotten for free, but if you don't believe in shelling out for designer cologne when something less expensive works perfectly well for your fragrance needs, this is a good choice. Just maybe don't publicize that you're wearing Aqua Velva, because some people have brand bias and might judge you for not wearing Le Deseigneur Eau de $$$ Pour Homme or whatever.

Neroli, oakmoss, clove, eucalyptus or camphor/minty note? Rather nice, old style mens' scent. My husband won't like coz it probably smells like grandparents, but I like it. Apparently it was mostly menthol in the old days, "minty-herbal-leathery-chypre". Then it was reformulated and was much less menthol-minty and the leather note got "brown". The brown note was dropped with the glass bottles and now it's lighter, minty/chypre in plastic. A clean manly smell wihtout being a modern aquatic. Suprisingly great for coming in a plastic bottle for less than ten bucks

Best aftershave ever, IMO. I can't really identify any of the notes in AV, and I'm guessing that this is a wholly synthetic scent. It doesn't matter because it smells great. It also gives you the best, most refreshing menthol hit of any aftershave I've ever tried, and that mintiness segues perfectly into the aromatic, mossy scent that stays on my skin for a good 3 or 4 hours. Even though it's an aftershave, it's strong and long lasting enough to splash all over and wear as a cologne. Besides, at like $5 a bottle, you can splash it on as often as you like!

Been using this after shave since 1978. Absolutely love it in the spring and summer seasons. I am not able to detect all of the notes described but the coolness of the menthol after a shave is a real kick. For me the lavender stands out in the dry down. Sometimes use the Spanish Aqua Velva (much lighter version than the American) just as an after shave and then pair it with Pour un Homme de Caron, a wonderful lavender classic from the Thirties.

My Grandfather wore this. I use to occasionally wear this for my Mom. She loved it. But I never care much for it. It smells nice out of the bottle for me but it's too "blue". I hate menthol in fragrances. But I keep the big 7 oz bottle around and on a Saturday or Sunday when I don't leave the apartment...I'll slap it on after a shave. It's not a bad scent. Just not one of my favorites.

I love this stuff, the smell is great, and it's mentholated. Getting a nice shave in after a long shift in the Arizona sun, then putting this on and feeling my skin turn cold is so refreshing.

This was a staple in my 20's, after a shave. I would use this AV Ice Blue and also spray some cologne like Nautica Lattitude, and I'd have people telling me I smelled amazing.

Bought this cause my grandpa wears it and I can't see him. Wont ever wear it but I love to open the bottle and think about the good times we had when I could see him.

Fourteen fragrance notes? For Aqua Velva? I'm sorry. I'm not picking up the complexity. It smells blue. With menthol. I like it. But it's not Bleu de Chanel.

this could be bottled up in glass and sold for at 5x the price, ive owned vintage to present, present is still excellent.

@Blacklotus11 lmaooo. I hate my relatives and family too. Lets hot - tub.

Key to picking up women. Old spice original deodorant and aqua velva.