Aqua Velva Menthol Mist

Quite surprised that I am the first to leave a "review" on this fragrance/aftershave/magic potion. Most of my reviews are more like stories associated with fragrances and memories of my past. This story is for the dads out there with kids between the ages of 6 yrs old and 12 yrs old. When I was 6 yrs old they started...horrible growing pains. Always late at night after a day of school, ballet lessons and play. I would lay in my bed moaning and groaning in pain. My mom was always the one that got up and rubbed Ben-Gay in my legs until I fell asleep...poor Mommy...sometimes it was for hours. One night, Mom was as they say, "BOOM, BOOM, OUT GO THE LIGHTS" dead tired and slept through my whining. My dad, who had just worked a 14 to 16 hour shift at his restaurant, got up and came into my room. I said, "Mommy always rubs my legs with Ben-Gay". My dad held a faceted bottle with green liquid and said, "Ppppfffftttt, your mother, she doesn't know about my patented Magic Potion!!!!" He had me right there. My dad was a great story teller. He could tell a joke or story with his dry sense of humor, straight face and people would be riveted, not realizing he was pulling their leg until the punch line. He would drag out a story or joke with long drags off of his cigarettes and sips off his Chivas Regal. That night in the mid 1960s, he sat in his dad pjs at the foot of my bed and proceeded to rub my legs while telling me how he had brought this "magic potion" across the Northern Atlantic from the Netherlands as a Merchant Marine. That this "potion" was a secret amongst these seamen for many years to alieveated their aches and pains. The cool menthoal of what I nnow know as drugstore Aqua Velva, really helped sooth the pain in my ever growing legs (this went on for years and my ballet teacher said I had the legs of a gazelle). Of course, my dad's storytelling and armchair psychology REALLY helped!!!! I use this same method with my now 10 year old son. Except, when I can't lay my hands on a vintage bottle of Aqua Velva Menthol, I use 4711 Nouveau Cologne as it has the same minty menthol and the added Yuzu that has that soothing, happy vibe. Hope this little story helps some parents in need of a "growing pains" remedy. Try it, but remember to add a "tall tale" with it!

It's Aqua Velva with extra menthol, but since this was discontinued long ago I believe, you'll have to get the vintage which actually isn't so bad, as a lot of vintage aftershaves are only around $20 or so, and I actually always see the little gift sets with 4x 30ml bottle for around $30 or so, and I think those are easily worth getting from a reputable seller. Always try to get them full because the more empty they are, the more air that's been in them, and the more likely that they've gone off. I was fortunate to find my gift set with all full bottles, and it smells completely in tact. Anyways, the difference between the modern formula and original AV isn't that substantial, AV still lasts quite a while for an aftershave on my skin, the vintage lasts slightly longer, and smells a little bit less synthetic. It has this aldehydic airiness and more natural smelling musk, and while that's not a huge difference, it really does make the composition more special, and that's the case with most of the vintage aftershaves I've tried.