The Story Behind Fuar Ach Snog

A couple of years back, Fitjar the Norwegian soap makers launched a limited edition version of their top-selling mentholated Folegefonn Shaving Cream. They called it Extra Sterk. Extra Sterk translates to Extra Strong and only around 90 were made. Our allocation of 30 sold out within hours and the second batch of 30 also sold out in record time. This proved to me that there is a market for menthol based shaving products. We approached the firm that makes our Natural, Bay Rum and Citrus Kiss creams and balms and had them make us samples of matching mentholated shaving creams and aftershave balms.
We tested several over a period of two months and rejected them for not being minty enough on the skin, the scent being off-putting and various other problems. We were getting closer to what we wanted with every sample sent but the minty blast I wanted so much was still missing. I told the cosmetic chemist more menthol, more menthol. He explained to me "adding menthol affects the lathering ability of the shaving cream and how the aftershave balm dries on the skin. We are almost at maximum menthol" he told me. I told him to go to absolute maximum menthol and this is what we ended up producing and calling Fuar Ach Snog - cold but nice.

Why Fuar Ach Snog?  Once again we took inspiration from Fitjar, they don't translate from Norwegian, their menthol cream is called Folgefonn, their Bay Rum is Slatteroy, that's brave, no compromise. So we went for Scottish Gaelic and used the words that most accurately describe the products - Fuar Ach Snog - Cold But Nice. Plagiarism is alive and well it seems. Fuar Ach Snog is a tribute to our Norwegian pals.

Reviews for the shaving cream and aftershave balm have been reassuringly upbeat, it seems I'm not the only one who enjoys an icy blast in the morning. Buyers also comment on the moisturising powers of the cream and balm and how much they like the new packaging which is a glass jar for the cream and smart aluminium bottles for the pre-shave and balm. The jars and bottles are recyclable.
What's next? Hopefully, our aftershave splash will be ready in summer 2019.