Dragon Noir CUBE! 2.0 Preshave Soap | An Homage We Never Thought We Would Do
[Choose to include a CUBE Dock Soap Dish from the Accessories Menu!]
One Of Our MOST Requested Reboots!
Dragon Noir, Homage to Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir:
An aromatic fougère: fresh herbs, citrus, spice, and woody depth.
Top Notes: Lavender, Bergamot, Lemon, Rosemary, Mint, Lemon Verbena, Basil, Artemisia; a fresh, herbaceous citrus burst.
Middle Note: Juniper, Coriander, Cinnamon, Carnation, Jasmine, Angelica, Wormwood; spice, warm herbal complexity, and a bit of floral nuance.
Base: Oakmoss, Leather, Fir balsam, Pine Needles, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Patchouli, Cedarwood, Amber, Resins; deep woods, earth, resin, and leathery tones anchor the scent with warmth and classic masculine depth.
Find The Dragon Noir Collection HERE!
Dragon Noir is comfort food for your schnoz. (seriously)
Unless you are living under a rock, you have probably felt it. The world is loud. The news never sleeps. Every week brings a new fire, it seems and your blood pressure is rising and rising. This release is not about chasing the chaos. It is about stepping out of it for a personal reset and to catch your breath.
Dragon Noir is a big, familiar hug from PAA to you.
It is the scent memory of simpler times. Back when the future felt wide open. Back when a fragrance could just be a fragrance. From a time long before news feeds, doomscrolling and that constant noise in your pocket.
My hope is, Dragon Noir is what you reach for when dissociation is not possible. When your nervous system needs something steady. When you want your scent to feel like home.
Dragon Noir, An Homage We Never Thought We Would Do.
It's true folks, for years we have resisted doing this scent. It just seemed like low hanging fruit and we were too punk rock for that...right? Besides, everyone and their mothers were offering a take on Drakkar. The argument from customers was something like, "sure, everyone and their mum offer it, but not in Formula CK6!"- And they did have a point...but still, punk rock and stuff. Besides, it was always kind of a PAA mission to reboot more obscure classics or pricier lost scents.
However, in the last year there has seemed to be an uptick in requests for these popular classic scents. So much so, Fran and I found ourselves discussing this phenomenon throughout the day. In times of uncertainty and unrest we, as a species, look for something to grab onto, something to ground us.
For some it's music, for others food and for people like us, the shnerds...it is fragrance and a shave. So it just clicked and wanting to use our superpowers for good, and do our part, we plucked that "low hanging fruit", tossed it into the air and struck it out of the park! (me thinks)
After all, this was not about trends. This was about giving people something their nervous system already understands.
Homage to Gen X?
When Drakkar Noir hit its peak in the late 80s and early 90s, it was everywhere. Clubs. Cars. High Schools, College dorms. Office elevators. Date nights. It was one of the best selling men’s fragrances on the planet. For a stretch of time, it defined what “men’s cologne” even meant. Lord knows my best friend Mike wore the hell out of it! (Drakkar was his scent, Shulton's Old Spice was mine.)
Aromatic. Dark. Clean. Sharp. Comforting. It was the smell of confidence for an entire generation. Dragon Noir is our tribute to that time.
And it's is no accident we are dropping Dragon Noir.
Across cultures and traditions, the dragon is not chaos. It is considered grounding. It represents raw, earthly energy and stability. A symbol of endurance and protection.
Dragon symbolism is often tied to feeling centered in your body and steady in your mind. It shows up again and again in systems focused on resilience and regulation.
For example:
Somatic grounding. In therapeutic visualization, a “dragon tail” is used as an imagined anchor. It connects the body to the ground. It creates a sense of weight, support, and strength.
Elemental connection. Earth dragons are associated with stability, endurance, and deep connection to the natural world.
Balanced energy. In Eastern philosophy, the dragon reflects harmony. It unites opposing forces into something steady, centered, and whole.
Resilience and protection. Dragon scales are symbols of armor. They represent personal strength, nervous system safety, and the ability to withstand pressure.
Rooted focus. Wood and Earth dragons are linked to being organized, grounded, and clear headed.
Fun Fact: A drakkar is a term for a type of Viking longship or warship, originating from Old Norse words for "dragon"!
So it's as simple as that Shave Cadets! Stay strong, resilient and steadfast in these "interesting times"...and give 'em hell!
Why is Preshave Soap BETTER Than Preshave Oil?
Well first off, as with anything in life, it all comes down to personal preference. I can tell you why I think it's better, but in the end, do what works for you! First off, unlike using oil, a Preshave Soap will not gunk up your gear and rinses away easy.
I was seriously turned off by all the clean up involved when using oils. Plus I was always concerned about it getting into my favorite brushes undetected and going rancid. Also, applying oil with your hands then holding onto a blade is not the safest move in my book. [That said, if you currently use an oil, apply it with your non-shaver hand!] In short, Preshave Oils inspired me to find a better way!
Why a Preshave Soap is More Effective.
A preshave soap really offers more bang for your buck; for one, it's more affordable and longer lasting. Use it first to clean the face before you shave, then rinse. Then reapply the soap prior to whipping up lather: First in a circular motion, then against the grain. The soap gets under the hairs, slightly propping them up, giving the blade more surface area to "bite" on to. The glycerin acts as a humectant pulling more water into the hair, prepping and softening it, thus making it a bigger target to mow down!
CUBE?
The release of CUBE has been a long time coming. For those who are privy to the PAA Universe, you may have seen CUBE hovering in the background on different labels and in ads...observing. I have read a few interpretations by folks in the forums who have noticed CUBE's appearances and have been flummoxed. What Does it Mean? [I super appreciate that folks are becoming more hip to the universe in our labels!]
What Strange Shave Tech is This?
It's great to finally bring CUBE to life for people to interface with! Holding it in your hand you can almost feel a force, an energy pulsating, drawing you in. However, all I can say at this time is, all shall be revealed in a future installment of the saga. Until then, embrace the mystery of CUBE and use it wisely!
8 oz [227 grams] Cube - Wrapped in biodegradable Plastic
Ingredients: Purified Water, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Stearate, Soybean Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Prickly Pear Oil, Jojoba Wax, Capuacu Oil, Murumuru Oil Bacuri Oil, Organic Aloe Vera Leaf Extract, Vitamin E, Mica, Rose Clay, Fragrance & Essential Oils