Taylor's Avocado Cream - Identifying the Scent

[zacharydz]

I just received a tub of Taylor's Avocado cream yesterday, and thus haven't had an opportunity to use it enough to review it on the review thread (and didn't want to rate with 0s for every category)

It has a rather peculiar smell - not that I don't like it, but it was bothering me since I was trying to identify the scent. I instantly thought it was just a generic "floral" scent, and then I had an epiphany...it reminded me of a freshly carved pumpkin. Maybe it's been way too long since I've carved out a jack-o-lantern, but that's what it reminds me of. Too bad I don't have a pumpkin to compare the scent to.

What do you guys think? Or is my nose just not functioning correctly?:001_rolle

edit: I'm assuming that I received the new formula, unless classicshaving.com still has stocks of the old formula.

[Austin]

Zachary, I never thought of pumpkin when I smelled Taylors Avocado. Maybe not too far off the mark. It certainly has a fresh scent unlike the other Taylor creams. I also have the new formulation.

BTW, welcome to B&B.

[Kyle]

It's been too long since I've smelled raw pumpkin for me to agree/disagree. The only smell I can associate with pumkin is pumkin pie (thanks, now I'm hungry).
http://www.sloganizer.net/en/style3,Wet-spc-Shaving.png (http://www.sloganizer.net/en/)

[rtaylor61]

I thought of a vegetable garden...

Randy

[Scotto]

It has juniper in it, along with some other herbaceous notes. Quite nice and "green"/clean.

[Kyle]

Thank you, Scotto. JUNIPER is what I've been smelling that I couldn't put a finger on. At last, I can rest easy.

[ouch]

I thought it smelled a bit like gin.

[obsessis]

now that i think about it, it kind of does smell like raw pumpkin. i haven't smelled the NEW in awhile as i've been using the OLD but i will check it out. i might mix the two together.

[woodbane]

I thought it smelled a bit like gin.

Hmmmmmmmmm, and what's gin made of?????????:tongue:

Thank you, Scotto. JUNIPER is what I've been smelling that I couldn't put a finger on.

Sorry, couldn't resist!

[NYLaw]

Zachary, if you're still following this thread:when I first smelled the Avocado (before lathering it up) I was reminded of the fake-cucumber scent of, for example, the eShave cream.... After and during the lather, I think more of the underlying scents of the cream came out, so that I was able to get the rest of the authentically organic scents.

(As for the pumpkin connotation, I'd like to suggest that none of us try to carve out a "MAN-o-lantern"- 40 Yr. Old Virgin, anyone?

[Pilot]

I'm considering buying this - I've read a couple of positive reveiws here and elsewhere - but interested in hearing more - is this stuff worth adding to my collection of Poraso, T&H Unscented, Trumpers Violet and C&E Almond???

Given what other shave creams I own - what would this one do the others don't?

[KUJO]

I'm considering buying this - I've read a couple of positive reveiws here and elsewhere - but interested in hearing more - is this stuff worth adding to my collection of Poraso, T&H Unscented, Trumpers Violet and C&E Almond???

Given what other shave creams I own - what would this one do the others don't?

Other than give you a great shave, offer your senses an incredibly crisp, fresh scent to enjoy, and thrill you with its lather, probably nothing.

[Kyle]

I'm considering buying this - I've read a couple of positive reveiws here and elsewhere - but interested in hearing more - is this stuff worth adding to my collection of Poraso, T&H Unscented, Trumpers Violet and C&E Almond???

Given what other shave creams I own - what would this one do the others don't?

IMHO, Yes. Not that your other creams won't do the following, but...

It is a unique and pleasant scent.
It almost explodes into a lather.
It provides a fantastic lubricating barrier.
It moisturizes the skin.


I find it to be an absolute top-notch product that is matched by very few. Besides enjoying it for its great qualities, it is also the cream I reach for whenever my face is a little beat up from a previous bad shave.

At the very worst, if for some reason it doesn't suit you, you could sell/trade it here and probably move it in a few hours.

[letterk]

I haven't been wet shaving for very long, but it's the only cream I've run out of so far. I like it that much.

[Pilot]

Ok I'm sold...this whole wetshaving venture has led to all the creams previously mentioned, 4 razors, 3 brands of blades, 4 aftershave balms...well what the hell - you only live once.

[Kyle]

Ok I'm sold...this whole wetshaving venture has led to all the creams previously mentioned, 4 razors, 3 brands of blades, 4 aftershave balms...well what the hell - you only live once.
Excellent! If you like it half as much as I do, you'll be pleased with your purchase.

[khari]

...when I first smelled the Avocado (before lathering it up) I was reminded of the fake-cucumber scent...

That's exactly what came to my mind when smelling it.

[ameetmedi]

Just got a new tub from QED. Used in combination with Proraso Pre/post. Unbelievable shave. VEry smooth. not the usual trouble in the Neck Area. Also tried the Merkur Blades after a long time. So it could be all of these things that gave a very nice shave. Are the feathers baldes just as good?

[crackstar]

I find the scent is nice and grassy, I like it a lot, and what a great lather.

Jeff

[mitchleary]

like a cucumber scented candle yankee used to make. That is the scent I noticed.

[javyn]

I was about to write off Taylors after trying their Sandalwood, but this Avocado sample made a believer out of me. I am tempted to buy a tub of it now, but I already have SO MANY tubes of shaving cream! I must have something to look forward to in the distant future when I finish what I got!

[Kyle]

Go ahead and get it (peer pressure, peer pressure). There will always be another soap/cream/blade/brush/razor/etc. for you to look forward to.

[guenron]

I was about to write off Taylors after trying their Sandalwood, but this Avocado sample made a believer out of me. I am tempted to buy a tub of it now, but I already have SO MANY tubes of shaving cream! I must have something to look forward to in the distant future when I finish what I got!
Hello John,
Wet shaving puts a strange spin on the aesthetics. We always think of the pleasures of anticipation, etc. Well with the numerous acquistion disorders that accompany diehard wet shaving the old saw has been rewritten. The only thing better than anticipation is the realization! So order away and enjoy the delicious confusion of, "What shall I use today?":blush:

[ouch]

I'll just add that there are several fragrances that I never in a million years would have thought that I'd like that are now among my favorites.

[letterk]

Avocado WAS my favorite until I got the new formulation. Not that the new one smells bad, it's just different. Way more floral. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't comment on performance, but I'm not sure I'd order it again now. :mad:

[water]

I only have the older formulation and, as many have said, its performs superbly.

Given the seemingly mixed reaction to the new formulation, I will have to make sure I use my jar sparingly.

[pcxpe]

(Convallaria majalis!!) Do not know the english name for the plant, :blushing:

/Peter

[Joedy]

If "colors" had a scent that was innately associated with it, then "green"
would be anything that closely approximated Taylor's Avocado.

I would say it is an organic smell commonly associated with fresh melons without being overly sweet. The next time you see a whole box of fresh cantalopes at the grocery store, drop your mug down in there and take a big whiff.... Pure Heaven...

Ahem... of course, I wouldn't be caught doing such a silly thing... or, ahem, at least I don't think that I've been spotted or identified behind the dark sunglasses and baseball cap with artifically attached sideburns.

-joedy

[guenron]

Joedy,
Does freshly sliced cucumber come to mind when sniffing the avocado cream?

[Leisureguy]

The following is from Shaveblog (http://www.shaveblog.com/2006_02_01_archive.html) (scroll down at the link):

As reported here last week, Taylor of Old Bond Street has updated some of its classic English shaving creams, to meet both new EU regulations over there, and FDA regulations over here. So I had Taylor send me some tubs of the new versions of Taylor's Avocado and Lavender creams to compare with the old versions.

The new Avocado cream's green logo appears on a clear sticker on the jar's lid, replacing the bronze-inked logo that used to be printed directly on the lid. As you can see from the photo, the old Avocado's inked logo had a tendency to smear off over time, a problem the new stickers should eliminate.

But the real differences reveal themselves when you crack open the tub. The new Avocado is creamier and smoother than the old version, and its surface has little of that glisteny shine I always assumed was the skin-friendly avocado oil that set Avocado apart from all other Taylors, even though the new version still has avocado oil.

In fact, Taylor's Barry Klein tells me the cream itself is largely unchanged, but that the company had to turn to different fragrance ingredients to comply with new EU regulations going into effect in April. The new scent includes citronellol, an oily liquid with a sweet, floral odor that's a naturally-occurring substance in black currants, certain fruits, edible plants, wines, beer, and black tea, and geraniol, another oily liquid with a sweet rose-like scent found naturally in flowering plants including geraniums and roses.

Sure enough, the new Avocado smells quite different than the old. It's a greener, lighter, fresher scent, more of an outright floral than the woodier scent of the old version. It reminds me a bit of the "Fern" type scents from Trumper and Penhaligon. That said, neither the new or the old Avocado cream smells anything remotely like a real avocado, but I never considered this Taylor a "sniffer" anyway -- the old version certainly smelled pleasant enough, but it was the extra comfy and moisturizing shave that set this cream apart from the rest of Taylor's line, not the scent.

One of the things Taylor's doing differently now is allowing its cream to settle for a week after it's been mixed, and then for another week after it's poured into the tub. These extra stages are said to make for a creamier, less dense product that resists forming a thin, dry crust on top that's led some shavegeeks to think their tubs of Taylor have dried out and otherwise gone bad. The new Taylors have the consistency of Philly Cream Cheese, while the old version of Avocado was a looser, goopier glop, and the other Taylor creams have been as thick as cake icing at times. The extra settling time is designed to standardize the creams' consistency across the board, and I can report that the new Avocado and Lavender creams have exactly the same consistency, which I could never say about the old versions.

Using a Simpson Wee Scot and plenty of hot water, the new Avocado cream lathered up big and beefy in no time flat. I've rarely been able to get the old version of Taylor's Avocado to whip up into that really thick, meringue-like lather -- it's a looser, oilier cream than my other old-school faves like Trumper's Violet and Taylor's own Rose and Lavender creams, but the new Avocado quickly lathers up into that dense, peaked lather the English creams are noted for. Even with a teeny tiny brush like the Wee Scot, the new Taylor made a ridiculously large amount of lather from just a schmear of cream on the brush tips.

Shaving with the new Avocado cream was a pleasure. My 1940's Gillette Super Speed DE razor glided over my skin smoothly and without a hint of skip or drag, never once leaving a dry patch for the blade to scrape over. Even though the new version doesn't glisten as much as the old, it feels and shaves exactly the same, and after an exceptionally close and comfortable shave my face felt perfectly smooth and moisturized, even in this dry winter weather. New scent aside, this new Avocado cream shaves just like the old version, which is a very, very good thing.

Fans of Taylor's Avocado shaving cream can rest easy -- the new version shaves just as superbly and lathers even better than the original. As for the new scent, it's a greener, fresher, more floral trip, and to be perfectly honest I find it no better or worse than the old version, just different. I'm just happy Taylor kept its Avocado cream as special and unique as it's always been, and I'll be happy to switch over to the new formula once I run out of the old stuff.

[Leisureguy]

I gather from other comments that the Shaveblog is not well liked, but I thought this particular post was informative. Sorry if I stepped on any toes.

[Joedy]

Joedy,
Does freshly sliced cucumber come to mind when sniffing the avocado cream?

Somewhat, but not quite with the bitter tang scent that is associated with freshly cut cucumbers.

It's really somewhat Floral in essence, without necessarily alluding to any particular flower or boutique.

It's somewhat hard to pin down in words, but the product really does stand out from the others.

-joedy

[baconeater]

I got some of this tonight and coincidentally also thought it smelled just like freshly carved pumpkin, as did a houseguest who also smelled it.

[mactrack]

I got a sample of Taylor's Advocado from Scotto and I have to say that I really disliked the smell of it so much that I doubt I would ever use it again. It reminded me of something you might find in a painter/decorators van!

[Jim]

It smells like wallpaper paste to me, shaves good tho.:biggrin:

[ada8356]

I love this cream, but sometimes the smell reminds me of pumpkin guts!

[boboakalfb]

Its too bad because the clean soapy smell of the old version wasn't bad at all...

[mrob]

I tried a sample from Kyle many months back, and just had to finally pull the trigger on a tub. I love the clean, grassy smell--its like nothing else in my repertoire, and shaves great!

[ada8356]

I tried a sample from Kyle many months back, and just had to finally pull the trigger on a tub. I love the clean, grassy smell--its like nothing else in my repertoire, and shaves great!

While I don't mind the smell of the Avocado, Musgo Real has the BEST clean, grassy scent of anything out there IMHO. YMMV. PDQ. ASAP. DIAF. LOL. ROFL. HGDJ. DHGS. ETC. ETC

[Nitrox]

Fortunately I love the scent of the Avocado and it shaves the best of all my creams and soaps.
Unfortunately I have about half a tub left and I have about 50 tubs of other creams I have to go through before I get any more Avocado. Oh what the heck, soon I'll order a few more tubs of it.:biggrin::biggrin:

[xChris]

I just got a sample of Taylor's Avocado from Scotto; I'm not sure if it is the old or new formulation.

My first thought of the scent was "aloe vera." Upon sniffing it again, I smelled more of a melon scent like Honeydew or Casaba. In any case, I think it will be delightful with the sample of Trumper's Wild Fern EdT that I also got!

[Scotto]

It is the new stuff. I hoard my container of the old stuff. :wink: