Years ago I tried some of L'Occitane's cream in a tube and found it to be quite poor. As we all know companies change formulas and contract manufacturers from time to time so what's on the shelf today may be entirely different from what is available tomorrow. I can say with confidence that this cream is much, much better than whatever the company was selling 5-8 years ago. Note that I've reviewed the 200ml tub here. I cannot vouch for the quality of the cream in the metal tube that the company currently sells.
Price:
The price of this product is high, though not as high as some of the top-shelf creams out there today. That said, there are a number of products that perform as well as this one for around half the price, so I have to deduct a few points here.
Quality:
Generally high, but this cream does contain a surfactant/foaming agent, which some might regard as "cheating" or "bad". I don't really have a problem with it, and it's not the super cheap SLS type stuff you find in dishwashing liquid and cheap shampoos.
Scent:
The dominant note is a clean soapy scent. The woodsy Cade scent is there but not very strong when sniffed out of the tub. The scent does bloom once lathered, but is fairly subtle. My guess is the company wanted to avoid allergic reactions and cut costs on expensive essential oils, so they scaled back the scent. I would prefer a slightly stronger wood scent.
Latherability:
Off the charts, as good or better than any cream I've tried.
Efficacy:
The cream is very effective and protects the skin from the blade, has appropriate slickness/glide, and rinses off easily. Can't really ask for much more.
Moisturizing:
I do not believe creams and soaps should be moisturizing, but they shouldn't be overly drying either. The post-shave feel on this is nice. It's not sticky nor does it leave my skin feeling tight.
Packaging:
No useless outer box, just the tub of cream. The tub has an attractive faux glass look and is wide enough to fit a decent sized brush in.
Note:
Reportedly the shelf live of this cream is only about six months once opened. Now, I've got creams and soaps in my cabinet that are several years old and I've never witnessed a cream go "off" but it can happen, especially now that companies are loathe to use certain types of preservatives in their products. I would keep this in mind if you are planning to buy this product. You might want to consider whether you will use most of it up in six months.
Price:
The price of this product is high, though not as high as some of the top-shelf creams out there today. That said, there are a number of products that perform as well as this one for around half the price, so I have to deduct a few points here.
Quality:
Generally high, but this cream does contain a surfactant/foaming agent, which some might regard as "cheating" or "bad". I don't really have a problem with it, and it's not the super cheap SLS type stuff you find in dishwashing liquid and cheap shampoos.
Scent:
The dominant note is a clean soapy scent. The woodsy Cade scent is there but not very strong when sniffed out of the tub. The scent does bloom once lathered, but is fairly subtle. My guess is the company wanted to avoid allergic reactions and cut costs on expensive essential oils, so they scaled back the scent. I would prefer a slightly stronger wood scent.
Latherability:
Off the charts, as good or better than any cream I've tried.
Efficacy:
The cream is very effective and protects the skin from the blade, has appropriate slickness/glide, and rinses off easily. Can't really ask for much more.
Moisturizing:
I do not believe creams and soaps should be moisturizing, but they shouldn't be overly drying either. The post-shave feel on this is nice. It's not sticky nor does it leave my skin feeling tight.
Packaging:
No useless outer box, just the tub of cream. The tub has an attractive faux glass look and is wide enough to fit a decent sized brush in.
Note:
Reportedly the shelf live of this cream is only about six months once opened. Now, I've got creams and soaps in my cabinet that are several years old and I've never witnessed a cream go "off" but it can happen, especially now that companies are loathe to use certain types of preservatives in their products. I would keep this in mind if you are planning to buy this product. You might want to consider whether you will use most of it up in six months.
