St. Charles Shave Verbena Shaving Cream

I just got my order from scs yesterday and Sue encluded a sample of Arabica shave cream. Interesting scent with a coffee smell. I had never used a cream before so in mixing it in my bowl started out with way too much water and had to add more cream. Will have to follow metzmo's advice next time. Anyway, great shave and very kind to my face.
Rich

I was just going through the cream reviews while making up my wish list for my upcoming birthday when I broused into this review. I can't believe that I haven't reviewed this product since I like it so much. I have been using this cream for a few months now and here are my observations:
The price is right on target. It is reasonable enough that I have a hard time keeping my wish list down to a reasonable size when trying to get an order together from the SCS site. The quality is great with one caveat. I have found that some of the SCS creams tend to break down and seperate/liquify at temps over 78 to 80 degrees F. This is not a quality issue, rather it is the nature of the product. With the Verbena, I have actually been able to discern the seperation of the EOs from the other ingredients. If this happens, depending on the degree of seperation, either shake or stir the cream and leave it open to the air in a cool place. I have even heard of members putting it in the refrigerator. Don't be afraid to leave it in this open state for a day or two. It will firm up just fine. You can use the cream in the liquified state with the same great results. The scent is unlike any other I have run across. Sue must be a great cook because she knows how to use contrasting scents to achieve a remarkable result. A great cook knows how to use spicy and sweet, sweet and sour, salt and sugar to achieve great tastes. Sue uses tart citrus and sweet vanella to create this scent. It is a little on the sweet side but not offensively so. I love this cream on weekends when I don't care about using a business scent and am looking forward to a day off. Latherability is a whole seperate issue. It lathers great, but, without going into a whole tutorial on my method, I will just say that I use 3/4 tsp of cream as measured by kitchen measuring spoons, a little stir to break up the cream in the bottom of the lathering bowl with a kitchen spreader, an initial whip with the tips of my brush (not dry but after one hefty flick of the excess water in the brush. For quantitly purposes I am using a C&E BB with this method), then working the cream with occassional addition of water at 1/4 tsp per addition. I like a thicker lather and I find I can reach the sweet spot with sometimes as little as an addition of 1/4 tsp of water over and above the little water that remained in the bowl prior to the addition of the initial cream and the water in the brush. More water will give you a more pillowy lather and much more volume but at the expense of thickness. Experiment for yourself. Efficacy is superb even if you don't hit the sweet spot with your lather. The cream holds together and does not break down or dry out over the course of a 3,4, or 5 pass shave. This cream is slick and moisturizing and I agree that you are tempted to forego a milk or balm even if you regularly apply one. Packaging is functional although not beautiful.

I just love Sue's shaving creams. It's like I can't get enough of them. And now she gives me a cream that has a smell that I will never forget. Sue thinks I'm a bit nuts but this cream smells just like a birthday cake. That is the icing on a cake from the bake shop. And to me that is the best part of the cake. Thanks Sue.

Now for the details:

The Price: SCS's prices are fine. Not exorbitant and not on the cheap side either. Just right in the middle.

The Quality: Never any doubt about SCS cream quality. First rate. Nice scent, easy to get out of the bowl, great lather.

The Scent: As I said above, I love the scent and this has become my second choice for favorite SCS Scent. Still love the smell of Smoke & Beads. This scent does have a nice lemon scent as well. A good combo of lemon and vanilla.

The Latherability: What can I say? SCS creams do take a good bit more water and I have found that if you let the mixed cream sit for a minute or so it becomes thicker and richer. The first pass application is really good but it is on the second and third pass applications where this cream and all SCS creams that I have shine. The cream seem to get thicker and richer the longer then set in the mug.

Efficacy: SCS Verbena does the job well. It makes shaving with it a joy. Great scent, great lather and slickness, great moisturizing qualities.

Moisturizing Properties: Really have no problem here. Face is nice and smooth and soft after a SCS shave.

Packaging: Nice package, similar to the Smoke & Beads package. I like that the name of the cream is on the side of the package rather than the lid.