Taylor of Old Bond Street: Mr Taylors Aftershave Luxury Balm

Up until now I would have been right with everyone else trumpeting the luxury aftershave balm from the hilltops. I used to love it; even gave it as gifts to family and friends.
But they recently changed the formula. To me it now seems very similar in consistency and odor to that blue Afta that you find at Walmart. Gone are the days when a tiny amount mixed with water covers your face, makes you feel wonderful, and leaves a glorious scent. Now it takes a lot of product, doesn't cover your face very well, and smells cheap. I'll never buy it again. F.

Love the scent of Mr. Taylor shave cream, and this smells exactly like it.Just a small amount is all that is needed, and as one other reviewer stated, maybe add just a tad of water, and that small amount will go a long way. After applying, I still notice the scent for a couple of hours afterwards, so I usually don't even bother with the cologne until later in the day.This is one I will definitely keep in my rotation.

First off, Great product. Well worth the money spent, but I think it belongs in the "Shaving Rotation" rather than using it as your only, solitary aftershave product.

Price: Could be cheaper. It's bad enough I have to get it shipped to me, let alone have it a cost a bunch of money.

Quality: Top notch. I gave it an 8, because it didn't cause the sky to part and show me God's face. Otherwise, it would be a ten.

Fights Razor Burn: Yes. It does it rather well. I find that My face feels rather good after using it.

Cooling Sensation: Not a whole lot.. but, a great alternative to menthol.

Scent: I, personally, like the scent. Due to being deployed to Afghanistan, the wife cannot approve.

Effifacy: Yeah, it does the job, smells good, lasts a while, and makes my face feel great. I approve.

Moisturizing: VERY. I feel like my face is rejuvenated, even after using an alum block.

No Alcohol burn: Most definitely. The witch hazel provides a slight tingle. Nothing more. I let a friend use it (who had never used aftershave), and he did enjoy it, as well.

I enjoyed using this product. I've tested it for a couple weeks now, and it's definitely paid off. I'm glad I spent the money to get it shipped out here, as well, as the dry climate was NOT treating my face well.

I find the TOBS Aftershave Balms to be great.

Price: This is the kicker. They aren't particularly cheap. You can get ASB's at the grocery store or pharmacy for cheaper. If you're looking to save money, unfortunately this stuff isn't for you.

Quality: I find this to be of very high quality. The packing isn't fantastic (comes in a plastic tube), but other than that I've got no qualms with the product.

Fights Razor Burn: In short, yes. TOBS' ASBs include Aloe and Witch Hazel and as such easily reduce redness and irritation. If I give myself a crappy shave, I'll be reaching for this product over others.

Cooling Sensation: I don't feel a whole lot cooling from this stuff, but that's not what it's created for.

Scent: Amazing. I love the Mr. Taylor scent, and this stuff smells just like the cream. Goes well with just about any soap or cream because the scent is powerful enough at first to break through the rest.

Moisturizing: This goes hand in hand with reducing razor burn. Aloe is, of course, very moisturizing. My face feels quite soft after using this gel.

There is no alcohol in this product, so no alcohol burn. It does have a tiny bit of fire in it, but that is apparently from some other ingredient.

Just a couple of other notes about this product. You don't need or want very much of this stuff to do its job. It is a gel and if you use too much it has the potential to sit on your face for a while, which I learned the first time I used it. Also, if you use too much it can leave your face with a sheen. I personally use about a half almond sized dot with a little bit of water on my hands to apply. This works great.

This has become one of my favorites in my shaving rotation. At first I did not like this aftershave because it lists this as a " balm " which is what I am used to using and it is actually a clear gel.
It took a few applications to get used to this product which I was considering selling or trading for something else and I'm glad I didn't. The cooling and soothing this product does is amazing when you have a little razor irritation.
I have sensitive skin and am always looking out for new products to try. I recommend.

The smell of this balm to me is classic British. It does a great job of fighting razor burn, - it made my face look acceptable after a terrible first few DE shaves, giving it a matt consistent look. Saying that it does leave it feeling tight, but then I whack on nivea moisturiser anyway afterwards so I still feel it serves its function or reducing razor burn. I liked the scent so much that I bought the Mr Taylors cologne but which I'm sadly a bit disappointed with as I don't feel it resembles the balm all that much. Grafton by T&H seems to be a closer fit to my nose

This clear, light gel based balm comes into heavy rotation during the hot, sticky summer days.

It is alcohol free and disappears into the skin quickly after a blast of soothing witch hazel to close the pores, with enough aloe and allantoin to be lightly moisturizing without leaving the skin feeling heavy.

I find the Mr. Taylors' scent to be light but lingering. Websites note the scent as having undertones of Cedar and Sandalwood along with Patchouli, Musk, Tarragon, Lavender, Green Galbanum and Citrus. Sounds busy, but the effect is clean and very masculine.

It is not the best value out there, a .75 ml tube runs about $22 and will last about six weeks of routine use, but it easy to get hooked on this British classic. That said, there is truth in advertising - TOBS does label this their luxury balm. Sometimes the good stuff does come at a premium.

This is a particularly good choice for those sensitive to menthol who are looking for a refreshing, cooling balm during the hot summer days.

Recommended!