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Autumn/Winter cream choices

Good morning from England,

I am after some advice and experience feedback please.

Having played around with various brushes, bowls and creams, I'm now in summer shaving bliss face lathering the green bowl proraso with a Simpson wee scott.

It is unfortunately getting bloody freezing in Blighty already and as much as I love the qualities of Proraso (the rich, beard softening, lubricating goodness) I run the risk of facial seizure if I walk out of the house after the menthol blast in the morning.

My preferences
I like the bowled creams over the tubes as I can build a lather in it and then transfer it to my chops.

I like strong smelling creams.

I like budget giant killers.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Given that I live in England, domestic US creams mayn't be an option as shipping is usually more than the product.

Cheers,

Adam
 
Cyril R. Salter creams. The performance is excellent. It's also a softer cream so you can just dip the tips of the brush then face lather. A less messy method when using a small brush like a WS. Comes in a large tub that goes pretty far.
 
Any recommendation for a cold weather scent?
I like Sandalwood scents in winter. I've been itching to try the Salter Indian Sandalwood, but my tubs of Sublime Citrus (a grapefruit/orange scent) and Fresh Mint (mint choc chip ice cream or peppermint pattie scent) are lasting longer than I thought they would. I also like Rose scents in winter and have the Salter Wild Rose and Taylor Rose. Unlike most Taylor creams which are firm, my Taylor Rose has a soft, creamy texture similar to Salter. While Rose is not my favorite scent, Rose creams seem to make my face feel better in winter. A Rose cream also gets the call if I have any irritation from a previous shave.
 
In the winter I like Musgo, Proraso Red (I was lucky to stock up before they discontinued it), Lavanda (also discontinued but NOS is available), GFT, Frasier's Polar Ice (strangely there is nothing icy about it), Trumper's Coconut, and to cheer me up on a dark day, Trumper's Violet. I also switch over from alcohol splashes to balms to keep my face from drying out.
 
Al's creams! The one I will be focusing on using this winter (along with the ASB that he makes of the same) is Calypso. It is bay rum but different, there is something else in there I can't quite put my finger on but it is awesome. His creams are VERY strong smelling in the bowl, lighten up just about perfectly once lathered. And the lather, my GOD, the lather is really great. I haven't tried face lathering it yet, but I may do that today (it is still pretty hot here, so I may hold off on using the balm after my shave heh). Anyways his creams are in the 16 dollars and well worth it (you use maybe a pea sized amount when bowl lathering, probably load your brush for 5-10 seconds for face lathering). Decent price for an awesome product as well as great service :) .

His website is www.alsshaving.com
 
If you want a really high quality cold weather scented cream, I'd recommend getting a custom tub of Al's Bomb in vetiver. It's earthy, its root, and it's as masculine as you could possibly want. And as the mad bear said, the lather is absolutely divine. It's some of the best quality cream I've tried!
 
I'd try Musgo Real. Strong, medicinal scent, and I think it has lanolin. I'm not sure it comes in a tub, but you could empty a tube into a Tupperware container.
 
I can't seem to find the vetiver on Al's website which is unfortunate as it sound's nice. As an aside however, I am slightly hesitant about buying overseas as the last package I ordered took a month to arrive thanks to USPS and the postage was exorbitant.

I'm in London tomorrow so I may well swing past Jermyn Street and pop into Taylor's for a look.

Can anyone recommend anywhere to buy musgo or penn's?

Thanks for your comments.

Adam
 
Penhaligons can be had easily at their stores in London.

As for Al's site, the pure vetiver is a custom scent he does. While I can understand the concern about shipping from the U.S., I don't really have any good solution there other than to say buy in bulk, it makes the shipping seem lower! After all, isn't that the B&B way?
 
Could be BRuhling. Do you know if any UK stores carry his wares? I know of a place here that stocks MB's soaps.

njpaddy - Have you ever tried TOBs Mr Taylor? The description sounds amazing.
 
I'm all on board for the spicy scents like sandalwood, Cayman etc. for Fall and wintertime, but I for one am also looking forward to using Vostok when there's snow on the ground... I like to embrace the winter... :biggrin:
 
njpaddy - Have you ever tried TOBs Mr Taylor? The description sounds amazing.

One of their best IMO. Great performer and a musky cologne like scent, it's strong and goodly. Ideal for winter I'd think. Unfortunately the Mr T Cologne smells nothing like it, but as you're around St Jim's, pop into T&H too, apparently the Grafton (?) cologne is a ringer for Mr T cream scent. Follow your nose.
 
I think as I'm in the big smoke tomorrow I'll have a sniff around the three t's shops and see what i can find.

Incidentally, would almond be a decent cold weather choice? Cella perhaps?
 
I think as I'm in the big smoke tomorrow I'll have a sniff around the three t's shops and see what i can find.

Incidentally, would almond be a decent cold weather choice? Cella perhaps?

Cella is terrific. More tallow, but a softer soap, easy to load and lather, slick and moisturising. Great all year round IMO. Not fancy enough for St James' St though... but there's plenty of stuff that works as well or better as fancy brands, without the price tag. Cella is one.
 
I go to the Sandalwoods when the heat breaks. Cella works year round or when I want to use a cream that will get out of the way for a distinctive aftershave.
 
Bang for buck ... I mean bang for bob, TOBS and Cyril Salter are the best buy out there. TOBS Sandalwood and Mr. Taylor's have great scents, my favorite TOBS scents, and Avocado is the best TOBS cream with regards to moisturizing and cushioning. Salter's Sublime Citrus has a very nice scent.

Acca Kappa 1869 in the tub is an almond scented cream and produces excellent cushioning and glide. It's the best cream I have tried. Over here in the States it's about five dollars more than a TOBS or Salter tub, but since you're in Britain, it may be cheaper given it's an Italian cream.
 
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