Body Shop stuff

[Evyn]

Hi all,

Not sure if you get Body Shop in the USA, or if its just parts of Europe and South Africa...

I bought a horrendously expensive shaving cream called "Maca Root Shave Cream". I also bought, from another place, the only shaving soap they had (and I could find anywhere), Col. Conk.

My word, what a difference between the two. My shave was actually in a different league with Col. Conk. Smooth. But with the Body Shop stuff I thought my razor had gone blunt.

Is this as it should be? Does the quality of the shaving soap/creme really make such a difference, or was this an error in technique?

E

 

[Bulldawg]

Hi all,

Not sure if you get Body Shop in the USA, or if its just parts of Europe and South Africa...

I bought a horrendously expensive shaving cream called "Maca Root Shave Cream". I also bought, from another place, the only shaving soap they had (and I could find anywhere), Col. Conk.

My word, what a difference between the two. My shave was actually in a different league with Col. Conk. Smooth. But with the Body Shop stuff I thought my razor had gone blunt.

Is this as it should be? Does the quality of the shaving soap/creme really make such a difference, or was this an error in technique?

E

We have Body Shop Products in the US.. I guess it's all relative but for me the price is not too high and it's not too low..it's about at a midpoint for shaving creams. As for lathering did you use a brush and add a little water to the mix? I find Body Shop Maca Root to be one of the easiest creams to lather. Perhaps you could provide a little info on how you lathered it. Glad the Col Conk worked out for you though

 

[DaveAri]

Hi all,

Not sure if you get Body Shop in the USA, or if its just parts of Europe and South Africa...

I bought a horrendously expensive shaving cream called "Maca Root Shave Cream". I also bought, from another place, the only shaving soap they had (and I could find anywhere), Col. Conk.

My word, what a difference between the two. My shave was actually in a different league with Col. Conk. Smooth. But with the Body Shop stuff I thought my razor had gone blunt.

Is this as it should be? Does the quality of the shaving soap/creme really make such a difference, or was this an error in technique?

E

Are they in the USA, just about every mall or shopping area. They’re everywhere. I only tried sample of the Maca Root, fount it to be okay. However their discontinued old cream was one of my best performers. They were on clearance for about $7 USD and I picked up a bunch. Gave most of them away at PIF, but have about two left they I will use in my rotation.

 

[Drubbing]

My experience with Body shop stuff is universally poor.

Mid shelf prices for poor products IME; I find their scrubs very gritty and irritating, the moisturisers heavy and claggy, and the only one's I've ever used that have flared up my skin.

For that reason, I've never gone near their shave products since I started DE shaving. It's no surprise to me that Conk was better. But maybe soaps suit you better anyway?

Quality of cream of soap does make a difference. But it's not necessarily related to price.

 

[Evyn]

The maca root lathered well, very well in fact, but just didn't seem to work.

In SA Body Shop is pretty expensive stuff - the maca root was, I guess, about $13 (which is a lot of Rands!)

 

[Evyn]

My experience with Body shop stuff is universally poor.

I usually don't get stuff from them, but I did get a brush from them that is quite decent and was affordable.

 

[guitarslinger]

hmm,

The TBS creams are generally regarded as supurb performers at the mid-price level.

Is your water particularly soft?

BTW, I've been using the same TBS synthetic brush for about 2 years. I still like it more than the uberexpensive badger brushes I've owned.

 

[Evyn]

hmm,

The TBS creams are generally regarded as supurb performers at the mid-price level.

Is your water particularly soft?

BTW, I've been using the same TBS synthetic brush for about 2 years. I still like it more than the uberexpensive badger brushes I've owned.

Yes, quite soft.

I'm happy with the brush, and it was only R100, as opposed to R1500 for a badger brush.

 

[cvac]

With respect to TBS cream, there is either something wrong with your water (too soft or too hard) or technique as that cream should work quite fine. My guess is you didn't get the cream to water ratio right, or your blade angle with the razor was off.

 

[skiddyrow]

I use the Maca Root Shave cream in my rotation, and while it's not in the same league as the Trumpers, which is my go to cream, I still get very good results with it. A lot of members also dislike the scent, but I love it!

 

[Evyn]

I use the Maca Root Shave cream in my rotation, and while it's not in the same league as the Trumpers, which is my go to cream, I still get very good results with it. A lot of members also dislike the scent, but I love it!

The scent was fine. It just seemed to be to produce poorer results. I was surprised because I did not think that the soap would play that big a role.

 

[FLTiger]

I cut my brush and bowl lathering teeth on TBS shaving cream. It isn't the greatest shaving cream out there, but it is very good. YMMV.

 

[cymric]

Is this as it should be? Does the quality of the shaving soap/creme really make such a difference, or was this an error in technique?

That doesn't sound like TBS and CC to me. There are some differences, but not to the extent you're describing. You didn't, I trust, use undiluted cream on your face like some moronic newspaper journalist did some time ago?

Hazarding a guess: when I experience the feeling of a blunt blade when I know it isn't, the lather is usually too concentrated. Creams and soaps take different amounts of water. TBS takes a fair amount, in my experience: I add water until the lather is still thick and firm with a food bit of glide, but lacks the feeling of a fatty facial cream you can't seem to rub off.

 

[Evyn]

That doesn't sound like TBS and CC to me. There are some differences, but not to the extent you're describing. You didn't, I trust, use undiluted cream on your face like some moronic newspaper journalist did some time ago?

Hazarding a guess: when I experience the feeling of a blunt blade when I know it isn't, the lather is usually too concentrated. Creams and soaps take different amounts of water. TBS takes a fair amount, in my experience: I add water until the lather is still thick and firm with a food bit of glide, but lacks the feeling of a fatty facial cream you can't seem to rub off.

I did dilute it, but as you suggest, perhaps not enough.

 

[andrew98]

Body Shop is in a lot of countries, although it's a British company. It is my understanding that their shaving cream is made by the same folks that make TOBS creams, Trumpers creams, Harris creams, the Real Shaving Company creams... pretty much all the UK creams, except for Castle Forbes.

I primarily use soaps. Body Shop Macca Root is the only cream I use. It has a wonderful, unique fragrance and great performance. I like it.

-Andy

 

[Evyn]

TBS stuff needed about twice as much water as soap. Now it works just fine.

 

[strat1117]

I find The Body Shop Macca Root to be an excellent performer. In the US, it's also not horrendously expensive. Personally, I'm not a fan of the clear glycerin soaps a la Conks; I prefer the hard, milled soaps every time. I find it hard to accept that you wouldn't get a better shave with the Macca Root SC once you got your ratios right. To me, a good SC (and TBS Macca Root is that), is second only to a truly top quality hard soap.

Enjoy!!

 

[Evyn]

Now that I have the ratio right, I agree that it performs very well. I prefer the Conks though.

It's actually quite difficult to get hold of anything but canned foam in SA, sadly. So I have to take what I get.