Pacific Shaving Caffeinated, both the shaving cream and the after shaving cream. I find them to be excellent, and at $5 (at Target) I think they can be considered great performance budget products. I like their pre shave oil too.
Great Performaing Budget Shave Creams
- Thread starter redrako
- Start date
Indian Palmolive is a great value. If Perfumania gets Tabac back in stock, it's an outstanding value.
Does the Pacific Shaving cream have a cooling effect (eg like Proraso)? Thanks
I'm fortunate, in that one of my favorite shaving creams is also a budget cream - Proraso. Widely available to the US market for $10/tube or less, but if you shop around, use a coupon, wait for a sale, buy in bulk, etc., it can sometimes be had for as little as $4/tube. (At which point, a wise man stocks up.)
I've tried both Arko shave cream (Maximum Comfort) and Derby Shaving Cream (Lemon), and while they're definitely inexpensive - they make Proraso seem pricey - I couldn't call them "Great." I didn't find them to be terrible or anything, and I'd definitely choose either one of them over the typical canned shaving cream. Still, they're not much less expensive than the aforementioned Proraso, and overall I prefer Proraso, so I only use the Arko for a change of pace, or the Derby if I'm jonesing for some lemon scent.
As an aside, one of my favorite aftershaves (not that I use an aftershave very often) is the very affordable Pinaud Clubman. (I've noticed over the past few years, people have started calling it Clubman Pinaud. Confusing.)
I've tried both Arko shave cream (Maximum Comfort) and Derby Shaving Cream (Lemon), and while they're definitely inexpensive - they make Proraso seem pricey - I couldn't call them "Great." I didn't find them to be terrible or anything, and I'd definitely choose either one of them over the typical canned shaving cream. Still, they're not much less expensive than the aforementioned Proraso, and overall I prefer Proraso, so I only use the Arko for a change of pace, or the Derby if I'm jonesing for some lemon scent.
As an aside, one of my favorite aftershaves (not that I use an aftershave very often) is the very affordable Pinaud Clubman. (I've noticed over the past few years, people have started calling it Clubman Pinaud. Confusing.)
+1 Derby lemon is definitely not in the same class a Proraso. It works, and is about $15/1.2L vs Bulk Proraso for $40/1L. Still, I'd rather buy the Proraso.
$4 tubes of Proraso? I don't think I've ever seen it that low!
Ingram Quality Lather Shave with Menthol, might be the best budget UK cream I have tried, perfect for hot summer days...
Not in my opinion. Not the shaving cream at least. But the aftershave cream does, definitely. It's the only after shaving cream I use, only replaced by Thayer for the summer, but I still apply some when I get some irritation.
Edit: by the way, if I have to compare it with the Proraso in the green tub (the only one I have), I consider Pacific Shaving one step up in terms of quality of the lathe and post shave feeling.
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Makes me want to try the aftershave cream!
I found a store online that has Proraso (150gr tube) for $2.73. Thing is, shipping starts at around $10 per order. Still, assuming a willingness to purchase multiple tubes and maybe a couple of other items at once, it does indeed work out to under $4 for Proraso.
Alternatively, Bath & Body Works sells C.O. Bigelow shaving cream, which is either re-badged Proraso, or something uncannily close to it. Normally, $10 per tube. Very often, there's a "Buy 2, Get the 3rd one FREE!!!" offer. So that'd mean $20 for 3, or $6.67 each.
I understand that once or twice per year, B&BW will send out 40% off coupons. Combined with the above, that'd knock the price down to $4 each.
B&BW are found at many shopping malls, so shipping charges could be avoided.
This^ and and a +1 for Pacific Shave Company.
I have gotten Derby for a great price, but haven't used it yet so I can't recommend it. But Pacific Shave Company is an outstanding product, one of my favorites.
I can't comment on the Indian or Turkish creams since I haven't used them. Along with some other posters, I'm a fan of Proraso Blue. However, I would be hard pressed if choosing between it and KMF:
I 3017'ed a pump bottle of KMF Patchouli and now have a pump bottle of Lavender sitting on the counter. Getting 80 shaves from a $6 bottle is pretty cheap in my mind, especially when I used larger boars and badgers for many of those shaves. That's 25% more shaves than I had from a hard puck of Tabac. This price/performance is through the roof compared to a very similar performer, Nancy Boy.
I 3017'ed a pump bottle of KMF Patchouli and now have a pump bottle of Lavender sitting on the counter. Getting 80 shaves from a $6 bottle is pretty cheap in my mind, especially when I used larger boars and badgers for many of those shaves. That's 25% more shaves than I had from a hard puck of Tabac. This price/performance is through the roof compared to a very similar performer, Nancy Boy.
What do those smell like? I've only ever had the unscented and Pomegranate-Grapefruit (smells like red grapefruit with an added wine-like sweetness). I like my patchouli aged and dark, where it smells like mix between damp basement, old books, and coca cola. I like almost all lavenders, except for the super artificial synthetic kind that smells like cheap laundry detergent.
Man, you have great descriptive abilities. I picked the Patchouli by sniffing all the bottles at Whole Foods. Patchouli had an earthy smell, but I wouldn't like it if it had smelled damp. Not my thing. The lavender smells more natural to me than others from the soap sample pass-around. Maybe 'darker' than Mystic Waters scent "Jeff's Lavender." KMF does have a slight sweet tint to it but it blends nicely. My Whole Foods store has a great selection of KMF scents. The Bed, Bath & Beyond that has a shaving section has a few scents, as well, but not the whole gamut.
Earthy patchouli sounds good to me! I'll definitely have to try it. It is damp basement in a good way, but it difficult to describe. Dusty attic, old leather bound books, and cola is probably a better description. Lavenders almost always blend nicely. Many masculine fragrances have lavender in them. Perfumes & colognes, poetry, ciders, wine and cooking are my other main hobbies, and they all tend to involve smelling or writing about things. It just comes with practice.
Tanks for the tip on the Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I'll look to see if they have anything interesting. I've only ever seen unscented and mint in the wild.
You can get a small tube of C.O. Bigelow for $5.00, and its a fine cream, if you like menthol-eucalyptus. I like Bigelow better than the reformulated Prorasos.
BUT, I've always thought RazoRock croaps are a steal. I love Fresco, (minty-menthol) and a tub of it, or their Classic (almond) is $7.00. They offer many unusual and addictive fragrances, and quite of few of their creamy soaps are available for under $10. Amazing performers. Last a long time, too, especially if your water's soft. Clearly premium cream/soaps at a fair price.
I, too, vote for Kiss My Face. Its always in my shower (wife likes it, too!). When I'm in I hurry I just apply two squirts of KMF with my fingers and get an great shave in the shower.
BTW---put a shot of KMF on top of any RazoRock soap, and you'll have a fantastic uber lather. For pennies!
BUT, I've always thought RazoRock croaps are a steal. I love Fresco, (minty-menthol) and a tub of it, or their Classic (almond) is $7.00. They offer many unusual and addictive fragrances, and quite of few of their creamy soaps are available for under $10. Amazing performers. Last a long time, too, especially if your water's soft. Clearly premium cream/soaps at a fair price.
I, too, vote for Kiss My Face. Its always in my shower (wife likes it, too!). When I'm in I hurry I just apply two squirts of KMF with my fingers and get an great shave in the shower.
BTW---put a shot of KMF on top of any RazoRock soap, and you'll have a fantastic uber lather. For pennies!
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Check the BB&B website to see if the store near you is listed as a "Health & Beauty" store before you jump in the car:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/selfservice/FindStore
I found 12 stores within 50 miles of Philadelphia that match.
"Whole Food Market" is definitely the better catch near me with all scents of KMF shave soap, hand soap, lotion and most or all of Thayer's WH:
https://www.google.com/search?q=who...ourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#istate=lrl:mlt
Hope that helps.
I vote for Speick.
Nivea sensitive shaving cream is widely available in Australia for $3.50 in a 100 mL tube and is a great product. Awesome lather, slick and not overly scented.
I've tried a few other budget ones here including the palmolive and one called just "shave" and they're not as slick.
I've tried a few other budget ones here including the palmolive and one called just "shave" and they're not as slick.
The best budget cream is speick.-
Honorable mention belongs to Lea/Bea creams and gillette eu version.
I also like kappus but i suppose it is not produced any more...
Honorable mention belongs to Lea/Bea creams and gillette eu version.
I also like kappus but i suppose it is not produced any more...
