Have you ever just wanted to like something

[ProphetNoir]

I am thinking that I have to come face to face with the fact that no matter how I try, I cannot get as good a shave with Castle Forbes as I want to. I love the scent and I love the idea that it is among the very best creams out there, but it just doesn't perform anywhere near as well as my go to Nancy Boy cream. My aftercare becomes a preemptive strike against irritation. It does not create a lather as rich nor as cushioning as NB. It doesn't leave me with that extra heavy cream that I can squeeze out of my brush for the fourth pass. I am crestfallen to say the least, because I have been singing the praises of this stuff since I got my one and only tub of it a year ago. It could be me ... that's what I have been telling myself. I don't think so anymore. I think it is only partly me.
Oh well, I still have Nancy Boy and I have faith that soon NB will also produce a superior lavender scented cream. When they do I will buy it. I may use the Castle Forbes again, but only for a two pass shave from here on out. That will get me a passable DFS, although probably still not as good as a 2-pass DFS with NB cream. I won't ever attempt a 4-pass BBS shave with CF again though. It's just not worth the effort.
Damn shame 'cause I really want to love this stuff.
Any products do this to you?

 

[The Mick]

I wanted to like Tool they intrigue me but every time I try to listen to an album I just can't get through it all the way before I get distracted.

 

[luvmysuper]

I am thinking that I have to come face to face with the fact that no matter how I try, I cannot get as good a shave with Castle Forbes as I want to. I love the scent and I love the idea that it is among the very best creams out there, but it just doesn't perform anywhere near as well as my go to Nancy Boy cream. My aftercare becomes a preemptive strike against irritation. It does not create a lather as rich nor as cushioning as NB. It doesn't leave me with that extra heavy cream that I can squeeze out of my brush for the fourth pass. I am crestfallen to say the least, because I have been singing the praises of this stuff since I got my one and only tub of it a year ago. It could be me ... that's what I have been telling myself. I don't think so anymore. I think it is only partly me.
Oh well, I still have Nancy Boy and I have faith that soon NB will also produce a superior lavender scented cream. When they do I will buy it. I may use the Castle Forbes again, but only for a two pass shave from here on out. That will get me a passable DFS, although probably still not as good as a 2-pass DFS with NB cream. I won't ever attempt a 4-pass BBS shave with CF again though. It's just not worth the effort.
Damn shame 'cause I really want to love this stuff.
Any products do this to you?

If it's the smell you like, get some regular Godrej shaving cream in a tube, and squeeze a dop in with your fav. The Godrej regular is pretty much scentless, and makes an incredible lather.

 

[htownmmm]

there once was a tub of SCS Chocolate Mint shave cream that smelled great (think peppermint patty)when taking the cap off but once it was on my face absolutely reeked.

This was not the fault of Saint Sue-it was just the reaction to my body chemistry. I gave it to a co-worker who absolutely loved it.

I also had a tub of Vetiver shaving cream that I thought would b great; however, it too reeked once open. I guess there are some scents better left unsmelled.(but shaved great-once.) it's too hard to shave while crying and being unable to breathe @ the same time.

marty

 

[ProphetNoir]

there once was a tub of SCS Chocolate Mint shave cream that smelled great (think peppermint patty)when taking the cap off but once it was on my face absolutely reeked.

This was not the fault of Saint Sue-it was just the reaction to my body chemistry. I gave it to a co-worker who absolutely loved it.

I also had a tub of Vetiver shaving cream that I thought would b great; however, it too reeked once open. I guess there are some scents better left unsmelled.(but shaved great-once.) it's too hard to shave while crying and being unable to breathe @ the same time.

marty

The very first cream I ever bought a full tub of was Barq's Cutting Up. It was supposed to be scentless but to my nose it stank a little. Great lather and great shaves. I actually finished the tub as I was just learning at that point and the results were really good. I credit it for being a very good product and doing as advertised as far as protection and moisturizing properties. I wouldn't buy it again, but I might recommend it to a new shaver with sensitive skin issues ... with a disclaimer regarding the (non)scent.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Man...that sucks. But truthfully, makes me happy I didn't purchase a tub LOL!

 

[tsmba]

Sounds as though NB is the one for you! I've had the same experience with a couple high-end creams....they didn't live up to my expectation.

 

[SilentTuba]

I wanted to like Tool they intrigue me but every time I try to listen to an album I just can't get through it all the way before I get distracted.

Listen to Lateralus. Find some time when you have nothing to do, put some headphones on, and just listen. It is a spectacular album. Complex, and intelligently constructed, but still musical and very accessible. The song Lateralus is a personal favorite, based on the Fibonacci series. Do yourself the favor of giving it a fair shake.

I apologize for the Off-Topic intrusion, and now return you to your regularly scheduled shave-talk.

 

[lurker]

listen to lateralus. Find some time when you have nothing to do, put some headphones on, and just listen. It is a spectacular album. Complex, and intelligently constructed, but still musical and very accessible. The song lateralus is a personal favorite, based on the fibonacci series. Do yourself the favor of giving it a fair shake.

I apologize for the off-topic intrusion, and now return you to your regularly scheduled shave-talk.

+1

 

[Drubbing]

Listen to Lateralus. Find some time when you have nothing to do, put some headphones on, and just listen. It is a spectacular album. Complex, and intelligently constructed, but still musical and very accessible. The song Lateralus is a personal favorite, based on the Fibonacci series. Do yourself the favor of giving it a fair shake.

I apologize for the Off-Topic intrusion, and now return you to your regularly scheduled shave-talk.

Another sorry for the OT, but I find Tool's 10,000 Days far more accessible. Headphones are a necessity. Preferably Grado's.

On topic, it sucks when you really want to like something and don't. But often we jsut invest too much in it before we get there.

 

[DanOK]

Yes, this all sounds to much like my first wife. Huge investment, zero returned.

 

[Alacrity59]

I really wanted to like Jack Daniels but I found it too smoky. Been a few years so I may try it again sometime soon.

 

[Drubbing]

I really wanted to like Jack Daniels but I found it too smoky. Been a few years so I may try it again sometime soon.

Too smoky? Makers Mark should fix that. Cooler bottle too.

 

[ProphetNoir]

Well never let it be said that I am a quitter - OK never say "never", but in this case I couldn't leave the Castle Forbes Lavender sitting there while I grabbed everything around it. I decided to give it another whirl today and I really think I have it figured out because I got a really good shave and even had a fourth pass ATG.
It seems that Castle Forbes is a really thirsty cream. I was always able to build a pretty rich lather with it, but it would go dry by the third pass. Even though I was able to squeeze some thick, rich stuff out of my brush it wasn't nearly as wet as what I got out of Nancy Boy or AOS soap. Today I did what should have been obvious, I wet the brush tips as I lathered my face for the third pass. Boom went the Dynamite! It was like stompng on a tube of cream, the way that lather suddenly started pouring from my brush. I had no intentions of doing a fourth pass, much less going ATG, but you know how it gets when you feel in the Zone. I wound up with a DFS+. The final test was the alum block. Just a great tingling all over my face, no burning. I had been afraid that my skin might be reacting to Castle Forbes on some chemical level and this was the risk I was taking today. If I break out now, I will only know for sure that it is not caused by my technique. I am feeling very good about the additional water. I don't think I can add more at the beginning because I do build a well hydrated lather to start with. More likely the cause is my brush scuttle. It doesn't affect my other lathers quite this drastically, only CF so far. I will take this lesson to all of the creams and soaps that give me similar problems in the future and remember to wet the brush tips to recharge what remains in the brush if it seems to be getting even a little dry.
Castle Forbes Lavender is back in the rotation!

 

[theinternot]

I wanted to like Tool they intrigue me but every time I try to listen to an album I just can't get through it all the way before I get distracted.

Funny, Tool is one of my all time favorite bands.. I can listen to every album back to back, over and over again. I like to mix it up with some A Perfect Circle!

 

[theinternot]

Yes, this all sounds to much like my first wife. Huge investment, zero returned.

LOL!

 

[thunderball]

Well never let it be said that I am a quitter - OK never say "never", but in this case I couldn't leave the Castle Forbes Lavender sitting there while I grabbed everything around it. I decided to give it another whirl today and I really think I have it figured out because I got a really good shave and even had a fourth pass ATG.
It seems that Castle Forbes is a really thirsty cream. I was always able to build a pretty rich lather with it, but it would go dry by the third pass. Even though I was able to squeeze some thick, rich stuff out of my brush it wasn't nearly as wet as what I got out of Nancy Boy or AOS soap. Today I did what should have been obvious, I wet the brush tips as I lathered my face for the third pass. Boom went the Dynamite! It was like stompng on a tube of cream, the way that lather suddenly started pouring from my brush. I had no intentions of doing a fourth pass, much less going ATG, but you know how it gets when you feel in the Zone. I wound up with a DFS+. The final test was the alum block. Just a great tingling all over my face, no burning. I had been afraid that my skin might be reacting to Castle Forbes on some chemical level and this was the risk I was taking today. If I break out now, I will only know for sure that it is not caused by my technique. I am feeling very good about the additional water. I don't think I can add more at the beginning because I do build a well hydrated lather to start with. More likely the cause is my brush scuttle. It doesn't affect my other lathers quite this drastically, only CF so far. I will take this lesson to all of the creams and soaps that give me similar problems in the future and remember to wet the brush tips to recharge what remains in the brush if it seems to be getting even a little dry.
Castle Forbes Lavender is back in the rotation!

I love happy endings! (brushes tear from cheek).

 

[ChrisG]

P.160 for me.