How important is shaving cream SCENT?

[jakespoppy]

The "Best UNSCENTED Cream" thread started by KingofBreifne caused me to wonder, does anyone use a cream because you like the SCENT so much that you are willing to accept that some of it's other qualities are less than great compared to other creams?

It's nice when the cream rates highly all the way around (scent, slickness, richness, ease of lathering, moisturizing, efficacy, etc.), but I'm wondering if the greatness of the scent is enough in some cases that you will overlook other shortcomings?

 

[Go West Young Man]

Absolutely not, I've had to shelve some great smelling products because the shave was less than stellar.

 

[Mainecanefan]

Oh do I love the scent of Cyril Salter's Indian Sandalwood. The shave it provides is excellent as well. Unfortunately, my face is sensitive to sandalwood so I can only use it for a couple of days in a row before I have to switch to something.

 

[WastedResources]

Scent is important, but secondary to performance for me. That said, I haven't found a high quality cream that doesn't have a pleasant smell.

 

[Wingnut]

Scent is important, but secondary to performance for me. That said, I haven't found a high quality cream that doesn't have a pleasant smell.

+1, couldn't have said it any better!

 

[Deltaboy]

I go with Shave Quality over Scent everytime.

 

[tg16]

Shave quality. I've put away or PIF'd creams that did not work for me but had a good scent since its YMMV.

 

[buyandhold2018]

The performance is what matters to me, the scent is the bonus.

 

[JPDyson]

Relevant, if not slightly out of place - I just had to sell my Mama Bear's Sandalwood Vanilla stuff (soap & asb) because it irritates my skin. It was painful, because I loved the combination. But it seems hypocritical to abandon brainless cartridge shaving under the auspices of a more comfortable, enjoyable shave just to suffer through a product which smells good but burns my face.

 

[wilsonent]

A good example is L'occitane Cade cream. I never use by itself because it lathers like dookey. However it is one of my favorite smelling creams. Only time I use it is in superlather with the Cade soap.

 

[HoratioCaine]

I never liked a cream scent so much that I put up with less-than-optimal performance for the sake of it. Conversely, if I truly dislike the scent of a cream, I won't use it, no matter how good it is functionally.

 

[Vlad]

A good example is L'occitane Cade cream. I never use by itself because it lathers like dookey.

Noted.

 

[masonjarjar]

The "Best UNSCENTED Cream" thread started by KingofBreifne caused me to wonder, does anyone use a cream because you like the SCENT so much that you are willing to accept that some of it's other qualities are less than great compared to other creams?

It's nice when the cream rates highly all the way around (scent, slickness, richness, ease of lathering, moisturizing, efficacy, etc.), but I'm wondering if the greatness of the scent is enough in some cases that you will overlook other shortcomings?

I wouldn't use Proraso if it gave crappy shaves. I sampled C&E Sienna and Sandalwood creams and loved the scents, but they irritated my face, and I'm not going to put up with that. I think a good scent is a bonus to a great-performing shave cream.

 

[HoratioCaine]

A good example is L'occitane Cade cream. I never use by itself because it lathers like dookey.

Ain't that the truth? I finally got so disgusted with it, I threw it out. I like the scent, but for the money, it has to be the worst shaving cream on the planet...and that's saying something. I never thought about superlathering it with the soap, but it seems to me it could only make the soap lather worse.

 

[canoesota]

Personally I like creams that smell like soap, or have no scent at all. I want the scent to come from my aftershave or cologne!

 

[gaj90027]

I never liked a cream scent so much that I put up with less-than-optimal performance for the sake of it. Conversely, if I truly dislike the scent of a cream, I won't use it, no matter how good it is functionally.

+1 my thoughts precisely.

I'm really torn right now with a brand new tube of Trumpers GFT scent. I love the cologne but the cream has a lemon/lime undertone to it that I can't really get along with.

 

[texbilly]

Overall, I agree with you other gents: shave quality trumps scent. However, I do own one exception in Acqua Di Parma. I generally have "hearty" skin but for some reason AdP mildly irritates me. Nothing serious, but a definite post-shave tingle. And yet, I reach for it once or twice a month because it smells so dang good. There, guilty.

 

[HoratioCaine]

I generally have "hearty" skin but for some reason AdP mildly irritates me. Nothing serious, but a definite post-shave tingle. And yet, I reach for it once or twice a month because it smells so dang good. There, guilty.

Other than irritation, how does it work for you?

 

[texbilly]

Other than irritation, how does it work for you?

Wonderfully. Dense, creamy lather comes quickly and it's moderately slick and moisturizing despite its after burn. A first class cream.

 

[jazzman]

The best-performing cream for me is Proraso, but I use several others because I love the scent. C&E creams and soaps perform well enough, but the scents are so great that I use them at least a couple of times a week.