So I've been wet shaving now for a couple years. I've used a good number of the soaps and have my favorites. But I've never used a cream and not sure where to start. Part two is that I'd like to find something that my wife might be able to use as well. and that means hand lathering. Also, neither of us are BIG fragrance people, so a light fragrance would be preferable. I'd sure appreciate any advice and direction, thank you!
Shave Cream dilemma
- Thread starter dvandruff31
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Some women really like Cremo, its a brushless. Im not sure of their scent options For a brush, Nivea sensitive is fantastic. The scent dissipates quickly and lathers like a champ.
Proraso in a tube can be hand lathered. Choice of 4 scents.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Most creams can be used with or without a brush. Shavedash and Maggards are a good choice for samples.
If she likes rose, Truefitt and Hill, Cyril Salter, Trumper’s, D. R. Harris, Simpsons Vanilla Rose (very little vanilla, yay, very strongly scented and very nice).
All of the D. R. Harris creams perform really well and are not strongly scented. Try Arlington (sweet citrus), Almond, Rose (it is tinted pink), or Twenty Nine (rose gardenia). Their sandalwood is a sweet sandalwood so she may like it. Samples from Maggards.
Castle Forbes lime - classic summer unsweet citrus
Taylor of Old Bond Street Grapefruit and TOBS Avocado. I’ve never tried the grapefruit, the avocado to me is a light cologne scent. Both of these have a lot of fans.
XPEC unscented. Hard to go wrong here. Connaught has the best price lately, but check Gifts and Care too. If other creams are too stout for you, cut them with unscented XPEC, or unscented Simpsons.
Acqua di Parma, latest yellow tub version, classic colonia scent, top notch performance, top notch price! $$$, but everyone should try it IMO. Lots of imitators (some really quite good), but none are the same as the original.
Art of Shaving - great English-made creams, but a lot of the classic light scents have been discontinued, Ocean Kelp, Lemon, Rose Absolut.... Lavender would be a good unisex choice.
Atkinson’s for Gentlemen, this is just a lavender cream with a little menthol but one of the best, it’s the same cream as I Coloniali Rhubarb with a different scent.
Treats for you, Floris 89, James Bond’s scent, and Dior Eau Sauvage, a colonia type scent with a little funk of musk or vetiver. If you can find it, the discontinued I Coloniali Rhubarb cream is superb (light menthol), incense and Frankincense.
If she likes rose, Truefitt and Hill, Cyril Salter, Trumper’s, D. R. Harris, Simpsons Vanilla Rose (very little vanilla, yay, very strongly scented and very nice).
All of the D. R. Harris creams perform really well and are not strongly scented. Try Arlington (sweet citrus), Almond, Rose (it is tinted pink), or Twenty Nine (rose gardenia). Their sandalwood is a sweet sandalwood so she may like it. Samples from Maggards.
Castle Forbes lime - classic summer unsweet citrus
Taylor of Old Bond Street Grapefruit and TOBS Avocado. I’ve never tried the grapefruit, the avocado to me is a light cologne scent. Both of these have a lot of fans.
XPEC unscented. Hard to go wrong here. Connaught has the best price lately, but check Gifts and Care too. If other creams are too stout for you, cut them with unscented XPEC, or unscented Simpsons.
Acqua di Parma, latest yellow tub version, classic colonia scent, top notch performance, top notch price! $$$, but everyone should try it IMO. Lots of imitators (some really quite good), but none are the same as the original.
Art of Shaving - great English-made creams, but a lot of the classic light scents have been discontinued, Ocean Kelp, Lemon, Rose Absolut.... Lavender would be a good unisex choice.
Atkinson’s for Gentlemen, this is just a lavender cream with a little menthol but one of the best, it’s the same cream as I Coloniali Rhubarb with a different scent.
Treats for you, Floris 89, James Bond’s scent, and Dior Eau Sauvage, a colonia type scent with a little funk of musk or vetiver. If you can find it, the discontinued I Coloniali Rhubarb cream is superb (light menthol), incense and Frankincense.
The white label Proraso cream with aloe vera smells faintly musty, but that's about it. I like it palm-lathered with a smaller Simpson Berkeley in pure badger. My wife likes to whip up a bunch of it in a large bowl with a pro-sized Omega 48 boar.
I would suggest Palmolive Classic. Very good cream and inexpensive with a very mild pleasant scent. If you don’t get along with it, you may want to stick with hard soap.
Fantastic suggestions/post.
(Just for clarification: AoS creams currently are English-style, USA-made, but still great. Used to be made in England.)
- Thread starter
- #8
Steve56, wow, there is a ton to choose from. I have to be honest I had no idea there where this many. Now the fun begins. I may find a couple that I'm interested and let the wife pick a couple. Besides it's fun to work your way through these things, right?
- Thread starter
- #9
I've actually been checking out the White Proraso. Thanks
Creams are great. I love them but at the moment I am trying to use up some of my soaps. I have been using creams on the weekends. I love bowl lathering creams.
You could give her a synthetic brush such as this one below. Very soft and holds plenty of lather. Kiss My Face brand shaving cream is available in a large pump bottle and is reasonably priced.
- Thread starter
- #12
Atlantic59, I love that brush. It's actually sitting in my rack right now. LOL Thank you for the advice!
- Thread starter
- #13
AJKEL64, it seams like creams could be easy to over do in terms of amount used. Is there a rule of thumb for the amount? Can't wait to give these a try!
Ach Brito Lavanda is a very nice lavender cream, if that is to your tolerances.
My favorite cream is Hemingway Accoutrements but that is a very complex and decently strong scent so likely not a fit for you.
My favorite cream is Hemingway Accoutrements but that is a very complex and decently strong scent so likely not a fit for you.
For a light scent that will quickly disappear, I would recommend Lucky Tiger.
The line between creams and soaps has become quite blurred. It used to be that creams were quite liquid and soaps were hard pucks. Now we have everything from lotions to creams to croaps to soft soaps to firm soaps to hard pucks. I find that some of the best products in my well-stocked den are soft or semi-firm artisan soaps.
If you weren't aware, Simpson discontinued the old scents and has since released a new line of products. You may be able to find remaining stock of the old stuff at some vendors for now. I agree though, the Vanilla and Rose is excellent. I'm a fan of the Peppermint and Rosemary as well. The new product, which I have not tried, is available in Bay Rum, Lime, and Sandalwood.
Now, mix a dime-sized dab of each and lather in a bowl. You'll be impressed with the dense, slick lather & the amazing quality of your shave.
Many folks face lather, rubbing on soap from a puck as you would a stick, then hand or brush lathering. Should also work well for lady's legs ...
I love the scent and ease-of-use of TOBS Coconut. But it only gives me a fair shave compared to a slick soap, and it really dries out my skin.
