Shave Cream samples from Maggard’s

[Ottertail]

Back in this thread Taylor of old Bond Street Cedarwood! (First time using) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/taylor-of-old-bond-street-cedarwood-first-time-using.623538/page-2#post-11769988 I’d noted I was having shaving samples delivered to try. I’d rather spend $3 for a cream I won’t use than $20! This afternoon the samples have arrived:

B&M Lavender cream & aftershave
TOBS:
Lavender
Mr. Taylor’s
Cedarwood
Tobacco Leaf
Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood stick

Let the testing begin! At first sniff, I really like the Cedarwood, Tobacco, and Ogallala stick. The lavender I expect to change / evolve with a hot brush, but neither is much like Yardley English Lavender. Mr. Taylor’s doesn’t leave me with a strong opinion, it’s pretty mild after a snootfull of lavender

 

[Doc Dan]

I'm certainly interested in the B&M Lavender. Let me know how it turns out. I really like their other products I've tried. Not all lavender is created equal. Some just plain stinks. Some few smell really good. I knew Yardley made a women's lavender, but I didn't know they made a man's lavender.

 

[LRod]

Back in this thread Taylor of old Bond Street Cedarwood! (First time using) - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/taylor-of-old-bond-street-cedarwood-first-time-using.623538/page-2#post-11769988 I’d noted I was having shaving samples delivered to try. I’d rather spend $3 for a cream I won’t use than $20! This afternoon the samples have arrived:

B&M Lavender cream & aftershave
TOBS:
Lavender
Mr. Taylor’s
Cedarwood
Tobacco Leaf
Ogallala Bay Rum & Sandalwood stick

View attachment 1456869

Let the testing begin! At first sniff, I really like the Cedarwood, Tobacco, and Ogallala stick. The lavender I expect to change / evolve with a hot brush, but neither is much like Yardley English Lavender. Mr. Taylor’s doesn’t leave me with a strong opinion, it’s pretty mild after a snootfull of lavender

Following your results!
-Cedarwood is my #1
-My bathing soap is Yardley's and want a shaving soap like it. I guess the Barrister's won't cut it!
-I wanted to try the TOBS Mr. Taylor's but from what I see in your sniff test, it ain't great.

Let see what else you find!

 

[Ottertail]

Following your results!
-Cedarwood is my #1
-My bathing soap is Yardley's and want a shaving soap like it. I guess the Barrister's won't cut it!
-I wanted to try the TOBS Mr. Taylor's but from what I see in your sniff test, it ain't great.

Let see what else you find!

I need to find some Yardley’s to compare. It’s been so long since I used it, my initial comparison could be against faulty memory. Though normally smells transport me back to a time and place, these lavenders just reminded me of my wife’s Young Living essential oil.

Likewise my initial sniff of Mr. Taylor’s was after smelling all the rest of the creams and a lavender aftershave. It would be unfair to really render opinions at this stage. I’ll pick one to try either tonight or in the morning.

 

[TMacpherson]

Maggard‘s has been the best shop for my evolving taste in soaps, creams, or just about anything they let you sample. I don’t even look at other company websites. They have earned my 100% support in purchasing my shaving supplies. Keep up the great work Maggard’s!

 

[Ottertail]

First sample shave down: TOBS lavender. I did such a poor job with my lather that I really just shouldn’t count it. I’ve never dipped out cream to lather in a bowl before and I seriously shorted myself. Should have started over. I expect when properly lathered the shave should go just like with the TOBS Sandalwood.

As for the scent, which is the purpose of this little project, it has sort of a soap and lavender scent; not as potent as the B&M, but very much an essential oil lavender. Not really what I remember Yardley’s smelling like. I also found Yardley’s soap at Publix today so got some to try. It’s not what I remember either, or my memory is faulty. Either way, I don’t think lavender is going to make it to my usual rotation. My wife and daughters like it though, so there’s that to consider.

 

[Filudo]

The problem with these (small ) samples is that you can get 2 good lathers out of one container (maybe 3 if lucky and using a synthetic brush). If you try to get more shaves: all will be mediocre to bad (my experience).

 

[Ottertail]

The problem with these (small ) samples is that you can get 2 good lathers out of one container (maybe 3 if lucky and using a synthetic brush). If you try to get more shaves: all will be mediocre to bad (my experience).

Agreed. So I’ll do better next time. I’ll still use them all up, and I’ll finish each variety before moving on.

Any suggestions for how to strip scent out of my brush? The scents linger and confuse a new cream.

 

[Ottertail]

After that first disappointing shave, I decided to divide the sample into 3 equal portions. I’d rather be a little wasteful than have a substandard shave while evaluating these. I assume that all the TOBS creams will perform as well as the Sandalwood, though the samples may not represent the full cream?

To business. I’ve had two more shaves off this sample since I last reported on it. Both were very satisfactory with a mild Henson and the same Astra blade. Up, down, chase the sideways and random growth. Very good experience.

The scent is mild lavender. It’s… nice, inoffensive. But not what I’m after. I’ll use up that last third, waste not want not, and then on to the B&M lavender.

 

[Ottertail]

The Barrister & Mann Lavender was a completely different experience. A much thicker and luxurious lather. The scent was more complex, deeper toned, yet still the lavender was very clear. Again I divided the cream into thirds to ensure I got a good enough test. The quality of the shave was excellent, and while as I said above I won’t be buying any TOBS lavender, I could be quite happy with the B&M.

Rather than use up this cream, I decided to save it to compare later against the B&M Sandalwood.

Next up, TOBS Cedarwood. In the tub this has a distinctly more soapy fragrance, which seems in keeping with the TOBS Sandalwood I started with. The other scents were pretty muted. Again I divided the cream into thirds. With a hot bowl and brush, the scents developed nicely and I must say I like it quite a lot. The quality of the shave (6th on this Astra blade) was excellent. I foresee a tub of the Cedarwood in my next order.

 

[Ottertail]

This morning I tried TOBS Tobacco. Same bowl/brush/razor, no pic. I’d read comments about the Tobacco as being “marketed to senior citizens” and smelling like the inside of an old lady’s purse. Great googly moogly, but they were right! I once ordered an expensive tequila on the rocks. It tasted the same to me, the bottom of an old lady’s leather purse. This one’s gonna be a hard pass.

 

[Ottertail]

This morning I used a 1/4 of the TOBS Mr. Taylor’s sample. That was plenty of volume, my son had enough to practice with when I was done. At some point I’ll need to learn to be more efficient with my soaps/creams.

The Astra blade made it 7 shaves which I think was one too many. So I loaded a fresh Feather blade in my mild Henson AL13 and went after it. This blade and razor combo is just ****, while I admit to being curious about other razors I can’t imagine getting better results. I guess I’m the target customer for Henson- a very happy cartridge convert.

I had a fantastic shave overall, and while I didn’t really like the Mr. Taylor’s scent in the tub, it unfolded and became more interesting when lathered with a hot brush and bowl. This probably isn’t going to be a top 5 however.


Final sample from this batch will be the Ogallala Bay Rum w/ Sandalwood. I got this one as a travel stick, and I will try it face lathering with my brush and just by hand, which would minimize the stuff I need to take with me. This one smells edible, almost like pumpkin pie! Looking forward to it

 

[Doc Dan]

The guy at my shop says TOBS is mediocre and over priced. He says BM is at the top of the heap. I know I like their stuff. This week I ordered a couple of samples of Stirling Agar and Lemon Chill. They should be here in a day or two. Can't wait.

 

[Ottertail]

Update on the Ogallala stick. My technique needs some work I guess. Probably need to apply a lot more to my face. Lathering on my face went well. But the aftershave lit me up.

@Doc Dan some of the TOBS is a rather nice, some not so much. But it’s a consistent product. The B&M does seem better. But as a handmade “artisan” product is subject to some of the pitfalls of that small batch process.

 

[Doc Dan]

You can lather a stick in a bowl, too. You can load the brush from the stick and then use the bowl, or you can use the stick and coat the bowl. I like to load my brush best.

 

[Ottertail]

You can lather a stick in a bowl, too. You can load the brush from the stick and then use the bowl, or you can use the stick and coat the bowl. I like to load my brush best.

I’ll try that, but I don’t want to travel with a bowl. Heck I don’t want to travel with a brush! So I look at the stick as an alternative to a can of foam, which still works very well with the Henson.

 

[Doc Dan]

I’ll try that, but I don’t want to travel with a bowl. Heck I don’t want to travel with a brush! So I look at the stick as an alternative to a can of foam, which still works very well with the Henson.

You can put it in your palm and rub your hands together and then on your face to make a lather, also. Or rub it on your face and then use wet hands to lather. I've done that. Not as good as a brush but it works okay.

I wonder if one of those women's makeup brushes will work? They are small.

 

[Doc Dan]

One thing I like to do is put a few crystals of menthol in my shaving bowl and put the cream in on top. When I mix up the foam and put it on my face I have a nice, cool shave.