What's new

TOBS Sandalwood

So I am here to inquire about this esteemed cream. I have seen here and all over the internet the high regard people hold to this cream, and the rest of TOBS products. I decided I had to get on board and try it for myself. I like the cream, but it really doesn't seem to be the crem de la crem that people make it out to be. I guess it's like everything else, to each his own. My only issues with the cream are that the lather looks absolutely heavenly in the mug, but doesn't seem to provide as much lubrication and moisturization as my Proraso, or the AOS unscented sample I started with. Maybe the fragrance is drying me out a little bit, it certainly feels like it. Also, the lather seems to dissipate throughout the pass, but that could be my technique. It seems to have the merengue consistency and look that everyone says to shoot for, but gradually dries out and shrivels up. Anyways, I just wanted to hear peoples' thoughts and feelings on this cream and maybe pick up a few pointers to maximize its potential.
 
Dissipating lather with TOBS? Huh? If it's drying out on your face you're not using enough water (this is true of any cream). Start with a generous almond-sized dollop and a squeezed out brush. Add water gradually until you get it right.

If you're still sure it's not your technique maybe you got a bad tub, but I think it's most likely because you haven't dialed it in yet. TOBS is slicker than Proraso in my experience.
 
+1 on the water, never had a problem getting great lather out of all my TOBs stuff.
+2
Try palm lathering instead of bowl lathering so you can feel it get slicker. Do this a few times and you should be able to dial in the water ratio. I accidentally left a new Omega Boar loaded with Tobs Sandalwood overnight and it didn't look like it had much shrinkage.
 
...TOBS is slicker than Proraso in my experience.
TOBS gives a far easier, thicker, slicker and more luxurious lather than Proraso.
Can't say I'm bothered about sandalwood scents as they seem a bit "old man". Avocado is the best over all lather, with Jermyn St a close second. I've also tried coconut & that's ok but not in the same league as the other 2 creams.
I reckon TOBS avocado gives a better shave than Truefitt & Hill 1805, which is twice the price!

I face lather TOBS creams & had to bowl lather the Proraso to get anywhere near the same results.
 
Recently got TOBS Sandalwood accidentally when I meant to order a tub of Eton College, since I've heard great stuff about that scent. The shave was great, and the lather looked and felt right, but man oh man did I not like their sandalwood scent. At least compared to Proraso Red. It smelt much more musty and "old-manish". Proraso's sandalwood has a lot less funk to it, and overall had a cleaner, more appealing scent.

My fiance actually said the TOBS sandalwood smelt like the house of an elderly lady she knew when she was younger. The lady was a chain smoker and had numerous taxidermied animals hanging around, haha. Hopefully I have better luck with Eton College.
 
Recently got TOBS Sandalwood accidentally when I meant to order a tub of Eton College, since I've heard great stuff about that scent. The shave was great, and the lather looked and felt right, but man oh man did I not like their sandalwood scent. At least compared to Proraso Red. It smelt much more musty and "old-manish". Proraso's sandalwood has a lot less funk to it, and overall had a cleaner, more appealing scent.

My fiance actually said the TOBS sandalwood smelt like the house of an elderly lady she knew when she was younger. The lady was a chain smoker and had numerous taxidermied animals hanging around, haha. Hopefully I have better luck with Eton College.


My SWMBO said something to the same effect. Needless to say I have a poraso green tub now and shes coming with when I purchase my next TOBS cream...:001_rolle
 
I got quite a few TOBS samples from Garry's and the Shaving Shop (smell) and Avocado (lather) were my faves. I didn't think the Sandalwood lathered badly, but I just wasn't a big fan of the smell. It may be that I just don't like the smell of Sandalwood as much as I thought because other Sandalwoods aren't doing it for me either.

As a newbie I'm realizing that getting the amount of water with cream right is almost as much an art as using the razor itself. Too much and I'm making a mess and not protecting my face enough; too little and it's clogging the blade and drying on my face. I find it easier using a soap and face lathering, but again I'm still new to all this.
 
TOBS along with AoS are my favorite Sandalwood scents....The performance for both is great and provide ample cushion and slickness. I've used different scents in the TOBS range and all perform very well when used with either DE or a SR.
 
Recently got TOBS Sandalwood accidentally when I meant to order a tub of Eton College...but man oh man did I not like their sandalwood scent...It smelt much more musty and "old-manish"...[And] my fiance actually said [that it] smelt like the house of an elderly lady [who]... was a chain smoker and had numerous taxidermied animals hanging around.

That's the charm of it for some of us. It would be a nice finish if TOBS would add just a touch of "eau de mothball."
 
Last edited:
That's the charm of it for some of us. It would be a nice finish if TOBS would add just a touch of "eau de mothball."

Yeah, fragrance preference varies from person to person. But as a sandalwood scent, I don't think it does well. I did notice that on the ingredients, TOBS lists a "parfum" mixture, which lists a variety of chemicals, whereas Proraso lists sandalwood oil. This leads me to believe that the TOBS cream has artificial fragrance? Eau de mothball might work for some people, but if I'm looking for that, then I'll buy "eau de mothball" scented shaving cream, I don't expect it in sandalwood. :001_tongu
 
Yeah, fragrance preference varies from person to person. But as a sandalwood scent, I don't think it does well. I did notice that on the ingredients, TOBS lists a "parfum" mixture, which lists a variety of chemicals, whereas Proraso lists sandalwood oil. This leads me to believe that the TOBS cream has artificial fragrance? Eau de mothball might work for some people, but if I'm looking for that, then I'll buy "eau de mothball" scented shaving cream, I don't expect it in sandalwood. :001_tongu

Yeah, it has been noted before that TOBS Sandalwood smells nothing like sandalwood. But when you want a manly scent that reminds you of faded cigarettes and stuffed animals, it fills the bill.
 
Dissipating lather with TOBS? Huh? If it's drying out on your face you're not using enough water (this is true of any cream). Start with a generous almond-sized dollop and a squeezed out brush. Add water gradually until you get it right.

If you're still sure it's not your technique maybe you got a bad tub, but I think it's most likely because you haven't dialed it in yet. TOBS is slicker than Proraso in my experience.

I recently got my first real brush, a parker finest badger I believe. It was a lather epiphany. I made a batch of lather with my Proraso, TOBS, and Colonel Conk just to clean it out and break it in a little bit and I did some good experimenting during that process. I thought I was getting good lather before but it paled in comparison to the stuff I was whipping up with the new brush. It just takes a little bit longer than I used to work the lather. Long story short, yes I think it was a technique problem. Thank goodness because I absolutely LOVE the way the TOBS Sandalwood smells. Any suggestions for next scent to try? I tend to steer away from the overly musky scents. I wear Either Polo 1 (in the blue bottle) which smells limey and woody or Hugo boss cologne which is a little spicier and "more manly" but still not super musky as a frame of reference. I'm thinking if I like the polo that Eton college would be a good one to try since it is described as citrusy
 
Last edited:
I got quite a few TOBS samples from Garry's and the Shaving Shop (smell) and Avocado (lather) were my faves. I didn't think the Sandalwood lathered badly, but I just wasn't a big fan of the smell. It may be that I just don't like the smell of Sandalwood as much as I thought because other Sandalwoods aren't doing it for me either.

As a newbie I'm realizing that getting the amount of water with cream right is almost as much an art as using the razor itself. Too much and I'm making a mess and not protecting my face enough; too little and it's clogging the blade and drying on my face. I find it easier using a soap and face lathering, but again I'm still new to all this.

I am also a newbie and have had a similar experience. Are those the only samples you tried? Any suggestions on scents to try?
 
I recently got my first real brush, a parker finest badger I believe. It was a lather epiphany. I made a batch of lather with my Proraso, TOBS, and Colonel Conk just to clean it out and break it in a little bit and I did some good experimenting during that process. I thought I was getting good lather before but it paled in comparison to the stuff I was whipping up with the new brush. It just takes a little bit longer than I used to work the lather. Long story short, yes I think it was a technique problem. Thank goodness because I absolutely LOVE the way the TOBS Sandalwood smells. Any suggestions for next scent to try? I tend to steer away from the overly musky scents. I wear Either Polo 1 (in the blue bottle) which smells limey and woody or Hugo boss cologne which is a little spicier and "more manly" but still not super musky as a frame of reference. I'm thinking if I like the polo that Eton college would be a good one to try since it is described as citrusy

Definitely Eton college, smells great, I like Mr Taylors too.
 
Top Bottom