Any way to tell if TOBS cream is fake? It arrived in my mailbox melted (not a concern, it’s Virginia in the summer), but weeks later still seems a tad soft. Smell is strong, but there are similar concerns from others who have bought from this Amazon vendor.
TOBS Sandalwood
- Thread starter forkbeard3777
- Start date
As a cream it is much softer than a soap. I would not think it’s fake based on what you are describing. I usually load the brush and then build the lather in a separate bowl. It gives me a great shave. I also enjoy the cedar wood scent. Use it well.
Cream is soft. I usually scoop it out with a spoon to use it and even in a relatively cool bathroom it’s soft. You can even scoop it out with your fingers. All creams are soft much different from “soaps”.
It’s softer than my Knightsbridge Bay Rum. WAY softer.
I don't buy from Amazon because I've gotten cream of questionable age and storage conditions. I only buy my creams directly from the manufacturers if I buy online.
You can purchase most artisan soaps directly from the manufacturer, but how do you purchase soaps like TOBS direct?
Amazon makes its money by turning over inventory very quickly. If it does not sell, they won't stock it in their warehouses. I suspect the inventory sitting on the shelves of most of the niche shaving vendors is older than that shipped by Amazon. However, some counterfeit products have passed through that supply chain.
TOBS I buy from a local shop that always has fresh products. T&H you can buy direct over the web and it ships from the US.
A lot of stuff billion ought through Amazon isn't warehoused and fulfilled by Amazon.
A lot of stuff billion ought through Amazon isn't warehoused and fulfilled by Amazon.
I didn't get any Sandalwood either from TOBS, and was utterly grossed out by the scent.
It's interesting to sniff Sandalwood essential oil though. I've yet to sniff a soap labeled as such that smells only like the oil, lots of 'em are doctored up with other scents to enhance the basic frag. Straight Sandalwood is very woody in its own woody way without much of anything else to support it.
It's interesting to sniff Sandalwood essential oil though. I've yet to sniff a soap labeled as such that smells only like the oil, lots of 'em are doctored up with other scents to enhance the basic frag. Straight Sandalwood is very woody in its own woody way without much of anything else to support it.
I get an old school barbershop smell. It transports me back to 1850. My first cream that got me absolutely hooked on wet shaving. It is an all time classic.
I just tried the Stirling Nag Champa aftershave for the first time and it reminded me a lot of TOBS Sandalwood. I had never consciously made the connection between TOBS Sandalwood and incense before, but I guess there's something to it.
The Cyril R. Salter Indian Sandalwood scent is the closest to the scent of actual Mysore sandalwood, then any other product I have used, except for the Mysore Sandal Soap from India which uses Mysore sandalwood oil and smells strictly of the actual sandalwood oil. The CRS Indian Sandalwood smells like TOBS but with a faint hint of actual Mysore sandalwood and other spices added in, definitely an improvement on TOBS sandalwood.
BTW, this soap is a perfect reference point for true, actual Mysore sandalwood oil, as it smells like the wood itself and uses the actual oil.
BTW, this soap is a perfect reference point for true, actual Mysore sandalwood oil, as it smells like the wood itself and uses the actual oil.
I agree with the scent. I have the Proraso Red aftershave balm and love the scent, I guess I was expecting the TOBS sandalwood to be close to the Red. I'm thinking of putting an order in for a tube of Proraso Red cream.
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I really like the performance and scent of TOBS Sandalwood cream. The scent is the same as their Sandalwood soap but it's much easier to lather, especially in a hard water area, such as where I live. The Geo. F. Trumper Sandalwood cream smells similar, to me, and performs slightly better. I find that Proraso Red cream has a slightly inferior scent and performance compared to both TOBS and GFT, but is much cheaper. I can happily use any of them though. I have noticed that the TOBS Sandalwood does make me sneeze occasionally when applying it near my nose.
I have thought I felt that they should name it something different. I like the scent a lot but agree, not much sandalwood. I think Geo Trumper is a better alternative that is still complex but has actual sandalwood notes in it.
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