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What cream feels most luxurious?

Try Connaught Shaving in the UK. They have a low cost international air shipping option.

The only shave creams I've yet smelled that has scents as nice as, if not nicer than CRS, is Captain's Choice. I should have mentioned them in my first post. CC creams are a very close second on my list. Their performance is, I think, equal to CRS. The Captain's Choice Sandalwood cream is the nicest scent I've ever smelled. Dark, rich and smouldering. All of his scents are top shelf. I've reviewed a few of his creams and still have a tub of his 45th Parallel on my shelf.

Captain's Choice Bay Rum - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-bay-rum-a-review.529955/

Captain's Choice Lime - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-lime-a-review.528255/

Captain's Choice 45th Parallel - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-45th-parallel-a-review.527755/

Captain's Choice North - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-north-a-review.525724/

My next order from Maggard, which also has a low cost international shipping option, will include a tub of his Sandalwood. I just wish Maggard carried CRS or Connaught carried Captain's Choice so I could get everything on a single order haha.

CRS also won the B&B Award for Best Shave Cream in 2014, I think. When the forum software was updated last, we lost that page.

Thank you, your post is very helpful. I have ordered a bunch of samples from Maggards. In Australia the product we find are very limited comparatively.

I really am eager to get that CRS rose... I am not sure why but even when I was a child I loved smelling roses in the middle of our grand Centennial park, here in Sydney, they use to grow the most glorious scented rose and have sinced ripped them all out. So sad.
 
Try Connaught Shaving in the UK. They have a low cost international air shipping option.

The only shave creams I've yet smelled that has scents as nice as, if not nicer than CRS, is Captain's Choice. I should have mentioned them in my first post. CC creams are a very close second on my list. Their performance is, I think, equal to CRS. The Captain's Choice Sandalwood cream is the nicest scent I've ever smelled. Dark, rich and smouldering. All of his scents are top shelf. I've reviewed a few of his creams and still have a tub of his 45th Parallel on my shelf.

Captain's Choice Bay Rum - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-bay-rum-a-review.529955/

Captain's Choice Lime - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-lime-a-review.528255/

Captain's Choice 45th Parallel - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-45th-parallel-a-review.527755/

Captain's Choice North - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-north-a-review.525724/

My next order from Maggard, which also has a low cost international shipping option, will include a tub of his Sandalwood. I just wish Maggard carried CRS or Connaught carried Captain's Choice so I could get everything on a single order haha.

CRS also won the B&B Award for Best Shave Cream in 2014, I think. When the forum software was updated last, we lost that page.

The lowest shipping option I could find from Connaught was eight pounds (nearly sixteen Canadian). So you might want to double check that, I believe Connaught's low cost shipping is gone.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
I really am eager to get that CRS rose... I am not sure why but even when I was a child I loved smelling roses in the middle of our grand Centennial park, here in Sydney, they use to grow the most glorious scented rose and have sinced ripped them all out. So sad.

I specifically wanted a nice natural rose scent. I tried Wholly Kaw Chypre Rose Concerto and Wickham 1912 English Rose. I dont like either scent. The WK is a deep, heavy and musky scent that sort of smells like a rose, sort of, in some kind of way I have a hard time comprehending lol. The performance is very good though, right at the top with my best soaps. Wickham 1912 is in a three way tie at #1 with SV and Southern Witchcrafts soaps. Their English Rose is also a musky deep scent, not quite as heavy as WK but I dont like either one.


The lowest shipping option I could find from Connaught was eight pounds (nearly sixteen Canadian). So you might want to double check that, I believe Connaught's low cost shipping is gone.

You may have a point. I didnt even think about it with my last order, and if I'm completely honest I didnt even check, but it still works out as less expensive than from most US shops, unless your order qualifies for free shipping, and being in Ontario I dont have to pay the 13% tax which I enjoy very much haha.


Surprised no one mentioned Castle Forbes.

I tried CF Lime for a few shaves. The scent was okay, very bright and a bit sharp but a true Lime I think. I found the performance lacking however. I dont think its a good match for my skin.
 
You may have a point. I didnt even think about it with my last order, and if I'm completely honest I didnt even check, but it still works out as less expensive than from most US shops, unless your order qualifies for free shipping, and being in Ontario I dont have to pay the 13% tax which I enjoy very much haha.

I'm in Ontario as well. I hear you on that HST. And yeah, shipping from the US has gotten outrageous this last while also. Oh well.
 
If luxurious lather is what you are after then in decending order:
1) Meissner Tremonia shaving paste (but beware that scents might be a little..strange)
2) T&H Apsley or Ultimate Comfort (not the others)
3) Castle Forbes (any scent, and yeap they rank a hair below the above 2 T&H)

Unbeatable price/luxury ratio: As @Esox said CRS (pick any scent, true to their descriptions) - you also can't go wrong with @Marco 's suggestion: Cella Extra bio in bowl (cologne type scent might be not of the taste for some)

From what I have sampled, DR. Harris, TOBS and GFT* rank in the ballpark of CRS and if price is taken into consideration then ..so and so.

*Spanish leather and Eucris are such divine scents that give me an itch to succumb in buying.

Honorable mention: Ach Brito Lavanda cream
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
you also can't go wrong with @Marco 's suggestion: Cella Extra bio in bowl (cologne type scent might be not of the taste for some)

Yep, Cella Extra Bio is nice stuff. I dont think it's meant to be a cream but my CRS Sandalwood is tighter than my Cella Bio. Performance is very close between them and Vitos Extra Super Coco is right there too. Its not quite as soft as Cella but its pretty soft.

Cella Bio and Vito's both smell the same to me. Like rich white cake icing, heavy on the icing sugar. Cella is considerably stronger in scent than Vitos but its the same scent to my nose. Neither lingers very long for me but its a nice scent all the same. Performance between Vitos and Cella Bio is so close it doesnt matter to me, I treat them as the same. Vito's is less expensive though and can be bought in 1000ml blocks from Connaught.

If I would be content only using a single soap and scent, I'd likely buy the 1000ml block and call it good but I like a variety of scents.
 
If luxurious lather is what you are after then in decending order:
1) Meissner Tremonia shaving paste (but beware that scents might be a little..strange)
2) T&H Apsley or Ultimate Comfort (not the others)
3) Castle Forbes (any scent, and yeap they rank a hair below the above 2 T&H)

Unbeatable price/luxury ratio: As @Esox said CRS (pick any scent, true to their descriptions) - you also can't go wrong with @Marco 's suggestion: Cella Extra bio in bowl (cologne type scent might be not of the taste for some)

From what I have sampled, DR. Harris, TOBS and GFT* rank in the ballpark of CRS and if price is taken into consideration then ..so and so.

*Spanish leather and Eucris are such divine scents that give me an itch to succumb in buying.

Honorable mention: Ach Brito Lavanda cream

Cheers!

I've used the T&H Apsley just recently, it's super strong and lots of cloves. It's not for me. It's similar to GFT's Eucris. But I do see how people can like them. The GFT's spanish leather is much more approachable.

I've found that castle forbes is available at an Australian supplier, sandalwood, lavender, 1445 and lime... is there one that you prefer?
 
I tried CF Lime for a few shaves. The scent was okay, very bright and a bit sharp but a true Lime I think. I found the performance lacking however. I dont think its a good match for my skin.

Sir, Sample Lavender or 1445 if you have the chance. Different base and consistency than Limes. Very luxurious and really nice face feel. Lime essential oil is indeed not for every skin, I also don’t like it that much anymore
 
Try Connaught Shaving in the UK. They have a low cost international air shipping option.

The only shave creams I've yet smelled that has scents as nice as, if not nicer than CRS, is Captain's Choice. I should have mentioned them in my first post. CC creams are a very close second on my list. Their performance is, I think, equal to CRS. The Captain's Choice Sandalwood cream is the nicest scent I've ever smelled. Dark, rich and smouldering. All of his scents are top shelf. I've reviewed a few of his creams and still have a tub of his 45th Parallel on my shelf.

Captain's Choice Bay Rum - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-bay-rum-a-review.529955/

Captain's Choice Lime - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-lime-a-review.528255/

Captain's Choice 45th Parallel - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-45th-parallel-a-review.527755/

Captain's Choice North - A Review - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/captains-choice-north-a-review.525724/

My next order from Maggard, which also has a low cost international shipping option, will include a tub of his Sandalwood. I just wish Maggard carried CRS or Connaught carried Captain's Choice so I could get everything on a single order haha.

CRS also won the B&B Award for Best Shave Cream in 2014, I think. When the forum software was updated last, we lost that page.
The lowest shipping option I could find from Connaught was eight pounds (nearly sixteen Canadian). So you might want to double check that, I believe Connaught's low cost shipping is gone.

Sadly, the days of Connaught's excellent shipping deals are - at least temporarily - gone. They are still an excellent source IMO, and they are not alone in raising shipping costs, but their "Deliveries" page cites "unprecedented" and "massive" increases in the costs. OTOH, their prices (and service IMO) are so good, that I recently paid the freight and ordered an expensive razor from them.
 
I've used the T&H Apsley just recently, it's super strong and lots of cloves.
Was it a sample by any chance?
I don't really detect clove, and it's not listed any of the breakdowns I've come across. I get grapefruit, pepper, woods, personally.
 
Was it a sample by any chance?
I don't really detect clove, and it's not listed any of the breakdowns I've come across. I get grapefruit, pepper, woods, personally.

Yes it was a sample of the cream, balm and cologne... Here's a link to the shave I did...

I look up the ingredients of the fragrance, perhaps it's the vertivert (vetiver) and cedar that remind me of cloves. It's also used in the Eucris GFT range and they have very very similar characteristics... This is heavy stuff and I find the scent suffocating and unpleasant... though in passing for a short period of time it's fine and when I first smelt it was also fine, sophisticated, masculine and complex. Just having it on me... whoa was not expecting to end up disliking it like I did and I was stuck with it for an entire day.
 
Cheers!

I've used the T&H Apsley just recently, it's super strong and lots of cloves.
I don't get cloves. Starts citrucy for seconds and then I have a mixture of pepper and woods with a hint of musk.

I've found that castle forbes is available at an Australian supplier, sandalwood, lavender, 1445 and lime... is there one that you prefer?
Full tab, I got Cedar and Sandalwood. Not heavy scented, it reminds me of a wharehouse full of logs or wood workshop. Be advised that it is more cedar than sandalwood.
1445 though being a favourite scent (green, complex fougere) was kind of heavily scented for my taste (nevertheless I enjoy the balm).
Lime was too strong but if you like this scent it is love at first snif (it is more of a lime pie, kind of sweet)
I have yet to try Levander.
 

Esox

I didnt know
Staff member
That looks intriguing, how do you break the block into smaller pieces?

I would think you could cut a piece off easy enough and then mold it into a tub and store the rest, it is soft enough. There are a few threads around about that I think. Jim @Chan Eil Whiskers bought the block and has done it, he might be able to explain his process.


Different base and consistency than Limes.

Thats good to know. I'm surprised they change the base in relation to scents.


Sadly, the days of Connaught's excellent shipping deals are - at least temporarily - gone. They are still an excellent source IMO, and they are not alone in raising shipping costs, but their "Deliveries" page cites "unprecedented" and "massive" increases in the costs. OTOH, their prices (and service IMO) are so good, that I recently paid the freight and ordered an expensive razor from them.

Yeah it doesnt bother me much either. The order I placed the other day, for one tub of CRS and another tub of Wickham 1912, the shipping came to $14.75CAD.

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Considering how well they pack things and the fact that its coming from the UK, and still costs what it would from Italian Barber thats only an hour away from me, its still reasonable.
 
Thats good to know. I'm surprised they change the base in relation to scents.

there’s an interview from Mr Andrew French, MD of Castle Forbes on a Canadian website. Here’s a couple of good quotes:

“Most important was a high concentration of essential oils, which a generic shaving cream base would not support. We crafted a base that would perform the way we wanted and would be capable of supporting such a high concentration of essential oils. While most companies modify their scent to match the base, we did it the other way around. For this reason, we have crafted a unique cream base for each scent to ensure that each one performs identically”

“Well, originally, we thought we would have to modify the fragrance to suit our base. We were unable to get consistency of the 1445 scent and, therefore, were unhappy with the result. With time, we mastered the ability to modify our cream base, and that allowed the chemistry to work with 1445 in its true form.”
 
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