Those English creams, worth the money?

God

Regular Member
I'm talking about brands like Taylor, Cyril R Salter, D R Harris, Geo F Trumper and castle Forbes.

I'm using omega, Nivea, godrej now. Basically it just gets the job done. Performance is decent. Scent is faint.

Do the English creams have stronger scent, more slickness and better post shave feeling?
 

vita

Mach 5 Turbo Fusion
They're probably a little bit nicer than what you're using now, but I wouldn't get excited about a mainstream cream from the UK particularly.
 

Dr Watson

James
Performance is average to good amongst all the British creams, there are no real bad ones... Trumper and T&H have maybe slightly superior performance and require a little less product but apart from that it's all down to scents.

T&H smell like a department store perfume counter (1805=Issey, Apsley=TdH, Freshman=GIT etc.)

Trumpers are more classic Edwardian English scent... Rose, lime, sandalwood... Perhaps a little too "stiff upper lip" for some but high quality and genuine.

D.R. Harris although they are an old company have only been selling mens shaving products for a couple of decades, some scents are copycats like Windsor=TdH and some are original... Usually popular with the more mature gentlemen but personally I find them all very dull.

Taylors are a budget brand and a definite step down in perfume quality compared to the above, these are working mans products... That doesnt make them bad just expect relatively synthetic scents and it's quite common for their creams to cause some skin irritation.

Cyril Salter, another budget option... This one is not a "classic" company but they dont claim to be so that's fine. Especially good slickness from these creams but the scents for me are the worst, cheap, nasty, offensive trash... The Americans love them :rolleyes:

Castle Forbes I am yet to use, by all accounts it is very good stuff but the "brand image" does not interest me.
 
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D

Deleted member 1881

Guest
For me having tried all of them, two are my favourites. I'm talking only performance based.

The Body Shop Maca Root
Saint James Of London

The slickness is really good. The post shave excellent. The others are mediocre at best. For me of course.
 
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God

Regular Member
Performance is average to good amongst all the British creams, there are no real bad ones... Trumper and T&H have maybe slightly superior performance and require a little less product but apart from that it's all down to scents.

T&H smell like a department store perfume counter (1805=Issey, Apsley=TdH, Freshman=GIT etc.)

Trumpers are more classic Edwardian English scent... Rose, lime, sandalwood... Perhaps a little to "stiff upper lip" for some but high quality and genuine.

D.R. Harris although they are an old company have only been selling mens shaving products for a couple of decades, some scents are copycats like Windsor=TdH and some are original... Usually popular with the more mature gentlemen but personally I find them all very dull.

Taylors are a budget brand and a definite step down in perfume quality compared to the above, these are working mans products... That doesnt make them bad just expect relatively synthetic scents and it's quite common for their creams to cause some skin irritation.

Cyril Salter, another budget option... This one is not a "classic" company but they dont claim to be so that's fine. Especially good slickness from these creams but the scents for me are the worst, cheap, nasty, offensive trash... The Americans love them :rolleyes:

Castle Forbes I am yet to use, by all accounts it is very good stuff but the "brand image" does not interest me.
Wow, nice informative post. My skin is a little sensitive to creams. GFT seems like a nice option. I love classics. :D:D
 

Nishy

Forum GOD!
Staff member
Very similar performance, better fragrances. If you want to concentrate on performance the ones to go for are (IMO):
Trumpers- coconut
TOBS- Avocado
TOBS- Almond

cushion is pretty much level throughout, slickness is the main variable again IMO. TOBS Lemon & lime alongside lavender have the least slickness.
 

Rufusdog

Forum GOD!
I’ve used TOBS, Trumper and Body Shop Maca Root for years and they are excellent. My favourites are : TOBS Rose, Lavender and Avocado; Trumper GFT; Body Shop make only Maca Root. I have good shaves with C&E Limes. T&H and Harris I haven’t tried. I recently tried CF Limes and was hugely disappointed: it’s difficult to lather and the lather I’ve made has been thin and lacking slicknes; moreover, it’s horribly expensive. Fendrihan now offers a house cream, which is made in England and is very good.
 
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R181

Grumpy old man
I have only used TOBS Eaton College, CF Lavender, Body Shop Maca Root, Erasmic and Ingrams. All lathered well and did the job allowing me a smooth comfortable shave. If I had to pick one it would be Maca Root based on price and performance.

Bob
 

God

Regular Member
The stock answer would be one of each.:D But I have to agree with Bob that in terms of price, quality and performance Body Shop Maca Root can’t be beat. Some people say the scent is a little peculiar, but I don’t find it so.
If I'm not wrong that body shop cream, if bought locally, costs a lot more than even those artisan soaps.
 

Nishy

Forum GOD!
Staff member
The other thing to consider is that the base may be similar across brands, most creams for those mentioned above being produced by Creightons. Brand and scent profile making up the rest of the price.
 

vita

Mach 5 Turbo Fusion
If this is going to be costly to obtain in your country I'd advise not wasting your time on ANY creams from the UK, they are all just mass-made cosmetics from big brands and nothing spectacular, there will certainly be something as good produced locally to you.

If you want to treat yourself then start looking at soaps is my advice... There's some actual difference there.
 

R181

Grumpy old man
If I'm not wrong that body shop cream, if bought locally, costs a lot more than even those artisan soaps.
Over here The Body Shop constantly runs sales so you virtually never pay full price. Right now their Maca Root & Aloe shave cream 200 ml is on for $11.70 CAD instead of $18.00 CAD. At the other end of the scale Castle Forbes would cost me $60.00 CAD for 200 ml. At the lower end of the scale Ingram's would be $6.75 for 100 ml and Erasmic $7.85 CAD for 75 ml. All from online.

I think the Maca Root & Aloe is a new version of their shave cream as previously it was simply called Maca Root. The old version is closing out at $3.00 CAD for 125 ml. online.

Bob
 
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