Product Review - Traditional Shaving Creams
Taylor Of Old Bond Street for Sensitive Skin
This is the first cream that I bought when I started traditional wet shaving. This particular cream has no soap in its formulation. You will find that as far as creams go, it is on the thicker side. This is due to a more concentrated formula, so you will need a higher water to cream ratio in the workup than you would for a cream like Truefitt and Hill unscented.
An advantage for a concentrated formula is that you really are getting more for your money, because you do not need to use as much cream per shave. However, you will need to spend more time working the cream after you add the water, because it takes longer to get the right mix. If you don't spend enough time working the cream, you will assume the lather is too thick and dry, and it may not be. If you add more water prematurely, you will get a lather that is too runny. Spend at least one minute working the cream in your bowl with each water addition.
The smell of this cream is pleasant. It is unscented. However, all unscented means is that there is no fragrance added...it does not mean that it is completely odorless. I found it to be very tractable and will last many passes if necessary. If you have sensitive skin, I highly recommend giving this cream a try.
Truefitt and Hill Ultimate Comfort Shaving Cream - Unscented
This cream, like Taylor of Old Bond Street for Sensitive Skin, is also unscented. It has a soapy odor. It smells almost like Williams shaving soap. I prefer the smell of the Taylor of Old Bond Street.
Truefitt and Hill Ultimate Comfort has a significantly lower viscosity, there is more water in the formulation. So you will need a bigger dollop of cream per shave. The one advantage this cream has over the Taylor of Old Bond Street is that it doesn't take quite as long to work up. It does hold well on the skin. But if you have to do more than three passes, you may need to take a bit more cream.
Overall, this is a satisfactory product, however I preferred the Taylor of Old Bond Street brand of sensitive/unscented.
The Art of Shaving - Ocean Kelp
This product is scented, and very pleasantly I might add. This has the best odor of the three products. Ocean Kelp is not a common fragrance among shaving cream companies, which really sets this particular cream apart.
It has a consistency more similar to Taylor of Old Bond Street...in terms of concentration and viscosity. Performance is also similar. A little goes a long way, and take the time to work up the lather. I am able to smell this for a while after I finish shaving.
