This is to go along with my other thread on my favorite soaps. But since we have a separate forum for creams, I figured I'd split my list up. My main reason for putting this on here is so I can keep track of what's worked well for me before. But thought maybe others could use it to find ideas for things to try. I have pretty hard water so some creams may not work as well for me because of that. They may work great in soft water. Also, I have used all of these for at least several weeks of daily shaves before they make it on the list so I'm pretty sure I know I'm getting the most from them. The ones I'd buy again (more or less in order of preference) TSD creams are great and I've had some of my best shaves with them - Iced Sub Zero is my #1 but any of the scents are worth trying. Ingram - The tube goes pretty fast but the shaves are great Palmolive Menthol - Great shaves from this cream. The menthol kick is a little more than Proraso. The only knock on this one is the scent. Maybe it's an acquired taste but after finishing a tube, I still hadn't acquired it. Just finished off another tube of this and still like it. It's a great whisker softener which really makes my shaves better. Proraso green - Always great results from this stuff. I've used more of this product than any other so I like it. Art of Shaving (sandalwood) - nice stuff but expensive Proraso red - usually only use it in the wintertime but same great results as the green with maybe even better post shave feel Dove Men+Care - Have to use a lot of this stuff compared to other creams. Not as slick or protective as Proraso red but the post shave feel is something special. When you rinse your face it feels like you've already put on a balm. Nivea Sensitive - Nice slick and protective cream. The scent is very light but not bad. Really good post shave feel that's better than most creams. The ones I won't buy again TOBS Sandalwood - Decent performer but I'm not a fan of the scent. Might try their Grapefruit in the future. It wasn't the slickest but I got good shaves as long as I stayed within its limits. Much like Salter's in that regard. Body Shop Maca Root - I used this cream in rotation and liked it but when I used it daily, I noticed my skin was drying out and got more and more sensitive each day. Probably some sort of allergy so nothing against it other than that. Crabtree & Evelyn West Indian Limes - Not terrible stuff. Definitely better than their soaps. This was just one of those creams that always seemed to leave me with a few weepers and slight irritation. Nice fresh lime scent but that could have been the cause of some of the irritation too. Cyril Salter's Sublime Citrus - I'd probably try a different scent. I love the scent, don't get me wrong but it seems to cause just a little irritation. Also the slickness isn't quite as good as my favorites so that might just keep me from buying it again. It's not bad as long as you stay within its limits though (no second swipes). Jack Black Supreme Cream - Slick stuff but not a good whisker softener and that may be why I get lots of weepers when I use this. Barbasol - Lanolin - Not a great whisker softener and I think that's why the shaves with it end up leaving me with weepers pretty often. Also a little drying for my face at least. I might be able to live with this if I had to but thankfully I don't. Truefitt and Hill Sandalwood - You can feel the glycerin in this one. It's slick but not as protective as I'd like. If I buy T&H again it'll be a different scent. Performance is almost serviceable but I seem to get irritation from it very easily, even from mild razors so probably won't buy it again.
Haven't tried the Ingram, it's on my list. TOBS Jermyn St Proraso white, green, red Palmolive Speick Castle Forbes Lime!!!!
I have yet to try a cream that I didn't like or had a problem with. (aside from canned goo). there are some I like more than others. I think I would rather try a new one than rebuy the same product
That's exactly my problem! It'll be so long before I get around to rebuying that I probably won't remember what worked best.
Like: Nancy boy Super Max ultimate Old spice Axe Denim Didn't care for: Dr Harris Bigelow Irisch Moos
Like Babon Figaro Crabtree and Evelyn Sandalwood Body Shop Maca Root Mystic Men Herbs of Bulgaria Lavender Don't Like Mem Olive Oil Duke Cannon
lol I hear that. I just got 15 soap/cream samples and 4 full ones from Maggard's today. I will have to put my shaving goods in my will. a separate insurance policy wouldn't be a bad idea jk.
I always knew Bulgaria was a country full of Herbs lol http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=herb
Have you ever tried shaving oils as a substitute for creams? I like the smell of The Art of Shaving's sandalwood and lemon - but you're right it is quite expensive. After you buy the their oil, the shaving cream and the after shave, you are out more than $60. I haven't tried the TSD creams yet, would like to try them soon.
Haven't tried oils as a substitute for creams but I do sometimes use a pre-shave oil. If you want to try mixing up your own oil that's very similar to the AOS stuff, there's a good how-to for making your own in the tutorials. I won't try to sell you on AOS stuff since you can find very good products for less. The TSD stuff I will try to sell you on though. The range of scents is great and menthol in anything you want...
TSD creams (and soaps) are very nice!! I love mine. I have TSD creams in the Old Spice Type, Iced Subzero, and the 2X Iced Havoc. The creams work great, have a great scent, and also the menthol added in is very nice!! There are a ton of other TSD scents that I want to try. As for the soaps, I use the Frankincense & Myrrh every Sunday as my Church shave soap.
Palmolive Classic - Favorite thing to put on my face when i'm shaving. It's just great for me; Nivea - Good performer, not so crazy about the scent; Nivea Sensitive - This one needs more testing for me. Good performer, like regular one, but, believe it or not, felt it stingy, and irritating, even if it's "sensitive". No problem with regular one, but did not liked the feel of this one too much. The scent is nicer than the regular, more clean. D'amaris - This one is not so widely available, but it's very popular here in Romania. Just great. Soapy, a little menthol scent. Reminds me of green Proraso. If you come across it, most probably in Europe, give it a try. I must admit that i usually disregard cremes. Spinning a brush over a soap seems more fun for me. But i always keep some creams around, especially if i have a soap that does not perform to well, i like mixing it with cream. Yesterday had a great shave by mixing Arko with Palmolive.
Updated the first post to include Palmolive Menthol. I finished off my first tube of it this weekend and got great shaves from it. It has some of the best cushion and slickness of any cream I've tried and works well in hard water. The menthol is great in this one. More than Proraso green but not too much. The post shave face feel is great from this stuff too. I couldn't really figure out the scent. Might be the standard Palmolive scent with the strong minty smell from the menthol getting in the way? Whatever it is, it's one of the worst scented creams I've ever tried but the performance makes up for it.
Mine are: Palmolive Classic Lea Still looking for a third to add to my list, this thread is giving me ideas.
Maybe too early for me to say "favorite"...but, I really like C.O. Bigelow (Prorasso) usually on sale at Bath & Body Works and is a good "workhorse" cream. I am finding that I prefer soaps to creams, but I anticipate this will stay in my lineup. And, since my shaving journey started with AOS (sandalwood), I can't imagine not going back to that from time to time.
Bigelow is good stuff. Now that you can get Proraso white in a tube, I want to try some of that. I've used the soap and liked it.
Here are some of my favourite creams, although lately I use far more soaps. 1) Noxzema Lather. Sadly this one was discontinued a few years ago but I managed to hord several tubes. They are NOT for sale or for trade. 2) Palmolive Menthol. It's so wonderful. A strong menthol kick with a lovely scent, great lather, and so skin-friendly. 3) Godrej Menthol Mist. Very strongly-mentholated, also has great lather, and good skincare. 4) Gada Cool Mint. From Lebanon, cheap, cheap, cheap, great lather with a nice scent, pleasant cooling effect, and also very soothing and moisturizing. 5) Tet-a-tet. From Russia with love. Classy, pleasant scent, lathers beautifully, slightly mentholated, and very skin-friendly. 6) Speick. Great scent, so full of rich lather and very kind to sensitive skin. 7) Williams Menthol. Wow, is it ever easy to lather, I love the scent, and it's very cooling with great post-shave care. 8) SuperMax Menthol. A Bulgarian classic which is awesome. Smells, lathers, and performs terrific. Good cooling effect. I'd better stop right now, right?
