Caswell-Massey

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by Gillette_Man, Jan 29, 2009.

  1. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    I placed an order for some of this soap prior to reading reviews of it at another shaving forum -- big mistake. This is not only the worst shaving soap I have ever used, but also the worst shaving product period. If I were given a choice between this soap and canned foam, I would take the foam without hesitation -- and most likely get a better shave. This stuff performs so poorly that it makes my humble $1.50/puck VDH look like Penhaligon's.

    When I loaded the brush and began face-lathering, everything looked like it should, and I had a nice, reasonably thick coating of slick-looking lather covering my face. But, by the time I shaved the right side of my face, the rest of the lather had almost completely dissipated! So, I started "lathering on the go" by brushing this cotton candy of a soap on each section of my face prior to making a pass. I have never, EVER changed products in mid shave, but I did it today. I'm sorry I can't write a more objective review, but this soap is horrible beyond belief. Thank goodness they offer a 60-day return policy, although I only needed about 60 seconds to realize that I was going to utilize it.

    When I get my refund, I think I'm going to buy 25 pucks of VDH with it.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. superbleu

    superbleu Active Member

    .

    Thanks for the heads-up with such an honest review of this soap, I'll know to steer clear.
     
  3. rodd

    rodd Knotty Boy

    Thanks for the heads up. I thought about trying it. At least you got a nice bowl out of it. I wonder if it would fit some AOS or Harris or something...
     
  4. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    The bowls are indeed nice, but I'm not keeping them. This is all going back.


    EDIT: To answer your query, although slightly more shallow, the AOS puck does fit into the bowl nicely.
     
  5. Shep

    Shep The Shep Abides

    I can't see the box well enough. What is the flavor? I think we discussed this before. I used the Sandalwood to some degree of success last year. Not my favorite by any means, but also not the stinker you describe. I gave it to my son...I should go look for it and test shave it again to be sure.
     
  6. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    I just pulled that picture from their website, but the flavor I used was Almond. Do you think that the Sandalwood would perform differently?
     
  7. JimR

    JimR Active Member

    You know, Van Der Hagen Deluxe is pretty great stuff...I need to pick up a couple more pucks.
     
  8. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    :happy088
     
  9. freddy88

    freddy88 Member

    Caswell-Massey just fair.

    I used C-M soap for a couple of years (mostly almond) with reasonable success. However, (1) my beard is not heavy and (2) I hadn't tried anything else besides a couple of pastes/creams which I really didn't care for. I have since used Tabac (very nice) and l'Occitane (fantastic). I also have a few more I plan to try. The one thing C-M does have going for it is its smell. It is fragrant and lasts through the whole puck. However, after using the two mentioned above, particularly the l'Occitane, I would suggest looking at something other than Caswell-Massey. The choices out there are almost endless so why go with a fair product when you can get a great one.
     
  10. Shep

    Shep The Shep Abides

    Not sure. I'm going to shave the sandalwood tomorrow and check my facts. Will update thread.

    This about sums it up except you've got it backwards. Tabac is #1 and L'Occitane #2! ;)
     
  11. Larry T

    Larry T Member

    I have the Sandalwood cream, not the soap, but my experience was about the same. I love the scent, but it won't lather at all. I add a squirt of KMF unscented shave cream to the C-M every time I use it. Seems like a waste, but the C-M was a gift from my daughter, and I WILL find a way to use it up. :D

    Larry
     
  12. rick

    rick I'll make ya SCream!

    Its the ONLY thing going for it.
    Got a beautiful bowl and puck of this from my MIL last BD and I will say that its not the WORST soap I ve ever tried but its pretty close.
    A squirt of KMF unscented cream and a brush loaded with the CS soap will give you a great shave tho :D


    oops...........shoulda read Larrys post 1st. YEAH. What he said :o^^^
     
  13. Bronco

    Bronco Mac Daddy

    I told ya the bowl was nice! :D
    I did a post about this very cream last year and I had the same results as you. I couldn't even bring myself to write a review.
     
  14. bravefish

    bravefish Member

    The one thing worst than this soap is the cream. Takes forever to lather and when it finally does it wasn't worth the effort. It has no cushion and it's not very slick, and worst of all... it burns! But it does smell good.
     
  15. Shep

    Shep The Shep Abides

    Everybody seems to agree it smells good. Somebody go home tonight and jam a wick into a puck and light it up. Maybe they can be used that way instead. :D
     
  16. freddy88

    freddy88 Member

    This about sums it up except you've got it backwards. Tabac is #1 and L'Occitane #2! ;)[/QUOTE]

    Shep, obviously something like shaving soap is a personal preference and I do like both. However, in the case of Tabac vs. l'Occitane, it wasn't the fragrance I was referring to (l'Occitane has almost none). For some reason I just find it easier to lather up the l'Occitane, and get a thicker lather, than I can with Tabac. (Though, Tabac is a million times better in that department than Caswell-Massey.) I'm not sure why since I'm using the same brush. In any event, it really depends on the mood I'm in and the fragrance I want when I start my shave routine in the morning. I've yet to try my other soaps, Pré de Provence, Crabtree & Evelyn Sienna, Roger & Gallet l'Homme (I used to really like the EdT), and samples of the Shave Den's Tropical Verbena, and Vetiver. If you've used any of these, any suggestions as to which of them I should try next? :D
     
  17. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    :happy102
     
  18. Gillette_Man

    Gillette_Man New Member

    Ummm.....not the worst? Do I even want to know what the worst is?

    :scared003
     
  19. rick

    rick I'll make ya SCream!

    nope......ya dont.
    Its reallllly bad.

    no lather.........no scent
     
  20. Grick

    Grick Active Member

    Aren't their creams non lathering?
     

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