OK, I know that many people don't like reformulation. I get that, Change is bad and all that. So a lot of people don't seem to like this one as much as the old one--fair enough, I didn't try the old one so I don't know. What I DO know is that I REALLY like this cream. TBS Maca Root shave cream whips up quickly, even with my Boar brush, and the lather it makes is very thick and cushiony--it gave enough for a good three passes, again in a boar brush. It helped my Futur slide cleanly, with no burn or nicks. This was the first cream I used that really competed with my soaps, and it has earned a place in my permanent collection. The scent is very pleasant, to my nose. It has a clean, grassy scent, with just a touch of sweetness. Not the greatest scent in the world, but by and large pleasant and non-intrusive. After my shave, my skin felt clean and moist, and very comfortable. Over all, I think this is a great cream, and I will buy more when this tube runs out.
I'm reviewing The Body Shop's Maca Root shaving cream. It came to me in a sampler that was squeezed from a tube. My ratings are rather polarized, so please read on for comments. Ease of lathering I typically whip the lather until it reaches a consistency where no large bubbles are visible, and then a bit more. This took me about a minute or less. An almond size dab resulted in enough lather for 5-6 passes. Life span of lather I did four passes today, and I still had enough lather left over in my brush and bowl for another two more. It was still dense and moist looking after my shave. Moisturizing It wasn't particular moisturizing, nor was it drying. Lubrication And it didn't feel very slick, but neither did my blade skip. How protective? The lather felt dense and cushioning, and coupled with a mild razor and blade, there were no nicks or irritation. Scent Smells a little soapy in the little sample tub. On lathering, it smelt grassy as the previous review mentioned. But after the lather was made, I found it to smell sour and stale, like perspiration. I'm not impressed. Price At US$16+ for a 200ml tub, that puts it close to TOBS pricing. For me, that's not exactly a bargain, but it's still comfortable. Would you buy again? No. There are other creams that perform just as well, and smell nicer, for the same price. That's about all. If anyone is interested, the brush was a Vulfix 2233S, razor was a Gillette Slim loaded with a Super-Max Platinum blade. Thanks for reading!
I got a tub. I like it better than the old formula. And I LOVED the old formula, even though I'd first tried it just as it was being discontinued. . In the tub it's much thicker, so I tend to used less per shave. It whips up into a dense foam quickly and easily. No trouble lasting for my usual 3 passes + touch up. The later was very protective and my razor glided quite nicely. There was plenty left over for my aftershave moisture lather: I water the leftover down to a soapy water consistency, spread it on my face and let sit while I rinse out my brush, mug, razor, etc. Then I rinse it off with cold water. This cream did an excellent job not just with the shave, but also with this AS step. Moisture was bit lacking , but I found mixing in a bit of aloe gel and vit E oil helped make up in these areas quite nicely. The scent has grown on me. I initially preferred the old formula scent, which was a little lighter and sweeter, but I've come to like the woody scent of this version. The price isn't cheap, but it's nice to have a good cream available in a brick and mortar store. Being one who like variety, this certainly won't be my only cream, but it is definitely in regular rotation and I plan on using it frequently.
I have a sample of the Maca Root cream, and I tried a shave with it. I find the lather, and skincare are perfect, but the scent, just like the older formulation is not for me. The price is also too high, so I don't want to buy it. I thank the sweet salesgirl for giving me the sample, however--it was very kind of her.
I decided to revive this old review thread of The Body Shop's Maca Root Shave Cream. I'm surprised that some people don't find this moisturizing. This cream is (for me) what I compare everything else to. It makes a good reference point for American shavers because it and C.O. Bigelow are typically the first shaving creams a new wet shaver will be able to find locally. This cream has a unique scent. A clean, somewhat soapy smell with just a hint of something else. Kind of reminds me of freshly sliced tubers or roots, but sweeter. I don't find the scent to be strong or offensive in the least. It lathers remarkably well and produces a thick, slick, lasting lather. I find that the lather begins to break down after about 20-30 minutes, but I've never timed it. I found this cream to be far more moisturizing than anything else in a tub. That includes all Italian soaps I've ever tried, as well as Trumper's Limes Shaving Cream (which is representative of English shaving creams in general). The only shaving creams I've found to be close to Maca Root's moisturizing properties was TSD shave cream and my Hungarian shave creams. It will make the skin of your face softer over time, with consistent use. As far as protectiveness goes, this is the only cream I'll use with a straight razor. I really don't need to add anything to that. This cream is only sold through The Body Shop and it always sells for $16 for a tub. Is it worth it? Yes. However, The Body Shop often runs a deal where you can buy 2 get 1 free or even buy 3 get 2 free. Those deals run both online and in-store. Paraben-free, for those who care. Bottom Line: This cream offers good value for your money, has a clean, non offensive, even pleasant scent, lathers easier than just about anything else and I would recommend this to both new wet shavers and shavers with sensitive skin.
I'll join in your praise of this great cream. I can't compare it to all those that you have, but I find it to be a top tier cream of those I've tried. Some don't like the scent but I like it quite a bit. The Body Shop online will also have a deal now and again where you get 50% off selected products, including shaving cream and the few ASBs they have. If you buy enough, you'll even get free shipping. I have two tubes of the SC, a tube of Maca Root Razor Relief ASB, and a tube of Arber ASB. I love them all and my wife loves the scent of Arber more then all of my other ASBs.
I really like this cream. I find it lathers really well with a boar or badger brush (I face-lather). Easily produces enough for three passes. I've found that it's a little gluey with my gear. The blade tends to collect the cream and cut hair which doesn't easily rinse off while shaving. It's not really enough to cause a problem. I'd definitely buy again. I'm in the UK where it's GBP 8 (200ml pot) which puts it a bit cheaper than the USD price. Plus, it's in quite an attractive blue-metalic finish pot which looks good with the stickers peeled off. (I have a compulsion about peeling off sickers!)
I've never tried this cream. The store is ten minutes away from my house, but I have so many things to go through already. I did stop by the shop and pick up the Tea Tree Cleanser and the Seaweed Cleanser along with its matching moisturizer (came free.) They both do a great job at clearing my face up. Not meaning to hijack the thread, I'll get back on topic. I like grassy fresh smelling scents. Someday when I get rid of most of my stock, I'll acquire a bowl of this stuff.
The Body Shop is very good about handing out samples. Ask for a sample of the Maca Root Shaving Cream, the Maca Root Razor Relief ASB, the Arber ASB, and Kistna ASB.
Oh nice man thanks. I didn't even think to ask about samples, but I won't leave the store again without some.
I really like this cream. it gave me a very nice shave without drying out my legs and thats a big plus for me
I received a $10 off $20 coupon in the mail today, good through Sept 30th: http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/10-off-20-at-the-body-shop-sept-27-30-2012.30304/
I picked up a tub of this when I started DE shaving a couple weeks ago. It seems to lather up well. It also lubricates my skin very well. I think I may be a little more partial to soaps vs. creams, as my other soap is Proraso Green. To me, the Proraso is better than the TBS Maca Root. I love the cooling sensation, and the way my skin feels after using it. It's also a bit cheaper than the maca root. I'll probably still work this into my rotation, but I'm thinking of picking up a few pucks of the Pyrate Cove soaps. They seems to be well-received, and are dirt cheap!
I have been using this recently along with the face wash. I find it to have an earthy scent with a hint of vanilla? It's also a very good performer IMO. I didn't have a brush, but it still lathered up in my palms with no problem. It's pretty slick and helped me get a good shave.
In addition to all the praises herein sung, I'll just add that price really isn't a factor. If you sign up for their e-mailing list, you get all sorts of coupons and/or sale notices... often 2 or 3 a week which can bring the price down quite a bit.
