Taylor of Old Bond Street question

I need some input on Taylor of Old Bond Street Cream. I picked some of this up several months ago (Eton College). I can honestly say I do not have sensitive skin. However each time I use it, there is an underlying burn / pin prick feeling as soon as I put it on and for about an hour + after I wash it off. I have run through all of my brushes thinking I was scrubbing too hard with the boar, and today I used my softest badger with the same results. It has never caused a rash of visible reaction.

Has anyone else had this experience? I like the way it lathers, I am wondering if it is the scent that is causing this to happen to me or is it the blend of their soap. This is the only one of their soaps I have used. I don't want to write them off if it is the scent but don't want to pay the price for another to find out it is the soap.

SO has anyone else had this happen?

Yep, had the same thing w/ all the TOBS I have used except the Jermyn street. I never broke out or got a rash, but the tingling, kinda stingy sensation led me to not buy more of their creams, b/c it's only a matter of time that the persistant exposure to a sensitizing product becomes an allergic reaction. Same thing w/ Tabac as well. I think it may be the perfume grade musks I have problems w/.

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Originally Posted by tiddle

I never broke out or got a rash, but the tingling, kinda stingy sensation led me to not buy more of their creams w/.

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Tiddle, You hit that nail on the head with your description. Ok I know I am not crazy with what I am feeling. Thank you for your input I did not want to spend the money to find out that another one would do the same thing.

The jermyn street was the only one that didn't do it, and

the smell is clean and manly. Great stuff.

Thanks for the heads up. I am glad you said that I was not sure if you had tried that one or not. I may give it a try when I can find some. I am sorry for you to have had to suffer through all the others to find the Jermyn street. But I am glad you did.:D

TOBS creams are loaded with perfumes, the only one I can use that doesn't irritate my skin is their Coconut. Jermyn made incredible lather, but it irritated my skin even worse than Eton College. No more TOBS products for me...

When you say that you DO NOT have sensitive skin, what does sensitive mean to you? Does that mean you can shave everyday without any irritation? Or that you have used many products in the past without incident?

Here's a blog I made on the subject some time ago, perhaps it will help. Please keep in mind that allergies/sensitivities can spring up anytime, so just because you haven't had issues in the past doesn't mean you won't run into problems in the future.

Good luck :)

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Originally Posted by Ryan82

When you say that you DO NOT have sensitive skin, what does sensitive mean to you? Does that mean you can shave everyday without any irritation? Or that you have used many products in the past without incident?

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Ryan82,

Point well taken, after reading your blog I am one of those people that has skin like a leather hide.
I can shave everyday with a blade. Have never had an ingrown hair. and no other product has ever bothered me since I started shaving in the early 70's. When I started with straights I self inflected some pretty heavy razor burn to myself but it was cleared up by evening or the next morning for sure. I can not recall ever having a feeling like this. This is why the feeling of the TOBS gave me, was of concern.
None of the other soaps have done this to me. and the only issue I have ever had with a soap is when it stops working for deodorant protection and I switch.

Having said this I did not take in to account that the body changes and what I had not had a reaction to in the past could be of issue now. Even so I do feel better to know I am not the only one that has had this happen. I like their cream it just is not a pleasant feeling when I apply it to my skin.

The blog pointed something out to me that I am guilty of that I will keep in mind when someone says they are raw and can't shave everyday.
I suppose I was one of the lucky few that had never had issue with type 1 or type 2 in the past. I can only hope that it is just this product that causes issue with me and I am not developing type 1.

I need to make a correction I did have issue 1 time with my skin. I was in the jungle and shaved with a disposable razor. after the second day I had a face that looked like the fires of hell were sat on it. On of the locals I was with brought me a jar of something to this day I don't want to know what was in it. However by the next morning it was as though nothing had ever happened

Quite honestly, it could be a combination of ingredients which alone don't bother you but when combined cause a reaction. The skin is such a complex and reactive organ that it's almost impossible to say what's happening. In all fairness if you've given the product a fair shake and it just isn't working give it up and move on. Plenty of other great products out there to try :D

Hey Ryan,

I can honestly say I have given it a fair shake I have used it at least a dozen times. and every time the same result. That is why I wondered if anyone else had this issue.

The definition of insane is to do the same thing multiple times and expect a different result.
So what does it mean when I did it a dozen times? Am I only 1/2 nuts :shrug:

Seriously thank you for your input. I never thought about other people having issues like type 1 & 2 but this has in a very small way brought it home.

Same thing happens when I use their balms. I picked up the sampler a while back and gave them all away after they all had the same prolonged burn and sensitivity. TOBS is the only one to do it to me.

Well I have done a not so nice thing maybe. My director has started to use a brush and is PLAYING with a straight. Anyway he was complaining about the soap he has now that it would not lather as well as he wanted, I said I just happen to have a sample he could try. Since he has no idea about this I figured what a good test subject to see what would happen. Should it work good for him he will have a new soap to use. I will update Monday.

Here is the report from over the weekend.
I saw my director this morning and ask how he liked the shaving cream. His response was it lathered quite well. The way he said it and the look in his eye made me question it a little deeper. I ask if there was any burning or stinging and he without hesitation said yes. At that point I confessed and admitted I used him in a blind test to see if he had the same issues as I had and others on this thread had reported.
I am happy to report I still have a job and that he took it well.
This may have just been a bad run of cream, could be the age of the cream as there is no expiration date or I and others just can’t use this product. Which ever it is I am putting this to bed and not using it again.

Sorry to hear about the TOBS issues that you are having. I have recently, last 5 months, ordered 3 of their shaving creams. I love them all, no issues. I would have all of their products, if I could afford them.

I've had similar experiences with creams that are overly perfumed or balms that are overly scented. T&H Trafalgar is like that for me. I still have some of the cream because I do love the scent so much that I deal with it every now and then. But to follow it up with their balm too? No way. Might as well shave with napalm. DR Harris soaps seem to nail it for me. The perfect scents and the perfect strength. I use the Trafalgar cologne now and keep it off of my face.

Same experience with the creams for me too. Don't know about the soaps. Has anyone had this reaction with the soaps? It's a shame, I really love their creams.

I have not had this issue at all, and find Eton College specifically for me to be a really nice cream. I just finished off a tub recently and reordered it. Grapefruit is currently on the shelf, Sandalwood on the way. I typically would describe my skin as sensitive. I think when you're talking sensitivity to fragrance oils it can be a very individual thing. Certain fragrances make my nose burn terribly. The TOBS stuff thus far has not. Diff'rent strokes I reckon

I experience this with TOBS Sandalwood, the other fragrances I've tried were fine. Love the fragrance though.

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Originally Posted by Frankenstein

Same experience with the creams for me too. Don't know about the soaps. Has anyone had this reaction with the soaps? It's a shame, I really love their creams.

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That is a good point. I have never used any of them, maybe someone could tell us that has issues with the cream if the soap worked out for them?

Wow, That's really a bummer. I've only tried their Rose cream, and loved it. Been out for a while, but don't remember any burning. I'm just about to order 3 or 4 of their creams. Watch, now that I read this thread, they will all burn my face. Actually, I haven't had any bad results with the rose sent, so I think I will try some others. I was using the TOB Rose with Pirates Cove Rose soap and a little gylicerin (spelling?), and holly soapsuds Batman. What a combo. The nicest Uberlather I've tried thus far. Great mix. So I'm going to try a couple of more TOB's, and see how I like them. I'll let you all know how they turn out.