Thread: What is your brand?

That's my next one to try, when I get me some cash to my name - my birthday's next Friday, so hopefully I'll be able to get some TGQ shortly thereafter, fingers crossed. I have a list to get from there - one of almost every sample, since there's literally only a couple of descriptions that I'm not keen on.

ATM Proraso green, just because it seems to agree most with my skin. I have to be very careful not to get razor burn.

Bought some Taylor's cream while in London. Definately my favorite now.

I came to straight razors from double edges where I used many different brands of soaps and creams and I have found that the answer to your question is very much - it depends on what you like. I think that you will need to try several and decide which suits you best.

On the soap side it would have to be Tabac, followed closely by Penhaligon's EF ,GFT Rose and AOS Sandlewood.

On the cream side CF Lime and Lavender with TOBS St. James and Speick closing the gap quickly.

Joe

For creme, Cremo is my fave for travel because it's in a super small tube but creates an super amount of good lather in a TSA sized package. At home, I'm a proraso man because the glide is the best i've found so far. In soaps, I like glycerine based unscented soaps because they're inexpensive and shave well but what i like best is that you can scent them yourself with a couple drops of essential oils.

=)

Cream: No. 1: Nancy boy - no question for me

Respectable but distant seconds: CF Lime, JMFrasur, TOBS

Soap: No. 1: Too many good ones to choose.

Contenders for numero uno: QED Orange; DRH Arlington, AOS Lemon, C&S 88, MWF

Originally Posted by NightLad

The problem I find with a lot of creams is that the smell is too strong, or it is packed full of artificial ingredients that lead to skin irritation and overall discomfort.

Of course, the flip-side is that most creams with a high percentage of natural ingredients are expensive as heck.

Then I found Nancy Boy. I really like the understated yet defining scent of their Signature Shaving Cream. It isn’t too strong but definitely lets you know it’s there. It smells manly too, but without being overbearing/aggressive like a lot of creams. It’s like a crisp breath of mountain air with an undertone of peppermint; very clean and fresh but without being antiseptic.

The ingredients are all top-quality natural and I experience zero irritation. It moisturises, protects, and provides a good later despite that it is marketed as not being a lathering cream. It isn't quite as rich in lather as TOBS, but I've seen other (more expensive) "lathering" creams do worse.

The best part? The price. $18 for 6oz in a fully recyclable container. I mean, for this type of quality it’s unheard of. One of the tricks is that they have a $0 advertising budget; everything is word-of-mouth and they pass the savings to the customers. Their website is entertaining and fun to read. Oh, and don't forget to sign up for their website/newsletter for a 15% discount on all products every time you shop!

And if the name concerns you, well, I look at it like this; it takes a real confident macho man to pull off wearing pink, and a guy with equal gusto to use a cream from a company called Nancy Boy with a little blue pansy on the tub. (Which you can scratch off if you absolutely must.)

www.nancyboy.com/

PS: I also like TOBS.

Nancy Boy Replenishing Cream is also top notch. And their bar soaps rock too. And their hand soaps and aftershave balms (if you like aloe vera gel) are nice too.

I think it's double manly to pull out a big ol' straight razor and an unabashedly gay shaving cream. Something about the contrast is very funny.

I've been using Tom's of Maine shave cream and I like it a lot. All natural and the minty smell is refreshing.

You might like to try Ogallala Bay Rum shave soaps. The Bay Rum/Sandalwood and the Bay Rum/Sage/Cedar soaps are fantastic. I've also found that Mitchell's Wool Fat is an exceptional shave soap! But it has lanolin in it and can cause some to become irritated by it. Good Lock and God Bless!