Thread: Disappointment and Disgust

I've got to say, I'm one of the non-TGQ guys too. I LOVE the scents, but find the soaps very fussy to get a decent lather from - just when I think I've got a perfect lather, I apply it and it all disappears. I often end up smearing on a paste-like lather that dries quickly, simply because it doesn't disappear like the 'perfect' lather I make from it does. It doesn't leave my skin dry or irritate it much though, which is a big plus for it. I've also found her creams to require a larger amount to create enough lather, compared to the likes of TOBS, The Body Shop or Palmolive. At least the lather from those creams stays though.
Another item I really don't like is Pre de Provence Shave Cream - I like the initial scent, but it goes very quickly because of the insane amount of whipping it takes to create a proper lather with it. Like the TGQ creams, I find it takes a LOT of cream to create enough lather, and is extremely finicky as to the amount of water you use. It doesn't do much for my skin either (dries it slightly) and I find the slick somewhat lacking. For how much I paid for this, I don't think I'll be buying it again.
The final product I don't like is Omega Shave Soap (the stuff in the black plastic bowl). It's too soft to be a proper soap, but too hard to lather like you would a cream (with a snurdler). This results in you chasing a small lump of white soft soap around your mug in amongst some white lather - not easy. The lather lasts well, but dries my face horribly, even with large amounts of glycerin added. For a product from a reputable brushmaker like Omega, I expected a bit more.

(disclaimer - I have fairly soft water so my lather issues don't result from that. I've even tried it with pure spring water, so again, not the water. I'm using the 1oz pucks and sample sized pucks of TGQ soap - it may be that I'm not loading my brush properly, so once all my samples are gone I intend to buy a 3oz puck of her Desert Ironwood soap and one of her 3oz bowls and see if I can get a good lather from it - if not then I'll use it as an expensive face-washing soap)

I don't like classic shaving soap. It doesn't make any later and is a sure fire way for me to slice up my face. Makes a good hand washing soap though.

Originally Posted by mosley59

I've got to say, I'm one of the non-TGQ guys too. I LOVE the scents, but find the soaps very fussy to get a decent lather from - just when I think I've got a perfect lather, I apply it and it all disappears. I often end up smearing on a paste-like lather that dries quickly, simply because it doesn't disappear like the 'perfect' lather I make from it does. It doesn't leave my skin dry or irritate it much though, which is a big plus for it. I've also found her creams to require a larger amount to create enough lather, compared to the likes of TOBS, The Body Shop or Palmolive. At least the lather from those creams stays though.
Another item I really don't like is Pre de Provence Shave Cream - I like the initial scent, but it goes very quickly because of the insane amount of whipping it takes to create a proper lather with it. Like the TGQ creams, I find it takes a LOT of cream to create enough lather, and is extremely finicky as to the amount of water you use. It doesn't do much for my skin either (dries it slightly) and I find the slick somewhat lacking. For how much I paid for this, I don't think I'll be buying it again.
The final product I don't like is Omega Shave Soap (the stuff in the black plastic bowl). It's too soft to be a proper soap, but too hard to lather like you would a cream (with a snurdler). This results in you chasing a small lump of white soft soap around your mug in amongst some white lather - not easy. The lather lasts well, but dries my face horribly, even with large amounts of glycerin added. For a product from a reputable brushmaker like Omega, I expected a bit more.

(disclaimer - I have fairly soft water so my lather issues don't result from that. I've even tried it with pure spring water, so again, not the water. I'm using the 1oz pucks and sample sized pucks of TGQ soap - it may be that I'm not loading my brush properly, so once all my samples are gone I intend to buy a 3oz puck of her Desert Ironwood soap and one of her 3oz bowls and see if I can get a good lather from it - if not then I'll use it as an expensive face-washing soap)

OK, Maybe we're on to something with TGQ soaps. I too have a water softner, hence, soft water...I was never bowled over by her fragrances anyway to be honest, and the problems I have with her soaps and creams lathering, well, that just clinced it for me...With our members, you either love TGQ or hate it. no inbetween...Never heard anyone say, OH, there Ok....

Truefitt & Hill Sandalwood.

Perhaps it was old (obtained via B/S/T), perhaps because the lid got cracked (due to poor packaging) during its trip across the pond and some product leaked out, perhaps because its appearance reminds me of oatmeal and sawdust mixed together, perhaps it's just my curmudgeonly nature.

One man's meat is another man's poison.

And then you've got goose and gander sauce.

????

My opinions follow: for tubed cream Speick is really hard to fault; for the tubbed creams Taylors of Old Bond St. has some wonderful almond and sandalwood; and then there's the magical and cost muchical Castle Forbes on the top of the sudsical heap. I've never had the best luck with soaps, nor have I tried much to devise a method to make hard cakes all soft and frothy.

Maybe when I retire I can spend morning upon morning trying to make froth from the recalcitrant puck. In the meanwhile creams is it.