Thread: Would like some advice on some creams to use.

I have just started to use a straight razor about a month ago and am loving all the info I have found on SRP. That being said the world of straight razor is huge and daunting! I am looking for advice on where I should start on some good shaving creams, pre and post shave items. I have been looking quite a lot on the forums but it just seems to leave me with more questions. The choices are bewildering! Not that I am complaining its wonderful seeing all of these great new things for me to try I just dont know where I should start. So in closing any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance,

Josh

I went to Al's Shaving from reading a post and bought a sample set. The lather is great and I am still searching for the scent that says "got to have" I have only used 3 out of the 8 I got and saving the best for last. The sponsor web sites here offer samples and the thread i was reading is here. >> http://straightrazorpalace.com/soaps...an-creams.html

The best shaving cream out there for performance and scent is Castle Forbes. I've only just got my tub of Lavender but previously owned the Limes. It's a lather bomb but may be a bit hard for a newbie to learn how to lather it at first.

Folks here could go on for pages and pages with probably a hundred or more products to answer your question. You really need to just experiment to realize what you like. Also of course the cost factor will play a role in your decision.

Originally Posted by rum

The best shaving cream out there for performance and scent is Castle Forbes. I've only just got my tub of Lavender but previously owned the Limes. It's a lather bomb but may be a bit hard for a newbie to learn how to lather it at first.

I agree. having that said. there are tons of products and tons of opinions about those products. I think CF is the best but I have many other creams and soaps I enjoy as well. For me, part of the fun, is trying all different types of soaps and creams.

You need to decide what you like and then try to find the soap/cream that comes closest. It is also according to you budget. CF is one of my favorites....but also one of the most expensive.

Clear as mud now I would guess.

Thanks for all the help gents. At least you have all given me a place to start.

Depending on where you are located one of the simple, cheap favorites among many is Proraso. It has a refreshing eucalyptus scent and is relatively easy to lather.
Also if you're not a fan of the green (eucalyptus) then there's the red which has more of a sandalwood scent for another option.

If you want very cheap and easy to lather, there are always Palmolive and La Toja. Musgo Real and Speick are quite the bargain as well and generally highly regarded, although I haven't used them. Personally I don't like the scent of Proraso green: a strong, slightly artificial eucalyptus and menthol. But performance wise it's a good one too and cheap as chips.

Castle Forbes is very awesome if you can live with the price (lathering can indeed be a bit difficult at first; it took me about three tries to get it right). The same goes for Edwin Jagger, both on account of price and lathering. I think it is great stuff.

I'm pretty new at all this as well. Instead of RAD, HAD, or BAD, I developed a case of SCAD (Soap/Cream Acquisition Disorder), so I can share some of my thoughts so far.
I have found my Castle Forbes Cedar products to be disappointing only because the glorious scent doesn't last more than a couple minutes after I'm done shaving. To me and my girl, the CF Lime stuff smelled like cleaner or cheap lime popsicles, so I never used it. However, many people simply love the CF Lime.
Art of Shaving Sandalwood After-Shave Balm is my go-to A/S of the several I have tried. The smell sticks around and leaves my face nice and moisturized.
Cade, Tabac, Mitchell's Wool Fat, Martin de Candre, and AOS Sandalwood are some of my favorite soaps. D.R. Harris Windsor is my favorite cream so far for it's awesome cedar scent that sticks around for a few hours after shaving.
The Shave Den Shop offers lots and lots of cream samples, which was a great way to go for me.
Cade A/S Balm doesn't smell as charming to me as the soap. More floral/powdery/lotiony than the soap, which is more straight juniper.
Personally, I have yet to find a pre-shave product that I like. I'm not a fan of oils, the Castle Forbes Pre-Shave just smells like fish to me, and Musgo Real Glyce Lime Oil Soap kinda burned and irritated my skin. But those are purely my preferences so far. Let us all know what you end up favoring! It's a lot of fun playing around. If there's a L'Occitane (Cade) or Art of Shaving store around you, definitely go in and smell the stuff first. Have fun, sir!

I'm a newbie too, but my favorites so far have been Castle Forbes Limes, Art of Shaving Sandalwood, Trumpers Coconut and Trufitt and Hill Grafton. I've been using the Castle Forbes as my daily cream and the others when I want a different scent. CF seems to be easiest on my skin, which is pretty sensitive. Their aftershave is really good too.

I did not care for the CF Ceder/Sandalwood scent, but I'd like to try their Lavender.