Thread: Taylor of Old Bond Street "Lavender" shaving cream

In a previous instalment of Robin test drives lavender scented shaving creams, I reviewed D. R. Harris "Lavender" shaving cream. And it was good. As always, the sample was provided by the good people at The Different Scent in Berlin.

Unfortunately, the cream is every bit as good as TOBS's "Lemon" shaving cream, so this is really a copy of my review of this cream.

Packaging: Nice tub, really. It has a nice weight to it, and is easy to open and close even with wet fingers. The design is a bit bland, but we are looking at an English cream after all.

Texture: Perfect, I should say. Very thick, and dry cream. Light lavender colour.

Scent: A very nice lavender scent. It is unobtrusive, but it's there. The cream is loaded with essential oils, giving it a rather pleasant smell both in the jar and on the face. I like it a lot, albeit not quite as much as CF's lavender.

Latherability: Great. Really great. A few swirls with my Mühle best badger brush, and little water. Refer to Illustrated Guide to making Überlather - Straight Razor Place Wiki for details. The lather is thick, rich, creamy, has a nice and light lavender scent (see above), and stays slick for a long time.

Cushion: Equally great. Used my Bart-honed Hermann Mehl "Special" 7/8, and the blade glided across the face just like it should. 2nd only to Castle Forbes. Very nice.

Moisturising: Plenty. I was able to skip the aftershave, and just go with my Dr Hauschka Tonic and Oil. Excellent.

Price: Here comes the good news. At EUR 15 for 150g, this cream is really quite inexpensive, making it a worthy competition for Castle Forbes's and AOS's lavender creams.

Overall impression: Get a sample if you can. This is now my second favourite lavender cream.

Robin,

Your review of Taylor of Old Bond Street lavender shave cream, in my estimation, is accurate, and I agree with everything you say. I have used the lavender, and currently rotate the rose scented one with several other shave soaps and cream.

An excellent review of a product I consider one of the best, which also sells at a reasonable price. Well done, sir.

Regards,

Obie

My dear Robin,

Thanks for your note and instructions. I think I accomplished the edit.

I gave the shave cream a straight 10. If something deserves my commendation, I will give it. This shave cream does in every way. In my estimation, it means a 10 all around.

Regards,

Obie

Very nice, subtle smell! Good lather and easy to work up. Very good glide and cushion and dries slowly. A little dap between a pea and an almond size is plenty adequate for up to 3 passes. And the price is great, especially if you get it from Amazon with free shipping.