Thread: Bronnley "James Bronnley" Shaving Cream

Right. Bronnley. Makers of my favourite bath and shower gels. Thanks to the guys at the Different Scent, I am now able to review one of their shaving creams.

Having been asked yesterday how I go about my reviews, here is a quick run down of what I do:

1. Get a sample. Thankfully, I usually get a full package, which I return after reviewing it. It then becomes a tester in the shop.
2. Ensure optimum preparation, i.e. use boiling, filtered water, my Old Traditional shave mug, a razor I know is shave ready (for this review, my Dorko 300) and stropped on either an SRD Premium I or an Old Traditional Natur. I normally use a stiff brush (such as my Simpson), as most of you seem to be using these.
3. Next, I try lathering the cream a few times, using different amounts of water. I do this to see how easily the cream will lather up, and how consistently.
4. Then, the fun part: shave. I apply one round of lather before stropping to see how well it will keep its condition. If the lather dries up in the process, I will not even review the cream.
5. Use an alum block and cold water to rinse after the shave.
6. Do not apply an aftershave for at least 30 minutes. A premium cream will provide enough moisturising for this to work. After that, apply Dr Hauschka Facial Toner and Skin Oil. If that fails, an aftershave is in order, but that also means that the cream will not make it into my rotation.

So much for theory. On to the review:

H.Bronnley & Co Ltd was founded in 1884 by James Bronnley when he was just 19 years old. He had spent a year in Paris studying the art of soap making and was determined to establish himself as a maker of soaps of the highest quality.

According to the vendor, "James Bronnley" is a luxury shaving cream containing natural extracts of lime and chamomile. Enriched with natural Arnica & Chamomile to soothe, tone & moisturise.

Packaging: Very nice packaging. Sturdy, functional, pretty.

Texture: Thick, yet creamy. Loading the brush works well, even with soft brushes.

Scent: This is where it gets interesting: Seville oranges, blended with Bergamot, exotic spices, fresh aromatic herbs and Cedar. A very fresh and cooling scent. I like it well, but I could imagine that others will not. It is a unique scent.

Latherability: Very good, but not excellent. The cream can deliver a thick, rich lather. But it is not in the same league as Castle Forbes, Xpec, or Domenico Caraceni.

Cushion: Again, a more than adequate result. But not top notch. Should be enough for everyone, though.

Moisturising: Very good moisturising qualities in this cream. No need for an aftershave for me, and that is always a good sign.

Price: €26 for 150ml puts this cream in the same league as Caraceni or Castle Forbes. I like the two of them better, though.

Overall impression: If price is not on top of your list of priorities, this cream might be for you, in fact it should well be worth a try. The scent is certainly interesting enough to warrant a test.