I’ve got a busy week planned here at T&B. A couple new product reviews. A lesson or two in perseverance. And the blades are finally on their way for my upcoming razor blade experiment, but more on that later. Right now, I wanted to take a look at one of the newest shaving creams from Taylor of Old Bond Street. It’s been a little while since I reviewed a product from one of the big boys, and I figured it was time to have another go.
I received the TOBS “Grapefruit” shaving cream in the hopes of finding another summer shaving product. I’ve long been a fan of Taylor’s, and in my opinion they provide the best value of the three Ts. Additionally, I found the idea of a grapefruit scented shaving cream intriguing. I think the majority of the time we read about men’s fragrances the focus is on woods, spices, smoke, leather, etc. From time to time, some florals creep into the discussion, as well as the occasional citrus (usually lemon or lime). But grapefruit? That’s new. So I decided to branch out.
Scent-wise, this shaving cream is almost intoxicating. The fragrance draws you in and keeps you coming back to the tub for more. I am constantly opening this and smelling it for the pure enjoyment of it. I can’t say that it’s a true grapefruit scent. I eat grapefruit about twice a week for breakfast, and this shaving cream doesn’t smell quite like that. However, the smell doesn’t remind me of a citrus-style candy either, as some citrus fragrances are known to do. I would say the true fragrance is somewhere in-between. There’s a little more sweetness than a sliced grapefruit, but not enough to be off putting or candy-like. The scent is strong, but refreshing while still maintaining its masculinity.
The next statement I make is going to be quite strong, but it’s the truth. This is the best lathering Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream I have used, and at last count I own seven of them. They have all provided great lathers, but this one stands out among them. I lathered this using both my new Satin Tip synthetic brush and my Wet Shaving Products “Prince” Silvertip brush. Both brushes hold a lot of water, and this lather just exploded from the first time using it. It was an absolute dream to build lather with this cream.
The shave was exactly what you would expect from TOBS. Very well cushioned, with a good slickness and a moisturized post-shave feel. My face couldn’t ask for anything more from this cream. One of the real beauties of any of the creams from Taylor’s is the amount of lather they produce. I only mention this when discussing the quality of the shave to point out that I had so much lather that my third passes were always as luxurious as my first passes.
If you’ve ever used a product from Taylor of Old Bond Street, you know why they have remained in business for over one hundred fifty years. If they keep producing products as high quality as their new “Grapefruit” shaving cream, I’m sure they will be around for the next one hundred fifty.
Regards,