Caswell Massey Almond shave cream - yay or nay?

Post by **ichabod** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:50 am

I was just in Caswell Massey, where I went to hunt down some Musgo Real. Somehow a $5 tube of "Dr. Hunter's original barber shop shave creme" fell into my basket. Okay, no basket, I just had to try it.

The almond shave cream was put on my list of possibles, but then it occurred to me to ask here. I've tried the C-M hard soap, and I can whip it into a lather pretty well now, but it feels very soapy, by which I mean it feels like it's drying out my skin. To me it isn't as good as the $1.50 Surrey mug soap.

I am apparently going crazy over creams, so I'm surprised I didn't just throw the almond shave cream on the counter at the same time.

Anyone given it a try and care to offer a review? I see other mentions of C-M creams that are less than glowing...

Thanks,
Dominic

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:27 pm

Dominic,

My wife and daughters bought me a tube of CM almond because of the wonderful scent. I have to admit, it smells great. But I have not had much luck getting a really good lather out of it. No matter how much cream I use, I just can't seem to get it right. I don't think it was drying or anything, just that the lather was disappointing. Might make for a good brushless cream for the wife.

Like you, I prefer Surrey to CM.

Dave

Austin · Post by **Austin** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 12:30 pm

Dominic, CM shave creams do not have a very good reputation. I have tried a couple and was not impressed. They do not lather well or lubricate very well. You are better served by buying Taylors shave creams. Now the soap is a different story.

Post by **ichabod** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 3:08 pm

I suspected as much, thanks guys. Of course, the fact that Gordon gave me a list of places to go in Tampa, and sent me to C-M for Musgo Real only, was probably all the clue I needed...
Maybe they spent too much time on perfecting the smell and not enough on the shaving aspect, because it certainly smells good.

crackstar · Post by **crackstar** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:21 pm

I agree 100%. C-M creams are poor latherers, and too bloody expensive for what you get. I had a tub of the sandalwood cream a year ago which smelled nice, but the lather and shave were crappy. A week after I bought it, I threw it out.

Jeff

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:43 am

Dominic, No, it wasn't by accident that the Musgo Real was specifically mentioned, and nothing else. The C-M shop has a few other worthwhile products, but, regrettably, their own brand shave goods are not among them. Give those a wide berth. As for L'Occitane, remember, I mentioned their shaving SOAP, not their shaving cream.
Regards,
Gordon

Post by **ichabod** » Wed Feb 15, 2006 4:07 pm

bernards66 wrote:Dominic, No, it wasn't by accident that the Musgo Real was specifically mentioned, and nothing else. The C-M shop has a few other worthwhile products, but, regrettably, their own brand shave goods are not among them. Give those a wide berth. As for L'Occitane, remember, I mentioned their shaving SOAP, not their shaving cream.
Regards,
Gordon

Gordon - good to know. I was in the L'Occitane store as I wandered around when I got the Musgo Real, but held off on getting anything there. I shaved with the Musga Real this morning, and it was great. The L'Occitane and Caswell Massey creams are nicely packaged - I like my creams in a metal tube, for some reason. I'll stick to admiring the packaging from afar.
Dominic

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:39 pm

My wife gave me a tube of CM almond, and it was a pretty lousy latherer. On the plus side, she used it as a brushless shave cream for her legs, and she said it worked great. She loves the scent, too.

Dave

crackstar · Post by **crackstar** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:02 pm

Dave, the scent of C-M almond is nice, for sure, but the lather is rotten to the core. I can't understand why a brand that's so expensive is so poor in quality.

Jeff

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:50 pm

Jeff, I hear you about CM's poor quality. I'm amazed that they're still able to sell the stuff; they've certainly sold their last one to me. When my wife used up this tube, she'll switch over to Kiss My Face, which is terrific for both of us.

I sent an email to their product marketing folks noting the poor performance and pointing them to a number of online forums where CM gets consistently poor reviews, and said they should really try to improve the lathering, while keeping the nice scents. Doubt anything'll come of it.

Dave

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:49 pm

Dave, So do I. But, if perchance, you do hear anything back, let us know. It really is a shame about the C-M shave creams and soaps, especially since I've been told that up until around 1980, or so, they were as good as Trumpers.
Regards,
Gordon

JohnP · Post by **JohnP** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 3:52 pm

Well,
I think perhaps CM is working on it. My first tube (and tub) of CM cream was mediocre, bordering on pathetic; (but still better than the first L'Occitane cream I tried) but I do recall being surprised by some of their verbena cream before I moved, because it lathered quite well. I wonder if it is either a quality control issue, and the creams are hit or miss, or if it is a reformulation.
It would be interesting to find out. Also the stuff doesn't turn around too fast in the stores, I also wonder if the stuff in the store was the old formula or the new.
John P.