Florena Cream

What is your opinion on fine shaving creams and hard soaps? Do you like Trumpers, Coates, Taylors, Truefitt & Hill? Post your reviews and opinions here!
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drmoss_ca
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Florena Cream

Post by drmoss_ca »

I went off to the dentist yesterday - hurray! I actually got to leave town for a couple of hours, so I used the chance to stop for essential supplies. There is a grocery chain, Sobeys, in Eastern Canada and that's where I went to buy some deodorants. Next to them on the shelf was Florena cream, from Germany and chamomile scented. No other creams were present, just some Williams soap.
So this morning I tried it out, for a change of pace with a Plisson HMW #12, the large scuttle, and my EJ HD. Since it was the first use and allowing for my hard water, I used a generous one and a half inches of cream on the brush. I could have done with less as I ended up adding a great deal of water. It made a rather sticky kind of lather that was a little reluctant to leave the brush and spread evenly - probably a function of the over-rich cream/water ratio. A pleasant herbal kind of scent, and an excellent shave. This stuff is very cheap at $3.69CAN for a 100ml/3.4oz tube (though not such a bargain as Fraser's at $10 for 450ml). This might make a reason for you to visit Canada!

Chris
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lux
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Florena - very good shaving cream for the money

Post by lux »

Good day fellow wet shavers,

Florena shaving cream is readily available in some European countries as well.

My experience with it has also been quite positive. A very effective shaving cream, no spectacular scent but quite economical.

Kind regards,

lux
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rustyblade
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Post by rustyblade »

Chris, Florena suddenly appeared on store shelves in Canada about 4 years ago and was available everywhere quite quickly (they must have had an amazing sales team), even Walmart. Pretty impressive really because it is light years ahead of anything else found on your typical grocery/drugstore shelf and isn't a "national brand" with shelf space oomph. I used it happily for a couple years until I found this crazy place and its victims. Works great brushless (which is how I used it) very slick and long lasting (a tube would last 5 months). Scent is quite pleasant.

The fact that it has been around for a while now and still survives at Walmart is a good sign.

Another quality cheap Euro cream that comes in a tube. When I go down that way again (Mississauga), I will pick you up a tube of Wars, it also surprisingly good. With Florena, JM Fraser, Wars, etc., it throws many things we know and understand out the window.
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Post by crackstar »

Guys, I've been using Florena since it came out here in Canada which is around 4 years, and it's part of my rotation. I find the scent nice, it lathers very well, and soothes and protects sensitive skin. Apparently, it's a HUGE seller in Eastern Europe, especially countries like Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and even Russia. Yes, it's cheaply priced.

Jeff
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Post by Enrico »

I picked up my first tube of Florena about a year and a half ago while visiting family in Canada. I quite like the shave I get with it, and use it regularly in my rotation.
Works very well when mixed in the Moss Scuttle, once you get the water to cream ratio down.
I would recommend to any Americans travelling to Canada that you pick up a tube to try.

Steve
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Post by scarface911 »

I think i've seen it at Shoppers Drug Mart as well but I can;t say for sure...Got to doubl echeck the next time i'm there.
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Post by crackstar »

Here in Montreal, every drugstore carries it, Jean Coutu, Pharmaprix, Uniprix, etc. Jean Coutu is the cheapest place to buy it, it's around 3.50$ or so.

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Post by crackstar »

Enrico, Florena is to us Canadians what Palmolive is to Americans. Good, and cheap!

Jeff
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Post by bernards66 »

Richard, I don't know as I'd say that the existance of creams like Florena, "...throw everything we know out the window." I think that Jeff's comparison to the American Palmolive cream is spot on. That there are good quality, traditional shave creams available in Europe and even in N. America, that are much less pricey then the upper crust English stuff, is undenieable. Palmolive, for example, lathers decently, is kind to my skin, and ( to me ) smell pleasant enough. It's $3 and change, and I can buy it at a store I can see from the front of my house. But, good as it may be, I think that Coate's etc is better, I enjoy using it more, and thus, am willing to pay more to get it. For someone else, the price and hassle differential might not be worth it, and I can appreciate that, even if it is not my choice.
Regards,
Gordon
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Post by northadams »

Chris, Sounds promising as I will be up in Montreal next week and will search it out. Let's just get that exchange rate back in proper order sometime soon! Travelling for work the last month with only a cell phone and no computer. I actually miss those days of the public phone, talking while not walking and those dirty ears. Nice to hear the Coates formulation may stay the same reading through the posts. Looking forward to it.

Max
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Post by Sam »

I am like Gordon, in that while somethings are good and they are cheaper, I just have my own preferences. Like tonight, I used my wife's KMF Lavendar shave cream. I just did not like it. In fact, I lathered it twice, and then added J. Fraser's shave cream in with it. Body Shop shave cream may be cheaper, but heck, as long as Taylor's Rose is okay, it is cheap enough that I will use it over the Body Shop or KMF.

Sam
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Post by rustyblade »

Gordon, you are right. I was just overstating a point. A perfect shave can be had with the myriad of low priced, yet good, creams out there. Quality English products push it that extra bit into a luxury shave. For me, Kent soap gets me that luxury shave that nothing else can match. And I do love JM Fraser's, just not as much as Kent. :)
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Post by crackstar »

Richard, Kent soap is an excellent brand, I enjoyed it very much when I had it. I found the price kind of steep however, although the shave it gave me was wonderful.

Jeff
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Post by rustyblade »

crackstar wrote:Richard, Kent soap is an excellent brand, I enjoyed it very much when I had it. I found the price kind of steep however, although the shave it gave me was wonderful.

Jeff
Did you take a look at their ebay store where they are getting rid of the old style bowls cheap and throwing in a new puck of soap? It still works out to be nearly $20cdn with shipping, so buy two!
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Post by crackstar »

No, as a matter of fact, I didn't! Maybe I should have.

Jeff
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Post by rustyblade »

Richard
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Florena "New"

Post by koeos »

Sometimes new isn't better.

While I was out today I saw that one of our national pharmacy chains was selling Florena at the bargain price of $3.29 so I snapped up two tubes. On the label was that ominous word "New" -- well at least it did not also say improved.

I was curious to see what was new about it so I read over the ingredients. Sure enough one of the ingredients in the tube I have in my bathroom was missing. Guess which ingredient? GLYCERINE !!! :evil: If I am not mistaken the ingredient taking its place appears to be Sorbitol. It was kind of tricky to pinpoint it since most of the ingredients are still the same with a few addtions and a few omissions and a re-shuffling of the order.

BTW, can someone tell me if J.M. Fraser has glycerine in it? I'd like to pick up a tub of it the next time I'm in Toronto, which will be this Thanksgiving (first Monday in October for us Canadians)

Mark
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Re: Florena "New"

Post by rustyblade »

koeos wrote:Sometimes new isn't better.

While I was out today I saw that one of our national pharmacy chains was selling Florena at the bargain price of $3.29 so I snapped up two tubes. On the label was that ominous word "New" -- well at least it did not also say improved.

I was curious to see what was new about it so I read over the ingredients. Sure enough one of the ingredients in the tube I have in my bathroom was missing. Guess which ingredient? GLYCERINE !!! :evil: If I am not mistaken the ingredient taking its place appears to be Sorbitol. It was kind of tricky to pinpoint it since most of the ingredients are still the same with a few addtions and a few omissions and a re-shuffling of the order.

BTW, can someone tell me if J.M. Fraser has glycerine in it? I'd like to pick up a tub of it the next time I'm in Toronto, which will be this Thanksgiving (first Monday in October for us Canadians)

Mark
Yes J.M. Fraser's is loaded with glycerin.
Richard
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Re: Florena "New"

Post by drmoss_ca »

koeos wrote: On the label was that ominous word "New" -- well at least it did not also say improved.

I was curious to see what was new about it so I read over the ingredients. Sure enough one of the ingredients in the tube I have in my bathroom was missing. Guess which ingredient? GLYCERINE !!! :evil: If I am not mistaken the ingredient taking its place appears to be Sorbitol. It was kind of tricky to pinpoint it since most of the ingredients are still the same with a few addtions and a few omissions and a re-shuffling of the order.
Uh oh. :cry:
I'm beginning to dislike how many times I find something really good only to have it discontinued or changed into something much less. I'm sure some companies see something suddenly selling well when the word gets out about it, and then the green-eyed god makes them decide to make it more cheaply so all these sales mean even more profit (evil laughter).
We need a volunteer to start a shaving cream company for the shavegeek community. We can probably agree on what it should be made of, and could even have it unscented and add the fragrance of our own choice. Note to self - must try Sue's cream!

Chris
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Pierre-Simon de Laplace
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Post by rustyblade »

The change was made around 2 years ago, so it isn't a recent thing.
Richard
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