Quality unscented lathering shaving cream?

yourmando · Post by **yourmando** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 1:01 am

Any recommendations on a top shelf unscented lathering shaving cream? I would like to use one as a base to add my own EOs. (My first experiment will be an extravagant pure sandalwood.) So far, I have the following contenders:

Art of Shaving Unscented Shaving Cream - I have not tried any of these creams but I am guessing this may be the top choice. (The link has a funny video of a Zoolanderesque model shaving with a mock 3 and too much lather.)
Kiss My Face Fragrance Free Moisture Shave - I've used and enjoyed scented KMF, but would prefer the more traditional consistency and a tub.
Taylor of Old Bond Street Hypo Allergenic Shaving Cream - I have seen the report in shaveblog about this making a good base for adding a scent. He says "the shave was just as great as with Taylor's regular creams." However, The Gentlemen's Shop reports: "This shaving cream has no soap content and is therefore non-irritant. However this means also that the cream is unconventional and does not produce a great deal of lather, even with the use of a shaving brush." Perhaps the formula changed?

I don't expect that any of these will be as good as traditional creams like Trumper or new creams like Nancy Boy and Shaving Gallery. Does anyone have experience with the above creams, or have other recommendations? (Note that Truefitt & Hill Ultimate Comfort "Unscented" is missing. I like the cream a lot, but it actually has a lavender scent.)

Armando

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:20 am

Armando, Although I'm not much of a fan of the AOS line, I do think that their unscented shave cream is the best of it's type. There aren't many products like this around, and the AOS version is truly completely unscented. That's not entirely true of the Taylors. Furthermore, the AOS works indentically to their other creams. The Taylors is different, and I didn't find it to perform nearly as well as their regular versions. Also, oddly enough, my skin did not react well to it ( YMMV ). I don't use the KMF products, so, I can't speak to that.
Regards,
Gordon

yomuppet · Post by **yomuppet** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:26 am

I have heard that Palmolive has a mild enough scent that someone has added essential oils to create their own scent, but I have no personal experience doing so.

Justin

FiReSTaRT · Post by **FiReSTaRT** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 9:50 am

Colleen Hurley (TGQ) made some kaolinite/bentonite based shaving creams without putting any EOs/FOs in'em during the testing process. They produced a decent lather, great glide and no scent. You may want to e-mail her at: thegentlemensquarter@hotmail.com and see if she has any lying around.

FenderBender · Post by **FenderBender** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 8:23 pm

Kiss My Face Moisture Shave - Unscented, is probably the only shaving cream I have ever used that didn't have any kind of scent (not that I have used many creams that claim to be purely unscented). It lathers wonderfully, but may not be the best base as it is a bottled, liquidy cream. I don't have a great deal of experience with EOs, but I would think that some settling may occur because of this cream's fluid nature. I'm not sure, but you could always give it a shot - a tube of this stuff can be acquired for very little (I picked one up for a little over $2) so it's definitely worth experimenting with. Let us know how it goes!

jimkuhr · Post by **jimkuhr** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 8:53 pm

I've used the AOS unscented and I think it's a very high quality cream. It's very moisturizing and for me gave me a very comfortable shave. Pretty easy to lather up as well, I'd recommend it with one minor note. For me because the cream is so moisturizing I couldn't use my normal AS balm. I've put mine away until winter when my skin is a bit less oily. As always YMMV

yourmando · Post by **yourmando** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:14 pm

I got a tub of Art of Shaving Unscented yesterday at my local Neiman Marcus. My intial impression is that it looks like a nice cream. It has a lighter, more whipped consistency. It looks rich--like it has a good amount of coconut oil and glycerin as advertised. It feels nice on the fingers. And it is truly unscented (except of course for the natural subtle cream soap/coconut oil smell).

It also has quality ingredients just like the other better creams--cream soap enriched with glycerin and coconut oil, PH balanced with triethanolamine:

Ingredients: Water, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Coconut Acid, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Propylparaben.

Then I did a test lather in my hand with my D.R. Harris H1 Best brush. Not good. I started with a larger dollop than usual, as more whipped creams usually require. At first, it was like painting my hand. After some tinkering with the water ratio, I was able to get a weak to ok lather.

This morning I shaved with it (with a matcha mod that I will mention in another thread). I was able to get a just-passable lather as I did the night before. The lubrication/razor slip was poor. I can see why they urge the use of their pre-shave oil. But I was still able to get a decent shave.

I would rate Art of Shaving Unscented below all of the English creams I've tried--Harris, the 3 T's, Charles Tyrwhitt, etc., and newer creams like Nacy Boy and Shaving Gallery, as well as other favorites here like Proraso and C&E, and drug store "natural" creams like Kiss my Face, Lucky Tiger Shaving Lotion, and Tom's of Maine. It's just a bit better than L'Occitane Cade shaving cream, and just a bit worse than Weleda shaving cream.

To be fair, I should try it umodified. And it was pretty moisturizing. But this is less important to me since I moisturize.

That said, I am not thrilled to use this as a base for my own EOs, and will keep my eyes open. I might be able to fix the razor slip problem by adding my own glycerin or oil. But I probably can't do much about the lather.

I will see if Olivia can make her Olivia Crema unscented (it comes in a nice almond scent). This is a fantastic tallow based cream that is near the very top of the list for me.

FiReSTaRT, is there a website for "The Gentlemen's Quarter" with more info? I am not familiar. A google search with this phrase with or without shaving added shows some unsavory results

Armando

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 10:39 pm

Armando, Well, it sounds like you got the sort of results I always have with the AOS creams, only a bit worse. If you fiddle with it a little bit, you should be able to get an okay lather, but I too have never found their creams to be the equal of the old English brands. Similiar, but just not as good, is how I experiance them. But my experiance with the Taylor's Hypo- Allergenic was even less satisfactory. Best of luck in your continuing search.
Regards,
Gordon

yourmando · Post by **yourmando** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:24 am

I shaved with the unadulterated Art of Shaving Unscented cream today. Much better results!

Without that greet tea mod, I was able to generate a pretty nice lather. It was quite "plush," felt moisturizing, etc. The lather matched what one might expect from inspecting the glistening, whipped cream in the jar, feeling it's smooth, creamy texture on the fingers, etc. Although the lather looked and felt pretty good, it was still not as lubricating as I would like. I did get a nice shave. I enjoyed the feel and smell of the raw, optic white cream soap lather. A nice change. My nose is quite sensitive and I love my scented creams. In fact, the scent of this "unscented" cream was something that I enjoyed. It might sound strange, but having the lather plumped under my nose allowed me to enjoy the subtle "natural" cream smell.

In short, this is a pretty good cream. Performance-wise, IMO it doesn't match the best of the best. I think my observations are in line with Gordon's now. I won't be buying their scented creams since there are plenty of quality choice out there. But the unscented is their differentiator and worth a try (but of course the search for better unscented is still on). And don't add a load of green tea power to a cream and expect it to maintian its latherability

Armando

English · Post by **English** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:53 am

I really do not know what you guys are doing with your AOS creams.

I get a richer creamier lather with AOS than my top shelf English creams. The cream is oilier somehow and provides better protection to the skin, better gluide to the razor and a better skin moisturising effect.

It does not burst into life like some creams, but reacts more slowly and gets thicker on the face. It's a more modern product, made in England and for me at least, a first rate cream that shaves well.

ScottS · Post by **ScottS** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 5:50 am

yourmando wrote:And don't add a load of green tea power to a cream and expect it to maintian its latherability

Armando

My guess is that the tea is fairly acidic, and you're really doing something to the chemistry.

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:03 am

I have only the AOS lavender cream and I find it performs very well for me.
The scent is fairly accurate and pleasing much moreso than the Taylor lavender I have.