Trumpers and my face... WTF happened?

[msandoval858]

I can't figure this out. I don't think my technique has anything to do with it because I get good shaves with other creams, but the last 3 times I've used Trumpers (Limes and Violet) it feels like I'm dragging the blade over dry skin?

This morning I took extra time to get the lather whipped up perfectly. Took my Merkur classic long handle and Merkur blade (2nd shave) and did the usual dance. 1st pass was already feeling rough. By the 3rd pass I got blood on the cheek? I skpped the against the grain I usually do.

So either my skin changed somehow or I'm doing something wrong? Merkur and Feather blades, Gillette and Merkur, shower before shave, face nice and wet, doesn't matter. Anyone ever experienced something similar? Not necessarily with Trumper, but this is kind of wierd to me.

[ScottS]

Personally, I've found Trumpers to be a little more finicky than many of my other creams, with similar results. So far as I can tell, I get results like yours when my lather is a tad thin.

[scarface911]

maybe try some pre-shave oil or some proraso pre shave cream. You could also try Chris' method of applying a layer of GFT Skin Food before each pass. See if that helps.

[Bob]

That's strange, Mike. I used Trumper's Violet over the weekend, and didn't notice anything different from the lather I got with Taylor's. Like Scott, when I have problems like you describe, it's usually because the lather is too thin.

Has the Trumper's started to break down with age, or is it getting watery from dipping your brush in the pot?

[jallen013]

i used a reciently recieved sample of trumpers lime shave cream yesterday followed with trumpers lime skin food.

i got a horriablly uncomfortable shave and my cheeks exploded with what looked more like a rash than razor burn (thank god i had yesterday off). the rash was bad enough yesterday that it's still not completely calmed down.

since it was the first time i used this cream i can't say for sure that it was the cream itself instead of a reaction between my face and the cream, but either way, i think i'm done with trumpers products.

[Tryphon]

I can't figure this out. I don't think my technique has anything to do with it because I get good shaves with other creams, but the last 3 times I've used Trumpers (Limes and Violet) it feels like I'm dragging the blade over dry skin?

Anyone ever experienced something similar? Not necessarily with Trumper, but this is kind of wierd to me.

I suggest you try applying Proraso Pre-shave to your wet face before lathering. It sounds like the Trumper's cream is not lubricating your skin enough. The two creams you mention are not the slickest ones; sorry to hear of your troubles!

[msandoval858]

I intentially made today's later batch a little on the thick side thinking maybe I was cutting it too thin. So I don't think that could be it, though I my personal definition of thick might be the issue.

The two creams I have are in tubes. The creams themselves look fine, not dry or anything.

Maybe my water/cream ratio just needs some work.

[Bob]

Now that I think of it, one of the worst shaves I've had, since switching to a DE razor, was when I used a small sample of Trumper's Coconut shave cream. I couldn't figure it out, because I'd heard such wonderful things about Trumper's. I eventually concluded that I'd made the lather too runny, since I wasn't used to scooping the cream into my lathering bowl (I tend to dip my brush directly into the cream). I wonder if Trumper's just lathers differently than Taylor's (and others).

[Big Ren]

Mike,

I think we often look to our shaving products and techniques to account for the occasional bad shave, without recognizing that perhaps it is our own skin that is the culprit. Sometimes our face is just not ready to accept any shave. While we're able to standardize our shaving regimens to a generally effective routine, it is beyond our ability to control the skin itself, which IMO varies according to factors such as diet, stress, environment etc.


Ren

[rustyblade]

Mike,

own skin that is the culprit.

Ren

Another thing we overlook are changes in the water that are out of our control.

The lake Ontario water out of the tap now stinks (literally), although I don't think it effects the shave. Sometimes I let my water softener salt run out, by accident.

[Laney1566]

I would blame the Merkur fixed head long before the GFT. The only way I can get a decent shave with that razor is with Feather blades, no matter what cream I use. Merkur blades in a Merkur fixed head razor remind me of my garden hoe. Add a Feather and that long handle or 1904 or HD become instruments of stubblecide.

BTW. I tried shaving with my Futur today with a Merkur blade. I nearly cried. What was once my favorite smooth shaving razor combo became a nightmare. I guess I have been using Gillettes for too long now.

[wenestvedt]

I think we often look to our shaving products and techniques to account for the occasional bad shave, without recognizing that perhaps it is our own skin that is the culprit.

Mike, now that you're a new dad, your body may just be going a little haywire from extra stress hormones, to say nothing of any sleep deprivation you may experience. There's enough changes in your life -- diet, exercise, sleep patterns, et al. -- around this time that a change in skin texture/chemistry/whatever isn't a big surprise.

- Will

[kd7kip]

Mike-

You have me rather stumped with this one, since I own and use all of the Trumper's cremes, and have never had any problems with any of them. (Just the opposite, having used several cremes from Taylor's, T&H, Proraso and several soaps, Trumper's is far and away my favourite).

I like to apply the creme to my face a little on the thick side (I don't use a bowl or scuttle, just my palm), then work it around a while, occasionally dipping the brush tips into hot water to increase the water content until it has a nice, smooth and shiny appearance without any water running down my neck. Usually for the first pass I lather up, then put down the brush and brush my hair or wipe of the counter-- just something to occupy a minute or so-- then pick up the brush and rework the lather. This seems to really give my beard an opportunity to soften up, and forces me to slow down a bit.

Finally, there are two things I constantly have to remind myself before every shave: take time to build a good lather, and take time to focus on razor technique. It's too easy for me to get sloppy!

-Scott

[Scorpio]

Mike,

I have noticed that lately I have had to add a little more water to get the lather just right. Maybe the water quality here in Austin has changed a little as a result of the drought. I also added a little glycerin to the mix to help with the lubrication process. The good news is the weather is begining to change so the dry hot weather is on the way out.....We hope!!!

Rafael

[The Barber]

I am new to the DE Mike having just used my Futur/Feather combo for the first time yesterday. The guy at classicshaving.com told me the TOBS shave gel was better than the pre-shave oil. Now I have never used the oil but the combination of gel and TOBS lavendar made for one of the best shaves of my life. Maybe Trumper's isn't as good although I've never tried it. The guy at classicshaving said Trumper's is crap. JK

Gary

[msandoval858]

Mike,

I have noticed that lately I have had to add a little more water to get the lather just right. Maybe the water quality here in Austin has changed a little as a result of the drought. I also added a little glycerin to the mix to help with the lubrication process. The good news is the weather is begining to change so the dry hot weather is on the way out.....We hope!!!

Rafael

I wondered about that myself. I live in the Pflugerville are where the water is notoriously hard. Maybe I need to check my softener.

I did give the Trumper Limes a test run this morning. I tried using my Limes Skin Food as a preshave before applying lather and that made a considerable difference. Nice shave with Merkur HD/Feather combo

[kd7kip]

I am new to the DE Mike having just used my Futur/Feather combo for the first time yesterday. The guy at classicshaving.com told me the TOBS shave gel was better than the pre-shave oil. Now I have never used the oil but the combination of gel and TOBS lavendar made for one of the best shaves of my life. Maybe Trumper's isn't as good although I've never tried it. The guy at classicshaving said Trumper's is crap. JK
Gary

Wow! I'm getting perfect shaves using crap? Wet shaving is awesome!

Seriously, Trumper's is expensive, but it could never be described as crap...

-Scott

[texasPI]

I am new to the DE Mike having just used my Futur/Feather combo for the first time yesterday. The guy at classicshaving.com told me the TOBS shave gel was better than the pre-shave oil. Now I have never used the oil but the combination of gel and TOBS lavendar made for one of the best shaves of my life. Maybe Trumper's isn't as good although I've never tried it. The guy at classicshaving said Trumper's is crap. JK
Gary

Wow! I'm getting perfect shaves using crap? Wet shaving is awesome!

Seriously, Trumper's is expensive, but it could never be described as crap...

-Scott

The TOBS pre shave gel is just as expensive (about $20) and is not for pre and post shave like the skin food. I've tried both and IMO the TOBS gel is too expensive for what it is. The TOBS gel contains a little over 1oz and the skinfood has 3.5oz for a few bucks more.

[Danny_N]

Long time reader, first time poster...

I have been wetshaving for about a year now, and have loved every shave.

Until...

This past weekend, I went to the Pastuer's near my building in Manhattan. What a great store, btw! Anyway, I had heard great things about Trumper's Violet, and was dying to try it. Thanks to the great selection at Pastuer's, I picked up a tub. I had shaved previously with many flavors of the other two T's, and loved them all. And also I've had great results with Proraso, Musgo, Cremo, and even King of Shaves gel (blasphemy, I know).

Long story short, I rushed home, did my full pre-shave ritual, then whipped up a mug of the Trumper's Violet cream. The smell was fantastic, the lather was thick and rich, and I was anticipating a great shave. The feather blade in my fatboy was at the ideal three-day-old mark to boot. Nothing could possibly go wrong...

But dear sweet merciful lord, what an awful shave I got. Maybe the worst shave of my life. It felt like I was dragging a hacksaw over a peeling sunburn. I immediately figured my lather sucked, so I whipped up another batch... made it thicker this time... even changed to an Isreali blade thinking my face was just a little worn out and needed a break from the feathers. When I rinsed my face I noticed I already had several bleeding wounds. Considering I average about one small cut every other shave, this was not normal.

I re-painted my mug and took another swipe and the pain was enough to make me yelp out loud. When I rinsed, it looked like I had suddenly sprouted freckles, until the freckles began pouring blood. I've never seen so many cuts from one swipe of the blade. The skin that wasn't cut was raised and red with irritation. Thinking I was allergic, I rubbed some of the cream into the inside of my wrist... no itching, no nothing... it was not an allergic reaction. The performance of the cream was the culprit.

At this point I had had it. I had to finish my shave, so I whipped up a batch of Truefitt West Indian Limes (my favorite cream) and decided to just try and get through one pass to at least be presentable. But what do you know? With the Truefitt, the rest of my shave was comfortable and fantastic.

My conclusion? Trumper's cream is the worst I've ever tried. Worse than a can of foam even. The smell is wonderful, but the shave is a travesty. I'm going to attempt to add glycerin to the tub, in a salvage attempt... but I'm never buying that garbage ever again.

This is just my opinion, but I had to get it out there. At $25 a tub, definitely try a sample of the stuff before you buy it. This was the first major dissapointment in my wetshaving career... up until then, it seemed every new product I tried was better than the last.

[MOSES]

Well.... YMMV. I have tried Violet and have Sandlewood. Maybe not as good a shave as Taylor, quite, but pretty darn decent. I don't think even a feather would do the kind of damage to me, even dry, as long as I was careful about technique. But, like I said, YMMV. Sounds like this isn't the cream for you, at least right now, so enjoy your T&H Limes (GREAT stuff), and your Taylors, and maybe try the Trumper again in a few months or a year just to confirm. Meantime, I am sure you can trade it for something you will like on the Selling & Trading forum.