Closest to Coates scent-wise

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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DavidB
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Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by DavidB »

Thanks to the offer on the Selling and Trading forum, we can now get tubes of Coates cream, which is great 'cause Coates Lavender is my favorite cream of all time. Coates Rose is more subtle than other rose soaps I've tried, so that's my fave rose. I also like Coates Sandalwood.

While I plan to stock up on these, that does beg the question: what widely available creams are close to Coates?

Someone here recommended Truefitt & Hill Lavender as being close to Coates, which indeed it is, so that's my Coates Lavender parachute. But what about Coates Rose or Sandalwood? Any equivalents?

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Craig_From_Cincy
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

As to the Coates Rose, I would say T&H is the closest.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by brothers »

T&H Lavender, certainly.
Gary

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bernards66
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by bernards66 »

Yes, regarding lavender, definately the T&H. With the rose however...well...if you're remembering the Coate's Rose in the pots then I would say Trumpers or D R Harris. The pots of Coate's Rose that I used to use had a very red color and a lush straight 'rose' scent. The T&H version is much lighter colored and the scent is, IMO, well....a tad subtler, more 'mixed'. Now the tubes of Coate's Rose that I've gotten from Andy are, I think, somewhat faded in both color and fragrance. But compared to the Coate's Rose as I remember it, definately the Trumpers or Harris's. With sandalwood creams today I would say that the Trumpers is closest in scent to the Coate's. I have both currently and have compared them side by side and they're pretty similiar. The T&H version used to be even closer but as we know, they have completely changed the scent of their 'Sandalwood' cream.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Squire »

Trumpers sandalwood springs to mind though it's been quite some time since I've used any. Do have some Taylors sandalwood on hand which is very nice.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by bernards66 »

Squire, Taylors is nice but it is scented with their Sandalwood Cologne scent, which is quite different from the Coate's Sandalwood. The Trumpers or the old T&H are much closer.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Ouchmychin »

All are speaking of tallow based soaps and creams. I have had pots of QED glycerine/oil based soaps that had wonderful strong scents. Sandalwood, lavender, and my favorite: Rose/Geranium.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Squire »

Oh I'm aware of the differences Gordon, just adding to the conversation. My point is I think Taylors version of sandalwood smells nice.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

Gents, scent aside which cream is closest to Coate's in terms of performance? I would vote (again) for T&H. Thought?
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by brothers »

Considering performance, it's a crowded field, considering all of the English creams. I am not offering a closest, because thinking about it I found myself bouncing around among the 3 Ts and Harris.
Gary

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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

Good point Gary, they are all made by Creightons, aren't they?
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by brothers »

I may have read that somewhere, but couldn't swear to it.
Gary

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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

Robert confirmed it here: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=52252&start=40
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by bernards66 »

Craig, Yes they are, as was Coate's of course. These have always been very fine point distinctions; between the various top shelf English shave creams. Years ago we had many discussions and debates on the subject. Even back then there were some who maintained that they were all the same because they were all actually manufactured by Creightons, but I didn't agree with that back then and still don't. You'll notice that in his above post Robert informed us that Creightons is who holds the formula for the old Coate's creams. If there is such a formula than they are not all the same identical generic shave cream; there must be at least subtle differences....and I think that there are but all these creams ARE very similiar. So, comparing them was always nuanced as well as being subjective. Then too, all these creams vary depending on how old they are, storage conditions, etc. But if I had to say, and basing it on my memory of the Coate's in the pots, I think that the last few specimens of the D R Harris's pots are, overall, the closest to the old Coate's. They have been very 'rich' and dense and have made a quite protective lather. I get a slightly closer cut from the T&H and Trumper creams and they seem slightly lighter in weight. But that's just my opinion.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Craig_From_Cincy »

True Gordon, and I didn't mean to imply that they were the same, they clearly are not. Trumpers, Harris and T&H, for instance, all have distinctly different textures when whipped into lather. All excellent, but still slightly different.
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Re: Closest to Coates scent-wise

Post by Ouchmychin »

Since I am new to Coates I have had to learn how much to use to get the lather I prefer. It seems to be quite a long length from the current tube which has a smaller diameter hole than other tubes. I would say close to 3", at least more than 2". And I get a safer shave when I use a shaving oil too because it makes a lubricating film that stays and prevents razor chatter during all passes. I sometimes polish by only smearing the soap from side burns and my goatee around and that can dry and give a dry shave at times. For some reason I find razors are unable to get the last stubble off until that happens. Otherwise the blade just skims over the whiskers. When my skin is dry my razors may chatter and that is dangerous.
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