Harris Rose Shaving Cream

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 10:24 am

I was going to add a post to one of the previous threads regarding Harris' Rose now that it's been around for over a year, but decided to start a new one (less clutter, and who has time to re-read a lengthy thread?).

I just want to say that the past two morning shaves with the DRH Rose have been very good. The performance of this shaving cream is as good as any. The fragrance is beautiful. I finished up with a splash of Thayer's Rose Witch Hazel, followed up with Coral Skin Food. Needless to say, and the reason for this post, is just to affirm how pleased I am with the Harris Rose. As we have discussed, it has firmed up substantially since it was new.

I loaded the wet brush directly on the tub of cream, then when the brush hit my face, the lather started to explode into the light pink avalance of rich fragrant protective goodness. Today's razor and blade of choice were the Gillette Slim on a setting of 6 and a Personna HU.

Thalay Sagar · Post by **Thalay Sagar** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:24 pm

I'm with you Gary. Great stuff- for me it alternates with T&H as my favorite rose cream, if not my overall favorite cream. I prefer its scent to the T&H but believe that the T&H gives a merginally better shave. Although since the T&H was my gold standard for a long time, maybe its all in my head.

Flash G · Post by **Flash G** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 12:25 pm

I´m seeing a substantial part of the bottom of my Harris Rose pot so I guess I have to agree that it´s a very nice cream

The pot firmed up over the winter and has been a joy to use since.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Jun 19, 2011 9:41 pm

It's excellent stuff beyond a doubt. It was nice to see it return. When I first got heavily into all this D R Harris offered a rose scented shave cream as well as one scent with their Classic Cologne. The Rose was the first to be discontinued, so most members on these shave forums never had had an opportunity to try it. It's reintroduction has been one of the very few bright spots in a generally bleak picture of discontinuations and negative 'reformulations' or cheapening of classic products that has been going on full steam for the past five years at least. So, bully for D R Harris on this one!
Regards,
Gordon

Craig_From_Cincy · Post by **Craig_From_Cincy** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:01 am

I have to admit that I was unaware the DR Harris even made a Rose Cream

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Mon Jun 20, 2011 10:01 pm

Craig, Well...that's what you get for..ahem...absenteeism. Yes, they reintroduced one a year or more ago after having discontinued their original version around the late '90s sometime. I had a sample of the current version when it first came out and it was very good indeed.
Regards,
Gordon

Craig_From_Cincy · Post by **Craig_From_Cincy** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:22 am

Guilty as charged Gordon.

Is there a particularly good online retailer that members recommend for Harris products?

nathanb · Post by **nathanb** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 5:12 am

Thanks for the review! I am a big DR Harris fan. Specifically of their Arlington soap but I would love to try out one of their creams.

Do you find the scent to be strong on the Rose cream? I don't know if I could handle a strong rose scent.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Tue Jun 21, 2011 8:26 pm

Nathan, IMO, it's pronounced but not overpowering. A nice full 'lush' rose scent, but still masculine. More pronounced than the T&H version I think. More similiar to Trumpers or the old Coate's Rose.
Regards,
Gordon

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 6:14 am

Revisited the very fine DRH Rose SC this morning, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Swirled the tips of the Omega Silvertip brush on the cream and then took it to the bowl. The lather is excellent and the fragrance is my favorite. Thumbs up!

Rambler · Post by **Rambler** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 10:12 am

I agree Gary. These days when I do use my brush the only cream I have on hand is the DR Harris Rose. I was using Trumpers Violet before this which is an excellent cream as well, but for me the Harris Rose will always be a staple I have on hand.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:42 pm

Yes indeed. Since my earlier above post I have acquired a full pot of the Harris's Rose cream and as I have mentioned several times in my SOTD entries, it is simply a superb shave cream. It reminds me of the way all the top shelf, old school, English creams tended to be maybe ten years ago or so. It's highly concentrated so a little goes a long way and yet it is not dehydrated or difficult to dissolve. The closest thing I've tried in some time to the old Coate's creams, which were my favourite overall shave products I've ever used.
Regards,
Gordon

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 4:48 am

it is simply a superb shave cream.

Yikes, even i'm tempted to try it out

clive

nelson · Post by **nelson** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 9:49 am

As a result of all the strong endorsements of D R Harris rose shaving cream, I will probably have to give it a try, although my recent experiences with other Harris creams have been mixed, at best. Right now my favorite rose scented creams, in terms of scent and overall "on my face" performance are (1) GFT and (1.5) TOBS.

On a side note, back in the day when I first began to be interested in "fine" shaving (at about the time the first SMF brush was being designed by Shavemac) QED still had some pots of Coates shaving creams in stock. Sadly, I didn't take the opportunity to order any.

nelson

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 9:11 pm

Nelson, Yes, that was an unfortunate missed opportunity. It was primarily SMF members who ferreted out the last Coate's creams to be found. Some off the beaten path NYC apothacary shops yielded some, and some hoarders in Britain was another last ditch source. Unfortunately, the last pots that I had finally became too dehydrated to use, at least in the normal way, so that was that. Those creams were just excellent and the current pot of Harris's Rose is the closet thing to them that I've found since. I can't guarantee that others would get a pot equally as good but I will say that the last pots of their Almond and Lavender creams that I had were very good also.
Regards,
Gordon

Fido · Post by **Fido** » Mon Sep 03, 2012 8:10 am

I'm still working my way through pots of Coates Sandalwood and Almond. I'll miss them when they are gone - or perhaps they will outlast me. And I share the enthusiasm here for DR Harris Rose cream. It's tending to become more dehydrated than other creams but still good to use.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:42 pm

Gareth, Well, yes they could be lathered up like a soap but for me....you know, if I'd wanted a soap I would have bought one. I had only very limited success trying to re-hydrate them and lathering them as if they were a hard soap just didn't render the same quality lather...at least I didn't think so. The last couple of pots of Coate's I had got left at the old house when I abruptly decamped last September.
Regards,
Gordon

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:21 am

not sure if the pic on bullgoose site is accurate, but is the cream really that red? I have a jar of truefit that looks almost white in comparison

clive

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:31 am

Mine's that red! The lather is very faint pink, almost undiscernable.

Esoteric83 · Post by **Esoteric83** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 11:24 am

I recall reading that the stock photos don't show the color.

Not to get too off topic, but is the Lavender still dark purple? I just finsihed off one of the old white metal tube and would be curious to know if and how much the cream has changed since.