Almond shaving cream fragrances

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:28 am

My local brick & morter shave shop (it feels so nice to be able to say such a thing) is ordering in some fresh Truefitt & Hill Almond for me, and I believe he's told me it might be here this week. I've searched and read a lot of archived SMF discussions about the shaving creams, particularly the English brands. I think I'm correct in understanding that they all are described as marzipan or cookies or candy, etc. to some degree. Having said that, and recently having taken a poll of the SMF readers, it looks like the consensus here is that T&H and Harris are the most commonly preferred.

So here's a potential game-changer I'm dealing with: I'm also aware that there is a school of thought somewhere that Acca Kappa's 1869 Almond Shaving Cream (an Italian product, perhaps?) in the tub is the "best". I'm thinking that once I've got the T&H I might consider sampling the Acca Kappa too, for the sake of an objective comparison. What do you guys think of this plan?

Conversely, as Harris Almond cream comes in a close second to T&H in the SMF poll, maybe that's a comparison I should make also.

For the record I want to say clearly that I'm not really looking for the sweetest and foodiest fragrance in town, I'm hoping for something that Gordon has described as "leathery" (a tub of T&H from a few years back) and more masculine and subtle (the old Coate's), and that's also another of the reasons I'm putting down the bucks up front for the T&H without having yet used it.

harper · Post by **harper** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 12:42 pm

Brother, as you know I am a huge fan of Trumper's; I have used T&H almond and it is not my cup of tea although it may well be yours. I find the scents fine in the almond of both firms. In experimenting I only buy travel-size tubes ... more expensive if I like the cream but a bargain compared to a tub if I don't. For the record I am not much of a fan of T&H' products but not becasue there is anything wrong with them ... it is one of the best of the qualilty firms ... but, like Gordon, I hate plastic tubes and so far Trumper's has stuck with metal. Good luck and let us all know how it works for you!!

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 1:36 pm

Gary I like them all and for me they work about the same so it's all about the scent over which I have no preference.

I do like the T&H plastic tubes however, unless they have changed the tubes are see through so we can tell how much has been used and how much is left. Yay plastic.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 8:54 pm

Gary, ( chuckle ) Well, that old review of the T&H Almond shave cream has come back to sort of haunt me before. Firstly, I need to say that generally, unless I've specified otherwise, my comments on, and comparisons of, various English shave creams, all the way back to the beginning of these shave forums, have been based on the creams that come in the pots, not the tubes. Some maintain ( including the companies themselves ) that there is no difference but I do not agree. There is, at least in some cases. That pot of T&H Almond that I reviewed back then WAS superb, and it DID have, to my nose, a slight hint of leathery masculine scent underneath the generic 'bakery shop' fragrance that they all seem to share. Just as an aside, I pick up something similiar at the base of the Trumpers Coconut Oil cream...a hint of scent that makes both of them smell more 'masculine' than they otherwise would. But, that was the last pot of T&H Almond that I've used so I've no way of knowing whether that subtle basenote is still being used. Other than that, I've experianced T&H, Trumpers, D R Harris's and Taylors rendition of 'Almond' shave cream to all smell pretty similiar. Coate's did as well but the scent was milder, toned down, more discreet...but still similiar.
Regards,
Gordon

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:35 pm

Gordon, I think I'm looking for something that might not exist. The same-old-same-old bakery sweet almond hasn't been my ideal.

In my trials, Castle Forbes was the "wood" that I liked the best, Harris is clearly the Rose that rings my bell, while Taylor's Lavender Soap is my ideal choice. I suppose now I'm checking out some Almond varieties, in a subconscious hunt for something different, yet similar, that will be what I've always wanted in an Almond.

I love Harris Almond soap, but that's just Almond in name only, not in fragrance. I'm going to start with T&H, since it's what's on the radar screen at the present time, but it'll be a wonder if it turns out to be just what I've been looking for, right out of the box.

I might find "it" in the 3 T's + H, or it might be out there on the shelf with the likes of Acca Kappa, Salter's, Vulfix, or who knows what. I've read a hundred threads and a thousand posts about Almond creams, hoping somebody will say "boy, that brand X is unique, different from all the rest". That might be the one for me.

One thing's for sure, it isn't Cella, which gags me involuntarily.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 10:48 pm

Gary, Well, check out the T&H and see what happens. In any event, almost all agree that it's an excellent shave cream and who knows?...maybe it still does have that subtle difference in scent that I tried to describe in that old post. As you say, it's certainly a good place to start your quest.
Regards.
Gordon

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:20 pm

I have the following Almond-fragranced products on hand, all of which will get a fair trial in mission Almond while I'm awaiting a call that the T&H has arrived:

A twice used pot of RazoRock Cacao Shave Cream Soap
A bowl of Vitos Extra Cocos
A sample of Acca Kappa

These are nothing to be sneezed at. Maybe the search just took a turn for the better.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 9:35 pm

Gary, Well, we'll see...do let us know how it goes. I've not used any of the three that you named so I can not comment or compare. I have used the Cella, Valobra, and Boellis however and personally prefer any of the top shelf English almond shave creams to them. Looking forward to your take.
Regards,
Gordon

LookingGlass · Post by **LookingGlass** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 2:58 pm

Cyril Salter Almond is great for me...love the scent.

Ed

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 4:42 pm

The old C&E Almond soap was amazing in scent and performance. It was also very cheap when it was available. I like it and use it once in while. It doesn't have that overpowering 'candy' scent that some other soaps have.
The C&E Almond cream has a different scent but is not overpowering, and performs as good as any cream out there. It's a shame that they discontinued both as they were probably the best in the C&E lineup. I'm hoping that they will come out with reformulated versions which I know will be pretty good since their other reformulated scents perform very good.

jww · Post by **jww** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 5:27 pm

I am with Bruno on this one -- C&E cream and soaps, I found at least, were tops of all brands. Now, I find DR Harris and Trumpers my favourites.

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Fri Sep 16, 2011 6:15 pm

Thanks Wendell, at least I managed to stock up on some C&E Almond soaps and creams before they were discontinued. At the time they were practically giving them away the price was so cheap.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:04 am

Yesterday I eagerly used the new tube of T&H Almond. I must say the fragrance was very pleasant, and I'm looking forward to using it frequently, along with a good handful of other Almond products over the next few days or weeks. Almond's a fragrance range I've shied away from (up to now) due to the physical revulsion I experienced early on with Cella's fragrance.

There are tubes of DRH , Salter (tub) , and GFT Almond on order, in addition to a couple of Italian products. When added to those that were already on hand, I think I've got a pretty good cross section of Almonds to browse through. In this regard, it's a happy time for me, to be sure. The good part is that this Almond exploration is going to take quite some time before I move on.

Squire · Post by **Squire** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 1:45 pm

Tough misson Gary, your voulenteering will be noted in dispatches.

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 2:01 pm

Thanks, but my motives are purely selfish.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 3:01 pm

Gary, Are you picking up that subtle undernote in the T&H Almond cream that I eluded to in my old post?....that hint of a leathery sort of fragrance?
Regards,
Gordon

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 3:10 pm

Gordon, it's going to take a couple more uses, I think, before I can sort that information out. I can say the fragrance of the cream in the tube is blah, but coming off the brush, it's Wow. Very nice. I'll be more ready to try and detect that leathery note in future use. I have asked myself this question too, more than once.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 9:20 pm

Gary, I'm not sure that I ever really detected that subtle undernote from the cream I had in the plastic tube. It was the pot that I had earlier, the one I 'reviewed' where I noticed it. Despite what the purveyors say, I remain unconvinced that the tubed and potted creams are identical...at least in some cases. Well, keep checking and see what you can...er....sniff.
Regards,
Gordon

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 4:39 am

Gordon, I see -- tub vs. tube. Making note to self: "When T&H tube runs out, replace it with a tub and try to see if there are any subtle differences."

brothers · Post by **brothers** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:40 pm

A week later, here's the update, FWIW. I've got 8 almonds I'm working on now. It's too soon to tell what's what.

As Squire pointed out, the mainstream (3 Ts + Harris) English products, in my humble and uneducated opinion, are pretty similar. Salter's is one that seems somehow a bit different and intriguing to me. I'm curious about that one in a way that doesn't apply to the big 4 English Almond creams. They're similar high quality products, and they probably have their high points and their own admirers. I can say that I do enjoy the T&H. I need to use Harris and GFT a few more times before I can say anything for sure.

The Italians have their own positive attributes worth mentioning. Vitos Extra Super Cocco has tallow and a unique and very pleasant fragrance. Acca Kappa has a unique texture and substance about it, and a subtly unique fragrance. RazoRock Limited Edition is a virtual Cella with a wonderful fragrance. RazoRock Cacao is similar or almost identical (or so I'm told) to Fitness/Figaro. Cheap and workable, but not too different from the mainstream English creams.

I've come to hold all of the Almond products in high esteem. Higher in my opinion than most of the other standard ranges that are similar but varied from manufacturer to manufacturer.