Not what I was expecting at all..., 6 Oct. 2015

Having wet shaved for many years, I've amassed quite a collection of creams and enjoy nothing better than trying new products to keep the experience fresh and exciting, so I was looking forward to trying a cream from a brand that I had never heard of before. Firstly, the positives: The cream comes in a very generous 300ml tub, which compared to the standard 180ml tubs that most creams come in, is very large. The packaging is quite flashy - a chunky wooden lid is a nice touch, making the tub look even bigger still. The scent is very invigorating, especially from the tub, although it doesn't linger very long when applied to the face. So far so good, but here is where things start to go wrong. Having used many different creams from various companies, I can honestly say that this is unlike anything else I've ever tried - and not in a good way!

The term 'cream' in this instance is about right, as it resembles an oily hand cream that my mum would purchase off the Avon lady...

This review is from: RITUALS Samurai Magic Shave Cream 300 ml (Personal Care)

Smells divine, but....., 15 Oct. 2015

This is a tricky one.

On the one hand, this appears a beautifully presented product. Its a very heavy, stylish container, with an expensive looking wood effect lid (the kind you like to keep), but the cream isn't what it appears ..or the marketing blurb is seriously flawed?

Man of the house uses top end shaving products. He wet shaves. After using this, he said it is definitely not a shaving cream...that is, you don't use it to lather up, and shave with (it has no lather), instead he feels it should be used as a 'pre-shave prep'.

It is a very high quality cream, with a slighly oily feel. Only a small amount is needed on the face, BEFORE applying your usual shaving cream. It moisturises the skin and helps to protect sensitive skin. He said it could not be used to shave with on its own.

This puzzled me. This is an expensive product, in premium packaging and it has a gorgeous smell - not unlike a softer version of the incredibly expensive...

This review is from: RITUALS Samurai Magic Shave Cream 300 ml (Personal Care)

I really dislike this, 8 Oct. 2015

I use a multi blade razor and usually wet shave with Taylors shave cream and a decent shaving brush. It's a real pleasure and worth the 7 quid or so I usually buy a tub of shaving cream for, especially because the cream lasts ages. You only need a tiny bit on the end of the brush to get a good lather all over your face.

How does this compare? Very badly, on all counts:

1. Price. It's ludicrously expensive for what you get - whilst you might be tempted to compare with other shave creams by volume you really need to factor in that you need dollops of this stuff to get a decent shave. I'd estimate it works out at least five times the price of Taylor's stuff.

2. Lather. There is none. Used with a shave brush I had to put so much on that my face was cold from it, and so my shave experience was worse, and I felt like my face was greasy from the cream afterwards.

3. Fragrance. There is very little by comparison to the real pleasure I get from the sandal wood smell...

This review is from: RITUALS Samurai Magic Shave Cream 300 ml (Personal Care)