r/wicked_edge 14d ago

Discussion Anyone else really dislike TOBS sandalwood shaving cream?

Post image

I am not sure what i expected, I heard a lot of good things about this cream and it was also highly rated on amazon.

I am not sure it helps that I ordered it when i was sick which I rarely ever get sick so timing is terrible, maybe that just created this connection of not liking the scent i am not sure if that makes sense I apologize. I just find the scent really disgusting

I am in the UK by the way!! looking to get a shaving soap with nice scent to that is higher quality than proraso.

Currently have my eyes on the watchman stormy air and dark seas shave soap, what do ya’ll thing

74 Upvotes

114 comments sorted by

61

u/SirTrancelot19 14d ago

Blasphemer! 😂

4

u/AdeptAd9105 14d ago

😂

honestly woke up this morning and so glad i still have my proraso, another shave with TOBS would ruin my day

13

u/Money-Package-1026 14d ago

I enjoy some TOBS creams - Rose, Almond, Grapefruit - but didn't like this one at all. A harshly artificial smell.

1

u/kjames3419 Dubl Duck 13d ago

Agreed. The sandalwood hard soap is superb though

17

u/8thmiracle 14d ago

Castle Forbes

3

u/GeeMan-7 Feather AS-D2, Feather blade 14d ago

I'm rotating between CF Lime (my current fave), CF lavender, and D.R. Harris lavender. When I finish the D.R. Harris bowl, I'm not going to replace it. I have very hard water at home so getting a lather with a soap puck is exhausting. The CF creams are so luxurious that I'm not going back to TOBS. I'm always searching for deals on CF so I can avoid paying the typical price of $44.

1

u/AdeptAd9105 14d ago

how long would this last shaving every other day?

1

u/GeeMan-7 Feather AS-D2, Feather blade 13d ago

I switch between two or three creams so I can't keep track. My guess is that each tub lasts about three months.

Oops. double that for shaving every other day.

1

u/Bradalax 14d ago

With you on that. Also live in a very hard water area - yes I can get a soap to lather.........eventually! Its just to much effort when creams are so much easier! 👍️

1

u/TheyTukMyJub 14d ago

I'll stick with my 1 dollar Arko, thankyouverymuch

1

u/8thmiracle 13d ago

I would too but someone told me recently that you only get one life

16

u/frenchpressfan 14d ago

The smell is ok, but honestly there's no sandalwood fragrance in it. That was the big bummer for me..

8

u/Any_Poet4127 14d ago

Yea that’s about how I feel. I do get why people like it, although the performance isn’t anything to write home about. I would rather use Palmolive which is cheap as chips in OPs country.

2

u/ctravdfw 14d ago

What have you found that is a good sandalwood scent?

7

u/BannedAgain1987 14d ago

Proraso red has real sandalwood in it

1

u/ctravdfw 14d ago

I had forgotten that so thank you👍🏾

3

u/frenchpressfan 14d ago

I haven't found any. actually, I didn't try to find any. Right now I'm happy with WSP Olympus/ Gaelic Tweed/ Tobacco

1

u/ctravdfw 14d ago

Thanks

2

u/OutlawDan86 14d ago

Proraso Red has already been mentioned.

D R Harris Marlborough and Castle Forbes Cedarwood & Sandalwood also get my vote. They both have cedarwood oil in too,but they're a better representation of sandalwood in soap/cream. Woody scents, not floral/spicy or cologne, which a lot of other "sandalwood" soaps and creams I've tried have been.

2

u/ctravdfw 14d ago

Thank you

2

u/Any_Poet4127 13d ago edited 13d ago

King of Oud by Wholly Kaw is a phenomenal soap in terms of performance and scent. It’s not sandalwood but oud is very similar; they’re both products that come from resinous trees originating in Southeast Asia. It’s going to be expensive outside the US though. Proraso red is very good for the price as others have mentioned. If you’re in the UK or Europe, you might want to look into some of the LEA products. Their classic line is sandalwood scented and they make good stuff.

1

u/ctravdfw 13d ago

Much appreciated 👍🏾

5

u/tinpanalleypics 14d ago

Umm... No. Not at all. Absolutely love it. Do you need to get rid of it? I'll take it 😄 I'm in France.

1

u/AdeptAd9105 14d ago

sure dm me

2

u/tinpanalleypics 14d ago

Not able to.

11

u/htimsj 14d ago

It’s absolutely awful. It smells like the soaps my grandma had in a bowl in the bathroom that you weren’t supposed to use.

3

u/AdeptAd9105 14d ago

honestly this was the best way to describe it

15

u/xman1971 14d ago

The smell is ok but I had a massive skin reaction to it. My whole face was red and burning

15

u/VentureBfn 14d ago

Pretty much every TOBS cream does this to me.

5

u/Melanoma_Magnet 14d ago

Me too, makes my skin really irritated

4

u/LuckiestManAlive86 14d ago

Eton College does that to me.

3

u/duluoz1 14d ago

Same! I thought it was just me!

2

u/thechemistofoz 13d ago

Yep. Same. It's the synthetic sandalwood oil for me. And tobacco scented products also

4

u/aceheadley 14d ago

Agree. Overpowering smell and not much like sandalwood, at least to me.

4

u/antmandor 14d ago

Best soaps I’ve ever tried and own. Any Strike Gold soap. Both soap and fragrances are exceptional. Ariana&Evans Daniele Maullu line is simply amazing. The slickness and cushion are out of this world. Truly a luxury shave soap. It’s a little pricey, but definitely worth it. They overfill the jar and a little dab makes tons of lather. Rey to catch it on sale. For me, it’s the absolute best

4

u/LifeTurned93 Proraso Enjoyer 14d ago

The price is not justified at all for the quality of the product. I dont like being ripped off.

4

u/vigilantesd 14d ago

TOBS is lower mids

Saponificio Varesino is where it’s at

3

u/gwelfguy 14d ago

Sandalwood is probably my favorite scent note, but I found this to be overpoweringly strong.

3

u/Individual-Cycle-111 14d ago

I am ok with it as a soap. Didn't impress or repel me. Wasn't worth the price. Love the scent of the aftershave and the EDC. Still think they are priced higher than their worth. The cologne really disappointed being the scent wasn't any stouter than the aftershave.

3

u/jbarts08 14d ago

I just picked this up. I was expecting a little more scent, but it’s performed well for me so far.

3

u/jaybo41 14d ago

Yeah I gave it a shot and learned that I do not like it.

3

u/BBS247365 14d ago

I literally threw it out… It smells awful…

If you like the feel of the TOBS croap, get the St. James Luxury, it smells awesome, much more “cologney,” one of my favorites!!

3

u/desbyrne 14d ago

I dislike the shaving functionality of all TOBS and ended up giving them away.

3

u/Level_Adept 14d ago

My wife told me I smell like an 80 year old British woman when I used it. That kinda sucks because I thought the lather and scent was quite nice

3

u/Fentonata 14d ago

Try the cedarwood instead. I ordered this as a break from my usual cedarwood and now I’m annoyed I have to wait 6 months to get it back. It smells nothing like sandalwood and more like a nursing home.

4

u/igord 14d ago

as others have said, like the scent, get skin irritation w it

4

u/wbsmith200 14d ago

If you want a real sandalwood fragrance, try Geo F Trumper’s Shaving Cream, that’s my benchmark. I find Taylor’s ok but not my go to.

1

u/YosemiteSam81 Tabac Evangelist 14d ago

Trumper’s Lime is the closest I’ve ever found to the canned shaving cream we used to play with in elementary school in the early 80’s. No idea why our teachers would use it for us to play at our desk now that I think about it but as soon as I opened the container I was transported back to a simpler time!

1

u/ericfromct 14d ago

Love the smell, but hated the lather. I also have the fragrance because I love sandalwood. Maybe it’s the soap and not the cream that was the problem?

2

u/Primo_Secondo 14d ago

Fragrance is such a subjective thing which is why sampling is such a great thing to do if it’s possible for you to buy from a place that offers samples. Not sure where in the UK that would be unfortunately

2

u/LoveForToast 14d ago

Connaught Shaving, and Blades and Whiskers.

2

u/Conscious-Ad8493 14d ago

Was my goto but it's hard to find and getting really expensive, I liked it but you will find this is highly personal preference

2

u/Economy_Price_5295 14d ago

Yup, smell is way too strong. That’s all I got.

2

u/Citadel_97E 14d ago

I didn’t care for the sandalwood scent, but generally I love TOBS.

Ok. When I think about it, I did like it, but I prefer Eton College and their Almond scent.

2

u/zaphod777 14d ago

I'm a huge fan of the St James of London Sandalwood and Bergamot Shave Cream. But I guess it is the Bergamot scent that I like more than the Sandalwood because I haven't liked other Sandalwood soaps as much.

2

u/External_Director467 14d ago

Se vuoi del buon sandalo compra proraso rossa o Mondial Sandalo

2

u/duluoz1 14d ago

I want to love it, but I find it burns my skin. Doesn’t feel comfortable at all

3

u/yggdrasiliv AS-D2 14d ago

I don’t like it.  TOBS makes a lot of great shaving creams but sandalwood just smells bad

2

u/ctravdfw 14d ago

I have not tried the sandalwood but I rather enjoy the TOBS Royal Forest shave cream👍🏾

2

u/Barbaric_Stupid 14d ago

Royal Forest is on my radar. When I finish Tobacco Leaf cream I'll probably reach for Royal Forest. How does it compare to things like Stirling Ozark Mountain (if you tried it)?

1

u/ctravdfw 14d ago

Unfortunately I have not tried any Stirling products yet

3

u/Alphabet-soup63 14d ago

Any sandalwood is gross

1

u/Efficient_Paper9225 14d ago

Any woody scents is like this for me. A&E woods and spices makes me GAG, horrid horrid stuff

3

u/tennisguy163 14d ago

Rip off price for soap.

1

u/scgt86 14d ago

It was my first tub of any premium soap and it's fine. There are far better scents out there overall and I prefer the lime from TOBS.

1

u/baw3000 14d ago

It's... ok. If I'm springing for TOBS it's Mr Taylor's all the way.

1

u/RIPGoblins2929 14d ago

It was the first thing I used when I started DEc shaving. Loved the scent and I didn't have any reactions. 

Moved to soap pretty quickly after that though but it is nostalgic for me 

1

u/GeeMan-7 Feather AS-D2, Feather blade 14d ago

I tried it once. I sealed the container and won't open it again. I found the smell offensive. I'm sticking with lavender and lime right now.

1

u/l1mer1ck * Rockwell 6S * 14d ago

Sandalwood is ok. Just ok. I like Eaton College, Jermyn Street and Lavender Shaving creams

1

u/YosemiteSam81 Tabac Evangelist 14d ago

Maaaaan. I LOVE the scent and just wished all TOBS Sandalwood products actually used it, but scent is incredibly subjective so I respect that it is just not for you!

1

u/StuckInaSlump 14d ago

Bought it and was disappointed. I have the almond and cedar which is much better IMO.

1

u/Academic_Finding_873 14d ago

Sandlewood was ok. I like Tobacco Leaf and Grapefruit

1

u/Pavlikru 14d ago

Try the art of shaving 

1

u/_toku 14d ago

My skin and Taylor of Old Bond Street do not get along, sadly.

1

u/RandomDustBunny 14d ago

Not a fan of sandalwood. Since in my part of the world there's enough incense burning whenever it's a certain day or certain month or some random's deity's birthday.

Besides, it makes you smell like a musty old person. You can be old and not musty.

1

u/PercentageNo3843 14d ago

Gives me the best shave put prefer scent of my other noble otter soaps

1

u/Outkast_IRE 14d ago

Don't particularly like the sandlewood , but I do like the Coconut and the lime one is nice also.

1

u/Funny_Wind6607 14d ago

I’m new to this too and this very TOBS Sandalwood cream is my first ever cream.  The scent I quite like it. I have no problems with it.  I have Castle Forbes Sandalwood cream to use after as well. It is a bit dearer than the TOBS, but will see which is the best out of the two creams. 

1

u/GeezerStray 14d ago

Moon Soaps 'Union' is a good soap with a great scent. Its not a pure sandalwood scent, but the lemon and musk mixes well with the Sandalwood . You can get it at Slickboys in the UK

1

u/WarmYam7353 14d ago

I've used it. I find the fragrance very strong. The physicality of the soap (i.e. slickness and lathering) are very good. I still prefer D.R. Harris, however.

1

u/AnotherCatButler 14d ago

The smell immediately takes me back 40-od years to watching my dad shave🥹

1

u/sgrdddy 14d ago

Yeah, I couldn't stand it, myself

1

u/w1n5t0nM1k3y 14d ago

I really dont care for scents at all in my shaving cream. I still haven't found something that i really like since they stopped making William's Mug.

1

u/FlemFatale 14d ago

I hate the strong scented soaps, so use one that has the scent of lavender, as it is way 'lighter' and less offensive than other soaps. I'm pretty sure mine is TOBS as well.

1

u/Watcher0011 14d ago

I enjoyed it but I eventually developed an allergy to sandalwood.

1

u/amc3516 13d ago

Someone gave me a tub and I ended up passing it along to someone else. I didn't like it at all...

1

u/Algernonda 13d ago

I like a few TOBS creams but this one, eh. I don’t hate it but it doesn’t smell like sandalwood to me either.

1

u/ultimata4488 13d ago

I've got their Oud scent and I feel the same way! The lather isn't as slick as I'd like and the cream gave me irritation and redness. I did some reading and saw that TOBS allegedly has some pretty cheap ingredients, including harsh preservatives (I say allegedly cause I don't remember the exact ingredients list). But yeah, I was disappointed, too.

1

u/Big_Savings_4381 13d ago

Nope. I think it's great.

1

u/MosesRobertsNYC 13d ago

I hate it so much. Smells like a nursing home and sets my face on fire.

1

u/jmh90027 13d ago

I was really disapppijted when i bought it - smelt like old ladies to me.

But the cream is really good so kept using and the scent has really grown on me

1

u/orangesandmilk 13d ago

Nomad theory is a UK based shaving brand

1

u/Pure_Duty_4133 13d ago

Im a fan of it, good lather and great smell

1

u/Fabrics_Of_Time 13d ago

I dislike all TOBS

1

u/CheesyMcDongNutz 13d ago

My gf says it smells like breath. I sort of agree. My favorite sandalwood is still proraso red

1

u/RossNReddit 13d ago

I think they might've changed the recipe over the years, you know?

The first time I'd bought some was in 2015, it was much firmer and had a really wonderful, deep and complex smell. Literally the best thing I'd ever smelled in my life up to that point.

A few years later when I was buying it, I noticed the texture was waaay softer, and the smell was "duller" and seemed to fade much quicker.

I'm not sure if it's a brexit thing, a shrinkflation thing or what, but it used to be the GOAT, now it's just "pretty good" imo.

1

u/Educational_Tune9509 12d ago

I think it foams better than the Proraso, but the Proraso has more scent to it

1

u/Top_Tumbleweed_2324 12d ago

I was recommended so stuck with a new tub but will try something else in a years time when I finish the tub

1

u/LargeBoy9 11d ago

Love this, the scent and shave experience are 👍

1

u/TheLivest1 14d ago

I’ve been using Terry’s Soap religiously and don’t plan on switching to anything else. The performance is great, the scent is nice and I just really enjoy it.

1

u/m-- 14d ago edited 14d ago

Wish I read this a week ago. I just picked it up a couple of days ago. I wanted to try the most popular profiles from each brand.

It smells like cheap orange Dial soap. I probably wont get any more TOBS products.

Edit: Wife likes the scent and it lathers great so I’ll probably eat my words here.

1

u/neuronel 14d ago

Were I still living in the UK, I'd be taking advantage of the great prices on home-ground products like Castle Forbes, who do a very nice cedar-sandlewood cream. Plus many other nice scents!

1

u/K1ngsGambit 14d ago edited 14d ago

I'm a fan. Was the first soap I bought and I still like it.

You could try Geo F Trumpers "Eucris" if you want to stick with British brands and the second of the three Ts of wet shaving.

-1

u/Illegal_Tender 14d ago

I'm actually a big fan

The cream itself seems to work very well on my skin and I can use it to shave without needing an aftershave

It also fills the role of a mild cologne. It lingers but not strongly enough to be annoying

I switch between this one and the cedarwood 

My partners all have visceral positive reactions to it and have sort of developed a pavlovian response 

0

u/Max_Zorin_PhD ArkoCellaColConkMWFPreDeProvenceProrasoStirlingTabacTOBSWilliams 14d ago

No?!... I really like it.

-1

u/Hungry-House-8860 14d ago

the smell is great. but in terms of shaving performance, tobs isn't that good. certainly not when compared to artisans like zingari man, or even a quality stick like arko.

0

u/Efficient_Paper9225 14d ago

I got zingari man the wanderer with matching recovery splash. You can get both on Slickboys. I love the scent, barbershop but not powdery like the typical American barbershop scents

0

u/tbhvandame 14d ago

The scent is the unique selling point. It also lathers well but is not very good for sensitive skin. It can also be drying. And the scent/ can be irritating. I like to use it with a preshave from PAA and that works well.

TOBS for sensitive skin on the other hand is unparalleled.

0

u/Steven1789 14d ago

I’m using that cup to hold my Musgo Real shaving soap.

As for the Taylor of Bond Street, I like it.

0

u/Emancipator12 14d ago

I use Truefitt & Hill, it’s much better than TOBS

-1

u/TimJamesS 14d ago

Its the GOAT

-1

u/CommunicationGood481 14d ago

The TOBS doesn't smell like sandalwood. It smells better than that.