St James of London scents? what would you describe them as?

[SydneyShaver]

Hey everyone,

About to finish off my tub of NO two kings and am rearing to get back into creams. Wanna try out something new and St. James of London seems to be a good pick. The scents though worry me a bit. If they are poorly done they'll just be fruity ashtray or lolly/candy scents. I've read a few reviews but none of them really detail on the scent (Which is frankly mostly what I care about). I have no doubts its at least a decent performer. Which scents have you tried? did you like them? How would you describe/compare them with other scents say from TOBS/DRH etc. The AS gel looks cool too and wouldn't you know it, my lucky tiger bottle after what feels like a year is on its last legs. Thanks for your help!

 

[APBinNCA]

I believe you can get samples, Gifts&Care maybe? I like almost all of them, just not equally. The black pepper and lime might be a good choice, fairly mild scent though(used it yesterday). Mandarin and Patchouli seems to be popular, it's alright. The Sandalwood is the most popular, but also too mild for me. The gel is amazing stuff!

 

[Texchappy]

Maggards has a set of samples for St James with pre, post, and creams. Just came in the mail yesterday for me. have a tube of the Lavender and Geranium I've used a couple of times. Scent is pleasant but not is intense as my DR Harris lavender soap.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Black Pepper and Lime is my favourite, and the only one I have bought a full tub of. Love that stuff.

The Clarysage is very oddly herbal. A scent I could never fully decide if I liked or not.

Lavender and Geranium was like being maced with Eau de Granny Pants, and left me avoiding my bathroom for all but the most essential of functions for a couple of days. A vile putrid evil I never wish to encounter again.

Everything else was perfectly fine, but I just didn't enjoy using them as much as the Black Pepper and Lime.

 

[sarimento1]

SJL did a great job of crafting its scents.
Very up-to-date, complex blends, not over-powering yet still recognizable.
You can get samples from several sources.
Performance is excellent.

 

[SydneyShaver]

I believe you can get samples, Gifts&Care maybe? I like almost all of them, just not equally. The black pepper and lime might be a good choice, fairly mild scent though(used it yesterday). Mandarin and Patchouli seems to be popular, it's alright. The Sandalwood is the most popular, but also too mild for me. The gel is amazing stuff!

problematically a tube is going for around $10 and the samples are $9!!! I'm better off buying a tube of everything haha. Thats why I'm asking if im being honest. My preference is almost always to get samples of everything first otherwise. I'm not sure about the citrus scents personally, I just don't typically seem to like them. Are they sweet? or would you say they refined and zesty? As long as they're nothing like TOBS lemon lime I don't think I'd mind.

 

[SharpieB]

SJL did a great job of crafting its scents.
Very up-to-date, complex blends, not over-powering yet still recognizable.
You can get samples from several sources.
Performance is excellent.

View attachment 1446662

This.

Sandalwood and Bergamot is excellent. So good that I bought 5 backups when it was on sale on Amazon. Excellent stuff and my favourite creme. The balm and cologne is excellent as well.

tobacco leaf and Tonka is nice but very strong and some people have issues with irritation.

 

[sarimento1]

This.

Sandalwood and Bergamot is excellent. So good that I bought 5 backups when it was on sale on Amazon. Excellent stuff and my favourite creme. The balm and cologne is excellent as well.

tobacco leaf and Tonka is nice but very strong and some people have issues with irritation.

thx!

i've not tried tobacco and tonka

 

[APBinNCA]

problematically a tube is going for around $10 and the samples are $9!!! I'm better off buying a tube of everything haha. Thats why I'm asking if im being honest. My preference is almost always to get samples of everything first otherwise. I'm not sure about the citrus scents personally, I just don't typically seem to like them. Are they sweet? or would you say they refined and zesty? As long as they're nothing like TOBS lemon lime I don't think I'd mind.

Personally, Cedarwood and clary sage is my favourite. Black pepper lime is mostly zesty, the mandarin one is a bit sweet.

 

[Bhugo]

My sniffer is burned out from years in a chemistry lab. I need a strong scent to notice and enjoy a cream. SJOL has too mild a scent for me. They all perform wonderfully though.

 

[fast shaver]

Black Pepper and Lime is my favourite, and the only one I have bought a full tub of. Love that stuff.

The Clarysage is very oddly herbal. A scent I could never fully decide if I liked or not.

Lavender and Geranium was like being maced with Eau de Granny Pants, and left me avoiding my bathroom for all but the most essential of functions for a couple of days. A vile putrid evil I never wish to encounter again.

Everything else was perfectly fine, but I just didn't enjoy using them as much as the Black Pepper and Lime.

OMG... it sounds like you got a Big whiff of the Queens underwear.!

 

[APBinNCA]

OMG... it sounds like you got a Big whiff of the Queens underwear.!

How else would a British Company go about getting a Royal Warrant?!

 

[shavefan]

problematically a tube is going for around $10 and the samples are $9!!! I'm better off buying a tube of everything haha. Thats why I'm asking if im being honest. My preference is almost always to get samples of everything first otherwise. I'm not sure about the citrus scents personally, I just don't typically seem to like them. Are they sweet? or would you say they refined and zesty? As long as they're nothing like TOBS lemon lime I don't think I'd mind.

You get (9) samples for $10 USD, with free shipping. Definitely the way to go IMO

St James of London Samples - https://stjamesoflondon.com/collections/st-james-of-london-samples/products/st-james-of-london-samples

 

[SydneyShaver]

I went with tobacco and tonka and have been liking it so far. I also got the AS gel in the mandarin and patchouli scent which I haven't used yet.

 

[Noodles]

The Sandalwood is one of my favorite scents. Cologney Sandalwood ala other Brit companies. The Orange is lovely too. The others didn't make much of an impression. Great creams.

 

[pierrelortie44]

The SJOL fragrances are all very natural, subtle and mild. The whole ingredient list is simple and natural.

Castle Forbes went for this natural angle too, but in an in-your-face way.

The 3Ts (including DR Harris) are the sort of old-fashioned Dairy Queen take on natural-sounding fragrances. As previously mentioned their Almond is often simply benzaldehyde (which I find sickening), and citruses can often be limonene or related substances. Still, like DQ, I like many Trumper and Harris creams occasionally, though I haven’t bought any in many years, so many things to try, and they’re all so long-lasting.

 

[SydneyShaver]

The SJOL fragrances are all very natural, subtle and mild. The whole ingredient list is simple and natural.

Castle Forbes went for this natural angle too, but in an in-your-face way.

The 3Ts (including DR Harris) are the sort of old-fashioned Dairy Queen take on natural-sounding fragrances. As previously mentioned their Almond is often simply benzaldehyde (which I find sickening), and citruses can often be limonene or related substances. Still, like DQ, I like many Trumper and Harris creams occasionally, though I haven’t bought any in many years, so many things to try, and they’re all so long-lasting.

So far I have to agree, I got tobacco and tonka and its great! The cream itself performs very well and i love the formulation. TOBS and DRH tend to add in preservatives and colouring agents for no reason. I also hated the almond and citrus scents. I'm going to try and sample the rest of the SJOL lineup and then try truefitt and hill or castle forbes. Maybe la toja/lea if im feeling Spanish instead of Brit.

 

[ask4Edge]

Just a side note that the only DRH cream which has preservative is their Eucalyptus, and only their Rose and Lavender have colorants.

 

[pierrelortie44]

I never used a coloured cream, I don’t know if it would bother me but I never heard a positive comment on this either.

 

[pierrelortie44]

Getting back to SJOL, all their creams are nice and I would buy again.

I will just comment on the Lime and Pepper cream, the scent was mild and earthy, just a hint of lime and pepper.

I tried the matching aftershave. Surprise, much fruitier and fragrant than the cream.

The cologne went on smelling of vinegar but quickly died down to a pleasant and mild woody earthiness. The Cedar Clarysage and Tonka colognes were similar to the creams. The colognes are water-based, no alcohol, a bit unusual.

Now I have all the other aftershaves, to see if they might be different from the creams. Should open them in a couple weeks when my Edwin Jagger Lime aftershave is finished.