Before I started wetshaving, my Father brought me back a tube of Floris No. 89 from a trip to London. I didn't own a mug or brush yet, but the directions said a brush was only optional. That said, trying to build any sort of lather in my hands and face resulted in a thin watery covering that slid off resulting in the most irritated shave I ever had using a cartridge razor (which makes it the most irritated shave I've EVER had).



It is amazing what a difference a brush makes. Last week, after getting a Merkur HD and a brush and mug, I decided to give Floris another shot. With a preheated bowl and my Omega boar hair brush I set to work creating one of the richest and slickest lathers I've ever made. The end result was a shave so close, yet so irritation-free, I was amazed. So let's go through the categories:



Price: At about $30US, the price isn't BAD. But in terms of value, it definitely doesn't compare with a tube of Proraso green. It is definitely a more luxurious product with a better lather and scent, but personally, as a starving student, the differences don't warrant the price jump.



Quality: Here Floris really shines. The stuff is simply amazing. A little snurdle of product results in mounds of silky hot lather that gives an awesome shave. I can understand why they hold the royal seal for Prince Charles.



Scent: It's musky, which while nice, is a bit too "old-man" for me. It seems more like something my grandfather would appreciate. It's definitely better than my baseline Proraso, but I find myself yearning more for scents like Oak moss or Sandalwood.



Latherability: Another area where Floris shines. Within not time (30-45 seconds), my bowl was overflowing with a rich, stiff lather that was slick yet held firm while on my face. That said, I have to dock a point because despite saying a brush is optional, I've yet to get a nice lather using only my hands.



Efficacy: An almond size portion made more than enough lather for three full passes giving me the closest and most irritation-free shave I've ever had. That said, once again, following the directions for a brush-free shave was disappointing and made me wonder what was so amazing about Floris.



Moisturizing Properties: It didn't dry out my skin like some creams have been known to do, so I guess its a good thing. But after finishing the shave, I still found myself reaching for the bottle of aftershave balm, so its not perfect...



Packaging: Plastic tube with gold lettering. Not exactly a luxury package, but then it is cheaper than the Floris soap that comes in a wooden bowl....



So there you have it. It does produce an amazing lather (one that I find myself craving the next day), but its not a product that is going to make me run out to get another tube once my current stock runs dry. (Doesn't help that it is almost impossible to get up here in Canada).

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Alex

DE Wetshaving since St. Paddy's Day 2009!

I have been using the sample I got from Rorschuck for a couple of days and really like this cream. Sure it is pricey, but you get what you pay for. The lather is amazing and the scent, I guess since it's a cream, is a shade darker and smokier than the cologne, which I really like.