I really have enjoyed every product from L'Occitane, I've come into contact with, so with the other shaving products being of such high quality, I thought what the hell. I'll give it a whirl. Wow, was I Wrong! The tube which really doesn't work as well as a tub is the high point of the product. Once you get the product out and into the lather bowl, and you breath in expecting the crisp woodsy, herbal aroma of the aftershaves and instead you are assaulted by generic deodorant stink. And once you work the stuff into a lather, mind you a lather about as thick as facewash creates. The products feels very thick and soothing, so I did try it without a brush and it's worse. My skin actually hurt and on one half of my face, I couldn't even attempt a shave, it felt like I was going to break out in hives, just burning from the cream. All in all, I don't have a single positive thing to say about this product. It is the worst shaving cream, I've ever tried. IMO, Edge Gel is far superior to this product. But in L'Occitane's defense, their aftershaves are fantastic as are their soap. So still go to the store, lots of good stuff to be had, just avoid this cream like the plague.



If you'd like to discuss this cream, check it out, right here.

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Tim

HELP SUPPORT B&B

And malt does more than Milton can
To justify God's ways to man. -A.E. Housman

Have a question, PM a mod. That's why we're here!

My experience with this creme wasn't quite as negative as TB's, but I will say I found this product to be quite unremarkable. It did what you would expect from a creme, it just didn't excel at any level. I have read where the creme was reformulated so it was better than the Cade creme of old so I grabbed a sample and 'gave it a ride'.



I got 3 shaves out of it and perhaps if I hadn't previously used and found their soap to be so outstanding, my expectations would have been lower. On every level it performed poorer than the soap. And to be honest, $12 for a cake of the soap vs $28 for the tube of cream.........Not a tough choice.



I recomend the soap to anyone that wants the experience of L'Occitane Cade; it is well worth it. Buy the refill cake and skip the 'pretty' nickel bowl to same some money. This is a creme that I will be doing without because there are so many superior ones IMO. A very average creme at a premium creme price.



-Scott-

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http://sphughes.smugmug.com/

Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul.

Well, I must be an alien, since I appear to be the only one on the planet who can get a good thick lather and shave out of this stuff. Here goes:



The set up:





A snurdle in the bowl:





A few swirls:





Thick meringue:







Great, thick, scented lather:









Well, I don't know what to tell you. I don't know why it works for me. I get a great lather, a great shave, and I love the scent. It is like a supercharged version of the soap.



Everyone else hates it, so I would recommend that you get some samples from L'Occitane to try it before you invest in what is a pretty pricey cream.

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-Scotto


Support B&B!

Scotto,

If you look back a year or so, there is a review I did of it that is almost identical on one of our forums (might be over on MSN or SMF) in which I also got lather like you did.

Unfortunately....like you, I was using one of the sample packets, and not a tube bought at the store. Apparently somewhere along the line they have reformulated, but unfortunately the "good" creams have not reached the shelves, or at least not the one I bought.

If the cream in the tubes were as good as the sample, I would indeed have no issues with it. Unfortunately, the stuff in the tubes is apparently still the older, USELESS version, perhaps they want to sell all the uhhh grout cleaner, before they put out the stuff that works.

I got very similar results to yours, from a sample packet (Identical btw)

but horrible results similar to Tim's when I tried the (ridiculously expensive) tube.

I like their soap, but for the cream, let the buyer beware, until the good stuff makes it to the shelves.

John P.

Originally Posted by JohnP

Scotto,

If you look back a year or so, there is a review I did of it that is almost identical on one of our forums (might be over on MSN or SMF) in which I also got lather like you did.

Unfortunately....like you, I was using one of the sample packets, and not a tube bought at the store. Apparently somewhere along the line they have reformulated, but unfortunately the "good" creams have not reached the shelves, or at least not the one I bought.

If the cream in the tubes were as good as the sample, I would indeed have no issues with it. Unfortunately, the stuff in the tubes is apparently still the older, USELESS version, perhaps they want to sell all the uhhh grout cleaner, before they put out the stuff that works.

I got very similar results to yours, from a sample packet (Identical btw)

but horrible results similar to Tim's when I tried the (ridiculously expensive) tube.

I like their soap, but for the cream, let the buyer beware, until the good stuff makes it to the shelves.

John P.

John, just for the record, I tried both the tube and the sample with equally abhorrent results.

------------------------------
Tim

HELP SUPPORT B&B

And malt does more than Milton can
To justify God's ways to man. -A.E. Housman

Have a question, PM a mod. That's why we're here!

I was stoked to find my wife got me this for Valentines day!

Then I was less then stoked when I used it. Couldn't get a lather to save my life. I used a ton of it too! My brush tends to no let go of lather too easy, but this was ridiculous. Worse then Caswell Massey's creams.

The aftershave is wonderful however!

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Take The Cannolis' entry into the Badger & Blade Hall Of Fame!

Where I Shave

Like many others here, I had tried and loved the soap but had almost no success with the cream.



After reading some of the points from those who have had success with it, though, and experimenting some myself, I've gotten some -very- very enjoyable shaves with it.



The main key for me, as others have mentioned, was to use a -lot- of the shaving cream and very little water. It's best to start with a brush shaken free of much if not most of its water and a GOB rather than a dollop (gob = about twice the size of the ordinary dollop, if even not bigger). I went overkill to make sure it worked and used about a quarter of my travel size tube for one shave.



I also lathered in my hand, as others here mentioned. Not sure if that made any difference, but it did work.



It also works very well, I think, with a couple drops of l'Occitane's shave oil.



Obviously, using that much cream each shave is going to strike some as a waste and a bad value. They're probably right, but it is a really great cream once you make a couple of adjustments. Really lovely and one of a kind.

I seriously don't understand this cream. The smell sucks and sets my face on fire even before i start shaving. I use it to wash my toilet tiles now. Ok, it lathers well, but what good is a lather if you can't use it?

Okay, let me say off of the bat that I only used a sample. However, it was not a prepackaged sample, rather the sales lady made a sample from the tester tube.

I love this scent. Enough said. Very woodsy, incredible.

I had no trouble making a good lather with this, however, I knocked it on latherability as compared to some exceptional creams. I have tried various Trumper's and Proraso creams, as well as the C&E SAO, and all have produced an excellent lather much easier than this. That being said, it still was much easier than other creams I have tried (C&E Nomad gives me trouble).

Now, the knocking point is the price. While I love the scent, and find it fairly easy to lather, for the price, I can buy a tube of Trumper's Violet (my new favorite scent), T&H WIL, or a couple tubes of Proraso.

Do I like this? Yes. Will it be next on my to buy list? No. Will it be on my Christmas wish list? Definitely (right after a tub of Trumper's Violet and T&H WIL).

I bought this product before I had read all of the reviews, and after reading the reviews I was a little nervous. But, luckily I am one of the few that seems to get good results with this cream.



I paid approx. USD$30 for the 150ml tube. Quite expensive, but only half of the $64 I would have had to pay for the Acqua di Parma.



I love this scent. But, it's not quite strong enough for me. I add a single drop of ylang ylang EO to the cream before lathering. The mixture makes this scent intoxicating, especially when the lather is nice and hot.



Unlike most others in the review I am able to get a very good lather out of this cream. There was some talk earlier about there being a re-formulation, and perhaps I have a tube of that re-formualtion. Either way, I get a very good lather.



I find that I have to be sure to add enough water to this cream. If i don't the cream ends up a little tacky, and my razor doesn't glide. But, with the correct ratio my razor really slips and slides over this cream. And as for cushion, no problems there.



The only problem I've had so far with this cream is that I don't find it moisturizing at all. This might be because of the cream itself, or it may be because of the EO that I add. I don't know how ylang ylang might effect that, but at only a single drop it seems that it should be negligible.



As with all L'Occitane products I've come across, and particularly the Cade line, I really like the packaging.



Despite my nervousness after reading the previous reviews I'm happy I have this cream in my cabinet.

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-Karl

My only regret is that I have but one face to shave.

First I must say that I love most of L'occitaine's products. This cream can be difficult to work with, but I get pretty good lather out of it. I like the smell as it is very clean, isn't loaded with any fake perfume aromas and does not react badly to any aftershave or cologne I put on. My only real problem with it is that it is very drying to my face. I balm up every time I use it to keep the old skin moist. I would not recommend this for folks with very sensitive or dry skin.

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"I don't believe in that phony hero stuff" Steve McQueen

I was given this by a friend and I don't know what it normally costs so price got a ten from me.



As for the rest. It worked excellently. The scent is quite nice (not horrible not great) and it lathered up decently.



It DID however take a lot of cream to get some nice fluff going.



The shave was....weird. Afterwards I felt my face and on some spots it felt like I hadn't shaved.



My last little bit of TAGMSC balm and a few minutes later revealed one of the better shaves I've had in my life.



It's excellent stuff in my book. I hear it's a bit pricey though.



I'll definately hang on to my tube.

This cream found its way to me after a far-too-frazled wife (with kids in tow all day) mistook my *soap* request for a *cream* request for Christmas. Dutifully, and with full knowledge of the reviews, I pressed ahead to try it out. And, generally, validated the reviews. This is generally not a good performer for me, and judging by the reviews, many/most others.



That said, I've waffled a bit in recent days. I've been quoted on this board to the effect that you should run from this cream like you're a victim in a slasher film, or risk looking like said victim. Recently, I rehabilitated it with two techniques:

1. Lathering it on top of a shaving stick (oddly enough a poor performing boutique soap from, of all places, Israel--I figured two wrongs might make a right, and it worked reasonably well).

2. Using a water-hog brush (Omega 6215), which suggests that this might be a high water-to-cream ratio cream?



Regardless, I have to use comparatively a lot of cream--I'd guess 2x as much as others, making it a ridiculously overpriced option compared to most competitors. From that, I get an OK shave at best.



Would I buy it myself? I can't imagine doing so. Would I be crushed to get it as a gift again? No, thanks to what I've learned about using a waterhog brush and the superlathering idea.



As an aside, I definitely agree with TimmyBoston that the aftershave is quite nice (though again, for the price, I'm not sure it's that much of a standout).



And I'm still eager to try the soap...

------------------------------
Bryan

... But this is the only product I have ever used that is uncategorically .... well, just sad.



I hurt myself badly with this stuff. Dry, multiple weepers, and a clogged sink to boot.



Some of you work shave products like they are the NY Times Sunday Crossword.



Well, I don't mind accommodating a product I don't understand, but this one needs to come with a Hazmat sheet.



Paul



P.S. Mine is free, provided you pay shipping. ANYONE ...

P.P.S. Seriously, make me an offer. In thirty years this will be the novelty product of the early new millennium... the comfort shave product that ... doesn't ... and ... isn't ...

Well, yes.....it is not a good sign when the packaging is the only category in which a product scores a 10. I like the metallic-like tube and the typical CADE manly, earth tone colors on the box



As others have stated, using the typical. almond sized dollop of this cream results in a thin, bubbly "lather" more akin to a face wash than a good shaving cream.



The interesting thing is that I was still able to get a very good shave with my usual 3 passes and minor blade buffing.



So, for me, the efficacy wasn't terrible, but the enjoyment level was very low.



Used in conjunction with the CADE AS Splash the results were good, but the experience was underwhelming.



Why oh why do I tend to forget to check reviews here before clicking Buy Now buttons?



With tubes of Speick, Proraso and Musgo Real in my shave den along with tubs from Salter, Castle & Forbes and Penhaligon's.....this was definitely not a tube of cream I needed to purchase.



Move along......nothing to see here.......stick with the soap and the other L'Occitane products, but do yourself a favor and take a pass on this one.

------------------------------
Stu