I was reading that lime creams are ideal for oily skin types. Are other citrus fruits ideal for guys with less oily skin? I'm just starting off so prefer to apply and lather with my fingers. Any suggestions/experiences of good brands with natural ingredients and their scents (strength, longevity)? How do the creams hold up on 1/2/3 passes? How much clogging should I expect on a Merkur? Thanks!
Fave Lime, Citrus Creams
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Cream hold up fine to multiple passes. When I wash out my brush after a triple pass shave, I ususally wash more lovely cream lather down the sink than I used.
I'm a huge fan of citrus scents and lime is my favorite warm weather scent with neroli and vetiver for the cooler weather.
If you want to spend the money, Castle Forbes lime cream is great. If you're not so flush with cash, then I think that Cyyril R Saler Essential Lime is pretty good.
I'm a huge fan of citrus scents and lime is my favorite warm weather scent with neroli and vetiver for the cooler weather.
If you want to spend the money, Castle Forbes lime cream is great. If you're not so flush with cash, then I think that Cyyril R Saler Essential Lime is pretty good.
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I've tried a few...
Castle Forbes is THE lime cream. Hands down - there is none better. You will not find a better smelling lime no matter how hard you try, and it works beautifully. It's very expensive. If you like aftershave balms, their lime is just an unreal experience. There are no other words for it. I WISH they made a splash.
Tryphon used to make a lime cream and I still have some. It's nearly as good as CF.
Kiss My Face key lime is awesome, but the scent is gone as soon as you lather it. Cheap and it also works great.
Queen Charlotte key lime is another good one. The scent is great when you open it. Lather it and something else comes to the front. I don't know what it is. The cream works amazingly well. The scent change is disappointing.
Shaving Essentials also had a nice cream in a lime scent. What happened to them? I don't even get an email reply.
TOBS Lemon lime is OK. It works very well but smells like lemon Pledge. Not bad but not great.
GFT Extract of Limes is excellent cream. The scent is not the lime you expect, but it's a very dry lime. I love it almost as much as CF. But the scent is very very different.
AOS Lemon - I never was able to get a good shave out of that stuff. Others swear by it. I gave mine away. Then got some more thinking it was my fault and I'd try again. I gave it away. Again. YMMV.
Godrej lime - I don't know what that smell is. It's not lime. Ew. But it works really well as do all the Godrej creams.
JM Fraser - a citrussy scent. Inoffensive and good. This is THE cream for a good shave and LOTS of cream for very little money. Everyone should have this stuff.
Cyril Salter - a nice pure lime cream that works beautifully. The scent is excellent but not as strong as CF.
Vulfix - nasty. Not worth the trouble. Some people like it. But definitely not me.
Truefitt and Hill - I don't like the scent. But the cream works beautifully. I am in the minority here in not liking the scent, but that's why there are lots of different products!
The Shave Den cream - good scent, works well, reasonably priced. Definitely worth a try.
I want to try Ems place cream, but haven't (yet).
Now, as for the effect on oily skin...
Lime is not the cure-all for that. I have used lime creams that left my skin clean (CF comes immediately to mind - my skin is clean and tight) and some that do not (Salter - skin is NOT tight, and somewhat harder to rinse). For oily skin I'd say Kiss My Face is a good place to start that won't break the bank. Queen Charlotte also leaves my skin tight and clean. CF has been known to irritate some people. They use a metric buttload of lime in it I guess. But if you have the cash, give it a go. The big one to avoid up there if you have oily skin is Godrej.
None of the creams clog anything.
Castle Forbes is THE lime cream. Hands down - there is none better. You will not find a better smelling lime no matter how hard you try, and it works beautifully. It's very expensive. If you like aftershave balms, their lime is just an unreal experience. There are no other words for it. I WISH they made a splash.
Tryphon used to make a lime cream and I still have some. It's nearly as good as CF.
Kiss My Face key lime is awesome, but the scent is gone as soon as you lather it. Cheap and it also works great.
Queen Charlotte key lime is another good one. The scent is great when you open it. Lather it and something else comes to the front. I don't know what it is. The cream works amazingly well. The scent change is disappointing.
Shaving Essentials also had a nice cream in a lime scent. What happened to them? I don't even get an email reply.
TOBS Lemon lime is OK. It works very well but smells like lemon Pledge. Not bad but not great.
GFT Extract of Limes is excellent cream. The scent is not the lime you expect, but it's a very dry lime. I love it almost as much as CF. But the scent is very very different.
AOS Lemon - I never was able to get a good shave out of that stuff. Others swear by it. I gave mine away. Then got some more thinking it was my fault and I'd try again. I gave it away. Again. YMMV.
Godrej lime - I don't know what that smell is. It's not lime. Ew. But it works really well as do all the Godrej creams.
JM Fraser - a citrussy scent. Inoffensive and good. This is THE cream for a good shave and LOTS of cream for very little money. Everyone should have this stuff.
Cyril Salter - a nice pure lime cream that works beautifully. The scent is excellent but not as strong as CF.
Vulfix - nasty. Not worth the trouble. Some people like it. But definitely not me.
Truefitt and Hill - I don't like the scent. But the cream works beautifully. I am in the minority here in not liking the scent, but that's why there are lots of different products!
The Shave Den cream - good scent, works well, reasonably priced. Definitely worth a try.
I want to try Ems place cream, but haven't (yet).
Now, as for the effect on oily skin...
Lime is not the cure-all for that. I have used lime creams that left my skin clean (CF comes immediately to mind - my skin is clean and tight) and some that do not (Salter - skin is NOT tight, and somewhat harder to rinse). For oily skin I'd say Kiss My Face is a good place to start that won't break the bank. Queen Charlotte also leaves my skin tight and clean. CF has been known to irritate some people. They use a metric buttload of lime in it I guess. But if you have the cash, give it a go. The big one to avoid up there if you have oily skin is Godrej.
None of the creams clog anything.
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I can't say I have tried a few, because I haven't.
The one I've tried is the Castle Forbes and it's GREAT. I have a sample (that's running out fast) - scent is great, works great, top cream, no doubt about it.
The last time I used, about a week ago, I mixed with MWF and it was a great superlather shave.
I have tried four lime creams: Trumper's, Truefitt and Hill, Kiss My Face, and Castle Forbes.
CF is potent, very dense, and makes a thick, cushiony lather. I think it lacks a bit in slickness, to be honest, and the scent has a funky overtone that reminds me of old-school shoe polish. I know others praise this stuff up one side and down the other, and it is a very good cream, but to me it didn't live up to its hype.
Kiss My Face lathers easily and provides a slick shave, but with less cushion than CF. The scent is barely there, and not particularly pleasant. It's cheap and readily available.
Trumper's Lime lathers beautifully, has a great combination of slickness and cushion, and smells wonderful. It's not a pure lime smell, but it is very pleasant.
Truefitt and Hill West Indian Limes lathers and shaves wonderfully. The scent is very pleasant to me, but others have criticized it as smelling too much like a cleaning product. Honestly, I like it, although the first time I used it I thought it smelled kinda strange. Over time, after getting nice shaves from it, I began to associate the smell with a nice shave, and therefore the scent grew on me. My face feels great after a shave with this product.
If I had to choose just one of these creams, it would probably be Trumper's. My second choice would be T&H, then CF, then KMF.
CF is potent, very dense, and makes a thick, cushiony lather. I think it lacks a bit in slickness, to be honest, and the scent has a funky overtone that reminds me of old-school shoe polish. I know others praise this stuff up one side and down the other, and it is a very good cream, but to me it didn't live up to its hype.
Kiss My Face lathers easily and provides a slick shave, but with less cushion than CF. The scent is barely there, and not particularly pleasant. It's cheap and readily available.
Trumper's Lime lathers beautifully, has a great combination of slickness and cushion, and smells wonderful. It's not a pure lime smell, but it is very pleasant.
Truefitt and Hill West Indian Limes lathers and shaves wonderfully. The scent is very pleasant to me, but others have criticized it as smelling too much like a cleaning product. Honestly, I like it, although the first time I used it I thought it smelled kinda strange. Over time, after getting nice shaves from it, I began to associate the smell with a nice shave, and therefore the scent grew on me. My face feels great after a shave with this product.
If I had to choose just one of these creams, it would probably be Trumper's. My second choice would be T&H, then CF, then KMF.
Godrej is a decent lime-scented cream. The scent is very artificial, but still smells pretty good.
Morison's Cool Citrus is a great cream from India. The scent is light and airy, and the cream is very cooling on the face due to loads of aloe vera.
Morison's Cool Citrus is a great cream from India. The scent is light and airy, and the cream is very cooling on the face due to loads of aloe vera.
The only lime cream I have tried is Cyril R Salter's Essential Lime and I have to say it is ace. A nice big tub for the price, the scent is great it reminds me of Key Lime Pie. It lathers as well as any other cream I have tried (Proraso, Real Shave Co, TOBS, Palmolive and Boots), with any brush I have tried (CRS Pure Badger, Body Shop Synthetic, Wilkinson Sword Boar). It is as slick as you need it to be and provides as decent cushion. I haven't noticed any blade clogging with it on either my Muhle R89 or my Gillette Superspeed and I have suffered no real irritation with it in conjunction with a whole myriad of blades. Normally I use a store brand Personna or a Derby Extra. Hope that helps.
2 great posts summing up the virtues of various lime creams, great info for you to check out. I was recently shopping for a lime cream, bought TOBS, and had to get rid of it (didn't like the smell at all). Did some research and ended up with Trumper's, which I like.
I guess I would only add a couple things, the creams recommended here are all meant to be used with a brush, do yourself a favor and get one. Whether an Omega badger, Tweezerman etc., you don't need to spend a lot. The Kiss My Face creams really ARE quite good, don't let out nit-picking stop you. I'd suggest a tube of the KMF Key Lime, and an inexpensive brush.
I don't think the Lime cream will help you with an oily face. An aftershave splash might though. I suggest Saint Charles Shave's Mediterranean Citrus
Any decent cream will make lather that lasts throughout your shave. Clogging's not a problem, rinse after each pass!
I guess I would only add a couple things, the creams recommended here are all meant to be used with a brush, do yourself a favor and get one. Whether an Omega badger, Tweezerman etc., you don't need to spend a lot. The Kiss My Face creams really ARE quite good, don't let out nit-picking stop you. I'd suggest a tube of the KMF Key Lime, and an inexpensive brush.
I don't think the Lime cream will help you with an oily face. An aftershave splash might though. I suggest Saint Charles Shave's Mediterranean Citrus
Any decent cream will make lather that lasts throughout your shave. Clogging's not a problem, rinse after each pass!
Although I have had my fair share of lime creams, not as extensive as yours though, I Coudn't agree more!
GFT Extract of Limes is my current favorite. For me, it is very close to CF. The Truefitt version is also very nice - super good lather.
The Old Spice Lime cream from India is a very nice product. Wonderful scent, and I find it renders an above average shave.
Finally! I thought I was the only one to rate Trumper higher than CF. They are both amazing, but Trumper is just a little more amazing.
Agreed. Excellent cream!
I have moderately oily skin. Part of my rotation is Salter's sublime citrus. It is a very nice cream, and well priced too. The smell is well, citrusy! I find that after I use it, all surface oil is removed, and my face is nice and clean. I still use a splash and balm afterwards which is part of my regimen, and has nothing to do with Salter's.
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Thanks guys for all the suggestions. Almost overwhelming with the choices. I had my first DE shave with the Merkur 23C, Merkur Super blade, and Edge gel. Had some nice close shaves on the cheek and neck zones, but the moustache area was more like a bloody battlefield. A few nicks here and there and probably too ambitious with ATG strokes.
I tried KMF (nice mild scent) and couldn't quite get enough lather and also nicked myself in the moustache area. Maybe I need to use more product to get the lather going. Also, tried Truefitt and the scent is nauseating. I will have to echo MikeLip and kingfisher's comments and say it smells like a chemically produced cleaning product.
Given my nick situation, which can be attributed to poor technique, lather, blade, which of the aforementioned lime and citrus creams would provide greatest protection against nicks. I'm curious about CF, Cyril Salter, and Trumpers. Should I be looking for a slicker cream or foamier lather? I don't mind a slicker cream so long as I don't need steel wool to get the residue off my face afterwards. Or should I swap out the Merkur blade for one of my samplers (Derby Extra, Astra Plat, Gillette 7 O'Clock Green, Feather)?
I tried KMF (nice mild scent) and couldn't quite get enough lather and also nicked myself in the moustache area. Maybe I need to use more product to get the lather going. Also, tried Truefitt and the scent is nauseating. I will have to echo MikeLip and kingfisher's comments and say it smells like a chemically produced cleaning product.
Given my nick situation, which can be attributed to poor technique, lather, blade, which of the aforementioned lime and citrus creams would provide greatest protection against nicks. I'm curious about CF, Cyril Salter, and Trumpers. Should I be looking for a slicker cream or foamier lather? I don't mind a slicker cream so long as I don't need steel wool to get the residue off my face afterwards. Or should I swap out the Merkur blade for one of my samplers (Derby Extra, Astra Plat, Gillette 7 O'Clock Green, Feather)?
I don't have as much experience as most people in here, but I can say that Truefitt & Hill West Indian Lime is incredible. I use a miniscule amount and manage to produce massive amounts of lather. The smell is fantastic (sweet yet sharp, like lime sorbet mixed with lime ice cream) and the razor glides over my face.
I do want to try some others out, but seeing as my tub of T&H should last me another six months yet, I am loath to buy one.
Well, I say that I am loath to buy one, I think it's more my other half being loath for me to buy one...
I do want to try some others out, but seeing as my tub of T&H should last me another six months yet, I am loath to buy one.
Well, I say that I am loath to buy one, I think it's more my other half being loath for me to buy one...
Absolutely trash the Merkur blade. They can be quite rough. There are lots of other choices, many of which might be better for you. I'd try a Derby. Or a red Personna. Feathers are also good but a little rough on the first shave.
As for the creams, I'd go for the Trumpers.
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I am glad that this thread is running. I am currently using a tub of Coates lime but it won't last much longer and it's not made anymore. FWIW it's a very well made cream with a good strong lime scent. I would recommend trying it if some turns up on BST or wherever. There were a few tubs around that seemed to have a nasty eucalyptus element to the smell but mine is not one of them.
Based on the excellent comments here, I expect that I will try CF next. I like their lavender version, it even edges out AOS for a good single-note scent.
Based on the excellent comments here, I expect that I will try CF next. I like their lavender version, it even edges out AOS for a good single-note scent.
The only ones I tried are GFT, T&H, and Palmolive. I would rate GFT and TH in the same class and Palmolive only slightly below. All shave nicely but GFT and TH produces richer lather.
OK, so I have had a couple of shaves with the T&H over the past week and a half (which I hadn't used in a long while) and I really get a great lather with this stuff.
The scent is hit/miss. Some people hate it. I don't crave it, but I don't find it bad at all. As I get good shaves with it, over time I associate the scent with good shaves, so I like it better.
The lather I get is every bit as good as what I obtain with Trumper's. I still think both of them are slightly superior to Castle Forbes Lime, but I realize that Goby and I are the only ones on the face of the planet that don't think CF Lime rules uber alles.
The scent is hit/miss. Some people hate it. I don't crave it, but I don't find it bad at all. As I get good shaves with it, over time I associate the scent with good shaves, so I like it better.
The lather I get is every bit as good as what I obtain with Trumper's. I still think both of them are slightly superior to Castle Forbes Lime, but I realize that Goby and I are the only ones on the face of the planet that don't think CF Lime rules uber alles.
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