Castle Forbes Cedar/Sandalwood-First thoughts

Good evening gents. I just got a jar of this cream from QED yesterday. I used it this morning. Lathering was up to the usual CF greatness. The scent is what interests me. I definitely smell cedar and no real sandalwood though I am sure it is in there. I like this cedar scent. It is not nearly as stout as the juniper scent(what we call cedar here in the States) of L'occitane's shave soap. It has a very clean, pure aroma and is not used too heavily. I wonder if it is true cedar from the middle east? This jar of cream is not as dense as my CF lavender but it is still thick enough to allow loading directly from the jar. I like it that way. I used no more than 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of cream and I think it was closer to the former. Castle Forbes simply knows how to make a superior product. It is the only cream I intentionally keep in my rotation now. Any others, like AOS lemon are there to fill a scent need. I will use this a few more times this week and post up a review. So far, it looks really good.

Regards, Todd

Thanks for posting this -- I've been wondering about this scent, and am now even more intrigued. Has anyone had a chance to compare it to Charles' (QED) Pine and Cedarwood soap? To me the cedar is definitely more pronounced in that one, as well.

I got some a couple months ago and like it - pretty much all cedar to my nose as well but it's a pleasant scent w/ the usual CF quality. Between the amount they give you and the density, I think it's actually a better value than some of the other "cheaper" options out there.

Gruder said:

Thanks for posting this -- I've been wondering about this scent, and am now even more intrigued. Has anyone had a chance to compare it to Charles' (QED) Pine and Cedarwood soap? To me the cedar is definitely more pronounced in that one, as well.

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I own the pine/cedarwood and have a sample of the CF. The QED is out of this world! It is the ulitimate in woodsy scents. Back to CF, I dont smell the sandalwood and seems to have a single note of cedar but very subtle. the scent seems to really explode in the bowl and very luxurious lather. Mine is firm and takes a little extra work but well work it! I am thinking that the cedar overpowers the sandalwood in the CF but blends with the pine of the QED b/c of they are very familiar in scents as it is.

1969Fatboy said:

I own the pine/cedarwood and have a sample of the CF. The QED is out of this world! It is the ulitimate in woodsy scents. Back to CF, I dont smell the sandalwood and seems to have a single note of cedar but very subtle. the scent seems to really explode in the bowl and very luxurious lather. Mine is firm and takes a little extra work but well work it! I am thinking that the cedar overpowers the sandalwood in the CF but blends with the pine of the QED b/c of they are very familiar in scents as it is.

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Thanks!

The QED is actually just a bit more powerful than I'd prefer, so it sounds as though the CF might be up my alley. I'm looking very much forward to your review, Todd.

DustBow said:

I got some a couple months ago and like it - pretty much all cedar to my nose as well but it's a pleasant scent w/ the usual CF quality. Between the amount they give you and the density, I think it's actually a better value than some of the other "cheaper" options out there.

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I agree completely and would argue this with anyone. It gives a bang for the buck that is hard to believe till you try the stuff. I am literally using less than 1/8 tsp each time. This is accomplished by using a well shaken brush and loading directly from the jar. Just a five to ten swirls on the "cream" with medium pressure loads the tips with just a coating of product. It is then on to face lathering for me and does it build a lather! Be warned. The first few times you try this, you will probably use too much water. Never fear. Just take your fingertip and gather up the extra lather from the jar and put it on the brush tips. Let the jar sit open whilst you shave to dry the top of the product before you attach the lid. I have had zero problems with mold or mildew this way. It just works.

Regards, Todd

+1. I've hardly made a dent in my lime CF cream! Great stuff.

Anyone able to comment on relative performance between the three different CF fragrances? To my knowledge, they all share the same basic recipe, only the essential oils are different... The reason I'm asking is that my lavender sample worked wonderfully, similar to what people wrote above---even if lavender isn't my thing---but the limes just... fizzled out. Lots of lather, but without any decent lubrication. Really weird.

if they use natural essential oils, i would suspect that the properties of the essential oil will affect the shave, being that if you have oily skin, you should use a lime oil cream, or cedarwood with dry skin and so on,

While I very much like the shavability of the Castle Forbes Cedar/Sandalwood, the fragrance to my nose is too much redolent of wet cedar sawdust. That's an aroma that was an adjunct of some of the hardest work I've done recently when I spent a day tailing off at a sawmill when the sawyer was making small pieces from cedar logs. I've never had to deal with sandalwood boards so it remains much higher on my list. If the good folks at Castle Forbes were to make a -cedar +sandalwood, I'd spend more money with them. For now, I'll just finish the container I have and remember running my legs off at the sawmill.

Aevum said:

if they use natural essential oils, i would suspect that the properties of the essential oil will affect the shave, being that if you have oily skin, you should use a lime oil cream, or cedarwood with dry skin and so on,

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Yes, but I meant in the actual lather itself, so without putting it to my face!

I have the ASB and love it.

cymric said:

Anyone able to comment on relative performance between the three different CF fragrances? To my knowledge, they all share the same basic recipe, only the essential oils are different... The reason I'm asking is that my lavender sample worked wonderfully, similar to what people wrote above---even if lavender isn't my thing---but the limes just... fizzled out. Lots of lather, but without any decent lubrication. Really weird.

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I will give you my take on CF. I started with two samples, lavender and lime. Simply because that is what was available. The lavender blew me away. The lime, not so much. My experience was similar to yours except not so dramatic. It provided a good shave but the scent reminded me of the old Fruit Strip Gum from my childhood. Definitely not a favourite. On first blush, this C/S version is much closer to the lavender and it lathers like a dream. As another poster mentioned, citrus essential oils are astringent and can absolutely make your face feel drier. Even if it is not truly drying, the "gathering" of your skin from the astringent oils could certainly make it feel like the lubrication is lacking. I would follow your instinct and avoid the lime. At the very least try another sample before plucking down your sovereigns for it. I have not bought the lime version and don't feel compelled to. QEDman lime shave sticks are formulated with an lime EO that I feel is head and shoulders above the CF. At least from a scent perspective. Have a go at this C/S cream from Castle Forbes. I think you will like it.

Regards, Todd

Thanks for the reply---I think I already figured out what was wrong. The samples are very thick and concentrated causing the cream tend to stick to the sides of my lathering bowl in thin plaques. My brush can't touch those anymore, and so I was left with a lather which was low on cream. I made sure to dilute the paste a little the second time so it could be picked up better by the brush, and behold: thick, lubricating lather. (Of course I had to ruin it by using a blade which was way too harsh, but you can't have everything, can you...)

As for the scent: I used to think I liked limes, but I'm not so sure anymore. They never smell like a fresh lime, and what is in the bowl almost always put me off after a few minutes. I think I'm more into scents which achieve freshness in some other way (Trumper's GFT, perhaps even TOBS's Avocado).

Apologies for hijacking the thread, by the way---I'll keep quiet now .

I've used the cf sandlewood for two days now.

I'll start by saying I am biased towards a good Rose or Lavender.

I am underwhelmed with the scent, however it does have a pure and natural simplicity to it. I am not a sandlewood fan, but if I was this would probably be tops.

I lathered up with a pea size amount in the center of the brush. I used my hand and then a cube. Wow, in seconds I had a mountianous amount of lather. Lather and slickness put this in my top 3.

I have not tried the lime or lavender, but will try them now because this lather is so good.

My verdict: worth the bucks. super shaving lather.

cymric said:

Thanks for the reply---I think I already figured out what was wrong. The samples are very thick and concentrated causing the cream tend to stick to the sides of my lathering bowl in thin plaques. My brush can't touch those anymore, and so I was left with a lather which was low on cream. I made sure to dilute the paste a little the second time so it could be picked up better by the brush, and behold: thick, lubricating lather. (Of course I had to ruin it by using a blade which was way too harsh, but you can't have everything, can you...)

As for the scent: I used to think I liked limes, but I'm not so sure anymore. They never smell like a fresh lime, and what is in the bowl almost always put me off after a few minutes. I think I'm more into scents which achieve freshness in some other way (Trumper's GFT, perhaps even TOBS's Avocado).

Apologies for hijacking the thread, by the way---I'll keep quiet now .

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No hijack at all friend. I wondered about your lather and this answers a bit of that. I seem to lean your direction as well regarding limes. I really prefer my lime scent to be as natural as possible. Read that DRY and somewhat bitter. The CF uses real lime EO but it just smells too sweet to me. It is why I like QED lime.

petr said:

I've used the cf sandlewood for two days now.

I'll start by saying I am biased towards a good Rose or Lavender.


I lathered up with a pea size amount in the center of the brush. I used my hand and then a cube. Wow, in seconds I had a mountianous amount of lather.

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If you like lavender like I do, then the CF lavender is likely going to really appeal to you. It lathers just as you described your cedarwood/sandalwood. In a word, superbly. I have learned to lather this "cream" straight from the jar with a well shaken brush. Whenever I have bought a new cream, it invariably has had a bit of it on the lid and up the sides from being thrown willy nilly during shipment. I open the jar and scrape off any extra cream from the bottom of the lid and chuck it back in the jar. I also scrape down the sides of the jar as well. I have an old plastic dining knife I originally used to scrape up a dab of cream for bowl lathering. It is broken in half and I use what is left to level off the cream and fill any holes. Then I give the jar, with lid off, a number of good sharp raps on the counter top to settle the cream and help expel any air pockets in the cream. CF is so dense this can take 5-10 raps to accomplish. Mind you I said raps, not sledge hammer blows. If you crack your plastic "jar" then don't blame me. This settling makes jar loading of the cream easier and you will literally find yourself using just a pea sized amount.

Regards, Todd

The cedar/sandalwood cream smells like peanut butter to me.
Not a good thing.

Handy said:

The cedar/sandalwood cream smells like peanut butter to me.
Not a good thing.

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Hmm. Perhaps a superlather with QED Chocolate is in order...

(You got chocolate in my peanut butter!)

Gruder said:

Hmm. Perhaps a superlather with QED Chocolate is in order...

(You got chocolate in my peanut butter!)

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If I only had a jelly soap for my super lather I would have some of this,

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaiJIbweU6g[/YOUTUBE]

Hoping to get a jar of this in the near future, glad I found this thread, cheers!