We are wrapping up our shaving cream review series today with one of the most popular shaving creams on the market: Taylor of Old Bond Street.
Taylor of Old Bond Street was founded in London by the Taylor family way back in 1854! According to their website, it’s still a family business which is really cool. TOOBS makes a wide range of grooming products and accessories: shaving creams, shaving soaps, cologne, facial products, dopp kits, combs, hair product and more.
One thing that I really like about Taylor of Old Bond Street is that they always use high-quality ingredients and try to use natural ingredients when practical. This allows them to make good, safe irritant-free products while still keeping costs down. TOOBS makes really great products at an affordable price.
And like I said, their shaving cream is one of the most popular on the market. It really helps you to get a smooth shave with great protection and hydration. Plus, they have over 20 different fragrances available — so there’s pretty much an option for everyone.
Taylor of Old Bond Street is a very popular brand online at Amazon and West Coast Shaving and on their own website. But they do still have a brick and mortar store in London on Jermyn Street which was first opened back in the 1950’s. I've never been to their store but it looks like a pretty cool place if you’re ever in London…
Alright, let’s dig into the details and see what makes Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream a favorite among wet shavers.
Pros
- Tried and trusted by wet shaving veterans
- Thick, rich lather
- Softens and preps stubble for shave
- Excellent lubricant
- Incredibly easy to lather with a shaving brush
- Small amount goes a long way — lasts a long time
- 20+ fragrances to choose from
Cons
- Not made with all natural ingredients
Product Overview & Specs
- Scents available: Almond, Aloe Vera, Avocado, Blue, Coconut, Eton College Collection, Forest Grapefruit, Jermyn Street Collection, Lavender, Lemon Lime, Mr. Taylor’s, Natural, Peppermint, Platinum Collection, Rose, Sandalwood, St. James Collection, White
- All natural ingredients: no
- Best applied with a shaving brush
- Weight: 150 grams (5.3 ounces)
- Container: bowl
- Made in England
- TOOBS recommends using within 12 months of opening the container
Key Features
Classic, Trusted Wet Shaving Cream
Taylor of Old Bond Street is about a classic of a wet shaving cream as you are going to find. Does it get more classic than a sandalwood shaving cream made by an English company that was founded in 1854?
The good thing about TOOBS though is that they have kept that classic performance but updated the formula over the years. So while it stillathers like an old school shaving cream, it’s not an outdated product.
But like I said, it does share a lot of the same characteristics that made the old school shaving creams so great: thick lather, great lubricant, good fragrance, no harsh additives. It really does check off all the boxes of what it takes to make a great shaving cream.
Not All-Natural, But Still Gentle
Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving creams are not all natural ingredients, but I really don’t think this is a big deal because they are still incredibly gentle and mild. TOOBS isn’t adding a lot of harsh additives or dyes or chemicals that will irritate or dry out your face.
Overall, their formula of ingredients and combination of natural and synthetic ingredients is really mild and much better than anything you’re going to find in an aerosol can.
Now if you have extremely sensitive skin or allergies, you might want to seriously consider and all natural or vegan shaving cream. But for most men, TOOBS should be plenty mild and gentle on your face.
Premium Lubrication, Super Slick
Taylor of Old Bond Street’s shaving cream is of the slickest shaving creams I’ve ever used. And I’ve used more than a few… In fact, it’s one of the few creams that I’ve found that is comparable to the lubrication provided by high-quality shaving soaps. So?
Well this is a big deal because the quality of the lubrication is really what determines if it’s going to help protect your skin against razor burn and irritation. Premium lubricants act essentially as a protective barrier when you make a pass with the blade. And Taylor of Old Bond Street is one of the best.
Wide Variety of Fragrances Available
TOOBS shaving cream is available in a variety of fragrances — there is an option for just about everyone.
They have the classics like sandalwood, almond and St. James. But they also have some more modern and unique options like lemon lime, lavender and avocado.
And if you’re sensitive to fragrances and prefer something unscented, check out their “natural” fragrance. It is fragrance free, paraben free and preservative free and it is the ideal option for men with sensitive skin.
Easy To Face Lather
Taylor of Old Bond Street is an incredibly easy shaving cream to lather. In fact, I’ve never had to use a bowl to whip it into a nice, thick lather. So what’s my process for lathering with TOOBS?
First, I prep my badger hair brush by soaking it in hot water while I shower. Then once I hop out of the shower, I squeeze the excess water out of the bristles. Next, I dip the bristles in the shaving cream bowl until there is about an almond-size worth of product on it. Then, I just go to town with a face lather. It’s as quick and easy as that.
My biggest tips would be to 1)don’t use too much product and 2)don’t use too much water. I think you’ll be surprised how quick and easy it is to get the lather you need with Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving cream. So don’t overdo it — a little goes a long way.
Who Do We Recommend TOOBS Shaving Cream For?
Taylor of Old Bond Street’s shaving creams are a superb choice for a lot of wet shavers and it is highly regarded in the wet shaving community as one of the best. Overall, TOOBS performs a lot like a premium shaving cream in regards to lathering, lubrication and overall performance — but it’s price tag is well below premium pricing.
Bottom line, Taylor of Old Bond Street is one of my favorites and I really don’t think it has any big drawbacks. Yes, all-natural ingredients would be nice, but it’s not a big deal in my book.
What Are Some Other Shaving Creams & Soaps To Consider?
Truefitt & Hill Shaving Cream
Truefitt & Hill is another one of the classic shaving creams that comes to us from England and is very similar to Taylor of Old Bond Street. Incredible lubrication and it lathers as easy as any on the market. I think where it really excels is that it does a great job at moisturizing the skin and preventing it from drying out after a shave.
Truefitt & Hill is more of a premium shaving cream in my opinion. It’s made with a little more premium ingredients, but it also comes with a premium price tag.
Overall, just an incredible shaving cream and one of my favorites. Very similar to TOOBS and I don’t think you will be disappointed in either option.
Jack Black Beard Lube
Jack Black’s beard lube is another great option for wet shavers, but it’s definitely not a traditional shaving cream. In fact, it’s not really a shaving cream at all.
Jack Black’s beard lube is a translucent lubricant. It doesn’t lather, but it is an incredibly slick lubricant that does a great job at preventing razor irritation. It’s really great for men that have minimal stubble in my opinion.
I personally like using it as a pre-shave oil sometimes when I need a little more lubrication. When my face is dry or irritated, I apply some of this before applying my shaving cream or soap and it really works wonders.
Lather & Wood Shaving Soap
Another product I would recommend taking a look at is Lather & Wood’s shaving soap. I’m a big fan of shaving soaps and Lather & Wood is one of the best and most popular out there.
Shaving soaps definitely take a little more time and effort to generate a lather, but I think the benefit is there they are a little more slick. Other than that, there’s not a huge difference between soaps and creams.
One puck of Lather & Wood should last you several months and it should leave your skin feeling hydrated and refreshed after a shave. If you haven’t considered a shaving soap, I recommend giving Lather & Wood’s a look.
