Pros: very good shaving performance, easy to lather
Cons: expensive, not the best lavender scent, lather becomes runny after a while
Truefitt & Hill is a popular name among wet shaving enthusiasts and one that’s been around for a very long time.
Part of the 3 Ts (alongside TOBS and Trumper), their most popular products include the 1805, Trafalgar, and Grafton shaving creams.
Today we’re going to review a less obvious choice, the Truefitt & Hill Lavender Shaving Cream.
Packaging
Like most T&H creams, the Lavender is available in a 6.7 oz jar or a 2.6 oz travel tube.
The quality and presentation of the product are excellent and everything about the way it looks and feels oozes quality.
It definitely looks like a premium product. And it should, as the price certainly is a premium one, especially in the case of the travel tube used for the purpose of this review.
Scent
Upon taking a first sniff of the cream right out the tube, the scent was a very pleasant, fresh lavender, not overpowering and definitely more on the mild side.
Upon lathering, the fragrance evolves and changes significantly; unfortunately not in a very good way.
While I do enjoy a good lavender, I found this one to be harsh and synthetic, even off-putting. The scent doesn’t linger too much once you’ve finished shaving and that’s a good thing.
As far as scents go, your mileage may vary and you may actually end up liking this one. However, I would still advise going for a sample pack before taking the plunge and buying the tub.
Lathering
Lathering the T&H Lavender was a breeze; only a small amount of shaving cream is needed in order to produce loads of thick, dense lather.
Using an Edwin Jagger best badger brush that was soaked in warm water for a few minutes, I was able to quickly lather the cream; it doesn’t require too much water and the end result had just the right consistency.
Performance
The performance was very good for me, especially in terms of comfort.
The lather provided sufficient protection and slickness for the blade to glide and the post-shave comfort was great. Throughout and after the shave my skin felt well hydrated and I didn’t experience any irritation or discomfort.
One thing I did notice was that after a while the lather began to disintegrate and lose its consistency faster than most other shaving creams.
While for me it wasn’t really an issue as I only did two passes, for some men that like to take their time and to do a third pass this can be a problem.
Overall I was very satisfied with the overall performance of the Truefitt & Hill Lavender Shaving Cream. The only thing that prevents me from buying it again in the future is the fragrance. That and the price tag.
Alternatives
The price per ounce can be higher than in the case of the Castle Forbes Lavender for example, which is outrageous.
If you’re looking for the best smelling Lavender in the world and also one of the best performing shaving creams out there, just buy that one instead.
That’s my main gripe with Truefitt & Hill products; while the performance is usually excellent, they are way too expensive for what they have to offer.
Taylor of Old Bond Street for example offers similar performance for significantly less money, even though their packaging doesn’t look as posh.
Speaking of TOBS, they also offer a Lavender in their shaving cream lineup, it is inexpensive and smells arguably better than the one from T&H. Definitely check that one out.