Geo. F. Trumper: Gentlemen’s Perfumer
I’ve been a patron of The Art of Shaving’s products for a long time, in particular their sandalwood scents. However, I was running out and being a rampant Anglophile who has never tried any of the great English shave products, I decided to give Trumpers a go. I recently placed an order for a tub of their sandalwood cream and a small bottle of their “Skin Food” after shave lotion.
Trumpers Sandalwood
Geo F Trumper is recognised as the finest traditional gentlemen’s barber in London and is known throughout the world for its matchless range of gentlemen’s fragrances and grooming products.
Offering a choice of more than twenty colognes including the signature GFT fragrance, Trumper also have one of the largest ranges of gentlemen’s grooming products and accessories. This includes shaving creams and soaps, aftershave balms, skin foods and moisturisers, bath soaps and shower gels, razors, shaving brushes, mirrors, hair brushes and bathroom requisites.
I’ve always been happy with my Art of Shaving products, but the Trumpers sandalwood was a revelation on my skin. Different people have different reactions to different products, of course, but a pea-sized amount of the Trumper’s shave cream generated way more lather than I needed for two passes, and the lather felt considerably slicker and afforded more of a cushion.
I followed up the shave with a few drops of “Skin Food.” I’ve tried TAOS’ after shave balm in the past and didn’t much care for it. It does its job and is quite soothing, but I found it to be oilier and heavier than I liked. The Skin Food, by contrast, goes on very light and several hours later my face still feels very soft. A lot of people seem to like the Skin Food as a pre-shave lotion as well, to soften the beard before the shave, but that seems unnecessary to me if you use enough water and your cream or soap is sufficiently slick.
Trumpers scent seemed to me decidedly more “barber shoppy” than the TAOS, which I find a bit warmer and more subtle. I don’t mean to imply anything unpleasant about the scent of the Trumper’s at all, however. I like it quite a lot, and Dianna likes it more than I do, which is probably the important thing.
I have some additional products I’d like to try now, specifically Castle Forbes’ Limes cream.
Try different things.
Jim Dillman
on July 21st, 2010
I’ve got really sensitive skin and suffer from chronic razor burn if I don’t use something post-shave. I had been using Neutrogena after shave cream, which actually was working very well for me. You can buy it over the counter almost everywhere and it’s inexpensive. On a whim, I picked up a tube of
Gage For Men aftershave balm at Red’s Barber Shop here in Indianapolis. I’ve been using their hair products for awhile and they are really good. The aftershave balm is just as good and actually works better for my skin. It’s greaseless and has a mild sandalwood fragrance.
While we’re on the topic of skin care, allow me to sing the praises of Clubman talcum powder, It’s a real blessing in this heat as it helps me stay dry and comfortable and has a light pleasant scent. I much prefer it over the Gold Bond Powder I’ve used for years. I also buy it at Red’s, but have discovered it’s way overpriced there and I can buy it online much cheaper even with shipping costs.
Clubman products have been around forever and I can recall the barber who cut my hair as a child giving me a light brushing of Clubman talc on the back of the neck right before he lowered the chair. I’ve come full circle as I now get the same treatment at Red’s.
Jeff Naylor
on July 21st, 2010
I have a tube of the Gage aftershave too, I like it well enough, but I think I’m liking the skin food better. I can’t say that I’m a fan of the Gage shave cream at all.
I’ve never really tried any powders at all. There’s a new brand indelicately called “Balla” designed to be applied exactly as you might expect. I’m not sure about that one…
Jim Dillman
on July 21st, 2010
Edge shaving cream seems to work just fine for me, so I haven’t found the need to look at other options.
I like talcum powder for, well , . . . I’ll be delicate and say “the creases” if you know what I mean.
Jeff Naylor
on July 21st, 2010
Try a good hot shave cream and you’ll never want anything else, Jim.
Jim Dillman
on July 22nd, 2010
I’m going to give it a try. It seems very expensive to me, but I’ll have to see how long a tube or jar lasts and how much I like it over the regular stuff.
Jeff Naylor
on July 22nd, 2010
It lasts me forever, it doesn’t take but just a dab of cream to create an enormous amount of lather.