” … I was expecting the menthol effect on the skin to be rather mild. I could not have been more wrong…”
A household name in India, Godrej has been manufacturing shave cream since 1969. Although highly sought after by wet shavers throughout the world, this shave cream is extremely difficult to find (let alone purchase) outside of the Indian subcontinent. There 3 main varieties: Menthol (blue), Lime (green), and Sensitive (red). I’ll be reviewing Godrej Cool Menthol (commonly known as Godrej Blue).
This cream is regarded as one of the more upmarket shave creams in India. The cream comes in a 60g plastic tube with a screw type cap. The one I was testing had 30% extra free, so the overall tube had 78 grams of cream. the quality of the tube is quite good compared to other Indian / Pakistani shave creams. The first thing that struck me was the scent. Very clean, slightly woody, and with a hint of menthol.
I squeezed out a large pea size blob of cream into an 11cm double wall shave bowl and set to work with my badger brush. Lathering is super fast and and very easy. This has to be about the easiest lathering cream I have come across. Just add in a few drops of water to get the shine and work it up till you see those fluffy peaks. I must admit at this stage that I was slightly disappointed with lack of menthol scent coming off the cream. I was expecting the menthol effect on the skin to be rather mild. I could not have been more wrong.
Being a fan of menthol shave creams (eg. Proraso green, LEA Menthol), I had heard good things about the cooling menthol ‘zing’ from Godrej blue. The menthol scent might be mild but cooling effect is excellent. As soon as I applied the lather to my face I felt the coolness – not too icy but just right to cool you down on a hot summer morning.
The lather provides excellent cushion, and the slide is very good. Only slight drawback is that the cream does leave some residue on the face. I found the Godrej lather lasted long enough for 2 passes without drying out. The skincare properties are very good. Godrej combines lanolin with glycerin and these ingredients soften and moisturise the skin. My skin felt really soft and refreshed after the shave. I normally rinse off with cold water and this, combined with the menthol shave cream, gives a chilly wake up call in the morning.
Overall, this is an excellent shave cream that has earned quite a reputation. The price point is slightly higher compared to other Indian / Pakistani shave creams, but keep in mind this product is rarely found outside of the Asian subcontinent.
