REVIEW: Vintage Ingram Lather Shave

Is it right to go about trying old shaving creams and aftershaves you find at antique shops? In my experience, the answer is an emphatic YES! if they are full, or nearly so, if you have no reason to suspect the contents have been adulterated, and if the price is right. 

Today, this dandy little 2 oz jar cost me $4.50; even if it flopped, I figured it'd look nice sitting on my bathroom shelf but, being 98% full, I was hopeful. 

Ingram (or a company so named) apparently still makes shave cream that is said to be strong on the menthol. 

This jar, made in the U.S. by Bristol-Myers back who knows when (I believe this one is post-war) isn't particularly strong on menthol, perhaps due to age. What it does have is a subtle, background menthol kick to it. It won't open up your sinuses but it does give a mild, cool, lasting tingle. Better yet, it's got a pleasant bergamot (I think) scent, which seemed to be a common fragrance in men's products back in the heyday of wet shaving.

So how did it work? 

Latherwise, four or five swirls atop the jar with a old dampened Ever-Ready boar brush (I'm a cheapskate if you haven't noticed) whipped up an impressive amount of lather...not the mounds of whipped cream I see some guys getting but I have no doubt this would have done similarly if the effort was put into it. 

It also provided excellent coverage - I'm a committed face-latherer - resulting in a very smooth, comfortable shave with my current go-to pair of the Shake Sharp and Big Ben blade. 

The only drawback I can name is that my face is noticeably dryer and tighter than I'm used to from using Tabac. That tightness is not something I really mind, though, so I don't consider it a minus. The faint fragrance is lingering, too. 

I don't know about the new stuff but this ancient Ingrams is  not as face-freezing as C.O. Bigelow/ Proraso (again, probably just due to age) but for some, that might be a nice thing. When I'm in the mood for COLD! I reach for my supermentholated Osage Rub/witch hazel/Skin Bracer concoction. Since temps just dipped into the 40s, today is not that day.

Is this product recommended? Yes, if you have a time machine or, much more likely, you see a full jar sitting on the shelf in a shop. Since I'm not planning to use this every shave, I expect to get a few years enjoyment out of this little jar, for far less than I'd have paid for a comparable modern product.

MORAL OF THE STORY: When going into antique shops, don't just limit yourself to razors. EVERYTHING shave related - blades, soaps, creams and more - can and do show up, and sometimes you find a sweet deal that makes your shaving day.

(this ad dates from 1936; several others like it 

can be found on Google Images)