Murdock London Daily Shave Gel Is Passable But Pricey
Murdock London Daily Shave Gel
While I got a large 250ml (8.5 fl oz) bottle with a practical pump top design, and quite liked the mild barbershop woodsy scent, I expected it to be a better shaving gel. I at least expected it to stand out somewhat from others, because of the London Barbers brand and price.
Pros
A mild woodsy masculine scent with a little spice
It mostly stays transparent when applying, and it does not foam
The large size bottle might last, and the pump top design is practical
It provides enough glide for the razor and protection while shaving with a multi-blade razor
Cons
It is pricey and no better than cheaper options I have tried so far
Check the ingredient list if you have skin sensitivities (potential mild irritants like parfum)
I had high hopes for the shaving gel by Murdock London as they are up there with the top barbers in London, UK.
I was kind of left dissatisfied or rather underwhelmed after using it. However, it’s not a bad shave gel; it just does not stand out from any of the others as I expected, based on its cost (maybe my expectations were a little high).
In this campaign to find the best non-foaming shaving gels, so far, the last stuff I reviewed just before this gel has the top marks (that was, Bump Patrol Cool Shave Gel).
Description and Features
I quite like the pump action top design more so than the pop cap type of design, especially as it’s a pretty large 250ml (8.5 fl.oz) bottle. The bottle is that dark blue color that Murdock is known for, and it looks pretty cool.
Most shave gels come in 100ml (3.38 fl oz)- 150ml (5.1 fl oz), so we are talking about a bottle that is twice the size of some. That’s pretty cool if you love the stuff!
Ingredients
I usually find the ingredients list on the back of the box or bottle, and then I also hope to find something on a brand’s website. This gel has no ingredient list on the back of the bottle, but I could pull it off the sales page on the website.
I did not find anything on the Murdock website stating any of the free-from, organic, vegan, or other salesy type selling points. However, on their Amazon sales page description, they state this:
CREATED BY EXPERT BARBERS IN ENGLAND – Formulated without Parabens, Phthalates, Sulphates, PEGs and Synthetic Dyes. It is also Petroleum and Lanolin free and suitable for vegetarians.
The above is useful to know for those with sensitivities. Plus, if you fancy snacking on it or using it as a dip–it contains no meat (although I would suggest using ketchup).
Here is a list of the ingredients with short notes about the functions and if they pose any skin sensitivity issues:
- Aqua/Water/Eau – Solvent; base for formulation.
- Glycerin – Humectant that retains moisture and prevents dryness.
- Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside – Mild surfactant; cleanses and enhances foam.
- Polysorbate 20 – Emulsifier; blends oil and water.
- Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate – Emulsifier & mild surfactant; enhances spreadability.
- Decyl Glucoside – Mild surfactant; gentle cleanser, suitable for sensitive skin.
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer – Thickener; stabilizes formula and provides texture.
- Benzyl Alcohol – Preservative & solvent; potential skin irritant for sensitive skin.
- Parfum (Fragrance) – Scent; common irritant for sensitive skin.
- Copper PCA – Skin-conditioning; hydrates and regulates sebum.
- Salicylic Acid – Exfoliant & anti-inflammatory; helps prevent ingrown hairs and may irritate sensitive skin.
- Benzophenone-4 – UV absorber; protects from light degradation potential allergen.
- Sodium Phytate – Chelating agent; stabilizes formula and improves product longevity.
- Essential Oils (Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Copaifera Officinalis Resin Oil, Dipterocarpus Turbinatus Balsam Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil) – Fragrance & antimicrobial; potential irritants for sensitive skin.
- Sodium Hydroxide – pH adjuster balances acidity that can be harsh in high concentrations.
- Sorbic Acid – Preservative; prevents microbial growth and is a potential irritant.
- Benzyl Benzoate – Solvent & fragrance fixative; potential allergen.
- Linalool, Eugenol – Fragrance components; potential allergens, may irritate sensitive skin.
Potential Sensitivity Issues: Benzyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Salicylic Acid, Benzophenone-4, Essential Oils, Sorbic Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, Eugenol.
Most of us are fine with the small amounts found in shaving gels and other shaving lubricants like this shave gel.
Scent
The shave gel does have a mild barbershop scent, which is quite pleasant. It’s not overpowering at all, and it can be almost unnoticeable.
I pick up some woodsy and musky notes and some spice, and the spice is likely from the cinnamon. It definitely is a masculine scent, according to my nostrils!
I could quite easily like more of the scent as it does not last very long after shaving, but I do not think gels hold scents as well as soaps and shaving creams.
Applying and Shaving Experience
We should have to apply a couple of pumps of liquid on our hands before shaving, but I did require more. More like three or four pumps of liquid were required.
It stays mostly transparent, although it can whiten up a bit when massaged well into the whiskers. It whitened up more when I used it for head shaving with a HeadBlade Moto razor for which I was creating a video.
If you want it to stay clear, it will mostly, but just don’t massage it as much as I do into the hairs.
When using it with a Gillette Fusion 5 (using old style and new blades), it did provide me the needed protection between the blades and skin (i.e., lubrication).
I did have to top up what gel I had on my face throughout the shave, as the gel did seem to dry up quite quickly. At times, I just added a little water on my hands and wet the gel on my face again.
My overall thoughts on it are that it was okay (maybe okay is enough)!
Value for Money
If you are buying a bottle in the US, it will cost you around $27 for the 250ml (8.5 fl.oz) bottle. In the UK it costs around £22.
So, it is quite pricey stuff.
Other gels are cheaper to buy, but we do have to consider we would need to buy x2 tubes to make up the amount we get from Murdock. However, something like BullDog Shave Gel will cost around $6 (£4) for a 175ml/5.9fl oz tube and can be bought in multipacks, which saves money.
Final Thoughts – Verdict (Worth Buying?)
If a bottle costs around $15 or £13, then I would consider it a good option, but still, not my favorite I have used.
Keep in mind, though, that some of my experiences are going to be subjective, and others might like the gel from Murdock more than I do.
I’m left feeling like the last stuff I used was a better lubricant: Bump Patrol Cool Shave Gel. Plus, this Murdock Shave Gel is equal to others I have used that are cheaper.
I would suggest Murdock London make a small 100ml tube that is cheaper, and then if buyers like it, they could purchase the bigger bottle I reviewed here.
Have I missed anything, or do you have any questions? Do drop a comment below if needed!
