The Great Shave-Off

Trumper versus Taylor. It sounds like the caption of an old English common law case, but despite the familiarity that many members of the bar have with these two, it's not from law school. George F. Trumper's and Taylor of Old Bond Street are two of the most famous barbers in London, and both are global purveyors of fine shaving products. The two shops were opened in the late 1800's (Taylor in 1854, Trumper's in 1875). Both shops are in London's West End, and both historically cater to the affluent gentry. Trumper's was awarded the Royal Warrant under Queen Victoria and all five subsequent British monarchs, but while that denotes prestige, it does not necessarily denote superior quality. Here, we're only concerning ourselves with their shaving creams.

Three factors go into rating a line of shaving creams.

1. Lather: Is it glycerin based? Does it effectively protect your face?
2. Scent: Does the line offer a variety of scents? Are they natural? Calming? Invigourating?
   
3. Price: Is it worth it?

Lather:
Glycerin-based shave creams are the only shaving creams worth using. They must be lathered with a brush (Badger-hair only!). Both Trumper's and Taylor produce glycerin-based creams that blend well with water to create a foamy, creamy lather. Both lines protect your face, and both lather quickly and fully.
Winner: Tie
Scent:
In the U.S. we're used to aerosol gels and creams that smell like chemical deodorant. Screw that. Rose, Sandalwood, Lime, Almond, and African Violets are just a few of the scents available from finer shaving shops. Trumper's and Taylor offer an enormous range of scents, not a one of which invokes the chemical plant. I much prefer my morning shave to either soothe or invigourate me with natural scents. Both lines offer truly excellent scents of comparable quality, but Taylor offers eleven different varieties where Trumper's has seven.
Winner: Taylor (for variety)
Price:
Shaving with quality shave products doesn't really break the bank. Shave soaps and creams lathered with a brush can last much longer than aerosol cans. (And they're not crap.) You'll shave some off of the final bill, though, if you buy Taylor's products. An ordinary jar of Taylor shave cream is a little over half the price of a jar of Trumper's. That's a big premium on that Royal Warrant.

Winner: Taylor (by a long shot)
Winner Overall: Tie

Yeah, I know, I know. Taylor won two out of three, and the third was a tie. How can it be an overall tie? Because being awarded the Royal Warrant from six consecutive monarchs is, in fact, badass.