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As you can imagine, I have tried several things to make the shaving experience less memorable. This involves using scorching hot water, lathering up enough to shave a wild bear (as opposed to the domestic ones), using Mac 3 blades with alien technology, praying to Poseidon before each shave. However, a clean and painless shave has remained elusive for me.
Usually, at this point, a person would stop shaving and embrace a caveman look, but since my beard grows faster than a bamboo in monsoon rain, so if I stopped shaving then within a week I would be warding off squirrels and birds seeking domicile in my facial flora.
WHAT DOES PRE-SHAVE CREAM DO
According to the Gillette researchers, a dry whisker of hair is as tough as copper wire of equivalent thickness. However, if it is hydrated then the hair becomes significantly soft and easier to cut off during the process of shaving. Therefore most of the shaving products are focussed on providing moisture to the facial hairs, for instance, a shaving brush of badger hair is significantly better at retaining water than nylon ones. The process of lathering during wet shaving technique is to provide moisture to the hair strands so that they get soft. Therefore it is necessary to lather up properly so that the hair gets loosened up and gets enough moisture.
Pre-shave creams, on the other hand, ensure that your skin is loose enough to give you a closer shave. Pre-shaving products seep into the pores of skin hydrating and loosening them up so that they contort easily according to the motion of shaving blade. It also provides a lubricating layer between the skin and razor blade so that razor blades do not irritate the skin that much.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THE PRE-SHAVING CREAM
I found that this pre-shave cream does take the edge off of burning sensation of the razor's onslaught. However, it doesn't help that much. Of all the things I do to make the beard whiskers soft, the pre-shave cream has the least effect but still has some noticeable effect. I shaved with and without the pre-shave cream on different days and I could feel a slight difference between the shaving experience. Your mileage may vary depending upon the type of your beard and skin type.
SHOULD YOU BUY THIS PRE-SHAVING CREAM
Pre-shaving creams are always quoted as optional and some people do not find them to have any effect at all. I would agree with this as well. In my opinion, if a person has a soft beard or the amount of facial hair is not much then he may not feel the effects of this cream at all. Your mileage may also vary depending upon the type of skin you have. People with dry and sensitive skin are would probably notice the effects of pre-shave cream more. You might have to try it to be sure. But again don't be surprised if you buy this cream and it doesn't make much difference. Also, some shaving blades also come with a lubricating strip such as Gillette Mac 3 blades which provides some functionality of the pre-shave creams.
HOW TO USE THIS PRE-SHAVING CREAM
Pre-shaving creams are supposed to be applied before lathering the face. So I usually wash my face, scoop up some of the pre-shave cream using fingers and apply it on the face. Your face doesn't need to be dripping with it, just a thin layer of cream is fine. You are not supposed to wash to off as it needs to stay on the skin during shaving.
IS A DRY WHISKER REALLY AS TOUGH AS COPPER WIRE
That's what the Gillette research says. Gillette has been doing lots of research in the shaving industry and determined lots of interesting facts such as
1. A dry beard whisker is as tough as copper wire of the same thickness
2. A wet whisker is 70% easier to cut than a dry whisker.
3. For a man, the beard grows on an average of 5.5 inches in a year.
4. Shaving removes about 65 milligrams of whiskers daily, which amounts to a pound of hair every 16 years.
5. During an average lifetime, a man will spend 3350 hours (around 140 days) scraping 27.5 feet of whiskers from his face.
HOW CAN I GET THE SMOOTHEST SHAVE
Use martian shaving technology. Seriously have you ever seen a martian with a 5'o clock shadow? Every time a martian is shown they are squeakingly smooth with moonlight shining off of their cheekbones. It makes sense that all the information about aliens has been so tightly controlled since they don't want all of us to look like Jon Hamm. Until we get our hands on that sweet alien technology we are stuck with primitive shaving techniques such as shaving after taking a shower, using hot/warm water to soften the beard, wrap your face in a warm towel, maybe use a pre-shave cream/oil, lather up properly using a high-quality brush that can hold more water, etc.
You know how you wet your face before you apply shaving cream, then apply the shaving cream, and near the end of the shave your face starts to dry and shaving starts to get irritating? I'm in a high desert environment and this happened every day. Well this stuff locks in the moisture and keeps the shave like a waterslide. I use it with a fusion razor so it's not like you have to be fancy about shaving to use it.
Disclaimer: I'm a woman and I used this on my legs.
I ordered this because of the number of positive reviews that said it was good enough to use as a shaving cream. While I did not find that to be the case, (my legs were stinging afterwards, felt dry, and I cut myself for the first time in two decades), I still loved the rich feeling of the product and the fancy, older European gentleman smell. I'm going to go back to Cremo but will VERY happily pass this on to my husband and I look forward to him smelling like Proraso.
This is a great part of my daily shaving routine, I got into traditional wet shaving about six months ago when I decided to get a safety razor, some good blades, a brush and a shaving soap, I could see and feel the difference vs the cartridge razor and canned foam/gel I was using before (I was a Gillette man for 24 years) almost immediately...
After six months, my little Van der Haagen starter soap that I bought at my local Target had run out, I needed some shaving stuff and I turned to Amazon to get what I wanted because I wanted to try something other than the soap (which was great) and, after doing some research, I decided to get some cream (Taylor of Old Bond Street Peppermint) and, just out of curiosity and to see what all the excitement was about, I also got me this cream... WOW!!
I have never used a pre shave treatment before and, having tried this for the last couple of weeks, I can't understand why I didn't before, my face feels really smooth after I shave and there is no discomfort, I do shave every day (Monday thru Friday, resting on the weekend), and maybe this is only in my mind, but I feel that the more I use this stuff, the better my shave gets!!
I have to say that when I got the cream tub I was a bit worried because, to me, it appeared to be rather small, but upon trying it, I realized that it is more that enough. The cream itself has a creamy, light texture and a bright color (kinda like Mother of Pearl), it features the delicious, warm, earthy, woodsy scent of sandalwood, which is a bit intense without being overbearing (and I love the way it combines with the freshness of the TOBS peppermint shaving cream), it applies very easily to my wet face (I only need a little bit of cream because it goes a long way) and, most importantly, it does and excellent job, it protects my skin and works together with the shaving cream to give me a close, silky smooth shave with no irritation... and to top it all off, the price is right!!
If you're thinking about this cream, get it, you won't regret it!!....
This stuff is far superior for my face than shave oils which, to my experience, don't do much to aid in the shaving of my steel wool like facial hair. This stuff really does make it easier to shave - so much so that I switched to their brand of shaving soap and now I have brand loyalty and a whole shaving ritual which means Im THAT guy. Soooo that's a downside but product is still great.
Feature Product
- Sandalwood
- Shea Butter
- Nourishes and Protects
Description
Proraso Moisturizing and Nourishing Pre-Shave Cream softens the beard and prepares the skin before shaving to enhance the razor's glide, reduce irritation and create an additional layer of protection between the skin and the blade. Shea Butter keeps the skin soft and supple while Sandalwood Oil has a nourishing, calming and soothing effect. Features the warm, masculine scent of Sandalwood. Cruelty-free, with 97% of ingredients of natural origins, and of course, there’s no parabens, phthalates, silicones, mineral oils, artificial colors or sodium laurel sulfate. Originating in Italy, Proraso has been innovating professional highest-quality products in the shaving world for generations, and has evolved to become a staple of Italian culture. From the first product -- Pre-Shave Cream -- in 1948, to now, the Martelli family principles hold true: to create professional, quality products that deliver a pleasurable and impeccable shave, in the barbershop and at home.
I can't & don't want to grow a beard so I have to shave a couple times a week. Over the years I've tried multiple shave & pre shave creams & came across Proraso a couple years ago when I saw it in my barber shop. I bought their shave system creams & haven't tried anything else since. Even found out my grandfather used the same products, which explained the familiar & pleasant scent & my grandfathers youthful appearance. I buy the sensitive skin versions of Proraso & they work great with an old school safety razor & the three blade current shavers. Always a close shave & never a breakout!
This stuff is pretty good. Leaves a slick surface for the blade to glide on. It might be a little spendy for the amount you get but it’s for my face so I’ll pay a little more. It doesn’t clog the razor like a pre-shave oil. The odor is a bit too strong when I apply it but I think I can get used to it and it’s pleasant after the shave. I’ll definitely buy it again.
I have tried shave oils in the past and have been severely disappointed. Then I saw a shaving channel where the host used PRORASO pre shave quite a bit so I decided to give it a try. And I must say, PRORASO delivers. It provides a slick barrier while also standing the whiskers up for a closer shave. Try PRORASO pre shave and you will love it as much as I do.
I love Proraso, and I especially love the Proraso Red line. It's one of the nicest smelling sandalwoods in the shaving world. With that in mind I picked this up to try, and it's great! Now I wish they would come out with their aftershave balm in Red too!
Love this product! received this as a sample in my Amazon Beauty Box, and liked it so much that I purchased it full-size. I am actually female, and I use it to shave my legs daily. I realize that it is actually pre-shave, but it is the perfect product for me because I have extremely sensitive skin and can't use normal shaving cream. The scent is pleasant and woody and not overwhelmingly masculine. I think it would be very helpful for a guy that has sensitive skin that needs to get a closer shave. Extremely effective.
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