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OK, with over 900 reviews on here already, no one will probably ever read this, but... here goes. I had been using Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood and while it has a pleasant scent, it mostly has a soapy smell. The sandalwood is there but not in abundance. Seeing this $5 cheaper I decided to give it a shot. I will say I have not been a fan of all their stuff. I was not a huge fan of their aftershave, a little too funky for me. Hey, if you want to smell like someone's armpit, that's your own business. But, their shaving creams have always been spot on. This has a really rich scent, you can really smell the essential oils in it. The first few times I used it I was thinking I didn't need to use a cologne. I guess it took me a few times to get used to the scent? I will say I like the slipperiness of the Old Bond Street a little better. While adequate my blade doesn't glide quite as smoothly with this stuff. But, it's not a big deal, I'm only adding it for the thoroughness of my review. Most people probably won't notice or care. It's such a small thing I don't think it will stop me from buying it again. Hey, $5 is $5, there is no virtue in spending the money on something that isn't going to give you any widely discernible difference.
My husband has been using the Prorasa Shaving Cream Eucalyptus and Menthol for several years, and he loves it. I'll include the review of that in this review so I don't have to say the same things again.
I love the smell of Sandalwood so I purchased him one of these. He liked it every bit as much as the Eucalyptus and Menthol. I liked the smell a lot. This is a wonderful product.
For the Eucalyptus and Menthol:
My husband has tried several different kinds of shaving creams over the years, but he always kept looking until he tried Proraso Shaving Cream. He says he has found the perfect shaving cream. When I asked him why he liked it so much he said that his skin had never felt better when he used it. The shaving cream was soothing and invigorating to his skin, and he felt classy when he used it. He has dark hair and has to shave everyday. So getting the right shaving cream was important to him.
He said that a pea size amount is all you need to use. That small amount works up a great lather. The eucalyptus and menthol is soothing and stimulating. He always shaves while he is in the shower. I think the heat, steam and water helps soften the course hair on his face.
You can't get this shaving cream at Walmart or Target--at least not where we live. So we order it off of amazon. I think he has four extra tubes of it so he will never run out. He said each tube lasts a long time. He couldn't be more pleased with his shaving cream.
I love this stuff, although I'm not so crazy about the metal tube. You've got to make sure you squeeze from the bottom up, and keep folding as you go. The metal will split and may be sharp in the corners, but I do feel like you're getting everything out. On my most recent tube, the plastic lid broke...the inside threads separated from the outside grip. I went through the last half of the tube just pressing it on...no problems since the cream is thick. Anyways, the product works very well, smells good, and lasts for a long time (I can go almost 6 months on one tube).
Love this stuff and love the creams you can mix up in a big ceramic bowl for nice hot lather after you soak your brush in it. I prefer a boar brush to badger but can get a great lather using either one, even one of the cheapie included badger brushes I got with my razor stand. Seeing some reviews where people can't get it to lather. I dunno if it is their first time wet shaving or if they are used to something else or just not doing it right? Dime sized dollop in the middle of a good sized mixing bowl with just a little bit of water in the brush and really swirl the brush around in it for a good 30 seconds and it'll lather up THICK and enough for 3-4 passes. Smell is typical Sandalwood smell. Not for everyone but if you don't like it they have 3 other types that all work extremely well. Single tube lasts a good 2 months, pre shave lotion and aftershave last even longer. I do use the sandalwood pre shave and after shave balm as well and I have never, NEVER had as good a skin condition as I do now. Use a Parker 87R (copy of Gillette Ambassador) with Astra blades. If you want a good shave just... get Proraso.
I love the Proraso creams and this is the first time I have tried the red in the tube. I usually buy the bowls and they're great. I have tried the green in the tube and it worked fine. However, this red tube had clumpy cream that was either dried out or just a bad consistency. It came out in clumps and then even with hot water my shaving brush took a long time to break it all up - sort of like trying to melt a stick of butter when it comes out of the refrigerator.
I still give it four stars though because other than this I have never had a problem with Proraso and the smell of the red version is outstanding. I think I just got an old tube.
Feature Product
- Moisturizing and nourishing formula is great for thick, coarse beards
- Shea Butter keeps the skin soft and supple while Sandalwood Oil has a calming and soothing effect
- Natural-based formulation without mineral oils or artificial colors
- No parabens, no silicons, no mineral oils
- Made in Italy
Description
Proraso's Moisturizing and Nourishing Shaving Cream, created for thick, coarse or curly beards, is rich in emollients to soften the hair and nourish and regenerate dry skin. Shea Butter keeps the skin soft and supple, Cocoa Butter provides sustained protection and Sandalwood Oil provides a warm and intense fragrance. Made with a special "hot soap" process, it's left to mature in small batches for 3 days, producing an extremely fine, thick and creamy soap that, products a soft, rich lather. Cruelty-free, with 91% 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.
As someone that just started shaving 6 years ago my first shave was with a disposable razor and shaving gel from a can. Around my junior year of high school I started to take an interest in getting a higher quality shave since I had to shave basically everyday because I was in AFJROTC and wore the Airforce Dress uniform. I learned about shaving with a double edge safety razor and how better they were then the 5 blade Gillette Fusions I was currently using. So I bought one and some blades from Amazon and went and got a shaving brush, bowl and a puck of soap at the Wal-mart by my house. (Vander Hagen was the brand.) The Shave was 10x better than any shave I had with the disposables and gel. Two weeks ago I finally ran out of the puck so I had to purchase more shaving cream. I could have drove to Wal-mart and just have bought another Van der Hagen puck. But I heard about Proraso over the internet and how great it was. I watched review videos on youtube and decided to buy it. After having to go to the post office to get my package because they wouldnt put it in my mail box 😤 I came home and took a shower and got ready to shave. The lather was amazing to say the least. It was the closest most smoothest shave I have ever had. This is my go to shaving cream from now on.
Neither the box nor the tube had instructions written on them, but it wasn't that hard to figure out. To use this stuff, whip it into a bowl with a shaving brush and add a very small amount of water as needed to ensure that a good lather is produced.
As for my thoughts on this stuff: other reviewers are right; this stuff is priceless when it comes to shaving with a double edged razor. It seems to decrease the amount of grab the blade has on hairs, and, in turn, allows for more comfortable shaves with less razor burn. Even when using highly aggressive blades such as Feathers. The scent is good, but it definitely takes some getting used to- it doesn't really have a sweet scent the way most men's soaps and shaving creams do, if that makes any sense. I believe the scent is sandalwood.
Too many companies revise their brands to increase profits at the expense of quality. Proraso has been a favorite of many wet shavers for years because it's been a consistently excellent product that works well. It's also a great value compared to many products out there. With the demise of old-school products in most grocery stores in the US, we have to turn to alternatives to get the results that we expect. Proraso is one such brand that is revered among old-school wet shavers.
However, there have been times where people have criticized a few of the ingredients in the old formulations. It is certainly worth taking note. Some more recent EU cosmetics standards have increased scrutiny over certain components in many products. Whether or not this is the reason for reformulation, the SLS, propylene glycol, and parabens, etc., have been removed from their products. In the process, the manufacturer appears to have spent a considerable amount of effort in revamping the product line to give it a bit more diversity.
This new sandalwood and shea version of Proraso surprised me. I hadn't expected to see this product when I was out to replenish some of my shave cream / soap stash. In fact, I didn't even know it existed until about a week ago.
In terms of performance, it still works as well as it ever has. Lathering is a bit different due to the lack of foaming that the old SLS would provide (which is why companies use SLS in the first place). It is my understanding that natural products cannot create the same foaming properties of detergents. I actually generally prefer to not have SLS in my products. Nevertheless, the lather is still great and protects the skin while retaining water. Water is the most important part of the shave. If it can't be held to the face to soften the skin and hair, then a shave product is useless! Shaving is smooth and nick-free.
I like the new sandlwood fragrance and it is a great alternative to the traditional Proraso menthol and eucalyptus. Shaving is enjoyable, and the fragrance is neither overpowering or artificial. The low-notes of the sandalwood are evident for hours after the shave, but are not cloying. There is still a distinct old-school soapy smell to the product. It smells clean and traditional, unlike so many of those artificial-smelling products out there.
In other words, this may very well be a prime example of reworking a product in *the right ways* and maintaining good customer loyalty while reaching out to a new audience. I really like this product and can't wait to try some of the other new Proraso products formulas.
I've tried many shaving creams and Proraso is my favorite thus far.
For years I shaved with a Gillette Mach 3, using a brush and bar-shaving cream. I was relatively happy with the shave I got, but those blades were just too expensive! A few years ago I switched to a double edge razor and my shaving cream was no longer a good match. I tried many samples from Sephora. I found something I liked - a pre-shave oil and shave cream, but the company discontinued the products so my search started again.
I decided to try some lower-priced options and found things that would be okay, but nothing that earned my loyalty. I was about to start trying more expensive stuff again when I ran across Proraso and decided to try a tube.I love this stuff. I love the smell. I love the ritual of warming my bowl and brush. I love developing that lather; refining it with a drop of water (some mornings I create a lather so perfect I almost don't want to use it.) I love feeling the badger hair brush spread that lather over my face. I love the way the razor effortlessly glides over my face.
Almost every morning I am surprised how close my initial pass gets without any discomfort. I still go for a little touch-up here and there, but not nearly as extensively as with other creams - including the oil/cream combination I used for two years.
One of the things I truly appreciate about this shaving cream is the lack of need for a pre-shave oil. I found the oil to be a messy resident in my medicine cabinet and a real pain when traveling.
I foresee a long and beautiful relationship with Proraso.
I have been using soaps for awhile and decided to try this cream because my shave routine recently became very limited and I heard that Proraso was a staple brand in the wetshaving world. I found that the cream is extremely quick and convenient. I can whip up a very nice lather within in seconds, shave and go about my day. You can use this to face lather (which I prefer), use a bowl or use your hand to make/hold the lather. I use my bowl for soaps and don't think it's necessary to use with the cream because in my opinion there's something about building a lather on your face that makes shaving that more relaxing and less of a chore. It also isnt as messy compared to using your hand to build and hold the lather which takes up your extra hand to pull your skin tight, brush your teeth while shaving or to take that mirror selfie with this awesome shaving cream on your face. Just whatever floats your boat. Anyway, I like the scent which has a powdery sandlewood smell, but It doesn't last long. That can be a good or bad thing for you. I am blown away by the smoothness and ease this stuff provides for the best shave. This is my first cream and I will probably use creams going forward even if my shave routine goes back to normal.
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