Proraso Refreshing Shaving Cream for Men

A while back, frustrated by razor burn and ingrown hairs, I took to the internet to find a solution. I had a heavy beard, with skin that was dry and sensitive. I hated shaving, my face was read, burning and bleeding when I was done shaving, and I couldn't use an expensive blade for more than a week. One thing I was introduced to was wetshaving. Wetshaving can best be described as "old time" shaving. Wetshaving is far superior to the shaving technique that most men use today, and has greatly improved my shaving experience, and I don't dread shaving like I used to. Wetshaving soon became the search for the perfect shave. Trying to get a balance between a smooth well groomed face, and no irritation. In fact, as many can attest, it soon became an obsession. Over the last few years I have tried dozens of different razors, shaving creams, pre-shave oils,shaving bowls, badger brushes, aftershave balms and lotions, to find the perfect shave. I have bought everything from the highest end shaving creams at thirty or forty dollars a jar, to five dollar shave soaps. Having said all of that, Proraso is my favorite cream of all. It is an Italian produced cream that is very well respected by those who are "shaving gourmets." The one thing that you must know about Proraso is it has menthol, and eucalyptus, and lots of it. It has been described as having a cooling or even bracing sensation, so much so that some guys don't like to use it in the winter. It also has a very strong and unique smell. Some say it smells medicinal, I think it smells like an Italian sewer to be honest. So why do I think it is the best cream? Well, 1st it is a great value for the money. While it may look expensive, when using a brush, you only need an almond sized amount in your bowl for a clean shave. So a tube will last you 3 months easy. It is essentially no more expensive than the dried out gunk they sell in aerosol cans at your local drugstore and yet it performs as well as something 3x's the price. Second, it produces a rich lather that has a slickness to it, which I believe is one of the most important parts of a good shave. A slick shaving cream means less drag from the razor. Third, it is great for guys like me who have thick beards. Some prefer a lighter lather, but I have found that with a thick beard you need all the protection you can get. Fourth, it comes in a tube, which I prefer to a shaving soap (soaps dry out my face) and to tubs. I travel a lot and I find it easier to travel with a tube then with a tub, just fits in my Dop bag better for some reason. Also, I have found that creams you get in a tube (and Proraso especially) can still give you a good shave without a brush.Some other brands say they will give you a good shave with or without a brush, but not true in my experience. I don't take my brush with me when I travel, and the fact that I can still get a good lather while traveling is a big plus. Fifth, I like the cooling (bracing effect) that I described earlier. If you are like me and ingrown hairs and razor burn are your main worries, washing off your face with cold water after you shave is nice, kind of like putting an ice pack on an inflamed knee, it dulls the irritation. Finally, it works great with the other products in the line. I have never liked pre-shave oils because, while they do protect the face, they make it harder to apply shaving cream and gunk up your razor. However, with the Proraso preshave it is different. It is not an oil, but a paste, so it seems to come off easier (however, take it easy with the preshave, put on too much and it will actually produce a burning sensation from all the menthol). Also, I really like the Proraso aftershave, not too thick not too thin.Put them all together and you can get a very good shave. If you don't want to spend the money on the Proraso aftershave, the Nivea Sensitive Balm is great too and half the price and available at most drug stores. One thing that I must mention is that Proraso is sold in America as Bigelow Shaving Cream. When I bought a bottle from here I was disapointed that when it arrived from the seller (LCI) it was damaged and unusable.I use amazon for the convenience, I don't have time to box stuff up and ship it back. So I went to the store that carries this product, and found that they had a buy 2 get 1 free sale. So I tossed this one, and just got 3 of the Bigelow creams (exact same ingredients) for 20 bucks plus tax. Now I am set for the next few months.

Never have I used a shaving cream so moisturizing, soothing and cooling as this and I've tried several - Edge, Barbasol, Noxzema, Aramis, Lab Series, Art of Shaving, Anthony Logistics for Men, Kiehls... There's an expensive English one with a lime scent I remember using but I can't remember its name. With the exception of the first three products I mentioned and Kiehl, the remainder retail for at least 50% more than the Proraso sells for on Amazon and none of any of the shaving creams I mentioned can begin to hold a candle to it. I put what amounted to three dabs, each about the size of a lima bean, on my face - one on my left cheek, one on my right cheek, and one on my chin. I then took my brand new Omega Stripey 100% Pure Badger Shaving Brush with Stand - Made in Italy - FREE SHIP! that I received one or two days prior to receiving the Proraso - which, by the way, did not lose one hair on its maiden voyage around my face - and worked the three small dabs into a smooth, cool, refreshing, moist lather that completely covered my face and neck. The result was the smoothest, closest shave I've ever had. After two days of not shaving, my face feels like it did after not shaving for one day using the other creams I mentioned. Another thing I like about this shaving cream is that it doesn't become caked between the blades like the more expensive products did, especially the Kiehl, so my razor is much easier to clean. I told my friends about my new find and told them that the Proraso only cost me $10. They just laughed and told me they used Edge. Never mind that this tube will probably last me more than a year; that it honestly moisturizes my beard and keeps it moist, unlike commercial products; AND that the cream does not dry out if it sits on my face for more than a couple of minutes. They can keep their Edge and their cartridge razors. The only downside is that I usually travel quite a bit for business and can only carry small amounts of toiletries. I haven't yet found a smaller tube of Proraso that I can carry on-board in my suitcase. For what it's worth, here's a little background information about my beard and face to possibly provide a frame of reference for whomever may read this: I don't have a thick beard and it doesn't grow quickly, but my beard is tough and my skin is sensitive; I can grow a full beard but it takes a while for it to fill in, as opposed to some guys that can grow a full beard in a few days to a week... or even a couple of weeks. Since my beard's mostly grey now, I could get away with shaving every other day before I used Proraso because there's much less contrast between my face and my beard than there was when my hair was dark. With Proraso, though, I can actually shave every two days without looking like Boxcar Willie. To close, I've wet-shaved for years (except for a brief dalliance with a Panasonic electric razor several years ago) and I currently alternate between a double-blade and a triple-blade Gillette razor. I plan to purchase a high-quality, single-blade safety razor in the near future, after I burn though my current stock of cartridge blades.

I honestly haven't found ANYTHING that lathers as nicely and smoothly as Proraso! I orginally ordered it with my straight razor and have been using it for years. Nothing can touch the silky smoothness of the lather this creates. I've tried soaps, creams, foams, etc. Side note: Get yourself a badger hair shaving brush to apply this shaving cream. You can find them as cheap as $1, but you'd probably get a genuine one for $15? or more. I've had mine for 20 yrs, so they are an investment like the straight razor. A badger hair brush absorbs the water and allows for a beautiful lather to form. When you apply the foam to your skin, it further lathers, spreads the shave cream, and exfoliates your skin. This makes a very nice lubricated surface for your razer whether it's a straight razor or multi-blade. Warm your skin, stretch it out and you'll get an incredible shave without nicking or razor burn! It washes away nicely leaving your skin feeling smooth and clean. The Menthol effect can be nice on your beard, but I wouldn't recommend it for your nethers! I believe it's also available in Sandalwood - which has a very nice smell. You won't believe how close of a shave you can get! And you'll NEVER use that goopy foam-in-a-can again!!! Give this stuff a try - you won't regret it!

This stuff is awesome! Is it the ONLY cream I use? No. But I keep it steady in rotation. I used to break out horribly after shaving using the mass marketed stuff with rash and irritation. I then discovered wet shaving with a dual edge safety blade and WOW what a difference. If you are able to use the Mach-50 or whatever they call them these days more power to you. Back when I first started shaving I could've shaved with the same Mach-3 cartdridge for an entire school year...rust deposits and all. Sadly those days are gone and my beard would now give a cheese grater a run for its money. With that said . . . canned shaving cream also seemed to make the whole shaving thing a royal pain in the patella as it was drying and irritating to my skin. Again . . . if you can get away with the canned stuff count yourself very fortunate. In my teens a can of shaving cream would last me 2 years. Go figure. To each his own as far as his methods are concerned. Lets talk about this cream now. It comes in a huge tube and does look like it's something out of my grandfather's era. I consider the tube to be a generous supply for the price. It smells slightly medicinal but in a good clean way. I especially enjoy using this stuff during the hot summer months or while on vacation. The tingle and smell is therapeutic and not overwhelming. It does not smell like you slopped a jar of Vicks vaporub on your face. It's more pleasant, yet some people just aren't fans of Eucalyptus. The cream provides a great lather when paired with a decent shave bowl and brush. A little goes a long way. Squeeze a bead the size of nickel or dime in the bowl depending on how much lather you like. Wet your brush with warm water. Mix the cream in the bowl. You may add a few more drops of water to get the consistency you desire. Remember that the lather is on your brush and not in your bowl. Apply lather, shave, and rinse. I usually apply the lather for a minimum of 2 passes. More often 3. When I have a date with the little lady I go the extra mile with a 4th pass. Back to front. Front to back. Top to bottom. Bottom to top. If you enjoy the smell of your cream apply a little behind your ears and rub it in. Follow up with a toner based bump preventer if you're prone to razor bumps and then after shave. Lastly apply a shaving lotion. If you stick with a routine your skin will be clear, your face soft, and the woman happy. Using products like this make shaving a little more enjoyable. I think I'll go shave right now!

I was skeptical about trying this stuff. Like many others here I defected from the store bought gels/cans a few weeks ago. There are many things we American look to save time on in our busy schedules, but shaving should not be one of them. I dreaded shaving even though I only do it 4 times a week. A recent trip to a traditional barbershop changed that. I went in to get a cut and a joke about the Sweeney Todd movie came up. Now as a 33 year old, a barbershop shave was something older people had or I only saw in the movies. I decided to take the shave and WOW! It was the most relaxing and closest shave I've ever had. Anyways, the barber used Proraso and so I went home and bought it online along with a Merkur DE 34, a decent badger brush, and shave oil. Now this type of shaving takes some time to master and is not for the rushed. Even though I have a busy schedule I'll alot the time for a decent shave(20min.). The PRORASO cream is amazing stuff and smells barbershop fresh, my girlfriend even noticed the closeness. Note that it only foams well when a mixed in a bowl with a badger brush. The tube will last much longer than gel cans if used properly. I have to admit that I look forward to shaving now, an attitude I haven't had since I was in my teens. I'd recommend the Feather razor blades also, as it has improved closeness. So courtesy of my barber, my routine is as follows: Apply hot wet face towel for 2 minutes. (pre-shave determines the quality of shave) Apply shave oil (5 drops). Re-apply hot wet face towel for 3 minutes again. Apply mixed cream with upward brush strokes.(using a brush really gets into the stubble). Leave on for 2 minutes BEFORE YOU BEGIN so it soaks into pores. Shave in short strokes WITH the grain. It will take time to learn the best angles of the DE to your face. Rinse with cool water when done and apply aftershave. Right now I'm trying GABELS Bay Rum which is a great way to finish off. Although it's more ritual than anything since the scent leaves quickly. Still it's one of the better rum aftershaves for the price, I've tried... I must say that shaving this way makes you feel like the man. Akin to lifting some weights or changing a flat..

Classic aftershave and cream combo. Great function on the cream and one of the GOAT aftershaves in both performance and scent!

Shaving with Proraso feels like stepping out of a high-end barbershop. The cream lathers easily, goes on smooth, and leaves my skin feeling refreshed and comfortable. It has just the right touch of cooling sensation without being overwhelming. Every shave feels a little more refined with this product—great quality and worth keeping in the routine.

This Proroso a feather razor blade in my Grandfather's Gillette Fat Boy, and I have my favorite silky smooth shave. My face feels smooth and hydrated.