Prior this review, I took a shower and washed face with L'Oreal Men Expert Hydra Energetic face wash. Shaved with my 2014 Weber PH Bulldog, fresh Rapira Swedish Supersteel blade and the good old Bestshave #6 brush. I bowl-lather. Ease of lathering: (9/10) As with any Proraso product (to my findings) this doesn't get easier. We have medium hard water (standard here in the area of Denmark, give or take). Swirled to the bristles were full and went to town in the bowl. Applied a few drops of water during the building and I got the good thick, semi-shine lather I expect from Proraso. I gave it a "9" because I have a few creams that are a tad more explosive when it comes to lather. Not that I compare this soap to a cream. Life span of lather: (10/10) I had no problem with disappearing lather and I had plenty-full of it for the standard 3 passes I make. I could easily have done many more with the left over lather in the bowl. The lather also remained stable throughout the shave, which is a factor I regard highly. General skincare: (9/10) Very good care for the skin. I cannot give it a 10, because the 10's I've been through contains lanolin. Lanolin just gives that last skincare. But that doesn't make this bad though. I felt after the shave as if I could go without a balm or splash. So it's very good. The shea and cocoa provided great care. Lubrication: (10/10) Very slick. Nuff' said. How protective: (10/10) Very protective. I didn't feel the blade at all and it didn't feel like the razor would dig into the little bumps along it's way. The lather provided me with confidence. Amazing. Scent: (8/10) / (3/10) Not a scent I normally go after, but it has grown on me. I really really like it. I know it's supposed to be sandalwood, but I don't detect much of it. What I do detect is chocolate! In a soapy way. I guess the cocoa and Shea overshadows the sandal-oil. Not a bad thing for me. I didn't go for it because of sandalwood, but merely because it looked interesting. I guess if sandalwood is your thing it's only a 3/10 - because there's not much to it. It's not bad for me, but also a tiny bit disappointing, so I have given it an 8. Price: (10/10) Large tub, small price. Even here in Denmark where you'll be lucky to find even the Green one locally, it's not an expensive soap to get online. I got mine second hand after being used one time by the previously owner for 7 USD shipping included. A real bargain to me. Would you buy again: (10/10) I will. I have many soaps and creams that I really like but I wont get again, but this one I think I will. It's soo nice, so good priced and just smells amazing, that I have to have it in my Den. I also like that Proraso has removed parabens, silicons and what not in their recent formulations - that's a huge factor for me. Overall: (9/10) I am very impressed. To score a 10 I'd like just a hint more sandalwood so it lives up to it's claim. But now I'm nitpicking. I know this is a very rose-red review with little criticism to it, but I just really like this product. I just can't fault it for much.
Great write up, thanks for taking the time. I look forward to trying the red as soon as I'm done with the green, you really get your money's worth out of proraso a little goes a very long way. Enjoy!
Excellent review! Definitely a real bargain at $7. I have the green and the blue creams. It's reviews like this that tend to get me in trouble
I liked it but the red gave me burning and rash. I use the green and white tubs and tonight I'll be using a sample of the blue cream. No problems with the other scents so far.
nice review--- I don't smell chocolate, more an earthy smell, that I really don't dislike, but a woody earthy smell is what I picked up.
All 3 are avalible on Amazon for just under $30. Thats what I did. There is also a blue in cream form.
Thanks for your kind compliments! I'd love to try the blue some day. Trying to wait until they release (if they do at all) a tub version. Someday I might buckle and order anyway I am a sucker for menthol, so if choice is one only, I'd go for the Green one. I know the White has menthol, but somehow the scent annoyed me after a while. The Green one I could eat for breakfast every morning and still not get enough It's really a YMMV. They all smell great.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it was added in the reformulation a few years ago. But I don't know for sure, I just read something somewhere in that department. I have only tried the newest version. I'd rate the menthol level as half of Green. If I haven't used the Green in a while I can easily detect the menthol, but if I'm used the to Greens level, the Whites level can be more difficult to detect. Ones skin easily adapts to menthol levels, just like caffeine - your first cup makes you hopping, but after a while on coffee you don't really detect the caffeine anymore and your body needs more and more to feel it.
I have new jars direct from Italy about 3 months ago and I've got no menthol. The white was the first one I used followed by the red then the green. Menthol is in the ingredients list I just never noticed it. I like it very much.Proraso says it has a very light scent of apples and lime along with thyme, oatmeal and green tea. I don't smell apple and lime. Thyme maybe, oatmeal and green tea yes. Very fresh and plain smell. I'm surprised it has menthol in it.
I've been using Proraso red the past few shaves and hadn't used it since last winter. Forgot how good it is. The white tub I used earlier this year did have menthol BTW and it seemed about as strong as the green to me.
Nice write-up and your observations are much like mine. Proraso is one of my favorite shave soaps. Personally, I find the green so mild on menthol that I can barely detect it. But, still great shave soaps.
I really appreciate you taking the time to review what I'm sure is a common product for many veterans. For someone new the hobby such as myself, it's of great benefit.
Thanks. It's a 641/2 Mustang I've had for 35 years now. I do love those old 240 - 280 Zs. Just so we keep it on topic, the red color of my Mustang looks very much like the red on the Proraso shave soap container.
The scent of this cream is spot on. Trust me in this my brothers. I come from India and grew up in a region that has natural sandalwood trees. We use the bark of sandalwood to make a nice creamy paste to apply on skin for all round nourishing of the skin. The proraso red smells exactly like that. This is real smell of sandalwood. I have been using this cream for 3 days now. Going to do a 1 month try on this. Razor: Merkur 34c Blade: astra sp Aftershave balm: proraso Alum the lather is just phenomenal. I have real sensitive skin and need a lot of sickness. So far I feel it is doing a good job. Although I feel this a very thirst cream. Takes about 2 or 3 mins to whip up the right consistency. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk
