Proraso - what's the hype?

[cvac]

In the USA, W&S is still available at the official Proraso USA store. I cannot speak to what is available in other countries. I've never tried it or the Cypress and Vetyver one.

I have tubes of the green and blue creams on hand and will use them occasionally. I have so much soap and cream that I probably won't buy any more Proraso for some time. C&V did sound interesting though.

 

[shoulderpet]

I am in the minority here but hear me out.

Two years ago, when I gave DE shaving a go, the Proraso Green and the White were amongst the creams I tried. Neither one impressed me and I gave them away to a friend. Fast forward to today (and after rejoining DE shaving six months ago), I had to revisit Proraso - especially after reading all the positive reviews. I was also convinved my memory served me incorrectly.

So I bought a bunch (all tubes expect the wood and spices). My brother who never tried wanted some so I ordered extra. Upon arrival, I squeezed some of the Green in a bowl and swirled. It's so light and airy that Proraso could do without a brush. Proraso even has a video clip on their website of a guy applying the cream on his face after rubbing it in his hands. Anyway.

I'll skip the shaving details and will go straight to my opinion: from the lather, to the performance to the scent, it felt like an industrial canned gel/foam.

All of which leaves me scratching my head. What is the hype about? Is it the history of the brand, the accessibility of the product, the cheaper cost ($10 here and couple/few € across the pond) in relation to the result it provides, etc?

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Honestly I don't think its that hyped, lots of people use it because its relatively inexpensive, smells decent, performs decent and you can get aftershave lotion, aftershave balm, post shave balm etc, for those reasons people like using it and for those reasons I like using it but I don't think I have ever read anyone claiming its the best thing ever.

 

[Eben Stone]

Tonight's shave with my newly acquired "single blade" cypress and vetyver was fantastic. It's quite possibly the easiest to make great lather out of any cream I've tried so far, except maybe SJoL. My desired consistency is like Yoplait yogurt. Definately not meringue. Maybe that has something to do with it.

I bought the single blade variety based on reviews mentioning it having great slickness and residual slickness, supposedly better than the regular stuff. I actually think the green has better slickness, but I don't really like the menthol/eucalyptus scent of the green, so I rarely use it. IMO, the cypress and vetyver scent is very pleasant, and the slickness is still good enough. I am not disappointed, but am wondering why the single blade variety gets any special mention. The cypress and vetyver cream, and green aftershave, go pretty well together. My skin looks and feels great.

Is Proraso over hyped? I don't know. I know many members here have said the green cream is very slick. I agree. Some members here have said the single blade is better than the regular. I disagree, IMO it's slightly less slick. Otherwise, I don't remember any outrageous claims.

 

[den fly]

When I think Proraso I think affordable, readily available, easy to lather, and good, reliable performance. It is the brand I started wet shaving with (Proraso Whie Soap) and I would highly recommend it to anyone starting out.
That said, I understand the OP. It is nothing to rave about: the scent notes are OK, not great, and the performance while good is not up to the level of many other products. It strikes me as one of the best value options out there- nothing more, nothing less.
I'm not going to write home or jump up and down about it anytime soon.

 

[FishNChips]

Personally I love it. I am very hyper sensitive to smells. The Proraso has a very pleasant clean smell, similar to Irish spring. I recently got a number of other after shaves and am struggling. I find clean short lived odors are the best for me. Glad of the suggestions to start with Proraso.

 

[Raven Koenes]

I get skin reactions using many artisan soaps. I don't with Proraso. I never get a bad shave using it. There's a reason why it's mass-produced and on grocery shelves, and it is not because it is sub-par.

 

[Lockback]

I get skin reactions using many artisan soaps. I don't with Proraso. I never get a bad shave using it. There's a reason why it's mass-produced and on grocery shelves, and it is not because it is sub-par.

I love some artisan soaps but Proraso is simply a great shaving soap. It works and it's well priced.

 

[DEgeezer]

I like trying different soaps, and I have some that are outstanding, but if I had to I could get by with Proraso cream or puck just fine.

 

[zifnab]

I am in the minority here but hear me out.

Two years ago, when I gave DE shaving a go, the Proraso Green and the White were amongst the creams I tried. Neither one impressed me and I gave them away to a friend. Fast forward to today (and after rejoining DE shaving six months ago), I had to revisit Proraso - especially after reading all the positive reviews. I was also convinved my memory served me incorrectly.

So I bought a bunch (all tubes expect the wood and spices). My brother who never tried wanted some so I ordered extra. Upon arrival, I squeezed some of the Green in a bowl and swirled. It's so light and airy that Proraso could do without a brush. Proraso even has a video clip on their website of a guy applying the cream on his face after rubbing it in his hands. Anyway.

I'll skip the shaving details and will go straight to my opinion: from the lather, to the performance to the scent, it felt like an industrial canned gel/foam.

All of which leaves me scratching my head. What is the hype about? Is it the history of the brand, the accessibility of the product, the cheaper cost ($10 here and couple/few € across the pond) in relation to the result it provides, etc?

I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Maybe it's expectations. It's a shaving cream. Period, done. It makes sure you don't have a bad shave, provides slickness and glide, some cushion. And it does that very well and it's easy to create lather, it's accessible, can be bought anywhere, it's cost effective.

What's not to love. The recent demand that artisan soaps have to have dozen different butters, fats, and oils and all this post-shave BS is nonsense IMO. It's a shave soap. There are literally hundreds of better balms and moisturizers and skin care products that do a better job of any shaving soap. I really don't understand the criticism for shaving creams and soaps that just do the function, assist with shaving.

Even with scents, it's little much IMO. Soap scents are never that strong, they certainly don't leave praiseworthy scent. There are far better fragrances and types and application.

So my opinion is opposite of yours. Leaves me head scratching, what's the hype about the $30-50 artisan soaps that don't provide a better shave than Proraso? They don't provide better skin care than skin care products. And they certainly don't provide fragrance than fragrances. So what's the hype?

 

[ButterfaceX]

So many soaps, so little time. Don't get the point of this though in the hype.
We all know in Shaving YMMV and we like what we use (and we/you should).
I never have used Proraso, Creamo, ... or really any tooth paste / shampoo squeeze container type creams.
But I certainly can not knock them.
Note: my dad have been making soaps (shave soaps) for decades! So I am locked into lather scent heaven.
Also once in a while my wife buys me some nice overseas tinned ones to try. Plus awhile back see got me a few PAA's..

Now...Funny, my bother Antony shaves with just about anything and could care less what it is...

But that does not mean these mainstream creams don't have a following.
To name some hooks & things...Convenience, quality, price, their shave experience, scent, skin sensitivity, lather they love, less waste....so if they like and use it, let it go..
We all are so different and are so lucky to have so many choices.
Share, Care, Enjoy, Guide and Respect....
BFX