Tabac Original After Shave Balm

I wish I had found this earlier. The smell is great - right out of an old school barbershop. The scent lasts for the whole day unlike some others.
Cost is a bit high but worth it for the above reasons.

This is one product that will be in my regular routine from now on.

I have used this for daily for three years. I like it because it dries quickly on my skin. Other creams I have used take ages to dry. I have never splashed after shave straight on my face because it stings, but this is great. It does sting slightly for a few seconds when applying it. I splash after shave lotion on my chest. I use other Tabac products, such as soap, cologne and deoderant so I like the fragrance. If you like Tabac products it is definately worth a try.

This is a very good AS balm. It is a perfect companion for the Tabac soap, and IMHO, preferable to the ASL. There is the same wonderful scent that is similar to the soap and it lasts and lasts!!! There is alcohol in the balm to give you a bit of antiseptic and burn. However, the moisturizing is a bit limited (IMO) and I usually supplement it with a tiny dab of Neutrogena moisturizer while rubbing it on my face. The only big issue is that it is expensive and there the tube does not have as much product in it...so it cannot be a daily use ASB, alas...

Got the first tube from my parents somewhere in the 70's and for me this is the nicest Tabac product around. The only balm I know that doesn't need an AS before appliance and scent-wise the best Tabac scent around. Mild but long lasting so don't try to mix it with anything else than Tabac.

I have used all kind of balms but this is the one that will be on my sink till I die; I do not use it daily but I don't want to go without it !

Not a bargain but worth every cent!

A 22% alc balm!?!?!?!

I was sceptical, but its Tabac, so I bought it.

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It goes on like a balm, but if I had amnesia on the way to work I would think I had used the ASL. Both leave my face nice and tight, protected and clear. It works a charm on those shaves where you go a bit too close to the wind and get some razor burn.

It smells pretty similar to the regular Tabac smell, it maybe a little subdued. Its great for layering tabac, but it lingers a bit, so can clash with colognes.

All in all: A strange, but delightful little balm.

For a while I hade been using Nivea Extreme Comfort ASB, before I tried this Tabac Original ASB.

At first I was quite sceptical, about this product. I have a very - I mean VERY - sensitive skin and generally my skin isn't happy with anything alcohol-based. I was also worried of it having an alcohol burn. Hence, it surpirised me that it didn't have the expected alcohol burn; nor did it leave my skin irritated. It moisturizes well and doesn't dry out the skin. But, personally, I always prefer to use a moisturizing cream after applying an ASB.

Price
Very good, as you only need to use a little amount and it's a good quality ASB

Quality
For the tube, the screw-lid doesn't bother me too much. For the balm itself: I love it. It's not too runny and - as it promises on the box - is absorbed quickly

Fights Razor Burn
Although alcohol-bases, it fights razor burn very effectively.

Cooling Sensation
Seems quite cooling to me; skin that feels uncomfortable after shaving feels more comfortable after using the ASB.

Scent
I am not overly keen on this, but as it doesn't last long with me it doesn't bother me.

Efficacy
As mentioned before, it's quickly absorbed! Apart from that, it doesn't leave the skin greasy or oily, neither does it dry it out.

Moisturizing
It moisturizes the skin quite well. My personal preference is to use a moisturizing cream afterwards.

No Alcohol Burn
There isn't an alcohol burn, but more of a tingling sensation (especialy on those parts that have nicks).

The Tabac Original after shave balm does not seem to be as popular as the Tabac Original after shave lotion. While I can buy it over the counter where I live (Netherlands), the large drug store chains don't seem to carry it. Look for it in smaller, independent drug stores.

The product is a white balm which also contains 22% alcohol; it has the good properties of an alcohol-based after shave (nice burning sensation, disinfecting the skin) but it does not leave the skin dry, tight and with a "tugging" sensation, something which I do get with alcohol-based splashes.

It comes in a white tube which stands on its head. The cap doesn't pop open but screws off (see picture here); a pop-open cap would have been more convenient.

It cost me € 11.95 for 75 ml, which is a bit more expensive than e.g. the Body Shop balm which comes in 100 ml tubes for about the same price.

The scent is not unpleasant. It's "barbershoppy", not very similar to the Tabac shaving soap in my experience. It's subdued, but it lingers a little longer than I would like, I could still catch a whiff every now and then two hours after my shave.

If you normally use an alcohol-based splash followed by a balm, you could use just this balm as an alternative, as it combines the best of a splash and a balm in a single product. Highly recommended.

Edit. The pictures I attached to this review did not show up, so I attached them to this post in the After Shaves forum.

Addendum. Seven hours after my shave, I received a (female) compliment on how nice and masculine I smelled. This stuff lasts a LOT longer than I would have thought. Well, that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'll just have to adjust my expectations, i.e. forgo my cologne if I use this.