Vitos Crema da Barba Shaving Cream 500ml

The Vitos is nice, but the scent is not very strong. The texture is kind of sticky, as you push the cream out of the plastic 'bag', it comes out just like the Portugese shave creams do, i.e. like Veleiro and Top Secret. It is not something very special regarding cushion, glide or moisturizing properties, but it is good enough I think. It has lanolin, of course. I feel that for 10 Eur (reduced at Shaving.ie when I ordered it) it is ok.

I am not a fan of almond scent (and my skin can not take certain almond oils), and I like to use Omega cream. When I saw Vitos had a big 500 ml tube, like Proraso, I had to try it. Nice scent. It is thick, so you have to push a bit to get some out. I use the Italian barbers lathering method: put a bit inside a wet brush and build the lather on the face. Works well, it gives a nice slick lather, not very thick, but effective and protective. For me it is a lot like Omega, but with less "nasty" chemicals (not that it really bothers me, but not having them is easier), and cheaper. They have reformulated recently, and I have not yet tried the new formulation. The differences do not seem big, tho. But I am not a chemical scientist. If you can find it at a reasonable cost, it is worth a try.

1. Product name: Vitos Crema da Barba
2. Country of origin: Italy
3. Container size: 500ml (1 pound)
4. Price: Product: $4.93; Shipping: Italy/Germany/USA $18.17; Total $23.10
5. Cost per ounce: $0.31. (Cheaper than JM Frasers) ($1.44 per oz. shipped)
6. Fragrance: Does it have a scent? Eucalyptus
7. Texture: Describe the look and feel. Thick paste
8. Protective: Does it protect against razor burn and chafing? Yes
9. Lubrication: Is it slippery? Did it help the razor slide smoothly? Yes
10. Efficiency: Does it do what was expected to help me shave? Yes
11. Endurance: Does it require reapplication during or between passes? Yes
12. Washable: Does it wash off face & razor easily afterward? Yes
13. Moisturizing: Does it add/restore moisture? Neutral
14. Time elapsed: How long did it take to shave, from prep to cleanup? 10 to 15 min.
15. Brush lather: Will a brush make it lather in a bowl or on the face? Yes
16. Brush cleanup: Does it easily rinse out of a brush? Yes
17. Remarks: This product is inexpensive and is sold in bulk, intended for professional use. It contains eucalyptus, which is the fragrance. Also among the ingredients are tallow and lanolin. Vitos shaving cream does not contain menthol.

For those who would compare Vitos Crema da Barba to Proraso, I would offer these observations --- Vitos is not as rich and creamy as Proraso. It has no menthol-related cooling. This product is different from Proraso or C.O. Bigelow in several ways, and might present a more or less acceptable alternative.

It’s a bit thicker coming out of the tube, and in my case, appears to need a bit more pressure on the tube to squeeze it out. It seems to lather easily. Vitos serves its intended purpose. I did not notice any particular areas in which it seems to excel or to fall noticeably short.

Vitos Crema da Barba is inexpensive except for the shipping, in my case from Italy to Germany, and then on to me in the USA. I understand some of the online vendors will soon have it in stock, and that fact will hopefully mitigate the excessive shipping costs that I willfully experienced.