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Anyone else dislike Proraso ? (and where to go from here)

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
It's a decent enough cream but nothing special, an Italian drugstore cream. The thing that I don’t like about it is the residue that it seems to leave behind. If it rinsed clean, I’d probably have a tube.

Try XPEC unscented from Connaught. Last time that I checked, it was about $35 US for 250ml. Good stuff.
 
The worst part about it is the funky residue left behind in the sink. I completely agrees this product is excellent once the weather turns warm. Both the Green and Blue are excellent soaps and great go to products when it’s warm. The sandalwood is just ok, but not terrible. The white, I don’t particularly like. I’ll use it but I wish it was the green one when I’m using it.

I was fortunate enough to travel through Europe recently and I have to say that certain soaps kind of remind me of the places I have been. Proraso green instantly takes me back to italy. Speick takes me back to germany, just the scent alone.
 
Not a fan. I went through a tube about 10 years ago. Worked fine, did not replace.

Palmolive cream is great and cheap. La Toya cream is even better for a few bucks more.
 
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@ElonsMusk if Proraso's not for you, so be it. Green is my daily driver, but my wife won't even try it for a shave because of the menthol. She prefers The Body Shop's Aloe & Maca Root, which has a fairly inoffensive aroma. Of course, YMMV.
 
Don’t say anything bad about Proraso on B&B, even if it’s the truth.:001_rolle
You’ve listed some great products. If you’re looking for some creams to try, I’ll second the recommendation for TOBS. La Toja is one of my favorites. T&H creams are also very good, I’ve used most varieties. Speick, Williams, Nivea, Gillette and Godrej are some cheaper creams that are worth a try if you can get them for a good price.
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
I’m sorry that your experience with Proraso was not a pleasant one. I love Proraso soaps and creams. You could try some of the Vendors in the Vendor Forum. Some of them sell soap and cream samples. Captain’s Choice is one who comes to mind. Great to deal with.
 
For menthol, I like C.O. Bigelow, which allegedly is the same thing as the Proraso green tube. I'd be lost without one in the medicine cabinet for rush jobs. The white tube, sensitive-skin, aloe Proraso cream, I've also tried and like very much. Nice musty smell and reasonably priced.
 
I got a Proraso sampler pack from WCS. As far as scent goes, I found the Cypress Vetiver and Wood&Spice to be highly offputting. As for the Green Tea&Oat (White) and Menthol/Eucalyptus (Green), both have menthol which I hated. Eucalyptus by itself is usually a nice scent but the menthol scent and sensation killed it for me. I was surprised that they would put Menthol in a "sensitive skin" product. The White and the Green both smelled like cleaning products to me (not in a good way, more like janitorial or maid service supplies).

The Red (sandalwood), is obviously a classic Sandalwood scent. I know many guys like this, but not me. I found it heavy, dark, and old man-ish, like a steam room full of naked wrinkly fat men. I was suffocating while using it and couldn't get the scent off for a whole day.

Azur Lime smelled like a modern day clean and fresh cologne, not bad at all but not what I want to shave with everyday

As for performance of Proraso, it was ok, but nothing special. So far I've tried Cella, Art of Shaving, Fine, Haslinger, MWF. I would put Proraso towards the bottom of the list, but I'm sure there are much worse creams/soaps out there than Proraso.

Did anyone have a similar experience with Proraso and if so what do you use (or recommend) instead?
Joke answer: Burn the heretic!

Serious answer: I initially felt the same way about the Wood & Spice. On the first use (in the Single Blade beard wash), I almost gagged. When I went to bed, the odour clung to the pillow and sheets so that I got a snootful whenever I rolled over. It just seemed to hang around... and around.

However, I eventually got used to it. Then over time, it became my favourite of the new scents. It has a warm, woodsy scent that I like. Most importantly, my wife and others liked it.

As for the traditional scents, I like the Green for times when I want a bracing menthol sensation and the White for when I don't. They've become staples in my shave den. I also like the Red, but don't use it because the woody/nutty scent is a bit strident when combined with the Wood & Spice.

I haven't tried the Blue, yet. I've heard that the scent is polarizing. Slightly musky with a hint of licorice which some people find strange. Might be worth a try, though. Your tastes seem to be the opposite of everyone else's so it could work for you! :wink2:
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I've used the Proraso green and the Proraso red and one of the newer creams (which I turned into a soap). I like them okay (the green not so much), but never use them now.

Vitos.ExtraSuperCoco.SusanDarnell.640.2-17-20.JPG

For the price Vitos Extra Super Coco is a vastly better soap for me. Connaught has it in sample size, and in 100 ml size (which is the one to buy I think), and in the huge 1000 ml blocks (which I have in transit). The price of the big block will blow your mind.

However, Vitos is not a cheap soap except in price. To me it's a very top tier product. Had I discovered it long ago I would have saved a small fortune in soaps which now sit around without any work but aren't able to get unemployment $$$.

Not that Proraso isn't a good soap for me, but everyone should use what they like.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I've used the Proraso green and the Proraso red and one of the newer creams (which I turned into a soap). I like them okay (the green not so much), but never use them now.

View attachment 1080420

For the price Vitos Extra Super Coco is a vastly better soap for me. Connaught has it in sample size, and in 100 ml size (which is the one to buy I think), and in the huge 1000 ml blocks (which I have in transit). The price of the big block will blow your mind.

However, Vitos is not a cheap soap except in price. To me it's a very top tier product. Had I discovered it long ago I would have saved a small fortune in soaps which now sit around without any work but aren't able to get unemployment $$$.

Not that Proraso isn't a good soap for me, but everyone should use what they like.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I just discovered Connaught and saw Vitos there. I will very likely get some, a jar to start. From what I gather it is very similar to Cella, even has a similar almondy scent although with a coconut twist. Sounds very nice to me. Can you confirm is it like Cella,better or worse? And some people have mentioned Cella block is very slightly superior to the Cella tub. Does the same apply to Vitos Extra Super Coco jar vs block ? Or do they just shove some block into the jar, same exact stuff?

Also I saw there is a Supercrema Vitos which from my reading appears to be slightly inferior to the Extra Super Coco Vitos. The difference being a little extra water and glycerin in the formulation of Extra. Do you know about this and if so is there any reason why someone would prefer the Supercrema over Extra Super Coco?

The price of Vitos block is truly incredible, I thought the Cella block shattered the competition in price but this takes "deep value" to a whole new level entirely. Works out to about 11 USD and free shipping if the total order is high enough on Connaught. That's wild. 1000 ml is nearly 34 oz. so comparing apples to apples, a typical 4 oz tub of artisan soap could be $20 or more which equates to at least $5 ounce whereas Vitos works out to 32 cents per ounce :eek2:. That would be incredible if it was just a "economy quality" product but from what you say it is a top performer.

If i end up liking it then I see little reason to keep hunting for and buying other soaps and creams except if there are just a couple of novelty items that are interesting. I'm still relatively new to this stuff, but if something checks off all my boxes then there is no need to keep searching and wasting money.
 
Arko, Tamara, Godrej, TOBS, and Dr. Harris are all creams that are worth checking out. As far as TOBS goes, I have only tried Sandalwood, Lavender, and Cedarwood. None of them were too overpowering in scent to me.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I just discovered Connaught and saw Vitos there. I will very likely get some, a jar to start. From what I gather it is very similar to Cella, even has a similar almondy scent although with a coconut twist. Sounds very nice to me. Can you confirm is it like Cella,better or worse? And some people have mentioned Cella block is very slightly superior to the Cella tub. Does the same apply to Vitos Extra Super Coco jar vs block ? Or do they just shove some block into the jar, same exact stuff?

Also I saw there is a Supercrema Vitos which from my reading appears to be slightly inferior to the Extra Super Coco Vitos. The difference being a little extra water and glycerin in the formulation of Extra. Do you know about this and if so is there any reason why someone would prefer the Supercrema over Extra Super Coco?

The price of Vitos block is truly incredible, I thought the Cella block shattered the competition in price but this takes "deep value" to a whole new level entirely. Works out to about 11 USD and free shipping if the total order is high enough on Connaught. That's wild. 1000 ml is nearly 34 oz. so comparing apples to apples, a typical 4 oz tub of artisan soap could be $20 which equates to $5 ounce whereas Vitos works out to 32 cents per ounce. That would be incredible if it was just a "economy quality" product but from what you say it is a top performer.

If i end up liking it then I see little reason to keep hunting for and buying other soaps and creams. I'm still relatively new to this stuff, but if something checks off all my boxes then there is no need to keep searching and wasting money.

In my experience which is limited with the Supercrema (I have it, and I've used it, but now I can't find it), I prefer the Extra Super Coco to the Supercrema.

I also prefer it to the other inexpensive Italian soaps I've tried including Cella, but that's me.

The Vitos soap (not cream) sold by Connaught is all taken from the 1000 ml block; I'm 99% sure this is true from reading their website and its copy. If you want to be 100% sure of it, email Connaught and ask 'em; their customer service has been good in my eperience.

I want to be careful here. I can't say you'd like Vitos as much as me, but it is very inexpensive to try it to find out.

I've tried a slew of soaps, and have liked a good many of them. Some which I like have a strong tendency to stop up the sinks in my old house. Some are drying to my skin.

Let me talk just a second about the scent of the Extra Super Coco. It definitely has, to my nose, a very very faint coconut scent which I like, but I have to stick my nose right up to the puck to smell it. During my shaves I don't really notice a scent from the lather of ESC. You might, but I don't.

It would be wrong to say I'm not ever going to use any of my other soaps. However, if I had to use Vitos Extra Super Cremo every day I'd be fine. I like it a lot. Not because it's cheap.

Fortunately, I have a slew of other soaps to use. Fortunately I have a huge supply of Vitos in transit.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
ely get some, a jar to start. From what I gather it is very similar to Cella, even has a similar almondy scent although with a coconut twist. Sounds very nice to me. Can you confirm is it like Cella,better or worse? And some people have mentioned Cella block is very slightly superior to the Cella tub. Does the same apply to Vitos Extra Super Coco jar vs block ? Or do t
In my experience which is limited with the Supercrema (I have it, and I've used it, but now I can't find it), I prefer the Extra Super Coco to the Supercrema.

I also prefer it to the other inexpensive Italian soaps I've tried including Cella, but that's me.

The Vitos soap (not cream) sold by Connaught is all taken from the 1000 ml block; I'm 99% sure this is true from reading their website and its copy. If you want to be 100% sure of it, email Connaught and ask 'em; their customer service has been good in my eperience.

I want to be careful here. I can't say you'd like Vitos as much as me, but it is very inexpensive to try it to find out.

I've tried a slew of soaps, and have liked a good many of them. Some which I like have a strong tendency to stop up the sinks in my old house. Some are drying to my skin.

Let me talk just a second about the scent of the Extra Super Coco. It definitely has, to my nose, a very very faint coconut scent which I like, but I have to stick my nose right up to the puck to smell it. During my shaves I don't really notice a scent from the lather of ESC. You might, but I don't.

It would be wrong to say I'm not ever going to use any of my other soaps. However, if I had to use Vitos Extra Super Cremo every day I'd be fine. I like it a lot. Not because it's cheap.

Fortunately, I have a slew of other soaps to use. Fortunately I have a huge supply of Vitos in transit.

Happy shaves,

Jim

Thanks Jim, based on what you describe it sounds like Vitos Extra Super Coco would suit me just fine. Definitely worth a try.
 
Not a proraso fan, the performance is no issue at all (soap) but the chemical smell is! Lots of cheap soaps out there which offend my nose a lot less and perform the same or better
Vitos, speick.
 
Thanks to all for the responses. It is so great to know I am not alone and I really appreciate all the great recommendations which I will be sure to try.
 
Thanks to all for the responses. It is so great to know I am not alone and I really appreciate all the great recommendations which I will be sure to try.
Look for the Arko, Tamara, and Godrej creams on eBay. They can often be bought for under $10 and many times have free shipping.
 
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