Hi all,
I spent last christmas in Brazil and took the chance to try some Brazilian products. Here are the products in the (blurry, sorry) picture from L to R: Body Store ASB, Nazca AS gel, Granado ASB, Bic Sensitive SC, Nazca SC, Bozzano SC, Brut Sensitive SC, Gillette Sensitive SC (Argentina), Dr. Selby SC (Uruguay), Dr. Selby Sensitive (Uruguay), "old" Gillette Platinum Plus blades (not available anymore), cheap Chinese razor I found at a local store, Granado shaving soap, Body Store shaving soap.
Not in the picture, but which I also tried there was Palmindaya and Feathers with blue packaging (made in Japan, identical to the ones available elsewhere). Also, Nivea splash and Boticário ASB (Azulen and MEN). Also easily available are Nivea creams, which I really like. I did not try the Brazilian version to see if it was the same as the European version I have, though.
I should say that the Dr. Selby creams were bought in Uruguay and are not available in Brazil.
These are all my own opinion and I did not spend too much time with the products, so take this with a huge grain of salt. (See also my signature.) YMMV and all that...
First the soaps: IMHO, forget about them. I could not lather them at all! Nice mild scents, but that's it.
Now the creams: I could not get a decent lather from Palmindaya... Tried only three or four times, but it was always thin. All others, though, produced a very nice lather. Most of them had "soapy", clean scents. Except Brut, which, IMHO smelled like a very cheap knock off of Brut's scent (which I like). Good lather, but I really disliked the scent. Nazca was good, but it seemed to require more product than the others. I liked Dr. Selby the most, but the others (except Palmindaya) were close behind.
All in all, I'd say they are good, but I don't think it is worth trying too hard to get them unless you want to try something different. Proraso, for instance, is a little better IMHO.
I have not had the courage to try the blades, as they are about 15 years old and were kept in a bathroom (with humidity and all)... (There are only two left.)
I like the aftershaves, though. The Body Store one has a strong scent that lingers, which I don't like very much, even though I like the scent. (I cannot describe it, though....) It feels good, though.
Nazca has a nice cooling feeling and mild scent, if I remember well.
The Granado I really like. Light, absorbs well and quickly, minty and refreshing, and seems to handle well a problematic shave. Also, seems very moisturizing. A little goes a long way. It is the only product I brought back, together with the Dr. Selby creams. (I brought the Body Store ASB too, but don't use it as often.) This might be a product perhaps worth hunting.
I also have a Brazilian Nivea AS splash called "Silver Protect" which I quite like. (I don't know if it is similar to the splashes available elsewhere.) I also have two balms from Boticário, one called Azulen and the other MEN. I like them also, but not as much as the Granado one. The latter has a lingering scent also, but I can live with it.
[Sorry for misspelling "creams" in the title... It is my trademark, though...] Mod Edit: Fixed!
I spent last christmas in Brazil and took the chance to try some Brazilian products. Here are the products in the (blurry, sorry) picture from L to R: Body Store ASB, Nazca AS gel, Granado ASB, Bic Sensitive SC, Nazca SC, Bozzano SC, Brut Sensitive SC, Gillette Sensitive SC (Argentina), Dr. Selby SC (Uruguay), Dr. Selby Sensitive (Uruguay), "old" Gillette Platinum Plus blades (not available anymore), cheap Chinese razor I found at a local store, Granado shaving soap, Body Store shaving soap.
Not in the picture, but which I also tried there was Palmindaya and Feathers with blue packaging (made in Japan, identical to the ones available elsewhere). Also, Nivea splash and Boticário ASB (Azulen and MEN). Also easily available are Nivea creams, which I really like. I did not try the Brazilian version to see if it was the same as the European version I have, though.
I should say that the Dr. Selby creams were bought in Uruguay and are not available in Brazil.
These are all my own opinion and I did not spend too much time with the products, so take this with a huge grain of salt. (See also my signature.) YMMV and all that...
First the soaps: IMHO, forget about them. I could not lather them at all! Nice mild scents, but that's it.
Now the creams: I could not get a decent lather from Palmindaya... Tried only three or four times, but it was always thin. All others, though, produced a very nice lather. Most of them had "soapy", clean scents. Except Brut, which, IMHO smelled like a very cheap knock off of Brut's scent (which I like). Good lather, but I really disliked the scent. Nazca was good, but it seemed to require more product than the others. I liked Dr. Selby the most, but the others (except Palmindaya) were close behind.
All in all, I'd say they are good, but I don't think it is worth trying too hard to get them unless you want to try something different. Proraso, for instance, is a little better IMHO.
I have not had the courage to try the blades, as they are about 15 years old and were kept in a bathroom (with humidity and all)... (There are only two left.)
I like the aftershaves, though. The Body Store one has a strong scent that lingers, which I don't like very much, even though I like the scent. (I cannot describe it, though....) It feels good, though.
Nazca has a nice cooling feeling and mild scent, if I remember well.
The Granado I really like. Light, absorbs well and quickly, minty and refreshing, and seems to handle well a problematic shave. Also, seems very moisturizing. A little goes a long way. It is the only product I brought back, together with the Dr. Selby creams. (I brought the Body Store ASB too, but don't use it as often.) This might be a product perhaps worth hunting.
I also have a Brazilian Nivea AS splash called "Silver Protect" which I quite like. (I don't know if it is similar to the splashes available elsewhere.) I also have two balms from Boticário, one called Azulen and the other MEN. I like them also, but not as much as the Granado one. The latter has a lingering scent also, but I can live with it.
[Sorry for misspelling "creams" in the title... It is my trademark, though...] Mod Edit: Fixed!
Attachments
Last edited by a moderator: