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Cologne similar to Proraso Red?

Curious if anybody can recommend a cologne or EDT similar to Proraso Red. I love the soap, aftershave and balm. I just wish it lasted longer. I know TOBS does a sandalwood cologne but (judging from the shaving cream sample I used) I don’t like the scent much as I like the Proraso Red. Thanks!
 
Proraso Red is pretty much straight sandalwood, but I cannot tell you which type as there are several trees that are part of the sandalwood family. The best sandalwood essential oils from India and Australia are extraordinarily expensive, so I doubt that is what is being used for a soap that costs around $10. Because of the price, sandalwood is often combined with a variety of other scents.

Taylor of Old Bond Street sells a Sandalwood scented cologne, but if it is like the cream, I am not sure how much sandalwood is in the fragrance. It is primarily cedar, rosemary, lavender, jasmine, and rose, so it does not come across as just sandalwood.

If you are looking for a scent that will linger, you might need to consider EDTs and EDPs, but they are going to be many times more expensive that your soap.
 
Proraso Red is pretty much straight sandalwood, but I cannot tell you which type as there are several trees that are part of the sandalwood family. The best sandalwood essential oils from India and Australia are extraordinarily expensive, so I doubt that is what is being used for a soap that costs around $10. Because of the price, sandalwood is often combined with a variety of other scents.

Taylor of Old Bond Street sells a Sandalwood scented cologne, but if it is like the cream, I am not sure how much sandalwood is in the fragrance. It is primarily cedar, rosemary, lavender, jasmine, and rose, so it does not come across as just sandalwood.

If you are looking for a scent that will linger, you might need to consider EDTs and EDPs, but they are going to be many times more expensive that your soap.
I’m not expecting it to be cheap. The fact that Proraso is affordable is a bonus 🙂

I did a search and couldn’t find any posts covering this exact subject. I’m mostly curious if there’s somebody out here who has similar tastes and has already done some homework before I start buying random bottles of sandalwood EDTs/EDPs/colognes.
 
There is a web site called Try That Soap that lists comparable scents. Shaving products containing Sandalwood are listed under:


There are nearly 900 products listed. Most of those products are likely to be discontinued.

They also list products with similar scents to other products. In the case of Proraso Sandalwood, you might see if you can find Santal Auster by Chatillon Lux/Maher Olfactive. It is listed on the Maher Olfactive web site, but it is sold out. The price is listed at $150 for 50 ml.
 
There is a web site called Try That Soap that lists comparable scents. Shaving products containing Sandalwood are listed under:


There are nearly 900 products listed. Most of those products are likely to be discontinued.

They also list products with similar scents to other products. In the case of Proraso Sandalwood, you might see if you can find Santal Auster by Chatillon Lux/Maher Olfactive. It is listed on the Maher Olfactive web site, but it is sold out. The price is listed at $150 for 50 ml.
Thank you!
 
OP,
1. There's nothing quite like Proraso red. Best bet is the big bottle of aftershave splash, and put it in a spray bottle, or simply apply it like aftershave, but on your wrists and neck instead of your face.

2. "sandalwood" as a fragrance type is always subjective. Nobody uses pure sandalwood oil without adding a number of aroma chemicals to build a sandalwood accord. It's usually a mix of Javanol, Sandela 85, Ebanol, Bacdanol, etc.. Then, the perfumer builds other base, heart, and top notes around it using other accords to emphasize it, support it, distract from it, etc.. There is no traditional "Sandalwood" category in classic perfumery. It's like when people want a "vetiver" cologne. It's not really a category. As shavers, we've been given that impression by shave companies and their offerings. Sandalwood is often used in Wood, spice, oriental, or fougere fragrances.

3. The person who recommended Shawn Maher's Santal Austere; that's as good of a recommendation I can think of. My first thought was Maher's Lamplight Penance, actually. FWIW, any decently woody fougere will have enough sandalwood to mesh with Proraso Red, but nothing will smell exactly like it. I've used Creed Viking with Proraso red. But most modern wood/spice/orientals are going to be just too sweet to smell like Proraso red.

4. Proraso Wood and Spice comes in an EDC, and it will kind of get you in the ballpark, albeit in a more powdery-scented way. I really like this scent though. Good price too.

BTW, proraso red splash has some actual Indian Sandalwood inside, which is impressive, given the price.
 
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OP,
1. There's nothing quite like Proraso red. Best bet is the big bottle of aftershave splash, and put it in a spray bottle, or simply apply it like aftershave, but on your wrists and neck instead of your face.

2. "sandalwood" as a fragrance type is always subjective. Nobody uses pure sandalwood oil without adding a number of aroma chemicals to build a sandalwood accord. It's usually a mix of Javanol, Sandela 85, Ebanol, Bacdanol, etc.. Then, the perfumer builds other base, heart, and top notes around it using other accords to emphasize it, support it, distract from it, etc.. There is no traditional "Sandalwood" category in classic perfumery. It's like when people want a "vetiver" cologne. It's not really a category. As shavers, we've been given that impression by shave companies and their offerings. Sandalwood is often used in Wood, spice, oriental, or fougere fragrances.

3. The person who recommended Shawn Maher's Santal Austere; that's as good of a recommendation I can think of. My first thought was Maher's Lamplight Penance, actually. FWIW, any decently woody fougere will have enough sandalwood to mesh with Proraso Red, but nothing will smell exactly like it. I've used Creed Viking with Proraso red. But most modern wood/spice/orientals are going to be just too sweet to smell like Proraso red.

4. Proraso Wood and Spice comes in an EDT, and it will kind of get you in the ballpark, albeit in a more powdery-scented way. I really like this scent though. Good price too.

BTW, proraso red splash has some actual Indian Sandalwood inside, which is impressive, given the price.
Wonderful feedback. Thank you!
 
Wonderful feedback. Thank you!
You're welcome!

BTW, I know what you mean about TOBS Sandalwood. It's the soapy note that reminds me of, for lack of a better term, and old lady's house. I can't stand it. :lol:

I've been dabbling in perfumery for a year or so, and I still can't pinpoint what that smell is. The same note is present in other sandalwood products, certain vetiver-related products like Guerlain Vetiver, Saponificio Veresino Manna di Sicilia, and Razorock Zi Peppino.

I suspect it's some kind of vetiver related aroma chemical, but I haven't found what it is yet. Normal vetiver oil (Haitian or Vetiver absolute) smells great. So do Vertofix, Vetikone, Vetikolacetat, etc.. I can't figure it out.
 
You're welcome!

BTW, I know what you mean about TOBS Sandalwood. It's the soapy note that reminds me of, for lack of a better term, and old lady's house. I can't stand it. :lol:

I've been dabbling in perfumery for a year or so, and I still can't pinpoint what that smell is. The same note is present in other sandalwood products, certain vetiver-related products like Guerlain Vetiver, Saponificio Veresino Manna di Sicilia, and Razorock Zi Peppino.

I suspect it's some kind of vetiver related aroma chemical, but I haven't found what it is yet. Normal vetiver oil (Haitian or Vetiver absolute) smells great. So do Vertofix, Vetikone, Vetikolacetat, etc.. I can't figure it out.
It has a grandpa vibe that I can’t get around (no offense to the grandpas). It’s fine but I won’t be buying the cologne or a whole tub of the cream. Thank goodness for samples 😀.
 
I'm following this thread!
I can't get enough of the Proraso red and also wish that they had a cologne. It's strange that the scent doesn't last that long but sometimes I suddenly smell it at any given time of the day. It's like it's stays dormant or something!
Regardless it makes me happy when I smell it!
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
Not a cologne, but Captain's Choice Sandalwood is a great match for Proraso Red. Very similar woody sandalwood scent. It hangs around up close quite a while for me, though definitely not a silage monster..
 
its tricky because part of what makes the red so likeable is the weaker scent of the sandalwood. Its more powdery and oriental than other sandalwoods. Unfortunately, most sandalwood scented colognes will lean quite woody and creamy in comparison and then dry down through the day till its powdery like red but typically sandalwood cologne will be using the higher quality oils so its gonna take a while to get to that soft powdery scent. Look for sandalwood colognes that people describe as an oriental fragrance and test them out. They'll be the closest but I personally haven't found anything thats close in terms of a deadringer.
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
its tricky because part of what makes the red so likeable is the weaker scent of the sandalwood. Its more powdery and oriental than other sandalwoods. Unfortunately, most sandalwood scented colognes will lean quite woody and creamy in comparison and then dry down through the day till its powdery like red but typically sandalwood cologne will be using the higher quality oils so its gonna take a while to get to that soft powdery scent. Look for sandalwood colognes that people describe as an oriental fragrance and test them out. They'll be the closest but I personally haven't found anything thats close in terms of a deadringer.
Really?! When I smell Proraso Red, I get a strong natural, woody sandalwood and almost no powder or oriental. Much different than "sandalwood" from the Three T's and the like. Different noses, I guess...
 
Really?! When I smell Proraso Red, I get a strong natural, woody sandalwood and almost no powder or oriental. Much different than "sandalwood" from the Three T's and the like. Different noses, I guess...
The cream or the splash? The splash to me is definitely a powdery, oriental scent. But you're right about noses being different haha!
 
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