Should my Proraso be beating the pants off my Taylor's Rose?

[vputz]

I've had a sneakin suspicion about the quality of my shaves for a week or so, so I decided to try a "cheek vs cheek" comparison today...

The short form is this: I alternate between $bucks Taylor's Rose cream and $cheap Proraso-in-a-tube. And what surprises me is that while the end result of both shaves is pretty similar, the difference in irritation is very noticeable--the Taylor's pulls more, nicks more, and results in more weepers, while the proraso is much cleaner and ends with much less bleeding.

Now, I have to say this surprises me, and leads me to wonder one of two things; 1) if I'm mixing my Taylor's lather incorrectly (too little water, maybe? It is always a very thick lather, much thicker than the Proraso) or 2) if Taylor's just hates hard water more than Proraso (we have fairly hard water).

I know there's an awful lot of personal preference involved with creams, etc--but I've heard so many folks rave about Taylor's that, even though I know Proraso is a good brand... well, I had expected the Taylor's to at least perform well. As it is, rather than it being my luxury indulgence, it's the cream I avoid using, and that seems weird.

 

[guenron]

Hi Vic,
One of the things that is most amusing about forums in general is the raving. People don't have a godd shave, they have GREAT SHAVES. People don't have so so or passable shaves, they have TERRIBLE SHAVES... Same thing about the products they use and abuse, the BEST or the WORST. Well, I don't know about your problem with Taylor shave cream. I used AH! vocado this morning and got THE WORLDS GREATEST SHAVE!
All kidding aside, from your brief, but lucid description you may wish to experiment with the cream to water ratio. You did not mention and I do not recall if you are a face latherer or a bowl, quaiche, scuttle latherer. Using a bowl, quaiche, or scuttle may provide you with a better testing ground to get your lather MOST EXCELLENT!
Good luck and provide some further data points.

 

[vputz]

Ah, good point.

I do use a bowl for lathering (thick-walled ceramic "chili bowl"). I fill it with hot water to soak the brush, then empty it; there's always a little water in the bottom, and I leave the brush soaked. For the Taylor's, I hold the tub sideways (so water doesn't pool in it) and swirl the brush about 10 times to pick up some cream, then do all lathering in the bowl. For Proraso, I squirt out a short squeeze (a little longer than the tube opening is wide--it's really not that much) and again lather in the bowl.

The Proraso lather is a thick foam with very small bubbles (almost invisible); the Taylor's lather is even thicker, and the bubbles are so small I can't really see them--it's sort of the texture of real whipped cream (it's almost undetectable, but I can actually feel the brush "pulling" the lather across my face; it's that thick).

 

[guenron]

Ah, good point.

I do use a bowl for lathering (thick-walled ceramic "chili bowl"). I fill it with hot water to soak the brush, then empty it; there's always a little water in the bottom, and I leave the brush soaked. For the Taylor's, I hold the tub sideways (so water doesn't pool in it) and swirl the brush about 10 times to pick up some cream, then do all lathering in the bowl. For Proraso, I squirt out a short squeeze (a little longer than the tube opening is wide--it's really not that much) and again lather in the bowl.

The Proraso lather is a thick foam with very small bubbles (almost invisible); the Taylor's lather is even thicker, and the bubbles are so small I can't really see them--it's sort of the texture of real whipped cream (it's almost undetectable, but I can actually feel the brush "pulling" the lather across my face; it's that thick).

Vic,
I think we are almost at the point of having you answer your own question. I think a bit less Taylor cream and/or a bit more water may be in order? Tonight I will be posting another picture of the SR 3118 after its first encounter with a Taylor cream, AH! vocado as I like to call it. So much lather, so little time! BUT, of note, that mix was shiny, slick, and smelled good too! Darn I forgot to put in SUPERLATIVES. I did a poke and twist with the little 18mm and WOW! (superlative wow).. It was a good thing that the SR silvertip held as much water as it does. What a lather blast!

 

[mrob]

Hi Vic,
One of the things that is most amusing about forums in general is the raving. People don't have a godd shave, they have GREAT SHAVES. People don't have so so or passable shaves, they have TERRIBLE SHAVES... Same thing about the products they use and abuse, the BEST or the WORST.

Ron,

This is a great point, and something I've been thinking about with my own shaves lately. My shaves have been decent lately--certainly better than the old days--but not amazing, like they were right after I took the DE plunge.

What they have been, unfailingly, are enjoyable. The smells, the tactile feelings, the relaxation that comes from taking one's time with the ritual of shaving--instead of "gripping & ripping" with drugstore cartridge n' can--it all adds up to an entirely enjoyable experience.

Perhaps the difference lies in moving from "the noticing" of the new shave quality at the beginning to "the enjoying" of the total shave experience that comes after the first month or so?

In any event, I'm starting to worry less and less about the "perfect shave"--oh, who am I kidding? I still want that BBS result!--and just enjoy the superior shave that has become my daily default.

All in all, as Bill & Ted would say, "A pretty excellent adventure!"

 

[PoshRichM]

Now, I have to say this surprises me, and leads me to wonder one of two things; 1) if I'm mixing my Taylor's lather incorrectly (too little water, maybe? It is always a very thick lather, much thicker than the Proraso) or 2) if Taylor's just hates hard water more than Proraso (we have fairly hard water).

I know there's an awful lot of personal preference involved with creams, etc--but I've heard so many folks rave about Taylor's that, even though I know Proraso is a good brand... well, I had expected the Taylor's to at least perform well. As it is, rather than it being my luxury indulgence, it's the cream I avoid using, and that seems weird.

vputz, you're having the exact same experience I had with Proraso and Taylor's, and I also have fairly hard water.

Based on the description of your Taylor's lather's viscosity, I'd definitely agree with Ron that you're making it too cream-rich, so try more water or less cream. But you might also want to fiddle with your water chemistry. I add a dash of table salt to my hot-pot water before lathering (or I did, before the advent of the Moss Scuttle--I'm not sure how I'm gonna add it now), and that's made a huge difference to how all the three-T's creams lathered, but especially Taylor's. Give it a shot!

-Rich

 

[javyn]

Dittos on the Proraso. What I am having trouble with now is C&E Sandalwood, it likes to dissipate in the brush before I am ready for my second pass. I guess I'll just have to build two lathers with it, one for each pass.

I have tried Taylors Sandalwood and Avocado. The Sandalwood was pretty um, well, not great. Avocado rocked my world though!

 

[Kyle]

Vic,

It sounds like Ron & Rich will get your Taylor's lather ironed out a little bit.

There is nothing, however, that says the Taylor's must be a better shaver for you than the Proraso. I find both products provide the essentials for an excellent shave and have found myself wondering a few times if the Proraso shave might not be a bit better. If Proraso came in a myriad of scents, I might be a full fledged convert.

 

[Kyle]

Dittos on the Proraso. What I am having trouble with now is C&E Sandalwood, it likes to dissipate in the brush before I am ready for my second pass. I guess I'll just have to build two lathers with it, one for each pass.

I have tried Taylors Sandalwood and Avocado. The Sandalwood was pretty um, well, not great. Avocado rocked my world though!

C&E in a tube or in a tub?

 

[ouch]

The short form is this: I alternate between $bucks Taylor's Rose cream and $cheap Proraso-in-a-tube.

Mr. Putz (sorry, couldn't resist)- In the world of high end shave creams, Taylor is an excellent bargain, as it provides performance equal to or better than creams costing twice as much. That would make Proraso ($5.99 at Target for a big honkin' tube) an unbelieveable bargain by any standards. All of their products are great, and very competitively priced. Don't let the low price fool you.