Proraso Pre-Shave Conditioning Cream for Males, Delicate Pores and skin Method with Oatmeal and Inexperienced Tea, 3.6 Ounce (Pack of 1)

An essential part of my shaving ritual
I think any man who’s found his way here cares about the shaving ritual just as much (if not more so) than the results. Honestly, these days a disposable razor cartridge, though more expensive than a more traditional shave with a double sided safety razor, does the job just fine, with no more than a splash of water. When I travel, I leave my full shaving kit at home, pack a Gillette Fusion, and don’t bother with shaving cream when I’m at the hotel. It doesn’t cut up my face, it’s not as close a shave, but it’s a perfectly serviceable and very quick method of keeping the hairs on my face appropriately short. The blades even have some lotion built in now. I imagine electric razors are pretty good these days too.What attracted me to an older style wet shave was the ritual, the meditation. When you stand in front of a sink and spend more than the absolutely necessary amount of time maintaining your beard hairs, it’s a quiet time to think, do something traditional, and frankly indulge yourself a bit in a classy, manly way. You save money in the long run, certainly, and you do get a closer shave, but the time you spend doing it has other benefits as well. It’s a time when you can slow down, take your time to do something right, reward yourself with a luxury you’ve earned. I frequently think about my grandfathers shaving in much the same way. Often I just think about things I wouldn’t have time for otherwise. The ritual is a great way to center oneself at the start of the day before things get busy. I could shave in less than a minute from start to finish, but I choose not to when I’m at home. Taking time to shave more traditionally, more carefully, it absolutely worth it most days.Proraso has a well-deserved reputation for its shaving soap. I use it, I love it, it’s the only soap I use. Paired with a silvertip badger brush, it produces the best lather I’ve ever seen, and the best shave possible. The Italians know shaving, and those green tubs of Proraso shaving soap are iconic.It does take time to get the brush and soap ready, however. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you guys, shaving this way is best not rushed, and each step needs to be followed with the proper care and attention. While that’s going on, however, there is another aspect of the shaving ritual that should be followed, and that is the preparation of the face to be shaved. It’s good to wet the face of course, and the best time to shave is right after a shower, while the hairs and skin are moist and supple. I would postulate that another step can be done to achieve an even better shave. That step, is the product you are considering buying right now.Proraso claims that the combination of ingredients in this pre-shave cream will make the skin and hairs softer and make your shave easier. I can’t contradict those claims. I have found that since I began using this product several years ago, I’ve cut myself less. I can’t say for certain if it’s the stubble offering less resistance to the blade, the skin being healthier and less likely to be damaged, or simply the slickness of the cream under the shaving soap helping the blade glide more easily. Perhaps it’s all three. I can tell you it has a lovely cooling effect on the skin, and the scent is, as many have reviewed, quite pleasant. My girlfriend loves it, and who am I to argue with her wanting to put her face near mine?As suggested, I put the cream on my face immediately after a shower, or after wetting my face if I’m shaving at some other time of day. I then let it sit, while I get the rest of my ritual set up. By the time the soap is ready, I’ve got plenty of great lather in my brush, and everything else in place, the pre-shave cream has really done its work, soaked into the skin and hairs, and I can apply the shaving soap confidently knowing I’m going to have a great shave.After shaving, I clean up, apply my alum block, and generally don’t find many if any cuts. I use an aftershave balm just to keep the skin healthy until my next time shaving, but I always like to start with this stuff here. The whole process does take a while, but if you’re wondering if it’s worth it, adding a pre-shave cream, for me the answer is a definite yes. I wouldn’t say I have particularly sensitive skin, but with the dry air where I live, especially in winter, I try to take care of it as best I can. I’ve noticed my forehead, which I obviously don’t shave, and don’t use this product on, does tend to get irritated by the dry winter air more readily than the skin I run a razor across most days, and I think the combination of this product and my aftershave balm are responsible.The jar does last a while, so if you just want to try it out first, pick up a single jar and buy another when you start getting low, but it’ll be a while.

Why I Like This/What It Does (Updated 7/23/19)
The same review applies, but please note:I’ve since decided that I prefer “Prep” for pre shave with “Taylor of Old Bond Street” (TOBS) now for shave. The results are similar, but both products are much easier on the skin. Prep is so gentle, that it can be left on all day as aftershave, burn treatment, diaper rash, etc. It doesn’t work in the “chemically way” that both Proraso products work. While TOBS is very gentle and creamy without any bite. I stand by my review of both Proraso products, but the extra comfort from Prep+TOBS is something I quickly grew to like. With so many people giving likes to my review, I wanted to make sure people got this update. So if you’re happy with both Prorazo pre / Prorazo shave, then you’re good. However, if the Proraso has a little too much chemical bite for you, then I’d suggest trying Prep+TOBS. I don’t know if it matters, but I specifically used TOBS “Eton College”. It took time to find the perfect mix, but I don’t think I need to bother with anymore experimenting. Now for the original review that somehow became a blog …Background:After Gillette decided to smear men, it was time to learn to shave with high quality, double edge razors, made by companies that don’t hate men. So I experimented with an Edwin Jagger DE shaver (perfect for beginners), and a mix of creams (but not pre shave).After Learning the Ropes:I was using Proraso shaving cream in a tube, but my shaving was taking forever to complete due to too many swipes with the blade in the same spot I had to take (and I’m conservative, I don’t do all this against the grain stuff–it causes too many issues for me). The cream seemed to sit on the skin, but not mix with the skin, thus defeating the purpose.Testing Pre Shave:At first I wasn’t sure what Pre Shave actually did for me. Now I love Pre shave, because it makes the shave much faster, taking only 1-2 swipes, and this means much less abuse to the skin.HERE’S HOW I SHAVE WITH PRE SHAVE:Jump in the shower, get your face wet. Then apply a good amount of Pre Shave (at least 2 peas). Next (I don’t think you need to wait 3 minutes, 1 is probably fine), get the cream tube, place about an inch directly in your hand (no brush needed). Mix it vigorously with just a small amount of water added to your hands. Apply it to your face, by rubbing it in good. Grab your razor, and start shaving (with the Jagger use Feather blades–don’t be scared). Remember, use little pressure, let the Pre Shave and cream make the environment right, so the tool does the work without force. You’ll notice that it all goes in one shot. If you missed a spot, you rub the spot again with some water if needed (there will still be lots of pre shave and cream to reactivate). Also, don’t be foolish and shave against the grain at first, you might not need to anyway. If needed, use an after shave lotion to sooth, not alcohol based perfume to burn.The Aftermath:I love pre shave, because I understand why it works well. Think of it as making the shave go smoothly by starting and finishing without all the drama in the middle.Other Important Notes for Planning:Don’t assume you know which way your whiskers face. If you look closely, you might just learn that they not only don’t grow straight down, but they can take a few sudden turns. In addition to that, they also are not necessarily the same on both sides of your face. There’s a guy in Britain that goes by Larry the Barber, who even has templates of blank faces you can download if you want to make a map for very careful planning. Check him out on either YouTube or search for his web site.For Those Who Want to Live in a World without Hate:Gillette hates men, but Gillette hates women too! Many people have taken pictures showing how women pay more for their razor blades. So Gillette hates 100% of the entire world population. They probably hate dogs too. Sad, just sad.

Super

Great product Great value.