Proraso Shaving Soap

I've recently been changing up my wet shaving routine after years of using the same razor, blades, and soap. I had been using Mitchell's Wool Fat soap which is an excellent product, but the price had gone from about 15 to 25 dollars, which I though was excessive for a puck of soap. I had used Proraso in the past and remembered that it worked well, so I decided to try it again and was extremely impressed. I chose the white version because I have sensitive skin, and it did not disappoint. Lather is very slick and cushiony, and the razor just glides through my beard with no effort. Scent was pleasant, and it does not cause me to sneeze or have skin redness. I have recently switched to a Parker semi-slant double edged razor and Gillette Silver-Blue blades, and the combination of the 3 products has been perfect for me. I use shave butter as an aftershave and it leaves my skin feeling soft and refreshed. The soap is a great product that helps gives you a close, comfortable shave, and I highly recommend it.

I have tried many other shaving soaps or bars and this one is by far the best!Great valueVery clean shaveWhips up a very rich lather and is not irritating to the skin at all

I shave my head and face almost daily. For years I've used expensive cartridge razors and top-of-the-line having products including Jack Black, Billy Jealousy, Kiehl's and Anthony. Not only was this costly, but I was NEVER satisfied with the result with regard to facial hair. Very recently, I was reintroduced to wet shaving with an old-fashioned double-edge safety razor. The difference in the quality of shave is startling, and I am just now learning the best techniques. Moreover, I just bought sample packs of about 15 brands of blades (about 60 blades) for $20. That would translate into about $240 in cartridges.If you go this route, Proraso products are a must. They smell wonderful, work much better than advertised and cost pennies relative to the fancy department store brands. The shaving soap, in particular, makes the most dense, soft and luxurious lather I have ever experienced, and the version for sensitive skin allowed me to use a very aggressive blade, shave extremely closely, without even the slightest irritation. Finally, the fresh clean scent of the shaving soap and post shave remoisturizer will probably make me give un on colognes and aftershaves for good. This is an amazingly good line of products at a sinfully low price.

The last time I bought this stuff was back in 2011. Then I purchased it again in Feb of 2015. The packaging has changed slightly, and so has the ingredient list. You can see an ingredient comparison chart for the two versions on one of the images. I am not a chemist, so I can't comment on whether it's a change for the better or worse. Gone from the new version seem to be all the parabens, which in theory should be a good thing. Gone is also propylene glycol which some people can be allergic to, so that should be a change for the better, as well. Aloe is also gone from the new version. I suppose oat extract is now used instead of it to provide some soothing effect. Thyme is also one of the new ingredients, but I'm not sure what purpose it serves... disinfectant possibly? As you can see, there are many other changes to the ingredient list - take a look for yourself.Fragrance: 3/5Both versions have a rather delicate citrus-coconut scent. To me personally the old version smelled a little nicer. The new version has more of a chemical undertone to it, but not bad.Shaving action: 5/5No complaints there. Both the old and the new version give a smooth shave as far as I can tell. Lubricity is not a problem, although I have recently switched to electric shaver (wet), so having a ton of lubricity isn't as much of an issue anymore. A good aftershave lotion or face cream is a must as your skin will likely feel dry right after the shave.Allergic reactions: 4/5Let's face it (pun), we all have different skin types and react to different allergens, so this is very personal. I remember after extensive use (a month or longer) of the old version, my skin would be very red, dried out, and burning, to the point where I had to stop using it. I haven't used the new version long enough yet to determine if the same thing will happen this time. So far so good. But I do feel the slight tingling sensation when I apply the lather to the face, which is probably caused by menthol. If your skin is super sensitive like mine, and you find out that this proraso product is just not gentle enough, I would recommend you try Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel. It's less expensive than Proraso, and it is the most gentle shaving product I have ever tried. Granted, the fragrance is boring (it smells like oats), but it kept me out of any facial skin allergic conditions in the past.White film residue:You may have seen some video reviews mentioning this. After you use this product for a while, you'll notice your shaving gear (razor, brush, bowl, sink, etc.) covered with very thin by stubborn white hazy film. I'm not sure which ingredient is responsible for this, but I've noticed this with both the old and the new version of the product.Summary: 4/5It's a nice shaving soap, but as mentioned earlier, we all have different levels of skin sensitivity, so while it might work for some, it may cause irritation to others. You just have to try it. If it works, that's great. If not, give that Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel a try.EDIT: can't seem to be able to add captions to images. The ones mentioning Aloe are for the old formula.

The lather from a small amount of soap is great. I love the fragrance. And to top it all off, it is very friendly to my sensitive skin.

Very pleased with this soft style soap, shaving soap. It feels slightly menthol on my cheeks too. Works well in slickness and cushion.

This is the best shaving soap I have ever used. Unbelievably close shave. No irritation at all.

I use this Proraso Shaving Soap for sensitive skin to shave my head and face with a Braun electric razor. It has a delightful, mild citrus scent that doesn't linger; it actually has such a nice scent that even on days that I don't shave, I sometimes take it out from under the sink just to give it a whiff! As for the performance, it gives great lubrication so my Braun just glides over my skin without any effort. It leaves my head and face feeling like they've had a gentle massage. I also have a tube of Proraso shaving cream. If you mix this soap with a drop of the cream and whip it up with your brush, you can get an excellent lather. (You can get a great lather with just the soap, or just the cream, but the two together are seriously next level).