Pros: great value for money, pleasant sandalwood fragrance, very easy to lather, close and comfortable shaves
Cons: scent may seem too mild to some, not as slick as other similarly priced creams
Sandalwood was always a highly popular choice when it comes to shaving cream scents. While not as notorious as their menthol soap, Proraso’s Sandalwood shaving cream is a very intriguing product.
As wet shaving enthusiasts we tend to be fond of Proraso because the products are affordable and of high quality. In this review we’ll see if that’s still the case with the Proraso Sandalwood shaving cream.
Packaging
The shaving cream comes in a chunky 5.2 oz metal tube, mostly white and with dark red accents (you know, because sandalwood). I always prefer metal tubes to plastic ones, they remind me of my grandfather’s old shaving creams and simply look more old schoolish.
The price of the Proraso Sandalwood cream is very reasonable, so we’re off to a good start.
>> Check the price on Amazon.com <<
Lathering
Lathering takes very little effort; I do recommend adding a bit more water than on your average shaving cream to get the right consistency.
I used just a small amount of shaving cream and with my trusty Edwin Jagger best badger brush I started to build my lather. I gradually added water and the cream exploded into a very thick, dense lather.
This is one of the easiest creams to lather I ever used and I think anyone will be able to get it right regardless of skill level.
Scent
The scent is sandalwood all the way, but as far as strength goes, definitely on the mild side. It is a very pleasant, warm, a bit mossy and spicy fragrance.
I personally enjoy sandalwood quite a bit and this one is hard not to like. Even if you’re not that into sandalwood, I don’t think anyone will find it off-putting.
Performance
For the Proraso Sandalwood shaving cream review, I used my usual testing setup:
- Edwin Jagger DE89 razor
- Gillette Stainless blade
- Generic ceramic bowl
- Edwin Jagger best badger brush
I did two passes, with and across the grain and only did some cleanup on a few areas where it still felt a bit rough to the touch.
I was rather impressed with the closeness of the shave. I would have liked a bit more slickness and cushioning as the blade felt a little rough a few times, but nothing too serious. Also, during the entire shave, the lather remained adequately hydrated and didn’t dry out nor lose its consistency.
The post-shave comfort was good also; my skin felt a bit dry and required the use of a hydrating balm. As a disclaimer, I do have very sensitive skin.
Overall, excellent performance and I must say it again, one of the closest shaves I got from any cream.
Alternatives
The performance, scent and price of this shaving cream are all great. I can only think of alternatives for the sake of variety or if I’m nitpicking.
Having said that, men who like strong, in your face sandalwood scents should check out TOBS Sandalwood. It is more pricey, but offers excellent performance and has a great sandalwood scent.
Fragrance aside, there a couple of similarly priced shaving creams that, at least in my case, performed slightly better. The first one is Nivea, an inexpensive, German made shaving cream that lathers and performs brilliantly.
Secondly, there’s my all time favorite — Speick. It is a bit more expensive than the Proraso Sandalwood, but it’s one of the slickest, most protective creams I’ve ever used and definitely a permanent stay in my cabinet.