A while back, frustrated by razor burn and ingrown hairs, I took to the internet to find a solution. I had a heavy beard, with skin that was dry and sensitive. I hated shaving, my face was read, burning and bleeding when I was done shaving, and I couldn't use an expensive blade for more than a week. One thing I was introduced to was wetshaving. Wetshaving can best be described as "old time" shaving. Wetshaving is far superior to the shaving technique that most men use today, and has greatly improved my shaving experience, and I don't dread shaving like I used to.Wetshaving soon became the search for the perfect shave. Trying to get a balance between a smooth well groomed face, and no irritation. In fact, as many can attest, it soon became an obsession. Over the last few years I have tried dozens of different razors, shaving creams, pre-shave oils,shaving bowls, badger brushes, aftershave balms and lotions, to find the perfect shave. I have bought everything from the highest end shaving creams at thirty or forty dollars a jar, to five dollar shave soaps. Having said all of that, Proraso is my favorite cream of all. It is an Italian produced cream that is very well respected by those who are "shaving gourmets."The one thing that you must know about Proraso is it has menthol, and eucalyptus, and lots of it. It has been described as having a cooling or even bracing sensation, so much so that some guys don't like to use it in the winter. It also has a very strong and unique smell. Some say it smells medicinal, I think it smells like an Italian sewer to be honest. So why do I think it is the best cream? Well, 1st it is a great value for the money. While it may look expensive, when using a brush, you only need an almond sized amount in your bowl for a clean shave. So a tube will last you 3 months easy. It is essentially no more expensive than the dried out gunk they sell in aerosol cans at your local drugstore and yet it performs as well as something 3x's the price. Second, it produces a rich lather that has a slickness to it, which I believe is one of the most important parts of a good shave. A slick shaving cream means less drag from the razor. Third, it is great for guys like me who have thick beards. Some prefer a lighter lather, but I have found that with a thick beard you need all the protection you can get. Fourth, it comes in a tube, which I prefer to a shaving soap (soaps dry out my face) and to tubs. I travel a lot and I find it easier to travel with a tube then with a tub, just fits in my Dop bag better for some reason. Also, I have found that creams you get in a tube (and Proraso especially) can still give you a good shave without a brush.Some other brands say they will give you a good shave with or without a brush, but not true in my experience. I don't take my brush with me when I travel, and the fact that I can still get a good lather while traveling is a big plus. Fifth, I like the cooling (bracing effect) that I described earlier. If you are like me and ingrown hairs and razor burn are your main worries, washing off your face with cold water after you shave is nice, kind of like putting an ice pack on an inflamed knee, it dulls the irritation. Finally, it works great with the other products in the line. I have never liked pre-shave oils because, while they do protect the face, they make it harder to apply shaving cream and gunk up your razor. However, with the Proraso preshave it is different. It is not an oil, but a paste, so it seems to come off easier (however, take it easy with the preshave, put on too much and it will actually produce a burning sensation from all the menthol). Also, I really like the Proraso aftershave, not too thick not too thin.Put them all together and you can get a very good shave. If you don't want to spend the money on the Proraso aftershave, the Nivea Sensitive Balm is great too and half the price and available at most drug stores.One thing that I must mention is that Proraso is sold in America as Bigelow Shaving Cream. When I bought a bottle from here I was disapointed that when it arrived from the seller (LCI) it was damaged and unusable.I use amazon for the convenience, I don't have time to box stuff up and ship it back. So I went to the store that carries this product, and found that they had a buy 2 get 1 free sale. So I tossed this one, and just got 3 of the Bigelow creams (exact same ingredients) for 20 bucks plus tax. Now I am set for the next few months.
