Reddit reviews Proraso After Shave Lotion, Refreshing and Toning, 3.4 Fl Oz
We found 15 Reddit comments about Proraso After Shave Lotion, Refreshing and Toning, 3.4 Fl Oz. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Anti-irritation, for sensitive skinMenthol refreshes and revitalizesNo parabens; No silicons; No mineral oils; No artificial colors
When you shave against the grain the razor tugs at the hair in addition to slicing through it, pulling it a bit farther out of the follicle. This makes it much easier to get ingrown hairs and irritation on the skin.
Edit to elaborate on everyone else's experiences by adding my own: Using Mach 3s and all that newer stuff I always broke out on my neck. Switching to a safety razor(a big part of this is also finding the right blade brand for you skin, Feather was way too sharp for me and caused razor burn, I ended up going with Derby), using a badger hair brush and shaving soap and making my own lather, shaving while showering and your hair is moist and skin is warm from the steam, and rinsing with ice cold water after the shave are what I found work the best. Hard to nail down exactly what helped the most cause I switched to doing all that at the same time.
Safety Razor
Blades
Soap
Fogless Shower Mirror
Mug to make lather in
Brush
After Shave
Cold Water ;P (I honestly think rinsing with cold water for at least 15 seconds before putting on after shave is the most important part in avoiding irritation and ingrown hairs.)
Fun fact, if you're prone to getting scars there is such a thing as "acne scars."
If you pop your zits there is a high likelihood that you'll develop pox marks on your face and if your acne is really bad, your face will start looking like a pineapple over time.
So what I would say is this:
Before you shave
You need to figure out if you have oily skin or of you have dry skin.
> If you have oily skin (most likely because teen hormones) I recommend using "Proraso" aftershave. It's a classic aftershave that smells kind of like menthol but it's a manly smell IMO and you'll have a great "eau de homme" kind of scent for the morning.
Amazon shopping link
> If you have have dry skin, then you should avoid alcohol based aftershave and go with a balm instead. My choice would be "Baxter of California." It's got tea tree oil and glycerin which will help with dry skin.
Amazon link
If you do all of that exactly as I outlined it should drastically reduce the amount of acne you get. That routine is directly from my doctor when I was younger and it worked wonders.
If you have questions, feel free to ask and report back in a week and update us on how it worked out.
You are much better off doing this. Disposable blades are a colossal, sucky ripoff.
100 blades - Made in Russia - for $9
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QY8QXM
The best soap - Made in England - for $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007MW2ZW
Merkur razor - Made in Germany - for $32
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NL0T1G
Badger hair brush - $13
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G647Y8
The best aftershave - Made in Italy - $14
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085UECY2
So, $83 with money to spare and it's all you need for at least 12 months. The Art of Shaving is neat, but it's grossly overpriced. Clearly they have latched on to the hipster instagrammy nature of society with a price tag to match. I have some of their sandlewood soap and while nice, it's no better than the soap I listed.
It's funny how classic shaving is all of a sudden a trendy thing. All I know is I love it. I came from the 3 NO 4 NO 5 NO a BILLION blade world. It's a joke. Just go old school and take your time. Enjoy the ritual. Baby bottom smooth in 7 minutes. Modern disposable cartridges are a sad scam that society has fallen for. Complete and total scam.
May as well toss this in...especially if you travel. Love mine.
Parker leather razor case - $14
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001O8NCI4
Thats a full year of supplies and a lifetime worth of hardware (minus the badger brush). Think about that for a minute...
Cartridge Razor
Advantages
Disadvantages
Technique
*
Double Edge (DE) Safety Razor**
Advantages
Disadvantages
Technique
*
Electric Razor**
Advantages
Disadvantages
Technique
Preparing the Face
This differs for everyone. Make of it what you will. The general idea is just to get the face moisturised and the hair nice and soft.
I tend to exfoliate my face with an exfoliating scrub, then rinse and apply a pre-shave oil or cream - I use this.
Applying Shaving Lubricant
This doesn't apply to electric razor users. You guys don't need it.
If you're using a gel or foam, just apply it to the face.
If you're using a shave soap and brush combination, your technique is a bit more important (but totally worth it):
If you're still having trouble, this is a good video on how to make lather.
*
Passes**
There are three directions you can shave in. Shaving in a specific direction is known as a pass:
Here is a video about the different types of passes.
*
Post-Shave**
Suggested Brands
Razors - Gillette, Wilkinson Sword, Merkur, Parker, Edwin Jagger, Weishi, The Bluebeard's Revenge, Muhle.
Blades - Merkur, Astra, Gillette, Shark, Derby, Lord, Feather, Wilkinson Sword.
You can also buy sample packs like this one.
Shaving Soaps/Sticks - Taylor of Old Bond St, Proraso, Erasmic, Trufitt & Hill, The Art of Shaving, Palmolive, Arko, Omega, Crabtree & Evelyn, Castle Forbes.
Avoid Col. Conk
Lotions/Creams/Oils/Gels - Taylor of Old Bond St, Proraso, Trufitt & Hill, Jack Black, Crabtree & Evelyn, Nivea, Gillette, The Art of Shaving, etc.
I have intentionally left out straight razors and shavettes because you said you don't want to cut yourself. These have a much steeper learning curve than the other methods I have discussed. You probably will cut yourself if you attempt to use these.
If you would like any further information about shaving, please feel free to message me, comment here, or visit /r/Wicked_Edge. Thank you!
Bingo. I'll take this one step further by suggesting that you start shaving with a safety razor, and using a really good, mild shave soap applied with a badger hair brush. The people over at /r/wicked_edge got you covered.
I always had whiteheads and irritation on my chin the day after I shaved. I was using the gilette mach 3, grocery store-bought shaving gel, etc. Every time I shaved, my face would break out the next day where I had shaved. I tried switching to a norelco dry electric shaver, and that helped a bit, but shaving with those things sucks because they don't give you as close a shave, and they are terrible at shaving the neck.
So I read up on /r/wicked_edge, spent a few bucks on amazon on a handle, box of blades (these are RIDICULOUSLY cheap), a badger hair brush, and a mild shave soap and aftershave. Now I'm basically whitehead and irritation-free after every shave. Not to mention I love shaving now, and it's the smoothest, closest shave I've ever had. One really nice bonus is that you won't be dropping $4 per cartridge anymore. Using these old-school blades costs about $0.10 per blade, depending on what brand you get! Be sure to only use the blades once, maybe twice before throwing it out and replacing it. This is key for you specifically, since your face seems really sensitive to dirty / used razors. And at ten cents a pop, you can afford to replace them every other time you shave.
So if you have a few bucks to spend and don't mind trying it out, switch to your grandpa's safety razor-style shaving. I'll include some links (no referral codes, just straight amazon), and some youtube videos that show you how to shave.
One last note: If you do switch to safety razors, watch the youtube videos on how to do it first. You can (and at first, will) cut yourself very easily with these things. You'll learn how to use them, but if you just jump right in and try to shave the same way you did with your mach 3, you'll slice your face up like Edward scissor hands. You have to re-learn how to shave properly.
How-to video: http://youtu.be/HHNHRpWDPvY?list=PL7C10D6F1C8524002
Parker 96R
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IFFSOS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Proraso Aftershave Lotion
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0085UECY2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Taylor of Old Bond Street Sandalwood Shaving Cream Bowl
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007MW2ZW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Specifically what products do you have? Cause Proraso has 3 items I'm aware of that could be used post shave.
If you have 1 and 2, I would recommend just using #1 for pre and #2 for post. I found the pre/post cream to be sticky, even in small quantities. I find the whole alum + cream + aftershave to be complete overkill for my skin in terms of post shave. I don't mean it was bad, but I got the same results without alum or cream, so they were unnecessary.
If you have 2 and 3, I would pick one or the other, not both.
If you're considering aftershaves you won't be able to find in your local market, I'd highly recommend Proraso Green. It cools the skin and leaves the skin very soft. I'd describe the scent as mature yet contemporary. Appropriate for the young professional and the older gentleman. I use it almost exclusively and get nice compliments from my significant other.
EDIT: Upon reflection (I'm currently wearing the aftershave), maybe it isn't contemporary. It's more of a classic scent, but absolutely appropriate for all ages. Cheers!
A Fusion ATG everyday on a coarse beard is going to murder your face. That used to be how I shaved for a long time, and my skin hated me.
My suggestions in the immediate term is to step up your prep and shave products. That alone will make a very big, immediate difference without breaking the bank or requiring you to teach yourself how to shave with a safety razor (i.e. a double-edge razor).
My advice is to buy the following:
All-in, you're looking at about $40 in products. IMO, Nivea makes a perfectly good aftershave balm, so no need to mess with that. If you want to try a splash, you could try this, but it's not necessary.
For the prep and shave: after your shower, soak the brush in hot water for a couple of minutes. In that time, wet your face with hot water, then rub in about a dime to a quarter-sized amount of the pre-shave (however much it takes to get a thin layer of coverage without any gooping). Rinse it off with hot water. Your face should feel slicker after the pre-shave.
Remove the brush, squeeze the bristles to get the excess water out, then give it a 1/2- or 3/4-inch line of shaving cream. Go to town on your cheek with broad, swirling motions, lathering right onto your face (you can use a mug or whatnot, but your face works just as well and saves time).
If the cream feels too thick, just add a bit of water and continue lathering. It'll take some experimentation to get the amount of water right (varies based on water hardness). Too little water and it will not lubricate very well. Too much and it becomes a runny mess that doesn't lubricate at all. Add water in little bits. You'll figure it out by feel pretty quickly.
Shave WTG, hot rinse, lather, XTG, hot rinse, lather, ATG. Use as little pressure as possible and try to let the blades do the work on each pass. It should feel like the blades are just barely touching your face. Rinse cold after you're done.
That should help deal with the irritation and improve your shaves in the short term. When you're ready, feel free to move up to safety razors. Probably the best way to start is to get ahold of a basic Merkur 34C razor and this thing. Switch brands every two weeks and slowly work through until you find one you're really happy with.
Good luck!
I figure it's only right of me to explain where I purchased everything!
As much as I would like to say that I picked up everything in the picture at a luxury grooming shop off Jermyn Street in London, it's all actually from Amazon. The razor, stand, and bowl were purchased together as a part of this gift set, though since I had no intention of using the included brush or soap, I probably should've purchased them separately.
Speaking of brushes, the brush is a Parker in 100% silvertip badger, which can be found here. As I mentioned in another comment in this post, the brush is a great deal; it's not only cheaper than most other silvertip brushes, but it makes a great lather to boot. Matches the set, too!
As the picture shows, I'm using Proraso shaving cream and aftershave, although I recently picked up some Edwin Jagger aloe aftershave as well. Both smell fantastic, the latter being my preference.
Not show in the picture are Feather razor blades and a styptic pencil, although I intend to switch to alum soon.
And you guys said doing this would be cheaper than using cartridges... ;)
Magic Fragrant Shaving Powder
Review on this product had great insight on how to use it...
That's not to say it doesn't work at all. Just that it doesn't work nearly as well on coarse hairs that it does on fine hairs. In other words, if you're wanting this for your back, legs, arms...you'll be largely amazed at how well it takes off hair. You're unlikely to be impressed with groin, face, etc. where the hairs may be more coarse.
For my case, I bought it for my face. There, it took three treatments before I saw even the slightest hint of smooth, hairless skin. Even then, it still left stubble on the neck and under my jaw. Comparing this with a safety razor where I could get these hairs quite easily, this was a bit depressing. What it did do a good job of was minimizing razor bumps and ingrown hairs.
A lot has been made of the mixing strategy. Yes, it's pain. But that's because the instructions are faulty. If you mix the way it tells you on the can, not only will you be stirring forever, you'll end up with a very slimy, very inefficient solution that will make you think you got scammed. I'm going to help you.
You need:
Mind you, the above are just recommendations. Choose whatever products you want, just make sure they are comparable to the above. Or don't use them, but be prepared to be frustrated with your results.
First, to give you a sense of scale and scope. A heaping teaspoon is enough for a grown man's entire face. If you're doing legs, arms, chest, etc, bump it up to two teaspoons. This is just to have enough when you're done mixing. Next, your water ratio should be just enough to end up with a consistency between pancake mix and cake batter; not runny, but not overly thick. You'll know it when you see it. Imagine perfectly made oatmeal "stick to the ribs" style. That's what you want. So if you have a heaping teaspoon of powder, put maybe a barely full teaspoon of cool water in. Then stir slowly using the spoon (or whatever). It will look like it's not mixing; it is. It just takes a while.
Here's the hint: you'll know when you're almost done because you'll get hit in the face with a smell that I can't describe, but you'll know it for what it is. If you've ever used NAIR, or any similar depilatory, it's the exact same smell. Once that smell hits you, you'll notice the mixture getting thicker and it'll all make sense (finally). Usually takes me about 2 minutes end-to-end. If you end up with a consistency that seems watery, use a flat edge (i.e. a knife or something) and add a bit more powder, then continue to stir. Conversely if it feels way too thick (like paste), add a half teaspoon of water and continue stirring. After you do it once, you'll get the hang of it.
Second, DO NOT do this after a shower or after washing your skin. It should probably be the first thing you do after getting up on the days you do it (which is every other day, NOT once a day). Why? You want your skin to be oily, to have some coating to protect it, in addition to the preshave. This is how you can get the best result without burning sensation. So don't wait until after showering to do this.
Now, prep your location. By prep, I mean use the preshave, something that is designed to protect your skin from burn and irritation. DO not use regular lotion, it won't do anything.
Now, it's important to note that this, when mixed, is essentially a plaster. It will go on wet and then dry, just like a cast. That's okay. But be prepared for it to "flake" everywhere. Try not to move too much. You don't want to make a mess.
Apply using the shave brush as if you were applying shaving cream or foam. But go in strokes against the grain. The goal is to lift the follicles and help the mixture do its thing. Make sure you get good coverage. You'll notice that the bottom of the mixture looks dry; that's okay. It'll still apply like a plaster. But feel free to drip a bit of water in there if you're not sure.
You'll need to wait between 7 and 10 minutes (depending on skin sensitivity) for the mix to work. During this time, clean out your mug and shave brush. The mixture should rinse rather cleanly in cold water, but the brush will take some hands-on help (it's safe). Depending on how long it stays on you may or may not feel a tingle. That's a good sign. It should not burn.
After the time has passed, this is where people get confused. You can use a dull pseudo razor (like Pseudo Shaver), if you want, but I found much better results just using a warm, damp towel. You can warm up the water while waiting for the mixture to dry, and if you use the disposables, have one that is your warm water towel and one that is your dry towel. Or you can use a single towel that serves both functions. Wipe the mixture off in firm, slow strokes against the grain. Then clean the towel off and go back over the area vigorously to get the remainder. Dry off with the other towel. Finish up with the aftershave.
If you did everything I noted above, you should see amazing results, with certain exceptions (I could never get the mixture to work at all above my mustache, it did 97% of the job in the groin area, and 99% of the work under my jaw). Figure 15 minutes total time to do. But again, you only need to do this once every other day minimum. My arms have been smooth for three days.
Do you mean this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0085UECY2/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1518380106&sr=8-3&keywords=proraso+aftershave&dpPl=1&dpID=515HCSWuMxL&ref=plSrch
Or this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KSD82AE/ref=mp_s_a_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1518380169&sr=8-6&keywords=proraso+aftershave&dpPl=1&dpID=51pv9lydPUL&ref=plSrch
Not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but I was just looking at the ingredients in my aftershave while I was brushing my teeth, and I realized it might actually fit the bill. It smells great.
Yeah it's gonna be fun. I'm broke but it'll be fun.
I'm a little nervous about my aftershave though. I've never used aftershave before and this is not an alcohol based aftershave. It's more of an eucalyptus lotion to cool the skin.
The point of this whole thing was to reduce razor burn and ingrown hairs, I only hope I don't need alcohol to kill germs in order to achieve that.
The feather razors were so cheap however that I only plan on using a blade once before discarding them so the risk of germs is greatly lowered there. Hopefully it'll work.
Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor (MK 23C) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NL0T1G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_O90CzbSJ0E07Y .
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Proraso Shaving Soap in a Bowl, Sensitive Skin, 5.2 oz (150 ml) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JHEY14/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Y-0CzbYSCM0MT .
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Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street Luxury Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin, 5.3-Ounce https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VZPTAC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bb1CzbP65TJRP .
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100 Astra Superior Premium Platinum Double Edge Safety Razor Blades Personal Healthcare / Health Care https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EXPTR0W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7b1CzbPDNCYAR .
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Perfecto 100% Pure Badger Shaving Brush-Black Handle- Engineered for the Best Shave of Your Life. For, Safety Razor, Double Edge Razor, Staight Razor or Shaving Razor, Its the Best Badger Brush. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VF1NI5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_zd1CzbRXDRTVE .
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Crown King Victorian/Western Style 12 oz Shaving Scuttle - Durable Porcelain - Hierloom Quality - Dishwasher Safe - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTF145J/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9e1Czb0XEH37V .
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Proraso After Shave Lotion, Refreshing and Toning, 3.4 Fl Oz https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0085UECY2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4f1Czb32JE3AZ