Tried out my new Proraso White

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Mar 23, 2014
Decent lather but wasnt as foamy or thick as my Mitchell's wool fat. Not sure if its because I didnt use enough water or something like that. Shave was good, and I was quite surprised that the post shave feeling was good as well. None of the usual burning feeling on the skin. I think the post shave felt better than the Mitchells actually. My main issue would be that I dont like the scent...its faint, but I can definately smell it. Not sure how to describe it. Kind of reminds me of a faint medical smell. Would be better if it had no scent actually.

Do you guys think that leaving the lid off the tub for a couple of days would get rid of the scent?

Overall, decent soap, but for $15 (the price I paid from a local seller), it was somewhat overpriced, considering that you can get Stirling soaps for a bit more...
 
Forgot to mention : Is it feasible to transfer the proraso to a shaving bowl? The plastic bowl it comes in is a tad small for my taste. Do you just try to dig it out with a spoon or something?
 
Many years ago I started with Proraso Red, then tried the Green, and finally the White.
This was all the old formula stuff.
Truth be told...I didn't like it all that much.
When I went on to the Timeless .95 OC and more assertive razors I didn't like the Proraso even more!
Switched over to 'better' soaps (eg. Stirling) and happy days. Better lather, better 'slide and glide'.
YMMV of course. Proraso is OK (ish).
If it suits your skin and razor/blade choice then go for it...but yeah...better soaps out there.
I agree about the tub too. I bunged mine into a ceramic shave bowl that I made years ago (when I was in my 'potting' phase).
The scent didn't worry me, but once I discovered Stirling my idea of scent profiles changed rather quickly.
 
I started with the Green & loved the refreshing feel it gives, so felt compelled to try the Red. Red is ok, performs as well as Green but has a more sandalwood scent about it. I finally bought White for my son when he started straight shaving. He used it twice and uses Jack The Barber Sandalwood instead, so I grabbed the White and gave it a try (I'm a straight razor shaver).

I scraped out a roughly 1g quantity and lathered it in a bowl. I do this for all my soaps to keep them in pristine condition & avoid wasting them. The scent was stronger when I bowl lathered compared to face lathering. The scent was weak, not objectionable and thad a hint of menthol in it. It gave a great shave like the other colours, but for me the scent is a let down. I'd never buy it again, there are others out there that perform as well but smell nicer.
 
A few years ago, I had the white tub (the red or green never appealed), and it was good enough, but not so good I'd ever replace it. I just loaded the brush straight from the tub, then lathered up in a bowl.

Then I discovered Noble Otter, and it was a downward spiral from there... :rolleyes:
 
Well im trying to leave the lid off the tub now to see if the scent will fade. No results yet though.

How do you guys transfer soap to a bowl? Just try to dig it out with a spoon? The last time I tried prying soap out of the container it came in, I bent the spoon badly. When I tried with a knife, I had to stop because the knife was bending in a bad way and I was worried it would snap.
 
Get a bowl with very hot water and sit the soap container in it for 5 - 10 minutes. It will soften and you can then use your spoon. Press it into whatever other container you want. You can also use a kitchen grater on refills or ARKO style soaps.
 
Question said:
Well im trying to leave the lid off the tub now to see if the scent will fade. No results yet though.

How do you guys transfer soap to a bowl? Just try to dig it out with a spoon? The last time I tried prying soap out of the container it came in, I bent the spoon badly. When I tried with a knife, I had to stop because the knife was bending in a bad way and I was worried it would snap.
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Proraso is very soft, if you stick your finger in, it will go straight through. So your spoon should be fine. Also, it'll take months for the scent to dissipate (if at all), so if suggest either learn to live with it or get rid of it.
 
I have the Green Proraso. I load a damp brush from the dry puck and lather on the face. I dip the brush in water as needed while lathering.
 
Considering its supposed to be for sensitive skin I get less irritation from Stirling and would not buy Proraso again. Happily move on to make space if the opportunity presented.
 
Went back to finishing the last bits of my Mitchell's wool fat. Oddly enough, Mitchells leaves my skin with a burning feeling after the shave, while the proraso doesn't...I wonder why? The mitchells does have what seems to be a thicker and foamier lather.
 
I get the same reaction from MWG and put it down to a wool fat (lanolin) as Wilkie suggested. A few soaps have given me similar reactions and spoil the shave making it feel like every razor is giving you razor burn on the neck.
I also get agitated and want to wash it off ASAP. Local products Squadron and Blue Devil have never caused issue. Stirling and Murphy & McNeil are very friendly to sensitive skin.
 
Holiday said:
I get the same reaction from MWG and put it down to a wool fat (lanolin) as Wilkie suggested. A few soaps have given me similar reactions and spoil the shave making it feel like every razor is giving you razor burn on the neck.
I also get agitated and want to wash it off ASAP. Local products Squadron and Blue Devil have never caused issue. Stirling and Murphy & McNeil are very friendly to sensitive skin.
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Just as a matter of interest, do you get the same reaction with your Stirling soaps? I understand they also have lanolin...
 
Gargravarr said:
Just as a matter of interest, do you get the same reaction with your Stirling soaps? I understand they also have lanolin...
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Stirling is not a problem. Many soaps have Lanolin and do not cause irritation. I did some research and apparently if the natural free alcohols in Lanolin are refined to below 3 % will reduce allergic reaction.
Soap makers don't put % of natural free lanolin alcohols on their product so it's a bit of trial and error. Other soaps the Essential Oil may irritate eyes but skin OK ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
Holiday said:
Stirling is not a problem. Many soaps have Lanolin and do not cause irritation. I did some research and apparently if the natural free alcohols in Lanolin are refined to below 3 % will reduce allergic reaction.
Soap makers don't put % of natural free lanolin alcohols on their product so it's a bit of trial and error. Other soaps the Essential Oil may irritate eyes but skin OK ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Click to expand...
Well that's good to know. A friend asked me the other day about irritation-free soaps, and I wasn't able to be very helpful, as I have been fortunate enough to have no such issues with any soap...
 
Hmm, I didnt think it might be a reaction to Lanolin. I thought the whole point of the lanolin was to reduce irritation and give a smoother shave.
 
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