Product review: Proraso shaving cream soap, Eucalyptus and Menthol

Ahhh, yes, Proraso.  Particularly, Proraso shave cream with Menthol and Eucalyptus.  Whether you are a wetshaving veteran or a noob, you've likely heard of this brand of product.  This is one of the first shaving soaps I ever used, mainly due to the reputation of the product.  I consider this one a go-to shave soap and I seem to always have one of these on hand.

This product is made in Italy.  The company was founded in 1930 and has been used worldwide for a number of years.  The smell of eucalyptus is fairly strong, but I don't find it overwhelming.  Definitely appealing to me.

The lather of this soap is pretty impressive.  It can be worked into a thick lather with relative ease.  The coverage from the lather is very good.  Just a little whipping of the product will provide plenty of coverage to make a couple passes with the razor over your entire face.  The razor cuts very well with this, gliding with little friction.  The menthol in this cream enhances the experience of shaving with it by providing a cooling sensation.  The overall quality of shave is excellent.

The price of the product for the quality is very reasonable.  There is nothing really fancy about the packaging or even the container.  It is just a solid and reliable product.  You can always count for a good shave.  I especially recommend this for people just starting.  The cream is really easy to work with and performs very well, regardless of the amount of water or type of brush used.  It's hard to go wrong with this cream.  Chances are, you've already used this if you've been shaving the old fashioned way for any amount of time, if not, give it a try!

Take a month off from shaving for Movember!

It's stache time!

November in the US is the month that is designated for raising awareness about men's health issues. Prostate and testicular cancer are the main ones. Men really need to step it up and become more aware of male-specific health issues.  Every year we are bombarded by pink everything during the month of October for breast cancer awareness.  Yet, male cancers are rarely discussed or addressed.  One in six men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime and the life expectancy for men is currently five years shorter than women.

So how does a stache fit into this?  The growing of a mustache for this month is a useful way to show your support for men's health initiatives.  It sounds silly, but it does work.  The growing of a mustache really serves as a conversation starter on health issues.  Men are generally uneasy about these conversations and the mustache breaks the ice and draws attention to the issues.

So, if you are interested in participating, sign up at Movember.com and create a "Mo Space" to showcase your stache.  You can easily accept donations that go towards research and awareness for male cancers.  About 82% of raised money goes to men's health programs, and not just towards marketing campaigns.  So, step up and get involved, and have some fun while you're at it.  The cause is a serious one, however, and more men should be take it seriously.

Watch the video and learn more about Movember:

Product review: Taylor of Old Bond Street Avocado Shaving Cream

Ahhh, yes.  This is one of the first shaving creams I used back when I got into wetshaving.  I find myself going back to this one from time to time.  I'm never disappointed.  A tub of this can be had for about $15 from various retailers.

Ok, so the fragrance is fairly subtle in this product.  That's probably a good thing.  I really wasn't sure what to expect it to smell like considering it contains avocado.  The scent is light and fresh with a sort of grassy smell.  The smell might turn some people off but it doesn't bother me.  If you aren't deterred by the smell, I think you will be pleased by the results.

This cream yields one of the best lathers of any shaving cream I have used.  It doesn't take much cream on the tip of your brush to really get this going.  The later lubricates the razor very well.  Perhaps it is the avocado oil in this cream that provides a really smooth shave.  Additionally, it is likely the avocado oil that leaves my face feeling moisturized and not irritated.  Considering this was one of my first shaving creams, I think this would be good for other beginners as well.  It lathers super easy and provides a quality shave.

Product review: Baxter of California Facial Scrub

A facial scrub is often overlooked by men, and may be regarded as something typically reserved for women.  I couldn't disagree more.  A good facial scrub is one of those important parts of getting a good quality shave and improving the appearance of your skin.  I've gone through numerous facial scrubs and have found some that feel like they really don't scrub at all and don't improve the skin.  That is not the case with this particular scrub, however.

I've used this product several times and I keep going back to it.  It does cost a bit more than what you might find at a supermarket, but the price (around $15) is very reasonable as compared to some of the higher-end and more expensive brands.  Previously, this scrub was packaged in a plastic jar.  The most recent one of these that I bought came in a squeeze tube.  Going from a jar to this seemed a little odd at first, but now I have come to prefer the tube.  It is easy to get the desired amount out of the tube without getting the contents wet (as sometimes happen with the jar).  Also, if you forget and leave the lid off the jar, it is has a tendency to dry up.  The scrub squeezes very easy out of tube, making it effortless.

Now, for the actual scrub, this is where this product excels.  It is recommended to use this scrub once or twice a week.  But wow, what a difference it makes smoothing my skin and clearing dead skin cells.  I notice a big difference in the appearance of my skin after using this scrub.  It just looks more vibrant and healthy, and contributes to a better shave as well.  It is fairly abrasive.  So, just lightly rub and scrub this onto your face and rinse it off.  If you're like me, you'll be pleased with the results.   The scrub has a light fragrance that smells better than some other products I have tried and does not smell too "chemically".  If you are familiar with cherry flavored Pop-Tarts, you may notice a similarity in the smell between those and this scrub (seriously!).  The scent vanishes very quick after you rinse the scrub off.

I think this is a really solid scrub for the price.  It is well worth spending a few extra dollars over products sold at a supermarket.  Using it only once a week, you should get a decent amount of uses out of it.  I definitely recommend this scrub.