ProrasoPre-Shave Conditioning Cream for Men, Sensitive Skin Formula with Oatmeal and Green Tea, 3.6 Ounce (Pack of 1)

This product smells amazing and applies very well. Leave on, per the instructions, and enjoy a close and comfortable shave. I personally like this scent over the other offerings. Provided a soothing and very mild cooling sensation. This is the most neutral scented option and I didn’t experience any irritation.

This stuff is FANTASTIC. Let me explain why with some pros and cons:ProsIt smells absolutely amazing. The combination of oatmeal and green tea is just hypnotizing.The menthol in the cream really kicks in quickly and if you're before-work morning shaver like I am, it can definitely give you a good kick to wake up. Very refreshing.Comes in a glass container (doesn't really affect the quality of the cream but it makes you feel better knowing the quality of the container is higher).It has really stopped the irritation that I was having after shaving. I'm also a constant sufferer of ingrown hairs and I haven't seen any yet since using this.ConsTakes a moderate amount of cream to work up a decent scrub. You don't need gallops of it mind you, but definitely more than you would expect and since it's a decently small container, I can see I might have to buy more sooner than anticipated.If you're not one for menthol, then I don't recommend getting this because while to me (a menthol lover), the strong feeling I get in the morning is a great thing to wake me up and refresh me. If you don't like the feeling of menthol, this might be uncomfortable for you.If you leave this on to settle and then directly apply shaving cream after, your lather will not be as thick on your face. I'm guessing the two mixes together and doesn't spread as easy. You can also wash it off before applying the lather if that is an issue.This is one of the first Proraso products that I've started using and I can already tell I am going to be a regular consumer. The quality of the product is too impressive for me to want anything else. If you suffer from bad skin irritation, I HIGHLY suggest this product.

I waited forever to write this review because I wasn't sure if this product made a difference or if I was was feeling a placebo effect. I stopped using it for quite some time to save the money & now I've come back. It's worth it IMO. I can shave without it, for sure. I just prefer not to. Wet your face with some warm water, then apply this stuff. It leaves your face ice cold with that menthol sensation, and it makes it nice and slick so the razor will just slide right across it. When I stopped using this stuff, my shaves were much less forgiving. Reintroducing this into my routine afforded me a little more forgiveness in my shaves - IE, it minimized my bloody faces & irritation. I still nick my face. I still get irritation, but it's a lot less frequent. It's not this product's fault though. I get nicks & irritation when I shave in a hurry & when I don't pay as much attention to what I'm doing as I should. The point is that I don't feel the brunt of those bad decisions nearly as much when I use this stuff. When I do pay attention, it leaves my skin feeling cool, tight, and refreshed. I won't shave without it anymore. For what it's worth, I also use Proraso shave soap (the sensitive soap in a bottle that matches this one). I think Proraso makes a superior shaving product. There might be better products out there. There are certainly more expensive product lines out there & there are certainly cheaper ones. I find Proraso products to be on par with higher end Art of Shaving products (I actually prefer Proraso) that I have used & to be much less costly.

Great products and good prices

In order to properly review this product, I shaved with it three separate times, starting with a new Astra blade. I shave with a Parker 22R DE razor, and my shaving cream of choice is Jack Black Triple Cushion Cream. So what's my verdict here? While I can't say this product has drastically altered my shaving life, I can happily say that it makes a noticeable difference. I will definitely continue using/buying this stuff.If you've read any of my other shave-related reviews, you know that I have extremely sensitive skin. Switching to DE razors four months ago really changed the game for me, as the irritation and ingrown hairs have for the most part gone away. Still, there are parts of my neck that are prone to irritated redness and nicks due to all the damage I've done with cartridge razors for years before. I bought the Proraso Anti-Irritation Pre-Shave cream to hopefully alleviate this, as I have read many positive reviews about Proraso creams. Well, here's what I have to say...On the positive side, I noticed with this Proraso pre-shave cream I've never had a closer shave. Seriously, I have achieved a new level of baby-butt-smooth now that I use this. The blade does seem to glide over the hairs more easily, making the whole process more smooth. In addition, I love the fragrance. Very masculine and unique without being overpowering. Also, while nicks were far and few between anyway, Proraso pretty much cut out the nicks with this product. Bravo!However, I was disappointed in the irritation department. While irritation on certain parts of my face were further reduced, it still seemed those sensitive parts of my neck would flame up a bit after my against-the-grain passes, especially with each consecutive shave. That was the primary reason I bought this in the first place, so the fact it didn't fully deliver in that area is what's holding back a perfect score.But don't get discouraged. If you actually use this as an aftershave (in addition to using it as a pre-shave) it is UNBEATABLE. When you apply this after your shaving routine, your skin has an awesome cooling feeling, and any redness will go away very quickly. Also, any nicks that do occur will quickly be healed/cleaned up. Using this as an aftershave is what makes me excited to involve this in my routine, and it's probably my favorite benefit to using this product. I wish Proraso would market the aftershave potential on this particular product more than just its pre-shave qualities.If you are new to using pre-shave creams, you may be confused how they work. Typically, you'll put it on your wet face, then put on your shaving cream without rinsing the pre-shave cream off. After dampening my face with cold water after a shower, I then rub in a very small amount to cover my face (and another small portion for my neck). It's best if you wait a minute or two to let it soak into your skin/beard. From there, I lather on my shaving cream and begin the manly ritual of shaving. I even reapply this pre-shave cream in between passes for those super-sensitive areas on my neck.