C.O. Bigelow vs Proraso Green

[Beefdrippings]

I wonder if Proraso owns CO Bigelow? I ordered a set from Proraso and it came from Bigelow Trading and the address is the pharmacy.

@something better

Latest financial news I read about the Bed Bath & Beyond company is that it's going out of business and closing all stores.

Also, COB is American company founded in 1838 and not a brand of Proraso.

C. O. Bigelow - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jagwire64]

I also find the performance between red and green different. I think red is a bit more slick and oily. I get closer shaves with it. It is allegedly for thick beards, which I have. I also prefer the scent of green. I will have to get some C.O.B. to try. I knew about it, but thought it was the same as green. If it has the performance of red and the scent of green it could be my new favorite.

 

[Golden_Edge]

I wonder if Proraso owns CO Bigelow? I ordered a set from Proraso and it came from Bigelow Trading and the address is the pharmacy.
View attachment 1700939

I read that Bigelow Trading is only the US distributor for Proraso and other brands like Marvis, Carthusia, Valobra and Tenax.

 

[Beefdrippings]

Ah ok. That makes sense.

I read that Bigelow Trading is only the US distributor for Proraso and other brands like Marvis, Carthusia, Valobra and Tenax.

 

[Pat Puma]

Thanks for your observations. I don't think I've ever seen anyone do a comparison like this of the two products. Everyone pretty much has just accepted that they were the same. I too started wet-shaving with a tube of Proraso green and a bottle of Green Aftershave. I think I bought a second tube but did not continue to use it after that tube was done. I can't say there was a reason that I stopped, because I like the scent and found the performance and ease of lathering to be great, and I have always kept the green aftershave in the rotation. I am going to watch this thread to see if anyone else has thoughts on Bigelow. I have never used it and have always thought that it was just Proraso green in a different tube.

 

[CJB3]

I read that Bigelow Trading is only the US distributor for Proraso and other brands like Marvis, Carthusia, Valobra and Tenax.

This is right. My brother actually lives in NYC and knows the current owner of C.O. Bigelow.

 

[BigJ]

Wonderful review! Thanks!

 

[matt from vegas]

The store near me stopped carrying it.

Here also, they just have there own private brand of men's stuff now. Yech.

 

[amateur]

Well, Proraso Green original has to be given it's dues!!

View attachment 1695586

Does she shave with a straight razor?

 

[ivan_101]

Sir @Golden_Edge , your post above is extremely well written! Of course, since I live in Italy, I do not have any knowledge regarding C.O. Bigelow and cannot therefore provide any comment on it. But your reasoning is sound and the idea of describing C.O. Bigelow with Shea Butter and Eucalyptus Oil as Proraso Red with the scent of Proraso Green seems correct to me, too. By the way, the only true difference I notice between Proraso Red and Proraso Green is the fragrance, performance-wise Red and Green are almost identical.

+1
However hard I tried I could find a difference in the performance of the 4 tubes. And I have used a lot of tubes.
Differences in thickness mentioned here are mostly because of age. One tube is 4-5 months old and the other is 20.

 

[rivieraranch]

We owe many thanks to the original poster of this thread, because without his investigation, we would never know that the CO Bigelow product was different from the Proraso.

I am sad that Bath and Bodyworks has discontinued, carrying the Bigelow shaving products. Little by little all the good things they used to have are gone.

 

[Juanmosey]

I whipped up some Bigelow this am after a bike ride and shower. Used a stainless bowl and Sterling 2 band. Very slick with tons of cushion. For some reason I like the 48 gram tube. DFS+.

 

[gitapik]

I’ve been frequenting Bigelow for decades. Love their lemon body cream for one thing. But, being relatively new to the finer points of shaving, I never thought to check out their shave products.

No question that a subway ride in that direction is in order. Thanks for the review!

 

[Juanmosey]

I'd like to see a comparison between the Bigelow cream and Bigelow canned foam.

 

[The Pontificator]

Our local Bath & Body Works stopped carrying Bigelow shave products years ago. Unfortunate, as I would purchase the shave cream in bulk as they always had B2G1F deals going on. Sad.

 

[Road Hog]

After reading this thread, I checked Amazon and it is available from them. I may have to try some. I enjoy menthol myself.

 

[Wolffer Montauk]

This has menthol and camphor. I love that combo. The scent is great too, and not too strong.

 

[Juanmosey]

I’ve been frequenting Bigelow for decades. Love their lemon body cream for one thing. But, being relatively new to the finer points of shaving, I never thought to check out their shave products.

No question that a subway ride in that direction is in order. Thanks for the review!

Try the small travel sized tube. You'll like it. Their spray colognes are excellent too.

 

[Captainjonny]

Fantastic review and comparison! 4 yrs ago, I was in NYC and did the shaving stores "pilgrimage". I visited CO Bigelow and purchased the shaving cream tube plus several other items. The store is worth visiting, since much of the internal structure and many display counters have gone unchanged in the last 100 years. I did my own comparison of the COB vs Poraso, and found them to be nearly identical in performance and scent. One of the items I purchased in the store, is the CO Bigelow Bay Rum Cologne 032, which I really enjoyed and have purchased another bottle since that visit to NYC. If you are in NYC, visiting both Pasteurs and CO Bigelow are highly recommended.

 

[BurnFree]

I tried the Proraso Green and the C.O. Bigelow (COB) shaving creams a first time two years ago when I gave DE shaving a go. I loved the scent but didn’t continue using either due to the menthol (which I fortunately no longer mind, to some extent). Along the way, I found out that Proraso made COB’s cream. It is often said COB is repackaged Proraso Green. Having re-discovered and liking Proraso, I bought a tube of the COB to see how they compare.

Packaging — Proraso needs no introduction. To those unaware of COB and/or outside the US, this is C.O. Bigelow (sold in full and travel size tubes):

View attachment 1694903

Ingredients — Proraso's website and product lists are identical. COB's website and product lists are not identical. COB's website states to check product for most up to date list. The tube I have doesn't list Camphor, which is odd. I've seen the reviews online where Camphor was listed. Additionally, COB has Shea butter. Full lists at end of post.

View attachment 1694904

Scent — Identical profile. COB feels a bit more concentrated out of the tube and once lathered.

Texture/Color — COB is whiter and a touch thicker than Proraso. COB is left and Proraso is right in the following picture.

View attachment 1694905

Lather — For the same quantity out the tube, COB produces a bit more denser lather. Not a day and night different but it's observable. I am not sure if the presence of Shea butter is a contributing factor.

Performance — Overall the same but somehow the shaves were a touch closer. The difference is minimal but observable. Here again, the Shea butter may be influential.

Post-shave — Overall the same.

Conclusion — Considering the minor differences in texture/color, lather and performance, the COB shaving cream is more of a Proraso Green tweaked to COB's specifications/preferences than a repackaged Proraso Green. Since COB has Shea butter, I would extrapolate that COB is Proraso Red with the scent of the Green. If you see no difference between Proraso Red and Green in terms of performance, you likely won't see a difference between COB and Proraso Green.


What are you thoughts on COB vs Proraso Green?


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A FYI, that I found out while learning about the COB shaving cream: C.O. Bigelow is one of the (or the?) oldest pharmacy in the USA while a location in still standing in NYC.

It does carry a good amount of shaving goods from different brands and their own. I haven't been yet but I intend to include it in the shaving stores 'Pilgrimage' when I visit NYC next time.

View attachment 1695021
View attachment 1695024

Some good reads:

The Secrets Inside the C.O. Bigelow Apothecary (Est. 1838) (Published 2019)

Over the last 180 years, the Ginsberg family has amassed more than 10,000 pharmaceutical and beauty items.

www.nytimes.com

Where I Work: Inside C.O. Bigelow Apothecaries in the Village, the oldest pharmacy in the country | 6sqft

Since 1939, three generations of Ginsberg’s have owned and operated the shop, passing down from father to son to most recently grandson, Ian Ginsberg, who 6sqft spoke with at this historic pharmacy.

www.6sqft.com

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C.O. Bigelow

Website: Aqua (Water), Stearic Acid, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Menthol, Camphor, Eucalyptol, Eucalyptus globulus Leaf Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Metasilicate, Tetrasodium EDTA, HYdroxyehtyl-cellulose, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Geraniol, Parfum (Fragrance).

Tube: Aqua, Stearic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Potassium Hydroxyde, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Coccyl Glycinate, Menthol, Parfum, Eucalyptol, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Sodium Metasilicate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Dictate, Amyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Eugenol

Proraso

Website: Aqua (Water/Eau), Stearic Acid, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum (Fragrance), Menthol, Camphor, Eucalyptol, Eucalyptus globulus Leaf Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Metasilicate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Geraniol.

Tube: Aqua (Water/Eau), Stearic Acid, Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum (Fragrance), Menthol, Camphor, Eucalyptol, Eucalyptus globulus Leaf Oil, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium Metasilicate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Geraniol.

Thank you for taking the time to write all this up @Golden_Edge.

Comparing ingredient lists made my eyes glaze over!

Your Conclusion makes sense. I always had a slightly better experience with Proraso Green (vs. Red) and assumed it was solely due to scent preference, so I tried them both at the same time:

I alternately "hand-washed" with the the two creams, working in more water to maintain maximum slickness as needed for two minutes, before rinsing, drying, and repeating with the other. Red first, green second. This was more telling than just a quick finger rub...the red took a bit more water to keep the same slickness and seemed slightly less stable. Then I shaved half faces with each at the same time (talk about a funky odor). Green, again, seemed a little more slick & stable with better residual slickness, despite being the first one lathered. Red was a little more prone to drying and being gummier, despite containing shea butter. Still a great shave on both sides. Surprisingly there was no discernable difference in post-shave feel, both immediately afterward and a few hours later, to the point where I could not remember which side was which without family doing a reluctant sniff test. Proraso is generally what I consider "neutral" (neither moisturizing nor drying).

Differences were subtle in this half-baked test and obviously there were a lot of variables. Was really surprised the shea butter didn't make it better (for me), but the two formulas are still far more alike in performance compared with each other vs any other brand.

I'd take the Proraso Green over COB (Red Formula with Green scent) based on this if price/availability was equal. Really wouldn't be unhappy with either though and might just pick up a tube of COB in the name of further research.