What does Proraso Sandalwood smell like?

It really seems like there are a wide range of sandalwood scents in shaving products. I have a tub of TOBS and a tube of AOS, both sandalwood. Both are fantastic creams, but IMO, the AOS has a much better scent. Is the Proraso version similar to the AOS?

That's a good question. I would like to know the answer too!

Like old jergens hands cream with a hint of vanilla and a hint of cigar (or tobacco?)

There is no sandalwood anymore in most sandalwood products. Just too expensive. The real stuff, of which I have a small amount, is very creamy/ woody smelling. Of the ones you listed, the Proraso most smells like sandalwood, but much more earthy and damp. Think of a thick, thick layer of oak leaves in a wood after several days rain and kick em around loosening up the damp earth underneath. That's proraso to my nose and I love it. The only cream in my rotation anymore and a good value.

I sold my TOBS sandalwood cream. Did not care for the smell or the performance. Can't even remember the scent well enough to describe it, buti remember it being quite sharp. Spicier than I would expect from sandalwood. Never used the AOS, but others speak well of both it's scent and performance.

The proraso is cheap enough to buy. You might want to sample the AOS and TOBS first before buying.

Smells nothing like the AOS. But it does have a nice, warm scent.

oakeshott said:

...the Proraso most smells like sandalwood, but much more earthy and damp. Think of a thick, thick layer of oak leaves in a wood after several days rain and kick em around loosening up the damp earth underneath.

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Thats very and eerily accurate... Plus the hint of cigar and vanilla. Imagine that within all the leaves you're kicking up, there's one or two leaves of tobacco...

Smells like dirt. I like dirt.

Smells nothing like AOS. I thought i was crazy thinking it smelled like wet dirt until i read it above.

retiredguns said:

Smells like dirt. I like dirt.

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Yup. Me like dirt too.

This sounds like my kind of scent. Yup. Dirt. Dirt is good.

i didnt pick anything sandalwood up in it myself, i did not care to much for the scent on my skin either,... i dont think it played well with my body chemistry i got a little dirt,.. and some dead wet leaves that had been in the sun for a while lmao and maybe a weee bit of veg off the nose of the bottle, right off the tube it had a woodsy scent that smelled okay to me but once on my skin,.. it did not play well and became somethign completely different

Good accurate descriptions here. I detect the hint of vanilla as well. I had heard it contains real sandalwood oil, which may be why it's the only sandalwood scented product I've found that I'm able to use (strong perfume/cologne scents make me terribly ill)

tfinch said:

Good accurate descriptions here. I detect the hint of vanilla as well. I had heard it contains real sandalwood oil, which may be why it's the only sandalwood scented product I've found that I'm able to use (strong perfume/cologne scents make me terribly ill)

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Given the cost of Sandalwood oil, I don't know how they could afford to include any in Proraso and still sell it for 10 bucks or so a tube. Seems like an economic impossibility. Whatever they did, though, they knocked it out of the park.

Forget the word "sandalwood". It smells like tar, like when they repair the road.

Enjoy your shave.

Phil

oakeshott said:

Given the cost of Sandalwood oil, I don't know how they could afford to include any in Proraso and still sell it for 10 bucks or so a tube. Seems like an economic impossibility. Whatever they did, though, they knocked it out of the park.

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It's not an economic impossibility. Dozens of incenses in Japan and India still use sandalwood and so do some cosmetic products in India (the Indian ones still being cheap). It's the cologne industry that is driving the price up and contributing to the impression that sandalwood is expensive, just because Serge Lutens et. al. decide they want to charge $200 for something you can get in incense form for less than $20.

Proraso Red contains real sandalwood. I can tell. Not only by the wonderful smell, but by the subtle cooling sensation. The cream contains no menthol, so the cooling sensation comes from the sandalwood oil, which has traditionally been used in cooling skin preparations for years.

Kevan,
Isn't the amount of sandalwood required for a shaving application much bigger than the amount required for incense? Asking because I truly don't know, but I've had at least two soapmakers tell me they don't use it anymore because of the prohibitive cost. I'm skeptical, but am open to persuasion.
oake

UPDATE: found this list of ingredients
Proraso Sandalwood
Aqua (Water/Eau)
Stearic Acid
Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil
Potassium Hydroxide
Glycerin
Lactic Acid
Parfum (Fragrance)
Sodium Hydroxide
Butyrospermum parkii (Shea) Butter
Theobroma cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter
Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Sodium Metasilicate
Tetrasodium EDTA
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Citronellol
Geraniol
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Limonene
Linalool
Coumarin
Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate
Santalum album (Sandalwood) Oil

It appears that Sandalwood Oil is in fact used, but is the last ingredient in the list and thus the smallest amount. I was wrong. On a streak here.

there are several different kinds of sandalwood Essential Oils.. some may not even be commercially available anymore

according to silkyscents.com, the West Indian is the most economical at $4.25/5ml), , the Australian next ($24/5ml) and the East Indian Mysore being the most expensive ($55/5ml)

was looking into this just this weekend to order EOs for some projects I'm working on....

oakeshott said:

Think of a thick, thick layer of oak leaves in a wood after several days rain and kick em around loosening up the damp earth underneath.

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This.

I think AOS smells better, especially their balm / preshave oil. I think Proraso Red is a great performer though especially at the price point.

Yes, it smells rather earthy and even a little funky as you lather and shave. But the scent that lingers is very much a nice rich sandalwood. At least IMHO. AOS smells nice. None of the earthiness and more cologne-ish, but still very much sandalwood.

Wet plywood sawdust. I am beginning to like it a little, I have been mixing it with croaps and that has made some nice super lather. OTW I am probably a small minority who think that for sandalwood cream, one can find better, but the price is right for the Poraso.