Thinking about picking up a jar of TOBS Sandalwood.....but it's $18ish. Really like Proraso Red. Just stick with the Proraso, or treat myself to the TOBS?
TOBS Sandalwood vs Proraso Red
- Thread starter Dan-O
- Start date
TOBS Sandalwood is a very different interpretation than Proraso. I'm not good at describing scents, but I think TOBS can be considered spicier. Not more of a woods type smell, but spice. Proraso is more on the sweeter side of the sandalwood spectrum. Both are good, IMHO. Just very different.
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- Thread starter
- #3
Cool. Thanks for the feedback.
The Proraso is much more an authentic wood scent, certainly not as complex as the TOBS. I love the Proraso and don't like Taylor. The TOBS has patchouli and some other fragrance that in my opinion take away from the sandalwood.
Yes- agree with this.
In my mind, there are 2 very broad categories of sandalwood: 'cologne-y', and authentic (being more woodsy or earthy scents).
TOBS is very much the former - it's deep, warm, spicey and masculine. It's more of a blended, sandalwood -'inspired' scent than a sandalwood-based scent. I'd say that T&H, D R Harris are examples of other cologne-y sandalwoods.
Proraso is a more authentic, earthy and acrid sandalwood, but with a barbershop/powdery background that gives it some sweetness. Pheonix AA is another example of an authentic sandalwood i.e. it is almost one note from top to bottom, with very minimal soapiness to take the edge off it.
To be blunt, I prefer the cologne-like sandalwoods, like TOBS. I find the authentic sandalwood scents quite bitter, and in particular, I don't much like the scent of Proraso Red (excellent performer though). AoS is an interesting one: it smells quite authentic to me, but has a much softer, more sensual edge than other sandalwoods.
The TOBS is a cream...the Proraso is a soap (at least the stuff in the red tub...I've never tried the stuff in the tube).
Scents are much different - TOBS smells like sandalwood - what you would expect from a sandalwood cologne....the Proraso has sandalwood oil in it (it isn't intended to smell like a sandalwood cologne).
The TOBS, being a cream, will create a richer lather.
I like them both. When I use the TOBS, I generally use the TOBS sandalwood pre-shave and aftershave for the scent (occasionally use Pinaud instead). Since the Proraso doesn't really have the scent to it, I've used everything from Pinaud to Bay Rum scent as an aftershave.
Scents are much different - TOBS smells like sandalwood - what you would expect from a sandalwood cologne....the Proraso has sandalwood oil in it (it isn't intended to smell like a sandalwood cologne).
The TOBS, being a cream, will create a richer lather.
I like them both. When I use the TOBS, I generally use the TOBS sandalwood pre-shave and aftershave for the scent (occasionally use Pinaud instead). Since the Proraso doesn't really have the scent to it, I've used everything from Pinaud to Bay Rum scent as an aftershave.
+2, especially some thing different about the soap base fragrance too... another thing you might want to know, using the TOBS you'll find it lifts very easily and quickly from the tub... go gently at first.
I wasn't impressed by discoloration of the TOBS sandal preshave upon opening... I still don't know what that was all about.
Old Spice AS works really nice too in concert with TOBS.
I wasn't impressed by discoloration of the TOBS sandal preshave upon opening... I still don't know what that was all about.
Old Spice AS works really nice too in concert with TOBS.
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Proraso nails it, tobs is decent. It'll be the only Proraso that I buy from now on as the rest of their scents aren't very good.
I've never tried the Proraso sandalwood so I can't really help you there. I do have the TOBS sandalwood and it is my favorite. Most importantly, my wife's favorite. I also use the TOBS AS gel and between the two, I smell great most of the day. I have a tube of Geo F Trumper sandalwood...it performs pretty good, but the scent is just...eh.
Don
Don
Proraso Red is one of my all time favorites. And, while TOBS Sandalwood is nice, it's a distant fourth in my TOBS line up (Eton College, Jermyn St, Avacado, Sandalwood) Also, the TOBS is MUCH different than the Proraso Red. It is very soapy and sweet and has an odd hint of peanut butter smell to me. The Proraso Red is dark and woody and spicy. Proraso Red all the way!
Proraso Red has a much more woodsy, simple, and natural scent to me. TOBS Sandalwood has more of a spicy, cologne scent to me. TOBS smells good to me, too, but just in a different way.
Yes, you should have both!
Yes, you should have both!
Yeah, this bloke's pretty much nailed it.
TOBS smells, to me, almost exactly like Imperial Leather soap. Proraso is a much closer sandalwood scent.
I've never tried the TOBS version but a friend sent me a sample of Proraso Red and I love it. The fragrance is wonderful and so is the performance. I have some other TOBS creams and their scent/performance is very good so I don't think you can go wrong with either one.
I have the cream and the soap but I've only tried the cream. I can't smell it at all (I'm a smoker and that's probably the reason) but the AS balm sure has a nice scent.
