What do you look for when buying a new shaving soap? Is it soap slickness, its ability to build quick lather, scent or something else? I would imagine it’s a combination of excellent performance and scent that characterizes the best shaving soaps, which can be found in Pereira’s Orange Cinnamon Shaving Soap.
Pereira Shavery is relatively new in the shaving community but has its roots deep in Portuguese barbershop traditions. Its shaving soap is a refined version of a family recipe that includes a unique ingredient with benefits not seen in all shaving soaps.
Pereira’s orange & cinnamon shaving soap comes in a plastic tub and contains 100g of soap and is offered in two scent variations: Orange Cinnamon and Water Blossom.
Before I get into the review, I would like to add a disclaimer that I was sent the soap for review purposes.
Now, let’s delve into the shave.
Shaving Setup for the Review
For the consistency of my testing and reviewing, I always use the following setup:
- Simple IKEA bowl
- Omega S-Brush 10018 with synthetic bristles
- Rockwell Razor 6c (setting 3)
- Gillette 7 O’clock Super Stainless
- Shaving Soap
Due to the activated charcoal in all of Pereira’s soaps, it is strikingly black. For wet shavers already enjoying the exfoliation that comes from using a brush during their shave, with Pereira’s Shaving Soap they can add an extra layer to it. The charcoal assists in cleaning and detoxifying the skin and will be helpful to individuals with acne-prone skin.
Charcoal is also known for its absorbent qualities, therefore it is often used for digestive issues and drawing out dirt from the skin. The soap can handle, or absorb, a lot of water, which brings me to its most significant benefit.
It is slick as hell!
It might be that the slickness comes from the combination of ingredients but the mix puts it on par with top soaps when it comes to slickness and glide properties. And that goes for both during the shave (residual slickness) and post-shave moisturizing properties — if one can put slickness and moisturizing abilities under the same hood.
Almost every soap has different features that make it unique, so it boils down to what the shaver is looking for in his shaving soap. What is it that defines the top performing shaving soaps or creams? To me, the measure of performance means that the soap or cream fulfills the following:
- Protective and has excellent cushion;
- Superb gliding-slickness properties, both during the shave and residual;
- Post-shave moisturizing properties;
Pereira’s performance
Pereira’s Orange Cinnamon Shaving Soap’s best feature, in my eyes, is the slickness. In that regard, I would put it in the same category with top shaving soaps like the Saponificio Varesino or others alike.
The bowl lathering was quick, and a small amount of soap gives you plenty of lather to do several passes.
There was one morning when I was in a hurry, so I did a face lather and left it slightly to the thin side of the spectrum. To my surprise the soap performs very well; even when spread thin it still provided enough cushion for a two-pass shave without any feeling of razor burn or discomfort. This is good news for all men using multiblade razors who will benefit from Pereira’s Shaving Soap’s ability to provide a quick and thin lather without the fear of clogging the multiblade razor, which can occur even when using premium shaving soaps or creams. The lather is meant for ultimate skin protection and nourishment where the multiblade razors just can’t cut through that protective layer of lather.
In order to give this soap a good test run, I have used the soap for a two weeks and done so on a daily basis. It would be interesting to see how long the product lasts, and as it is a relatively hard soap it should be good for many shaves. The use of activated charcoal adds more to the soap than meets the eye or the scope of this review. I have added a couple of links to the end of this review for those interested in reading more about activated charcoal.
How is the scent of Pereira’s shave soap? I left describing the scent until the end because I was so overwhelmed by its performance.
The soap has a very mild, natural and straightforward scent — Orange & Cinnamon. The orange is more dominating of the duo and the cinnamon makes its appearance more apparent during the shave. The combination of orange and cinnamon is classic, and Pereira’s Shavery has balanced them well.
As I already mentioned it is a very mild scent that will not linger for very long so if you’d like that orange and cinnamon to stay longer, I’d suggest you complement the soap with the addition of a suitable aftershave, splash or balm.
Conclusion: Would I recommend Pereira’s Orange & Cinnamon Shaving Soap to my friends?
The answer is YES! It has all the exceptional shaving soap properties. It has glide and protective cushion leaving your skin feeling fresh and moisturized post-shave. If you like shaving soaps with a mild scent of orange and cinnamon, I would seriously consider adding it to your daily soap rotation.
Pereira’s shave soap ingredients list: Charcoal Powder, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tetrasodium Etidronate,Laureth Sulfate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Aqua (Water), Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Xylenesulfonate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearic Acid, Kaolin,Benzyl salicylate, Coumarin, Citronellol, Linalool, Butylphenyl Parfum (Fragrance), Lanolin, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, CI 77891 (titanium dioxide)