Tabac Pre-Electric Shave Lotion Review – Great If You Like The Scent
Tabac Pre-Electric Shave Lotion
Tabac Pre-Electric Shave Lotion does help make electric shaving more comfortable and possibly gets the job done slightly quicker. The only reservation I have about guys buying and using Tabac is the scent, but if the scent is to your liking, then you are on to a winner.
Pros
It most defiantly improves the shave experience and makes it more comfortable
If you like the scent or already know you like the Tabac scent, you will find the scent lingers very long
A large amount is not required each time, and a 100ml bottle should last quite long
It is affordable and available at a good price point
Cons
The only issue I had was scent, but that all down to personal preferences
If you need to make facial shaving with an electric shaver a more comfortable experience and carrying a masculine, spicy, floral, and musk scent with you–for a good part of the day–appeals to you, Tabac Pre-Electric Shave Lotion is an option to consider.
Tabac is a well-known German perfumed product line owned and made by Mäurer & Wirtz. Their products are known worldwide, and they have been in the game since 1959.
My first introduction to Tabac, like many wet shaving enthusiasts, was with the Tabac Original Shaving Soap, which Robert used and reviewed (it is well known in the industry). Robert felt the scent was what he would call dated and old–and I know what he means, but we all have our personal preferences.
I have had a similar experience with Speick Electric Pre-Shave Lotion, which does everything I would want from a pre-shave, but the scent was the deal breaker. The same goes for the Tabac stuff, but they do have some slight differences, which we will address in the review.
Description and Features
First off, I got a 150ml bottle sent, which I thought was going to be 100ml, so that was a good start.
I know a bottle means nothing, but like their shaving soap, I really like the style of the bottle. It just looks good!
The top is a screw-off cap with a plastic top that has a typical shake and splash-out design, like the old vinegar bottles. We know why they call aftershave/cologne splash!
So, the brand claims that the pre-shave will guarantee a fast and smooth shave and is the perfect preparation for the skin. They are not bold claims, and I can go with that!
The bottle or box does state how to apply it, and I don’t mean we need a lot of instruction. However, on their website, they state a user should dampen their face first before applying the amount required (that should be on the box or bottle).
Ingredients
There are ingredients of importance to check out that might not be good for certain skin types, while others could be great.
- Witch Hazel: This is a natural anti-inflammatory that can help reduce redness (razor burn) and inflammation. It’s well-known in the wet shaving industry, and many guys swear by it. Some people can get minor skin irritation from using witch hazel.
- Alcohol: Like most aftershaves, it contains alcohol. Most people are fine, and it can remove the build-up of oils, dirt, and grease from skin, but others can get skin irritations from applying it.
- Parfum: Most of the other ingredients are made up of scent, parfum.
Here is the complete ingredient list that you might need to check if you do have sensitivities. The alcohol content is 78% vol.
Alcohol, aqua (water), parfum (fragrance), hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) water, peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, isoeugenol, allantoin, lactic acid, linalool, hydroxycitronellal, citronellol, alpha-isomethyl ionone, coumarin, benzyl alcohol, limonene, benzyl salicylate, sodium hydroxide, amyl cinnamal, geraniol, benzyl benzoate, eugenol, ci 19140 (yellow 5), ci 14700 (red 4), ci 42090 (blue 1 lake)
Sources – https://www.everydayhealth.com/smart-skin/alcohol-in-skin-care-is-it-ever-okay/ — https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-227/witch-hazel
Scent
Scents of this kind remind me of something like Brut, Old Spice, or those types that some gents really like. I don’t want to seem like I am above the average guy, as I am not, but this and others make me think of a scent that is cheap and cheerful.
The scent is too overpowering for me. After an hour, I washed it off, but the good thing about that is, if guys like this scent, it lasts.
I get a small amount of spice scent, which is not overpowering, and some floral notes. There is also a musk aspect to this scent. It’s a great scent profile for the right guy, but not for me.
Using Tabac Electric Pre-Shave
I have to admit I only used it twice. That was enough for me to test out if it would help improve an electric shave and see how it compared with others like Speick.
When applying it, it was much the same as applying aftershave, apart from dampening the face first.
On the first run, using a Braun Series 7 360 Flex, I used it only on one side of the face to see if there was any noticeable comfort and ease of shaving compared to the other side. It was, without a doubt, a much more comfortable shave and quite impressive.
I felt a little stinging on the skin at first, but nothing major, which was likely the alcohol.
Similar to when I used Speick Pre-Shave, it provided a soft and slightly powdered feeling, which is good for pre-electric shaving. Speick did seem to provide a little more comfort, which could be due to it containing more oils; however, some guys may not want that additional oil feeling.
The post-shave feeling was nice. The skin felt softer on the lotion side compared to the non-lotion side.
It is fair to say that a little goes a long way with this, too.
Value For Money
The bottle sizes I have seen available include 100ml, 150ml, and 200ml. My guess is that most of us trying this out for the first time should buy the 100ml, as that is plenty, anyway.
In the US, a 100ml bottle costs around $16, and in the UK, about £13. It does not have the same availability in the US as the UK or Europe, as it’s a German brand.
I would say its price point is fairly good. A 100ml bottle could last for many weeks or months.
Final Thoughts – The Verdict
Tabac Pre-Electric Shave Lotion is very good. It does what it should and helps to make the shave smoother and more comfortable. It is likely to also help reduce irritation and razor burn with the witch hazel contained.
My issue, and for most guys, is going to be the scent. It’s just not my type of scent; it is overpowering, and it lingers for too long, even if I wanted to dismiss the scent for the other positive attributes of the lotion.
If any guys like the scent of any other Tabac products, then this lotion should be a hit.
Speick and Tabac are on about the same level of effectiveness, and it will just depend on which scent is right for you.
