Here's an aftershave that has developed over many years into quite the impressive little machine. It's essentially the same kind of thing as Thayer's facial toner (it contains witch hazel), but dispenses with bold witch hazel assertions and lists the ingredient on its box without fanfare. I feel this is a wise move. While it certainly works therapeutically on newly-shorn skin, it shouldn't be considered a "witch hazel" product. It's simply a straightforward aftershave, and it works beautifully. Proraso Green is a classic.
In addition to witch hazel and glycerin, Proraso contains eucalyptus leaf oil, and I can smell it in there. The fragrance is best described as a simple "green" essence. It pops with minty menthol on top, and within twenty seconds the eucalyptus comes forward. I find it similar to Osage Rub, but gentler. There's a bit of a powdery feel to the drydown, but the whole affair is very simple, zingy, and old-school barbershop. What I like most is the way it snaps me awake without making my eyes water. With Osage Rub it feels like the menthol is beating me over the head; Proraso is just a quick slap.
I'm surprised that its scent profile eschews the familiar herbal-pine approach of older Italian barbershop fragrances, favoring an uncomplicated medicinal scent instead. But maybe this tonic-like aspect is true to a tradition of older continental lotions. My vintage Lilac Vegetal smells quite medicinal. Ditto my Colgate talc. My suggestion for newbies is to get the hard stuff out of the way first: buy a bottle of Osage Rub, use it for a week or two, and then spring for Proraso. If you can survive the Rub, you'll appreciate this stuff that much more. It's a rite of passage to manhood that every young wetshaver should experience, and a worthy addition to any shave den. Side note - the teeny-tiny splash spout is precious.
The Proraso Green Aftershave Balm comes in a square glass bottle, and frankly it smells a lot like Vicks VapoRub to me. The bottle is heavy square glass and the balm is a smooth semi-fluid white substance that pours easily and rubs in even easier. I can tell this stuff is quality because it feels soothing as I work it into my skin, and it doesn't leave any stickiness (just a bit of a gloss). Very nice.
I have some experience with Trumper's aftershave balms, which they call "Skin Food," and I think I prefer them over Proraso's, but Proraso beats Nivea in this department. Nivea's balm is also good, but feels less healing on skin, and leaves some tack behind (it smells better, though). When it comes to balms, I'm not quite sure where to turn. I find them to be an extraneous shave ablution, and often skip them, favoring a simple splash with a bit of styptic. Lately my skin has been protesting my shaves, so Proraso's balm comes in handy, and I suspect I'll use it frequently this winter.
I understand that in addition to their basic shaving products, Proraso makes what they call their "Single Blade" line of post-shave balms, and also colognes. I'm interested in trying at least one of their colognes, to see how they handle the perfumery angle. I don't consider the scent of their green shave lotion anything special, but perhaps the Single Blade colognes are a step up. Stay tuned.