About.com Rating

Sometimes, it seems I have tried nearly every shaving product known to man and, for the most part, I am left generally unimpressed by most all of them -- especially the "supermarket brand" products.  I recently received the Dove Men+Care Expert Shave line and, for the most part, I am impressed. 

The folks at Dove have certainly stepped up their game with this product line, which includes a three-step system wich includes a pre-shave scrub ($22), a pre-shave oil ($22), a choice of two shaving creams ($22 or $26), and a post shave balm ($26).

The products are designed to work together to provide a close shave with less irritation when used with proper shaving technique.  For the most part, they do the trick.  Let's talk about each product.  

First, the Dove Men+Care Expert Shave Exfoliating Pre-Shave Scrub is, in the words of the great Randy Jackson, "It was just alright for me, Dawg."  It did a fine job cleaning the skin, but like most facial scrubs, the scrubbing beads were too large and too few to really be very effective (this product certainly won't replace my Menscience Microfine Face Scrub anytime soon).  

Next, the Dove Men+Care Expert Shave Softening Pre-Shave Oil is actually one of the better oils I have tried.  I've found that many are either too thick or too thin, but this one strikes a nice balance.  The oil is an effective product to use prior to the application of shave cream to soften the beard and give your face just an added bit of lubrication.  This is also an excellent product for those who have a light beard (and may not require a separate shaving cream) or those who have facial hair and need to be able to see what they are shaving around.

For the actual shave, Dove Men+Care Expert Shave offers both the Total Comfort Shave Cream and the Smoothing Shave Cream.  The Smoothing Shave Cream is a more basic and less-expensive formula in a tube and should work well for most every guy.  I have an average beard and fairly sensitive skin and I found it did a great job for me and left me with virtually no irritation when I shaved using proper shaving technique.  The more expensive Total Comfort Shave Cream comes in a massive tub (don't be fooled, it's only 6.7 ounces) and I found to be far superior to their other option.  I found this product gave me a petty impressive shave and left my face feeling soft and well moisturized.  I'm not a big fan of the container, which is unnecessarily large and, with wet hands, almost impossible to screw closed, but that's a minor gripe.  Neither are going to replace my Duke Cannon Superior Grade Shave Cream at the moment, but I am impressed nonetheless.  

Finally, I was very impressed with the Dove Men+Care Expert Shave Post-Shave Repair which did a fine job of moisturizing and soothing my skin without feeling greasy.  The product absorbs very well.  

Most of the products in the line performed quite well.  I like they clean barber-shop fragrance the products offered as well.  The fragrance, fortunately, didn't linger very long (and shouldn't clash with whatever fragrance you may choose to wear for the day).  While those on a budget may argue the products are pricey for a supermarket brand, I contend that, given their high quality, they are fairly priced.  The upside is, because of their mass-market status, these products should be readily available at most any domestic supermarket, department store, or drug store.

The bottom line is, yes, while they won't replace my favorite niche brand shaving products, the Dove Men+Care Expert Shave line performs well and are reasonably priced and I can offer them a confident recommendation as an addition to your grooming regimen.