italian creams

[nicodemus38]

I am curious and slightly puzzled. how does valobra shave cream compare to cella and razorock

[nicodemus38]

its just that I see each of them harolded as the best of the Italian soaps, and yet I can find each of them lambasted as the worst of the Italian soaps.

I got a puck of deluxe van der hagen today, and although I only had one days worth of stubble it worked better then razorock classic does for me. And I have seen in the past where VDH was touted as better then cella or valobra.

[brothers]

Nic, it appears you've narrowed the question down to VDH and Valobra. In my opinion, I choose Valobra hard soap, but I haven't had much luck with Valobra's two soft soaps, which I believe was your original question. Most important, of course, is your own opinion.

[Gene]

I've always preferred Cella, and will always have it in the rotation.

But that's me.

[jww]

I like Cella as well, and find it's a good performer all-round.

[Squire]

Really like the Cella scent.

[brothers]

I wholeheartedly agree with all of the positive comments above regarding Cella. I have a one kilogram, slightly used brick, and I'm looking forward to using it slowly but surely over the coming years.

[slackskin]

Gary - isn't it hard to hold a 1 kilo brick while making lather?

[CMur12]

Gary - isn't it hard to hold a 1 kilo brick while making lather?

You just unwrap the brick and lay it on its side. Then you punch an indentation into the top with your fist and use it as a lathering bowl.

I like Cella, too, and am about one third to one half through a one-kilo brick.

Cella is a soft soap and it behaves like a soap. I see soft soaps as clearly distinct from creams. I know that the Cella package says "crema sapone" on it, but translations aren't always as straightforward as they seem.

- Murray

[brothers]

You guys are full of helpful suggestions!

[Brutus]

Valobra and Cella are in my regular rotation.
Valobra as soap in small brick form, soap in the new dark blue container, and shaving stick.
Cella in the orange tub (that I rarely use) and long-lasting 1kg brick.
Once in apothecary mugs, classic Valobra soap from the small brick and Cella from the large brick are hard to tell apart and - like anything Cella or Valobra that I have tried so far - perform very well. Due to it's 1kg size Cella may be more economical, but I still have a preference for Valobra who follow since their beginnings in 1903 the classic Marseille soap making process.

They are typical Italian soaps, not creams, and I and abhor the "croap" designation.
If it looks like a soap, smells like a soap, is packed like a soap and shaves like a soap; then it's a soap in my book and there is no need to invent a new name - even if it should be slightly softer than English soaps.

Regarding Razorock; I can't comment as I haven't used it and while it may be made in Italy for the North American market it is AFAIK not available in Italy.
Because of work I am lucky enough to come to Europe on a fairly regular basis and I buy my products "at source".



B.

[BPman]

Cella is tough to beat for the performance and price.

[nicodemus38]

Ive been using up my razorock and wish I had bought something better. its so bad at this point that im going to have to use up my barbasol.

as cella and valobra soft soap is used up, does it change texture and turn into something like a glycerin bar left in water overnight?

[BPman]

Ive been using up my razorock and wish I had bought something better. its so bad at this point that im going to have to use up my barbasol.

as cella and valobra soft soap is used up, does it change texture and turn into something like a glycerin bar left in water overnight?

Which Razorock did you get? I ask as although I have never used one I have read nothing but praise for them.

[Brutus]

as cella and valobra soft soap is used up, does it change texture and turn into something like a glycerin bar left in water overnight?

No, both stayed pretty much the same after more than a year in my rotation and consistency and performance remained the same.
In case of Cella in the orange tub, it may have turned a shade darker over time, which is not surprising considering how rarely I use this version, but it did not torn mushy or changed the way it performs.

[nicodemus38]

I had the classic cream, it smells ok but the performance leaves a lot to be desired. But I have made alterations to it. The last 1/4 of the jar got rather mushy no matter how long I left the lid off, it really is like a bar of glycerin soap left in a water filled soap dish. Or dial handsoap that's slightly dried out.

I lathered up some Williams, and kept adding more and more lather to the tub of razorock till it was full again. it mixed in fine. Just takes 2 days for the foam to not be foam.it shaves really good this combination, but ...

the original razorock had no glide or skin care. THe only thing from the factory that gives me the skin protection I need has been barbasol, leas classic cream, and this blend with Williams. So ive had to be curious on how the valobra and cella do.