Lack of lubrication with C&E Nomad?

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:17 pm

I stopped by C&E yesterday and got a few samples. Today I tried the Nomad cream. The lather was top-notch and loads of it, but I found almost no lubrication at all. I did my normal pre-shave with a shower and 5 minutes of warm water. Used my Merkur DE and a Swedish Gillete. The problem was that my razor kept skipping all over my face. Not the blade, but the head of the razor. It felt like there was no lubrication at all. The razor is a little dirty (I plan on cleaning it tonight). Could that have anything to do with it?

Aside from that, the cream is wonderful. I love the smell, great lather, and had no irritation at all.

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Sun May 07, 2006 2:20 pm

I got a sample of it yesterday and shaved with it this morning and had the same results you mention. The scent is not as nice as their other offerings but it did lather nice but it gave me a rough shave.

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:19 pm

Have you tried any of their other creams? Is it just a problem with Nomad?

rtaylor61 · Post by **rtaylor61** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:27 pm

What you are experiencing is the problem with experimentation, and can also be the problem with using samples. First, let's deal with experimentation, and C&E creams are a perfect example. I have Nomad, Sienna and Almond. They are all great to shave with, and all provide great lubrication. But each one requires a different water/cream ratio. It will take a few uses to get that ratio determined. The bad thing about shaving is that you can only practice once a day. Sure, you can whip up several batches of lather, but you can't shave with each one. A perfect looking bowl of lather may not be a perfect shaving bowl of lather. This is even further compunded if you use a variety of brushes.

Dealing with samples is even tougher. How many shaves can you get with a sample? I always consider a sample good for two shaves. I always use half of a sample on the first run. Trying to stretch it means you probably aren't using enough shaving cream to get a good shave, maybe just a passable shave. I believe it takes a week of shaves before you can truly pass judgement on a shaving cream or soap.

Randy

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Sun May 07, 2006 3:40 pm

I used plenty of cream this time as they gave me a rather large sample. And like I said, loads of laterh. I'm wondering if this cream just needs more water than my Proraso, Taylors, or Arkko. The good thing is that I have plenty of the sample to try at least 4 days. I'll let you know if things change tomorrow.

I never thought I would say that I wish I could shave more than once a day!

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Mon May 08, 2006 9:34 am

I used quite a bit more water today with the same results. No lubrication. Anyone familiar with Nomad care to offer some thoughts?

I understand the difference in water/cream ratio can make in lather quality. However, it's been fairly easy to adjust for all the other creams and soaps I've used. If some are so drastically different, how do you guys keep them all straight?

NMMB · Post by **NMMB** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:02 am

John,

I don't claim to be a C&E expert (or an expert on anything shaving related - there are simply too many people around here who can trump my knowledge, as I am a relative novice); however, I tried a C&E Nomad sample this morning, and I found it to be nearly perfect (other than the scent, I'm not a big fan). When I tried my Sienna sample, I wasn't 100% impressed. So today when I tried the Nomad, I went a little heavier on the cream and hence had a lower water:cream ratio... like I said, practically perfect (like Mary Poppins).

-NMMB

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Mon May 08, 2006 11:31 am

Hmmm...Interesting. Maybe that's why I got such a large sample. Maybe C&E requires more than I'm used to using. I've got enough for a high cream/water ratio for tomorrow. One more test...

I LOVE the C&E Sandalwood. A/S balm. Amazing stuff. Not greasy at all. And the best part is that my wife loves the smell.

jww · Post by **jww** » Mon May 08, 2006 2:40 pm

letterk wrote:...And the best part is that my wife loves the smell.

And there in lies the key to happiness

jww

SteveK · Post by **SteveK** » Mon May 08, 2006 6:29 pm

I now use C&E creams almost exclusively, after many years using Trumpers. The reason? I actually find the C&E creams to have better lubrication. The way I judge this, however, may not be embraced by others: after a final SN pass, I sometimes add a touch of water across the skin, using wet fingers. The C&E creams seem to leave just enough of a residue to allow a skip-free pass without irritation. I cannot seem to do this consistently with Trumpers creams. Both brands wash off easily, so “residue” is not to imply a negative here.

I also think the cream/water ratio and mixing makes a critical difference in any cream. The C&E is quite different than Trumpers, and maybe a little less forgiving: just a little too much water results in a significant degradation in lubrication. I find that it requires more C&E cream per use vs. Trumpers to achieve an optimal mix. As far as Nomad, I don’t find any real difference between it and the Almond Oil variety.

Steve

jww · Post by **jww** » Tue May 09, 2006 6:45 am

SteveK wrote:I now use C&E creams almost exclusively, after many years using Trumpers. The reason? I actually find the C&E creams to have better lubrication. The way I judge this, however, may not be embraced by others: after a final SN pass, I sometimes add a touch of water across the skin, using wet fingers. The C&E creams seem to leave just enough of a residue to allow a skip-free pass without irritation. I cannot seem to do this consistently with Trumpers creams. Both brands wash off easily, so “residue” is not to imply a negative here.

I also think the cream/water ratio and mixing makes a critical difference in any cream. The C&E is quite different than Trumpers, and maybe a little less forgiving: just a little too much water results in a significant degradation in lubrication. I find that it requires more C&E cream per use vs. Trumpers to achieve an optimal mix. As far as Nomad, I don’t find any real difference between it and the Almond Oil variety.
Steve

Yup - C&E is great IMO as well. I find it a bit more difficult to get the right mix of water/cream when using a bowl, but when I use my cupped hand, don't find it as much of an issue.

In terms of lubrication, I believe that almond oil by nature has a high level of lubrication. I am not sure what ingredient is used to create more lubrication in the non-almond scents but suspect it's glycerin.

I find the Sweet Almond Oil cream great for blade buffing at the end of my shave.

jww

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:44 am

Well, that did it. I used quite a bot more cream than I would normally use and it was a nice slick shave today. Very nice cream.

JohnP · Post by **JohnP** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:49 am

Perhaps this is blasphemy, what with all the different bowls, scuttles and mugs out there, but have you tried lathering directly on your face?
I usually lather a cream directly on my face, and usually I can tell simply by the way the lather feels as I work the brush if it is wet enough or not. I start fairly dry, and then if I need more water I just splash some onto the brush or dip the tips and keep working the lather.
Kindof hard for me to explain it exactly, but I usually get great results. If I use a bowl, it is usually because I either really love or really hate a cream, and want to take pictures for a review...
John P.

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Tue May 09, 2006 8:53 am

I've done both, but I tend to stick with the bowl for creams and face for soaps. But your idea has merit and it may be a good way to try new creams where you're not familiar with the cream/water ratio.

English · Post by **English** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:04 am

Didn't like to say it. But that is it. You need to use more C&E cream because it isn't as rich as some other makes.

Infact, tub for tub, Trumpers gives better value for money than C & E by about a 2:1 ratio.

I used C&E creams for years until I discovered Trumpers. Trumpers is in my opinion much richer and so you need to use half the quantity. Even then after three passes, blade buffing and cleaning the bathroom sink, there is enough left in the brush to paint the ceiling. Not so with C&E. C&E does however give a great shave but not better than Trumpers IMHO.

Hope this helps.

letterk · Post by **letterk** » Tue May 09, 2006 9:09 am

Right. I had to use about double what I would with my Taylors. The catch is that I get to double my cahsback bonus from Discover at C&E. So the cost isn't much of an issue. I'm a fan of some of their others stuff (love the A/S), so maybe I'll just use my giftcards for non-cream items.