Proraso Green Soap versus Bigelow Cream

For the past month I have thoroughly enjoyed using Bigelow cream, having discovered it at Bath and Body Works. I love the ease of use and the great shaves it provides. Then this morning, I went back to the Proraso Green Soap.

I don't know what I did differently but the Proraso was better by a large margin than the Bigelow. The lather was thicker, fuller, and richer. Most of all, there was a slickness with the Proraso that allowed the razor to really glide. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the Bigelow but I "love" the Proraso. I think I will keep the Bigelow as a traveling cream and use Proraso Soap at home. I realize YMMV.

Anyone else experienced this phenomenon?

To me it sounds like what you are describing is not between proraso and bigelow, but rather a difference in your preference between creams and soaps. If you try the proraso cream you may say that you still prefer the soap.
Some people do prefer one over the other. I like them both for different reasons, that is why I uberlather quite a bit (plus it overcomes our hard water).

I use and enjoy both creams and soaps.
Creams: TOBS Rose, EJ Sandalwood, Bigelow
Soaps: Proraso Green, Proraso White, MWF, Trumpers Rose, Willams, VDH

If I were to compare creams to creams, the TOBS Rose is much "slicker" than the Bigelow. I guess I naively thought the Bigelow cream and Proraso soap would be identical in the shave. You may be right that I was mainly experiencing a difference between using a cream and using a soap.

I still like and enjoy the Bigelow.

I am fairly new to the game but, in addition to the listed creams/soaps that I own, I tried the Trumpers sampler and the Truefitt & Hill Sampler. Regardless of price, my favorite cream/soap would be Proraso Green soap. YMMV.