Thread: Is it a soap or a cream?

So is this a soap or a cream? Should I twirl or scoop (snurdle??) It says it's a shaving soap cream.

I load my brush straight from the tub. No need to snurdle Proraso.

I also do what my friend Theseus does: load the brush from the tub. Just be careful you don't overload.

Proraso is considered a soft soap. Most load it like a hard soap. I'm not sure if anyone else does this, but I leave the lid open to air dry it before storage, just to make sure it doesn't go really mushy or mouldy.

I tried to lather that stuff this morning and it just wasn't working. I guess it'll take some getting used to.

While I don't have Proraso in a tub, I do have Cella and Omega which are soft soaps and the same sort of consistency. Scooping them out into a bowl is not the best method in my opinion because the soap is too hard and even with a lot of lathering you'll find a bit of the glump of soap left.

I load a somewhat dryer brush than it seems most guys use and transfer it over to the bowl and drizzle in little bits of water as I go. It works great that way. I read on another forum to use a very wet brush to load but my method works better for me. It always boils down to too much water or not enough/too much product or not enough. It often takes a little experimenting.

Also, your brush matters as to loading and lathering. While I can get a good lather with these Italian soaps with either boar (Omega, Semogue, VdH) or badger (EJ super badger) or a mixed boar/badger (Vulfix 404), *I* get the best results with badger. BTW, that holds true for *any* soap or cream I own including hard soaps like PdP and MWF.

I have a Rooney silver tip, so I dont think it's the brush. I haven't had problems with any other soap or cream, but this seems to be a different animal. I'm sure I just have to experiment a little.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Proraso is considered a soft soap. Most load it like a hard soap. I'm not sure if anyone else does this, but I leave the lid open to air dry it before storage, just to make sure it doesn't go really mushy or mouldy.

Well, I agree with all of this*. It's not a "croap" or whatever the new term is these days... it's just a soft soap. Because it is soft and loads easily, it is more important to use a drier brush (nods to CSG), but the hairs should be hydrated. It's soft enough for easy loading and you don't want it to get too mushy, which would happen if it absorbs too much water. If it gets too mushy.. you can transfer it to a container with a screw top lid and you is like the creams in the tubs! It's the harder soaps that are more difficult to load where sprinkling a few drops directly on the puck of soap, after the initial loading, which enables more loading of the brush. Not necessary with a soft soap.

*still not the boss of me.

Originally Posted by weirdbob

I tried to lather that stuff this morning and it just wasn't working. I guess it'll take some getting used to.

Proraso has the reputation of being one of the easiest soaps to lather. You didn't mention how you lather, which would be a start before we can offer an opinion on what you're doing wrong.

Originally Posted by AxelH

Well, I agree with all of this*. It's not a "croap" or whatever the new term is these days... it's just a soft soap. Because it is soft and loads easily, it is more important to use a drier brush (nods to CSG), but the hairs should be hydrated. It's soft enough for easy loading and you don't want it to get too mushy, which would happen if it absorbs too much water. If it gets too mushy.. you can transfer it to a container with a screw top lid and you is like the creams in the tubs! It's the harder soaps that are more difficult to load where sprinkling a few drops directly on the puck of soap, after the initial loading, which enables more loading of the brush. Not necessary with a soft soap.

*still not the boss of me.

I agree with you too Axel, but don't let it get to your head lest you think you're the boss of me

It's easy, the main ingredient of the cream is water, but the main ingredients of the soap are oil or fat and the sodium or potassium hydroxyde . cream = soap + water