Creams that are not so creamy anymore.

[CPTdeLos]

I have a few samples of TOBS and had not used them for a while. When I used one a few days ago it was significantly stiffer, dried out, than it had been just a few months ago. Does this happen with all creams? Any way of getting the old consistency back. I just don't want to buy a tub and have it lose its texture.

BTW, it lathered just fine after I got it into the brush.

 

[Zarba]

I had that issue with an old tub of AoS cream. I sprinkled some water on it and waited a day; then mixed it up again and added a little more water. After a few days of this it was back to its old consistency. Still a few hard spots, but much improved. Key was adding just a little water each time so it didn't get soupy.

I did have to fish out a few rocks, but overall it worked.

 

[ask4Edge]

A slightly desiccated cream should be fine. If severe, it can be puck lathered.

However, if compelled to mix water into the entire contents, might want to use distilled or deionized instead of tap — so as not to chance a significant change in cream inherent properties.

 

[CPTdeLos]

I had that issue with an old tub of AoS cream. I sprinkled some water on it and waited a day; then mixed it up again and added a little more water. After a few days of this it was back to its old consistency. Still a few hard spots, but much improved. Key was adding just a little water each time so it didn't get soupy.

I did have to fish out a few rocks, but overall it worked.

Thanks for this tip, I'll do that, and use distilled water too.

 

[tromboneliness]

Be aware that TOBS creams are themselves highly variable in how "creamy" they are. Some are (seemingly) as hard as an Italian soft soap, others are soft and creamy.

With the harder ones (like your samples) I just scoop out a small amount and lather it. It seems to me that if you just try lathering your samples they ought to spontaneously rejuvenate.

 

[dotKomo]

As stated above, most likely the problem was it has dried out. Add some water and it should be good as new.

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

I have a few samples of TOBS and had not used them for a while. When I used one a few days ago it was significantly stiffer, dried out, than it had been just a few months ago. Does this happen with all creams? Any way of getting the old consistency back. I just don't want to buy a tub and have it lose its texture.

BTW, it lathered just fine after I got it into the brush.

Unfortunately, this is the nature of the beast for this particular soap based style of Shaving Cream. Once you open it and expose it to the air, that air does have a tendency to evaporate the product which will change the consistency over time. Also remember when you begin to use the product there is less and less of the product and more and more "headspace" in the container which means more air will stay in the container after each use. The only real solution is to try and use the product more quickly. I know some people like to rotate their creams and such but that is one of the reasons that product will have more opportunity to change in substance. Those of us who make this style of shaving cream are or should be aware of the potential for change over time with this product but you as customers should also be aware that this is an occurrence and be prepared for it. I hope this helps!

 

[tromboneliness]

Cream dries out a bit with time, we make lather with water, cream works fine. Done. This isn't rocket science.

 

[RayClem]

As an example, here is the ingredient list from TOBS sandalwood:
Aqua, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Coconut Acid, Glycerin, Parfum, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinon

Of these components, the only ones that have significant volatility are the Aqua (water) and the Parfum (fragrance). Thus, these are the components that what will evaporate from the cream over time. You can always add back the water, but the fragrance components (especially the volatile topnotes) will be lost forever. The sandalwood fragrance component is a less volatile basenote, so it will remain longer than other fragrance components.

By the way, the Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinon are biocides that keep bacteria, yeast and other fungi from growing in your tub of cream. A cream with preservatives should last a few years if tightly closed. Some creams like Cella contain no preservatives and should be used more quickly.

Hard soaps can last for many years. I found some soap that was over 20 years old. It still lathered fine.

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

Interestingly enough, I had an experience when I was filling samples today. I opened a container of shaving cream and found that it was very firm to the touch so I took the implement I use for filling the little containers and began to stir it! It seemed quite firm at first but in very little time it softened right up and became quite pliable again! Remember the base of these creams is a high-chain fatty acid called Stearic Acid which produces quite a firm soap after saponification especially with sodium hydroxide but potassium hydroxide creates a more water soluble soap creating the "creaminess" of the soap. The combination can firm up in time and settle into something that is more firm than the original but with some stirring can regain its' original consistency! Give it a try before you add water and see what happens for you!

 

[RayClem]

Some of you may find the following information interesting. If not, you are welcome to skip it.

Many of the fluids with witch we are familiar are called Newtonian fluids because their viscosity is independent of sheer rate. Water is the most common Newtonian fluid. However, there are also non-Newtonian fluids that react strangely to sheer forces.

A thixotropic fluid is one whose viscosity decreased with the rate of sheer. Thus, the faster you stir it, the thinner it becomes. When the sheer is decreased, the fluid thickens. Some common thixotropic fluids are ketchup, yogurt, paint, quicksand, blood and shaving cream. When you stir ketchup, paint and shaving cream, they becomes thinner. When you quit stirring, they thicken. We use the thixotropic properties of shaving cream to be able to whip up a nice lather and apply it to our face. Then when the lather has been applied, it thickens up and stays where we put it until our razor scrapes it off. Blood flows smoothly through our blood vessels due to sheer rate, but when we nick ourselves with a razor and apply pressure to stop the bleeding, the blood thickens and clots because the sheer rate is low.

The opposite of a thixotropic fluid is a dilatant flud. They are not quite as common. If you mix cornstarch and water in the right proportions, it will be a thin paste as long as you do not apply excessive sheer. With rapid stiffing, it will become quite thick. Dilatant fluids are also used in some limited slip differentials in all wheel drive cars. When all wheels are turning at the same speed, the sheer rate is low and little power is transferred to the rear wheels. If the front wheels start to slip on the pavement, the sheer rate at the differential increases. In response to this increased sheer, the dilatant fluid will thicken transferring power to the rear wheels.

 

[tromboneliness]

^^ Ah . . . so it is rocket science after all.

 

[RayClem]

Absolutely! Shaving is both an art and a science. Once you learn to engage both sides of your brain, you can shave with either hand.

 

[tromboneliness]

So in other words, Just Add Water. Who knew?

 

[RayClem]

Add water and stir like crazy.

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

Some of you may find the following information interesting. If not, you are welcome to skip it.
A thixotropic fluid is one whose viscosity decreased with the rate of sheer. Thus, the faster you stir it, the thinner it becomes. When the sheer is decreased, the fluid thickens. Some common thixotropic fluids are ketchup, yogurt, paint, quicksand, blood and shaving cream. When you stir ketchup, paint and shaving cream, they becomes thinner. When you quit stirring, they thicken. We use the thixotropic properties of shaving cream to be able to whip up a nice lather and apply it to our face. Then when the lather has been applied, it thickens up and stays where we put it until our razor scrapes it off.

Ray, Your statement above indicates that you can make all of those substances become thinner by stirring but says nothing about needing to add water for that to happen. As I stated above, I have been able to stir stiff shaving cream and within a very short period of time it became much more pliable without adding water. If it were to be used then the water would be required to make it work the way it is supposed to work but it isn't required to make it return to its' original consistency before it is used. Yet your last statement indicates that you need to "Add water and stir like crazy". I just want to make sure I understand what you are saying as your last statement seems to disagree with your longer post above. It may just be that you are indicating that is what someone needs to do to use it, not just to make it a smoother consistency and leave it for later use. Please advise...thanks!

 

[RayClem]

MilfordMJGuy

Sorry for the confusion. What I was trying to convey in my first message about the thixotropic nature of shaving cream is that the creams respond to sheer.

If the cream has become thick simply because it has been allowed to sit in a jar then, stirring will make it more creamy. However, when you stop stirring, it will return to its thicker state when the sheer is removed.

If water has evaporated from the cream, then simply stirring will not restore the original creamy texture, it will also be necessary to "add water and stir like crazy" so the water is incorporated into the emulsion.

When we generate a lather, we do so by "adding water and stirring like crazy" to make a smooth, creamy lather. As we "paint" the lather on our face, sheer helps the lather smoothly cover our face. After we apply the lather to our face, sheer is no longer present so viscosity of the cream increases so the lather stays where we put it.

When we start to shave, the razor edge applies sheer to the lather so it again becomes less viscous and transfers from our skin to the razor. When the sheer is removed, the lather thickens on the body of the razor, holding it there. When we wipe the lather off the razor with a trial, the sheer causes the lather to become fluid again so the lather is transferred from the razor to the towel.

All of this happens without our ever realizing what it really taking place.

I hope that explanation removes any confusion.

 

[MilfordNJGuy]

Ray, thanks so much for taking the time to clarify things for me and everyone else here. For me, working with formulas (based on 100%) during processing in which there is heat there is therefore some water loss. At the end of a typical Cosmetic Chemistry process, the batch is then weighed and the water is replaced to equal 100% again. For me, fragrance is added the next day during homogenization process. Also, remember that there is Glycerin in most of these kinds on formulas which is a humectant which attracts water and to some degree plays a role in this.

I have found that "rehomogenizing" a batch that has firmed up with time works and with my formulas this process seems to stay that way for some time. This may be the case for other brands as well and my point in bringing this up is that anyone purchasing a tub of shaving cream and finds it has a thick consistency can just stir it and that should bring it back to its' original consistency for an undetermined amount of time and for that time it will be quite usable for them! This is good knowledge for everyone to have and I appreciate you bringing it up here! Thanks for further explaining the thixotropic nature of shaving cream and its' involvement during the shaving process so that we all can understand what is going on and that we have ways of making it work better for us!

 

[cw62803]

When my creams seem thicker than normal, I stir in a little distilled water and seal up the tub. So far, this has worked every time.