Proraso "Wood and Spice" SOAP experiment.

[Cal]

I thought it would be nice to have a soap version of this Proraso Single Blade cream.

As I love experiments I thought "well, let's make some!" I'm assuming that Proraso make their "Single Blade" creams the same way as they do their traditional ones; i.e. by the "hot soap process" where they leave them to cure for three days (and the soaps to cure in small batches for 10 days).

So all I've done is to squeeze some cream into a container which I will leave open, to cure for a further seven days.

I'll report back in a week.

As you'd probably guess, the most labor intensive part of this experiment so far has been making the label for the container.

 

[BigJ]

Interesting! Keep us posted (PLEASE)!

 

[Cino]

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

Interesting, Cal. (Hey, new avatar! ) Since the cream should already be cured, won't leaving it out simply dehydrate it? Do you hypothesize that the difference in making lather with the left-out cream will be the amount of water, or do you predict a fundamental performance difference?

 

[Cal]

Since the cream should already be cured, won't leaving it out simply dehydrate it?

It will simply cure it further (or mature it as Proraso would say) I believe. And sure yes, that will dehydrate it further.

Do you hypothesize that the difference in making lather with the left-out cream will be the amount of water, or do you predict a fundamental performance difference?

Hey Grant, you know me. I like to keep things simple. I'll leave the complex numbers stuff to you.

What I do predict is that the resulting croap will have a similar consistency to my favorite Proraso Red croap (as opposed to my favorite Proraso Red cream). And of course I'll find out if that prediction is correct, or not, after the further curing period.

I do enjoy the differences between creams and croaps. Currently, with large brushes I'll use cream and bowl lather (once)... whereas with small brushes I'll use croap and load as I go.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

That's cool, @Cal. I look forward to your results. No numbers are necessary.

 

[Cal]

1st REPORT AFTER SEVEN DAY CURE

After exactly seven days of sitting open to cure, I screwed the lid back on the container. The net weight is 15% less than when it started out, and for sure it FEELS like soap now.

Before screwing the lid back on I took it out of its “curing cupboard” and left it out for a couple of hours. Boy, you certainly know its there!

I intend using it later this evening and will report back with my first impressions.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

@Cal: Are you going to dig into the cream-turning-into-soap to check out the difference in consistency from top to bottom? The top should be denser, I think, where the cream is exposed to air and has lost more water. Who knows? Maybe deep into the cream it is still cream. Maybe the top is like a thicker soap disk on top of softer cream.

 

[Cal]

FIRST SHAVE WITH WOOD AND SPICE SOAP

All I can say is this soap’s performance was excellent.

Well, in fact, I can say a little more. The consistency was exactly like your regular Proraso soap in a tub.* And boy, the scent is STRONG!

I finished my shave off with Proraso Red (Sandalwood) ASL, and now 1½ hours later all I can smell is Wood and Spice. Fortunately it’s quite pleasant.

I’ll stay with it for a week and report back then. BTW, with soaps (vs creams) I face lather and load as I go (if/when required). The soap vs cream version is very economical. I used hardly any and had bags of lather for two full passes plus a final post-shave lather.


* Hey Grant, I suspect that you haven’t used Italian soft soaps. If my suspicions are right, it’s something that you MUST DO!

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

FIRST SHAVE WITH WOOD AND SPICE SOAP

All I can say is this soap’s performance was excellent.

View attachment 857526

Well, in fact, I can say a little more. The consistency was exactly like your regular Proraso soap in a tub.* And boy, the scent is STRONG!

I finished my shave off with Proraso Red (Sandalwood) ASL, and now 1½ hours later all I can smell is Wood and Spice. Fortunately it’s quite pleasant.

I’ll stay with it for a week and report back then. BTW, with soaps (vs creams) I face lather and load as I go (if/when required). The soap vs cream version is very economical. I used hardly any and had bags of lather for two full passes plus a final post-shave lather.

Cool, Cal! Thanks for the update!

* Hey Grant, I suspect that you haven’t used Italian soft soaps. If my suspicions are right, it’s something that you MUST DO!

Your suspicion is correct! I will have to remedy the situation someday.

 

[Cal]

Your suspicion is correct! I will have to remedy the situation someday.

Surely you mean "I will have to remedy the situation IMMEDIATELY!" No?

Unfortunately there is none of this wonderful stuff left on the market:

But if you ask our good friend Rave @Raven Koenes I'm sure he'll be able to help you with excellent "buy it now" advice.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

Surely you mean "I will have to remedy the situation IMMEDIATELY!" No?

I don't know how I could have slipped like that. My bad.

 

[cw62803]

Great experiment, Cal! Enjoy your new soap!

 

[Cal]

Great experiment, Cal! Enjoy your new soap!

Thank you CW.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Unfortunately there is none of this wonderful stuff left on the market:

View attachment 857542

Wrong!

Well, I get why you'd think that, but here's the deal, Cal.

Knowing how vitally important this stuff is, I've purchased the entire world's supply, and put it into secret bunkers and hidden warehouses. I plan to sell it, but the markup will be, well, let's say I've taken lessons from some pharmaceutical entrepreneurs.

Don't worry though, all BOSC members get it at cost.

Oh, except Rave @Raven Koenes.

Spoiler: Why doesn't Rave get it at cost?

Rave gets his free. Perpetual inventor's royalties.

That's another good reason to be in the brotherhood.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[GearNoir]

Seriously, that’s all I have to do to turn a cream into a soap...leave it stilling out for a week? Or am I missing something?

Bravo you for figuring that out!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I love this, Cal, what a great idea.

Simple project. Great results.

One of my favorite soaps is Proraso Red (in a tub). So, you're saying what you made from the stuff in a tube works pretty much just like Proraso Red (in a tub), but has an incredibly good and strong scent? That is what you are saying? Right?

What a great idea.

Now I have to figure out which of the single blade cream scents I'd like best. Also, the one you used is out of stock at Amazon so it is probably the most popular. It is so hard for me (everybody?) to tell how something is going to smell by reading about it.

Great experiment. Just BOSC enough.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Johnnynroy]

I love this, Cal, what a great idea.

View attachment 857615

Simple project. Great results.

One of my favorite soaps is Proraso Red (in a tub). So, you're saying what you made from the stuff in a tube works pretty much just like Proraso Red (in a tub), but has an incredibly good and strong scent? That is what you are saying? Right?

What a great idea.

Now I have to figure out which of the single blade cream scents I'd like best. Also, the one you used is out of stock at Amazon so it is probably the most popular. It is so hard for me (everybody?) to tell how something is going to smell by reading about it.

Great experiment. Just BOSC enough.

Happy shaves,

Jim

I have the samples for each of the three scents in my cart at Maggard. Whenever I decide on exactly what else I’m going to be purchasing, I’m going to get those. I’m fairly certain a full bag of the azur lime is going to find its way into my cart, as the main thing I want is a good citrusy scented cream/soap to balance out my Bay rum and sandalwood scented products.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I have the samples for each of the three scents in my cart at Maggard.

Did someone say samples?

I've been looking for the small size tube and for samples, and been unsuccessful until now. Now, thanks to you, I've ordered the three samples + a sample of the original "red" aftershave. Much appreciated information.

I want to try Cal's cream to soap conversion, but not enough to buy a huge container without trying out the scents and the performance of the creams first. My suspicion is I will like the same scent Cal used, but that's only a guess.

Thanks, and happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Cal]

Seriously, that’s all I have to do to turn a cream into a soap...

That's it Chris.

But bear in mind that it's all soap, just at different stages of maturity... well, certainly as far as Proraso are concerned. Check out Proraso's descriptions of their products on their website.