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Cella and Captain's Choice Italia

I recently ordered a tub of Cella, just because it was something I wanted to try for a long time and there was a sale. Yeah, I'm a sucker for sales. The Cella did not disappoint. It produced a great lather that was slick and comfortable. The scent was a distinct almond, which was nice. However, my wife smelled it and thought it was just OK. Yes, scents are very subjective. She also uses a DE for her legs, so it matters to me what she thinks of shave soaps. I happened to have a sample of Captain's Choice Italia, and almond scented shave soap. The performance was nearly identical, though the Captain's lathered up thicker and slicker. However, I didn't measure out the soap for either shave, so I can't say that one is better than the other. I may have simply had a better ratio of soap to water for the Captain's. Yet, when my wife smelled the Captain's Italia, she was sold on it. In fact, it will be the next tub of shave soap I order for her, once she gets done with Stirling's Christmas Tree, another shave soap she is hooked on. It is great to have a wife that shares my enjoyment of this hobby, although she thinks I take it to a new level. So, bottom line, if you like Cella I encourage you to try Captain's Choice Italia and see which you prefer. They are both great soaps at very reasonable prices.
 
Yep, everyone has different preferences. I can't figure out getting Christmas cookies from it, but I would be the last person to say my sniffer works well. Grin.
Italian Christmas cookies are their own thing. They use a small amount of bitter almond that gives them a distinctive flavor.

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I recently ordered a tub of Cella, just because it was something I wanted to try for a long time and there was a sale. Yeah, I'm a sucker for sales. The Cella did not disappoint. It produced a great lather that was slick and comfortable. The scent was a distinct almond, which was nice. However, my wife smelled it and thought it was just OK. Yes, scents are very subjective. She also uses a DE for her legs, so it matters to me what she thinks of shave soaps. I happened to have a sample of Captain's Choice Italia, and almond scented shave soap. The performance was nearly identical, though the Captain's lathered up thicker and slicker. However, I didn't measure out the soap for either shave, so I can't say that one is better than the other. I may have simply had a better ratio of soap to water for the Captain's. Yet, when my wife smelled the Captain's Italia, she was sold on it. In fact, it will be the next tub of shave soap I order for her, once she gets done with Stirling's Christmas Tree, another shave soap she is hooked on. It is great to have a wife that shares my enjoyment of this hobby, although she thinks I take it to a new level. So, bottom line, if you like Cella I encourage you to try Captain's Choice Italia and see which you prefer. They are both great soaps at very reasonable prices.
tbh to me the cella smelled like cherries or something
 
Being in the bakery business for over 40 years, cherries and almonds go hand in hand with each other. What I mean by this is almond emulsion is added to cherries, used for pie filling, to enhance the cherry flavor. So when one says they pick up the scent of cherry on something that is almond, or vice versa, they are not totally wrong.
 
To my nose the Italia smells like cherries as well.
I also get a distinct cherry note along with the almond from it. I was a tester of the aftershave splash for the Captain before it was released. A nice scent, but I decided the almond scent is not quite a fit for me to buy.
 
I just received a sample pack of Captain’s Choice soaps and wow, that Italia crushes Cella in my book for scents. I can understand people thinking cherry is the overwhelming strength however, being a marzipan hound, it hits that note very well for me. I thought it was similar to TOBS in viscosity but my first try took a ton of water. I wasn’t expecting so much load on my Yaqi synth so quickly. I think I’m going to love this these soaps once I figure out the proper method for lathering.
 

Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker

Likes a fat handle in his hand
I recently ordered a tub of Cella, just because it was something I wanted to try for a long time and there was a sale. Yeah, I'm a sucker for sales. The Cella did not disappoint. It produced a great lather that was slick and comfortable. The scent was a distinct almond, which was nice. However, my wife smelled it and thought it was just OK. Yes, scents are very subjective. She also uses a DE for her legs, so it matters to me what she thinks of shave soaps. I happened to have a sample of Captain's Choice Italia, and almond scented shave soap. The performance was nearly identical, though the Captain's lathered up thicker and slicker. However, I didn't measure out the soap for either shave, so I can't say that one is better than the other. I may have simply had a better ratio of soap to water for the Captain's. Yet, when my wife smelled the Captain's Italia, she was sold on it. In fact, it will be the next tub of shave soap I order for her, once she gets done with Stirling's Christmas Tree, another shave soap she is hooked on. It is great to have a wife that shares my enjoyment of this hobby, although she thinks I take it to a new level. So, bottom line, if you like Cella I encourage you to try Captain's Choice Italia and see which you prefer. They are both great soaps at very reasonable prices.

@Lightcs1776

Dude, I really love your post! I tried the Captains Choice Italia Aftershave sample that Captain Scott sent me with my scuttle order, and it was heavenly! The burn from the aftershave was strong, and it heated up my face, but it smelled heavenly, it actually made me hungry for vanilla cup cakes! And I felt my face after the dry down, super smooth man. Of course, I went for the BBS shave today, and I achieved it! But that aftershave sure does make your skin feel good, after the burn has gone of course hehe.

I also want to try out that Italia shave soap as well. My theory is, if I like the aftershave, no doubt I will love the shave soap too. Its great that your wife even gave you the OK on it, see, even she knows whats good! I tell you what, once you get the wifes certification of approval, thats when you say, yes mam, and you buy tubs of it, one for you, and one for her. Yes sir! Excellent review, loved it! :)
 
To me, the Italia scent is light but seductive. I get sweet almond and vanilla.

More interesting is the performance of the soap. It’s extremely slick. If I add enough moisture (more than usual), lathering and shaving are as good as with any soap I’ve used. If lather is too dry, it’s still slick, but it’s also gooey. Just add water.

Aside from wanting extra moisture, the soap has two peculiarities:

- It leaves oily residue on brush tips, at least on a badger brush. I get rid of it by rinsing thoroughly and using a different soap next time I use the brush
- When I rinse my face using water from the sink with ANY dissolved soap, my eyes sting. So I rinse usung new tap water.

I can live with these idiosyncrasies. So the soap works for me.
 
Yep, everyone has different preferences. I can't figure out getting Christmas cookies from it, but I would be the last person to say my sniffer works well. Grin.
Italian Christmas cookies usually have almond extract in them so I can see the comparison. I haven’t used captain’s choice Italia but I have used the Cella. Cella was one of the first commercial soaps that I used and it’s one of my favorites. Most of the Italian almond soaps I’ve tried has a cherrish scent to me
 
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