Not being a chemist, I can't say for sure. But below is what I had written in a previous post. Perhaps a more knowledgeable member can chime in.
Cella Red Tub.
- Thread starter jonwilson
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I'm no chemist either, but isn't there something in the processing of soap that makes a difference? Like triple milled soaps last forever, but croaps don't? I'm far from smart, so I could easily be stating the obvious, or I am comparing apples to oranges.
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I know a man who used to make and sell quite a few soaps. He would warn that they would turn rancid after a couple of years. The weird thing is that he used a mixture of oils and fats such as coconut oil, but not almond oil or tallow. The bulk of the fat he used was pig lard. He made very nice soaps.
I live in the hot and humid south, so putting it in the fridge is just a extra precaution for me. I keep my soaps that aren't in use in the fridge anyway since I switch up between summer and winter. IE Stirling Gentleman or Hot Apple Cider for cold weather and Stirling Glacial Citron or Captain's Choice Nor'Easter for hot.
I'll just grab the Cella when I'm grabbing the milk for my coffee if I'm going to use it like I did this morning. If you decide to try the Cella Bio get the tub and not the tube. It's much too hard to be sold in tube form.
I live in the hot and humid south, so putting it in the fridge is just a extra precaution for me. I keep my soaps that aren't in use in the fridge anyway since I switch up between summer and winter. IE Stirling Gentleman or Hot Apple Cider for cold weather and Stirling Glacial Citron or Captain's Choice Nor'Easter for hot.
I'll just grab the Cella when I'm grabbing the milk for my coffee if I'm going to use it like I did this morning. If you decide to try the Cella Bio get the tub and not the tube. It's much too hard to be sold in tube form.
Cella is a classic! I’m happy you’re trying it.
CELLA Milano Extra Extra Purissima is THE SOAP. It is always in my top 3 for life. Super easy to lather with, thick and easiest to lather with. I suggest getting a boar brush and a shave bowl. I honestly have not measured soap, I put in around 12g into a shave bowl and it usually is good for several shaves. 100g probably lasts for a month or so if used every day. I think you probably use 1-2 g per shave so at minimum 100-200 shaves, probably more. The soap does brown after sitting around for awhile though it resembles a dry almond in color. CELLA can take a LOT of water, it is very forgiving for that reason. What else do you need to know about it? It is not hard like a bar of white soap. Some people do not like saying it is "soft soap" so they made up a new word. The almond color of the soap is perfectly usable.
CELLA is tallow, so tallow has a lot of cushion, pillowy soft. Thick, creamy consistency. It makes a LOT of lather for around 7 passes, perfect for the 3 face lather passes and 3 head shave passes, plus a touch up pass.
If it is black (not brown) then it is rancid.
I have some soap and it definitely is not brown. More like the color of the almond on the inside, ivory colored. When you get it on day one it is going to look white with fat in it.
It probably looks more like the almond colored shell in color.
It irritated my face because I never washed the soap off, so give several rinses with cold water. You might like rinsing half way through the shave so you can feel your face and see what areas you still need to shave. I also found those Gillette blades were so intense for my newbie face that I switched to Personna Platinum and Rapira. You might like with some Lord blades. Tallow has good post-shave feel and excellent cushion or protection.
Have not used Proraso, both are Italian soap.
CELLA is tallow, so tallow has a lot of cushion, pillowy soft. Thick, creamy consistency. It makes a LOT of lather for around 7 passes, perfect for the 3 face lather passes and 3 head shave passes, plus a touch up pass.
If it is black (not brown) then it is rancid.
I have some soap and it definitely is not brown. More like the color of the almond on the inside, ivory colored. When you get it on day one it is going to look white with fat in it.
It probably looks more like the almond colored shell in color.
It irritated my face because I never washed the soap off, so give several rinses with cold water. You might like rinsing half way through the shave so you can feel your face and see what areas you still need to shave. I also found those Gillette blades were so intense for my newbie face that I switched to Personna Platinum and Rapira. You might like with some Lord blades. Tallow has good post-shave feel and excellent cushion or protection.
Have not used Proraso, both are Italian soap.
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You might like to try the green tub Cella (Extra Extra Bio). It has most of the virtues of the Red and no concerns about going bad on you. It does not have the almond scent, though. The almond scent triggers skin irritation in some people.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
Me too. There’s another advantage to the fridge, if you line the back of it with soaps you won’t have as many food items go missing until they get old or spoil, lol.
Steve56
Ask me about shaving naked!
If Cella smells like old peanut butter, it’s rancid regardless of the color.
Get some 3P, it’s better soap and considerably more stable.
Get some 3P, it’s better soap and considerably more stable.
Mine went bad too. I store my soaps Under the sink. My heater vent used to bleed into the cabinet making it hot. I fixed that issue but some of my soaps became a little dry and cella died. I also would leave it out overnight to dry the water from the brush. I’ll be more careful with the next tub. Yes it’s worth a second chance. My boys and I love it!
The block of Cella is large enough and cheap enough to be extremely generous with its use. I press some into a wide shaving bowl, half way up. Load with a brush and keep loading until the soap becomes thick and creamy as opposed to just a thin foam at the beginning of loading. . You get a thick creamy lather on your brush and face feel which is luxurious. Ok, your block might last a little bit less, but a block is same cost as a 150g of many other soaps and creams.
Cella red has been virtually my only soap since I first used it in March of this year. It smells great, provides a wonderful slickness and isn't overpowering with fragrance, like some soaps are.
I've got a few other soaps, but almost never use them. I always prefer Cella red.
I've got a few other soaps, but almost never use them. I always prefer Cella red.
I used the BIO and ran out of it. I decanted into a Yoplait glass Oui jar. I tried loading from the jar though it was kind of small so I put into a shave bowl or a hand lather to get it started. I think the tube is meant to apply soap straight to the brush and start face lathering. It is thick stuff, not like CREMO at all.
A lot of people blame the soap. It is not the soap's fault. Do not blame the soap. Soap is always good.
The green stuff has a long nose. Just wash your face extremely well after shaving for newbies with water.
I've 3 brushes, badger S V , Simpson chubby 2 synthetic, and muhle synthetic travel brush. All perform superbly. I've been using the soap all week and it's one of the best soaps.
Razor has been Feather, expensive yes, but shaves are outstanding.
- Thread starter
- #35
Have not thought about using the 150g tubs. Do you scoop out of the tub into a bowl? Or lather straight from the bowl to load and then build on the face?
- Thread starter
- #37
I got my cella red today. I have not used it yet, but when I do, I will lather straight from the red tub. I think that is what most shavers who use cella do. load directly from the red tub.
The tub is a bit small. If you have a larger brush, putting a portion of the soap into a larger bowl can improve things. This will also keep the soap in the original tub pristine.
Anytime I use a cream or soft soap (croap), I scoop out a dollop and place it in my lathering bowl. Far less messy than whipping up the lather in the tub, especially a small tub. But to each his own. 
I have loaded Cella on brush then face lather. Today, I put a small amount in a shave bowl and the lather was first class. I reckon Cella is the soap ANY regardless of price has to beat. If you havnt bowl lather then do try. At first I thought I'd added too much water, but kept whipping and it soon turned into luxury.
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