Cella sticky?

[filedog]

For several years, I've just been using Cremo. Hand lathering, no brush. It works really well for me.
Recently, I was looking through my shaving stuff, found my old brush and some Cella.
I really like the smell of Cella, so I gave it a try. The water is pretty hard here, and for my first attempt,
I didn't get that great of a lather, but the shave itself was good. It was the film on everything, afterwards.

I read a bunch of posts about hard water, and what to do to make it better. I had some Boraxo lying around,
so I added a bit to today's shave water, It did improve the problem somewhat, the lather was better,
but I still got this sticky film, on my face, the sink, razor and brush. It made the shave very draggy,
if you get my meaning, not smooth and slick like with Cremo. I think this is why I stuck with Cremo,
it just works so much better for me. But, I would like to try some other products.

I'm going to get some citric acid, and a Barrister & Mann sample, and try those. I read that creams are generally
better for hard water, but apparently Cella is ok with it too. I vaguely remember Proraso (Bigelow) cream leaving
a film too. I tried MWF, and could never get a decent lather. I don't know the actual measurements for my water
chemistry that is sometimes discussed. I'm ok with using "additives" like Boraxo or citric acid, but I would prefer
to not use distilled water.

 

[jason2]

I really like cremo original. Used it for over a decade. It's more slimy sticky slick if I were to describe it. Works great for shower shaving.

Lucky Tiger Liquid cream shave works well too. It's more of a soapy slick. It's probably the hardest for me to rinse off my fingers after application and before I grab the razor. Lathers up super easy.

EOS Blue Surf I picked up from Walmart applies very easily and wipes off easily. It was nice for camping. The least slick of what I've tried and liked.

My new favorite and currently using is Barbasol 1919. It's more of a buttery slick. Applies like a shea butter based cream so takes a bit more to rub in. But slick and seems to protect more. Fairly easy to rinse off after application and before grabbing my razor. I pick it up at a local Menards for $4.99

 

[filedog]

I messed up the title - should be Cella sticky. Cremo works great for me. Cella left residue I think was from the hard water. Wondering if anyone has an idea what's causing it.

 

[Lockback]

I'm a huge Cremo fan. I use it about half the time, every other day on average. And the water where I live absolutely &$^@! stinks. Water stains are a daily occurrence in my bathroom.
I don't have a problem rinsing Cremo off my face at all but I can understand how annoying that would be.

 

[filedog]

Cremo works great for me - no problem. I messed up the title.

 

[jason2]

Only thing I can think of is you might have really hard water and something in that hardness that doesn't rinse soap off well. It's odd to me because I feel like I can rinse soap off my hands with hard water but software always makes my hands feel soapy no matter how much I rinse. But it's probably the opposite of reality.

 

[ajkel64]

I messed up the title - should be Cella sticky. Cremo works great for me. Cella left residue I think was from the hard water. Wondering if anyone has an idea what's causing it.

FTFY.

 

[filedog]

FTFY.

Thanks!

 

[filedog]

Only thing I can think of is you might have really hard water and something in that hardness that doesn't rinse soap off well. It's odd to me because I feel like I can rinse soap off my hands with hard water but software always makes my hands feel soapy no matter how much I rinse. But it's probably the opposite of reality.

I get that feeling form soft water - it's like the soap won't rinse off. Yeah - I think it's the water, I'm going to try adding a little citric acid next. Otherwise, I might be stuck with Cremo.

 

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

We live in an area with moderately hard water.

Have we established the presence or absence of key ingredients that create problems with hard water?

For the record, my Cella lathers like a champ, here in there Colorado Front Range. Maybe our water is softer than I think?

BTW, I read the thread title to be a proposal to start a "sticky thread", and not an attribute of Cella.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

... Thom

 

[filedog]

We live in an area with moderately hard water.

Have we established the presence or absence of key ingredients that create problems with hard water?

For the record, my Cella lathers like a champ, here in there Colorado Front Range. Maybe our water is softer than I think?

BTW, I read the thread title to be a proposal to start a "sticky thread", and not an attribute of Cella.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming.

... Thom

What ingredients cause problems? The Cella lathered well, especially with a little Boraxo in the water, but it left a film on everything, including my face, which made the razor drag and stick. The film I can deal with, but the drag just wrecks the shave.

Yes, my title - making was sadly lacking when I created this thread!

 

[Buttercup]

I don't have any experience with hard water, but love Cella so I hope you can get this sorted and enjoy the benefits of a classic!

I believe I've read somewhere before where using distilled water if you have hard tap water. Do you bowl lather? If so, pick up a gallon of distilled water and see if that works when whipping up your lather. I use a CPAP and always have distilled water on hand. It's relatively cheap at a bit over a buck a gallon (US prices).

Good luck!

 

[filedog]

I don't have any experience with hard water, but love Cella so I hope you can get this sorted and enjoy the benefits of a classic!

I believe I've read somewhere before where using distilled water if you have hard tap water. Do you bowl lather? If so, pick up a gallon of distilled water and see if that works when whipping up your lather. I use a CPAP and always have distilled water on hand. It's relatively cheap at a bit over a buck a gallon (US prices).

Good luck!

I read about distilled water, and yeah, I might try it, but I like to fill the sink up with hot water, and if I only use distilled for the brush soak, then I still get the film on everything, or I have to heat a sinkful of distilled. In that case, I'll go back to Cremo, or maybe find another soap.

 

[Buttercup]

if I only use distilled for the brush soak, then I still get the film on everything

Sorry for me being a bit thick headed. Is the film coming from the tap water alone or from the reaction of the soap with the hard tap water?

My thought would be to soak your brush and build the lather with distilled water. Then, in theory, when you've completed the pass the majority of the lather has already been removed thus limiting the sticky film when you rinse your face. Just a thought!

But, if Cremo works then go with what works!

 

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

So I'm a noob at this, and with Cella, I'm finding an optimum level of lather density. From all of the YouTube videos I watched, my lather target was stiff peaks, with the lather glistening.

Well, this covers a range of densities (water content) and I found that I was either taking it too far, or alternatively not adding enough water. I was still getting a glistening surface but the lather was too dense.

My razor (a Henson +) was hydroplaning on the lather. I had to press too hard in order to make contact, and you know what happens when you use too much pressure.

I didn't notice any stickiness, as my focus was on the poor quality of my shave.

Once I dialed in my lathering protocol , life was slick and smooth. It only took one or two tries.

I don't know if this relates in any way to your situation, but playing with water content can't hurt.

Have you read @Marco's lathering tutorial?

Another thought ... I'm reading that some cap profiles can create a bit of suction. I wonder if that's what you're interpreting as being sticky?

... Thom

 

[filedog]

Sorry for me being a bit thick headed. Is the film coming from the tap water alone or from the reaction of the soap with the hard tap water?

My thought would be to soak your brush and build the lather with distilled water. Then, in theory, when you've completed the pass the majority of the lather has already been removed thus limiting the sticky film when you rinse your face. Just a thought!

But, if Cremo works then go with what works!

The film comes from the reaction. Yes, I could soak my brush in distilled, but I still spash from the (hot water in the) sink. I guess I could try not filling the sink, and rinsing from the tap, but I think I would still get a film. Thanks for your response! I am going to try citric acid in my water today. I have also found a few brands which are supposed to work better in hard water, like Proraso, B&M and....Arko, so I will try them.

 

[filedog]

Here's a pretty good article that talks about the problem, and lists some brands that (may) work. The ingredients EDTA, NTA, EDDS, and IDS are all ingredients used to make soap lather better in hard water.

The Best Shaving Soap for Hard Water (For Lather & Performance!)

If you have hard water, you probably have a hard time finding a shaving soap - or shampoo or body wash - that lathers well. Hard water causes soap to be less

imustacheyoutoshave.com

 

[NorthernSoul]

I'd try adding more water to your Cella lather, but do it gradually, with a brush. The resulting lather should be almost, but not quite runny, if you want to make it as slick as it can be. When using Cella, I always face lather it, that seems the easiest and simplest way to use it. There's also the Cella Extra Extra Bio in the green tub. I've switched over to that one.

 

[Eshebert]

I'd try adding more water to your Cella lather, but do it gradually, with a brush. The resulting lather should be almost, but not quite runny, if you want to make it as slick as it can be. When using Cella, I always face lather it, that seems the easiest and simplest way to use it. There's also the Cella Extra Extra Bio in the green tub. I've switched over to that one.

I was going to go into this by @nothernsoul hit the nail on the head. I did not care for Cella at first, but I shower shaved with it and as a result, a wetter lather and that was a game changer. Cella likes to be hydrated. The first thing I thought of when I read the tittle was, he is not using enough water.

 

[Galibier_Numero_Un]

I'm also not convinced that this is a hard water problem. I would definitely experiment with hydrating the lather. I would then return to first principles and purchase a gallon of distilled water.

If (after experimenting with hydration doesn't work) the distilled water fixes the problem, this might not be be a long term solution (cost, convenience, work flow), but you will have confirmed the nature of the problem.

If it doesn't correct the problem, then you also have a valuable piece of information.

At that point, you can develop a solution which might involve moving to another soap.

... Thom