I remember my first shot of lemon-cello. It was at my best friend's son's wedding. Since all the men in the party were participating, I anticipated a manly sort of shot--one that would singe the tongue, warm the throat and leave coals in my innards. Instead, I had to choke down what tasted like cloyingly sweet, Lemon Dawn dishwashing detergent. My initial reaction to Cella shaving cream was very similar.
After reading about Cella in so many posts and hearing its accolades from B&B members (the famous Marco among them!) I decided to give Cella a shot too. I drove to my local B&M shaving store and picked some up along with other supplies to assuage yet another wave of AD. When I got home, filled with excitement, I immediately went in to shave with the Cella for my first time.
Oh, the disappointment! The Archangel Gabriel did not appear to brush the sumptuous lather onto my face! The lesser angels didn't even bother to look down upon this new convert, and sing to me as so many reviewers on this site confirmed happened to them!
I used a fairly warm scuttle and Simpson Emperor to build the lather. My first impression of the Cella smella was cloying, sweet, and strong, filling the bathroom, then the whole first floor of the house. "What's that smell?!?" my wife shouted from her piano. The lather itself left much to be desired also. I whipped up a storm, but all I could produce was cup of small, thin-walled bubbles like liquid styrofoam that quickly dissipated into a dry, thin sludge. I whipped like a madman again, to no avail. Adding insult to injury, at the bottom of the scuttle, solid chunks of Cella lingered undissolved, like punks hanging out on the street corner after you threaten to call the cops.
I thought it might be the heat causing problems. So, I got out my stainless steel bowl instead. I scooped out a heaping teaspoon sized dollop of Cella. Using only tepid water this time, I whipped, and whipped and whipped for about 10 minutes. The Cella finally yielded up a batch of lather that was shaveable, though not up to the standards of Proraso, let alone my Trumper Coconut. And again, undissolved chunks of Cella remained scornfully loitering in the bottom of the bowl.
The scent (Almond? Vanilla Canolli?), I may get used to, though my wife will not. Many questions remain....
Will I need to use gobs of product and put in 10 minutes of elbow grease every time I want to shave with this? Are the joys of Cella worth the effort? Gentlemen! Oh, you lovers of Cella! Where did I go wrong? I herein make my confession! I have failed to find the good of this product. Tell me how to obtain the hidden pleasures and gain the skills and secret method of preparation of this much touted and highly regarded shave cream!
Perhaps, I am not worthy? I was not THAT sinful as a youth. All you singers of praise to Cella--I humbly seek your answers and advice!
After reading about Cella in so many posts and hearing its accolades from B&B members (the famous Marco among them!) I decided to give Cella a shot too. I drove to my local B&M shaving store and picked some up along with other supplies to assuage yet another wave of AD. When I got home, filled with excitement, I immediately went in to shave with the Cella for my first time.
Oh, the disappointment! The Archangel Gabriel did not appear to brush the sumptuous lather onto my face! The lesser angels didn't even bother to look down upon this new convert, and sing to me as so many reviewers on this site confirmed happened to them!
I used a fairly warm scuttle and Simpson Emperor to build the lather. My first impression of the Cella smella was cloying, sweet, and strong, filling the bathroom, then the whole first floor of the house. "What's that smell?!?" my wife shouted from her piano. The lather itself left much to be desired also. I whipped up a storm, but all I could produce was cup of small, thin-walled bubbles like liquid styrofoam that quickly dissipated into a dry, thin sludge. I whipped like a madman again, to no avail. Adding insult to injury, at the bottom of the scuttle, solid chunks of Cella lingered undissolved, like punks hanging out on the street corner after you threaten to call the cops.
I thought it might be the heat causing problems. So, I got out my stainless steel bowl instead. I scooped out a heaping teaspoon sized dollop of Cella. Using only tepid water this time, I whipped, and whipped and whipped for about 10 minutes. The Cella finally yielded up a batch of lather that was shaveable, though not up to the standards of Proraso, let alone my Trumper Coconut. And again, undissolved chunks of Cella remained scornfully loitering in the bottom of the bowl.
The scent (Almond? Vanilla Canolli?), I may get used to, though my wife will not. Many questions remain....
Will I need to use gobs of product and put in 10 minutes of elbow grease every time I want to shave with this? Are the joys of Cella worth the effort? Gentlemen! Oh, you lovers of Cella! Where did I go wrong? I herein make my confession! I have failed to find the good of this product. Tell me how to obtain the hidden pleasures and gain the skills and secret method of preparation of this much touted and highly regarded shave cream!
Perhaps, I am not worthy? I was not THAT sinful as a youth. All you singers of praise to Cella--I humbly seek your answers and advice!
