Different creams, same manufacture, how different are they?

[TheGrooveking]

I was wondering, I have C&E Nomad, Sienna, Sandalwood and Sweet Almond Oil creams. All have very, very similar consistency and feel, but of course different scents. So considering the discontinuance of all but the Nomad, is it just a scent thing? What's your take on this?

Same thing with TOBS, I have the Lavender and Avocado, both the same except for color and scent.

Same thing with GFT, I have Violet and Rose, they both seem very much the same except for color and scent, but I did notice the Rose lathers a little better. Can this be a batch to batch thing, of is it actually more to the recipe than base cream, scent and coloring?

 

[HoratioCaine]

In theory, all creams by a given maker should be pretty much the same, if the only thing different about them is the scent and color. (T&H Ultimate Comfort is one notable exception, since it actually has a different base formulation than the rest of their creams.) Having said that, some people note differences among them. For instance, some people swear Trumper Coconut Oil cream is creamier and more moisturizing than the other Trumper scents. Why this should be, I don't know, because it has the exact same formula as the others (it doesn't contain coconut oil, contrary to popular belief). And you are noticing the Rose lathers differently than the Violet. The chemists among us might be better able to explain why, but my guess is that the differing compounds in the various fragrances might affect latherability. Same with color compounds, possibly. And yes, it is possible to notice differences from batch to batch. My first-ever tub of Castle Forbes lime was easy to scoop out and lather, not hard or super dense; subsequent tubs have had the density of a soft soap. And there was also that debacle when Creightons switched their manufacturing plant and everybody swore Trumper reformulated, when it most likely was a manufacturing glitch that eventually got worked out. Alas, Trumper didn't own up to the gaffe, so people who bought the crappy tubs were stuck with them.

 

[cymric]

Mostly the formulations are identical, but there are a few exceptions. T&H Ultimate Comfort was already mentioned, and looking at this list I can only see TOBS Avocado being different owing to the addition of avocado. The rest are identical save for scent and fragrance. There might be small differences from batch to batch which probably accounts for the fact that some people claim they are different, and perhaps they are right in that regard. However, modern quality control should prevent serious swings in quality from coming out. Another explanation is that tactile memory is simply not that good. When I get a new soap or cream I always think that golly, this sure beats my standard products. But when I make a lather of those right after, the differences are actually not that great, and in most cases vanishingly small.

 

[BigRich]

I haven't found much variation between flavors from the same manufacturer. Generally, find a brand that works and then pick your favorite of their scents. There are exceptions as previously mentioned but by and large they're pretty consistent.

 

[HoratioCaine]

I can only see TOBS Avocado being different owing to the addition of avocado.

Good call. I forgot about the avocado. Interesting thing is that cream is an example where they actually have added an extra emollient ingredient to the basic cream base, which justifies its reputation as a conditioning cream. Quite the opposite of Trumper Coconut Oil. I really like the Coconut, but I've always found it misleading that they call it what they do, since it doesn't actually contain coconut oil. The ad copy on Trumper's website only adds to the misperception: "Extracted from fresh coconut pulp, this nourishing oil contains the finest moisturising properties and tends to a gentlemans skin and hair with the utmost enriching care. With such first-rate nourishing properties, shaving with coconut oil will prevent dryness to the skin." Notice that they're describing the benefits of coconut oil, but never say their products actually contain it. I'm surprised no one has called them on it. The cream does contain coconut acid, like all their other creams, but this is the refined portion of the coconut oil that is saponifiable. It lacks the beneficial, "botanical" elements of unrefined coconut oil, which is exactly what Trumper's rhetoric is trumpeting.