Do all creams & soaps break down whisker strength?

[OldSaw]

I found a badger hair in my tub of Santa Maria Novella shave cream the other day that was in there for at least a week, since it wasn't there on the previous use. When I removed it I noticed that it was rather limp and discovered that it pulled apart very, very easily.

I am not sure I am up to doing a lab experiment, but it would be neat to see how different lathering products break down hair and how long it takes. I left my shave cream on for a good 5 minutes this morning, then reworked the lather with fresh lather from the brush. It was a very good shave, but I am not sure if it was noticeably better than any other shave with a good prep.

Just curious what others think.

 

[sehrgut]

Aha! Finally a use for the beard hair I'm going to shave off in the middle of December! I like how you think!

 

[northpaw]

I've thought for a while that it would be a great idea to get hairs and subject them to different products, photographing the results through a microscope. A lot of things are repeated about what heat, moisture, and acidity do to hairs, and it'd be great to visually observe whether or not hairs actually roughen, plump, etc.

 

[OldSaw]

I've thought for a while that it would be a great idea to get hairs and subject them to different products, photographing the results through a microscope. A lot of things are repeated about what heat, moisture, and acidity do to hairs, and it'd be great to visually observe whether or not hairs actually roughen, plump, etc.

I don't have a microscope. It would be nice to see the changes after 1, 3, 5, 10 etc. minute intervals.

 

[sehrgut]

I work in a bio lab, so I could probably come in on a weekend and take pictures with a scope . . .

 

[SilverToy]

This is the kind of thread that that makes my shake her head and walk away in shame realizing that she did indeed, settle. Me...I like the idea of 20-30 containers with 3 hairs in each one laying around the bathroom counter!

 

[Ramaniac]

Hair can't absorb anything can it? It is just dead cells. That is why all the vitamen enriched shampoos are bogus.

 

[sehrgut]

Hair can't absorb anything can it? It is just dead cells. That is why all the vitamen enriched shampoos are bogus.

The keratin matrix of hair can absorb quite a bit. "Wet hair" is not simply wet on the surface, but has absorbed water. Yes, the vitamin-enriched shampoos are bogus, but because vitamins do nothing for dead cells, not because they can't enter the dead cells.

 

[Venom8431]

I found a badger hair in my tub of Santa Maria Novella shave cream the other day that was in there for at least a week, since it wasn't there on the previous use. When I removed it I noticed that it was rather limp and discovered that it pulled apart very, very easily.

I am not sure I am up to doing a lab experiment, but it would be neat to see how different lathering products break down hair and how long it takes. I left my shave cream on for a good 5 minutes this morning, then reworked the lather with fresh lather from the brush. It was a very good shave, but I am not sure if it was noticeably better than any other shave with a good prep.

Just curious what others think.

I find that the more prep I do the better my shave. If I have time, I lather up with some Prosaro shave cream (not the pre/post), get in a hot shower and wash the lather off after about 5 minutes. Then I use St. Ives apricot scrub and a facial cleanser. Sometimes I'll apply a hair conditioner to my beard. After all that it's the usual hot water brush soak and lather routine. I also use a pre-save oil. On days I do all that I usually get a much smoother and more comfortable shave.