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Proraso/Bigelow/Omega cream vs. Proraso/Omega soap in bowl

Proraso soap vs. Cream slickness

  • I have tried both and the soap is slicker

  • I have tried both and the cream is slicker

  • I have tried both and can tell no difference

  • I have only tried the soap and love it

  • I have only tried the cream and love it


Results are only viewable after voting.

JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
Wow!

I got some Omega soap in the bowl to try with my new boar brushes and used it for two consecutive shaves. Today I used Bigelow thinking I would have a similar experience, but was I ever wrong!

Now, C.O. Bigelow has been one of my favorite go-to creams since I started. But the difference in slickness is immense! I was shocked! The soap is so much more slippery it is almost unbelievable to me, I was not expecting that.

According to Marco these products are all made in the same factory, and despite whatever very small differences there might be between them, they are not meaningful. For all practical purposes, the Proraso=C.O. Bigelow=Omega creams and the Proraso green tub= Omega black tub. At least that is the overwhelming consensus.

I think the soft soap just knocked the cream out of my lineup for good. I cannot think of any good reason to use the cream again. What do you folks think?

If you have tried the Proraso, Bigelow or Omega cream, go ahead and vote. Same with the Proraso or Omega soap. This is primarily trying to see if there is a consensus on difference between the soap and the cream, not yet another thread on the differences between the brands.
 
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JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
RevSmoke, I was pretty much liking everything when I started. It has only been after about the six month mark that I started really noticing differences.

And Proraso cream (any brand) is great stuff! I was just amazed at the difference. You can really tell when you rinse between passes. I stopper up the sink and rinse my razor in the sink. I then use that water for between-pass rinses and boy was my face slick yesterday. I was looking for that today with the Bigelow and there really wasn't much of that feeling.

It will still be a staple, but probably more in the small tube for travel now. I think I'm hooked on the Italian soft soaps. Same with the RazoRock, which was the first Italian soft soap I tried. They are really remarkable.
 
Ive used the Omega in the black tub and Bigelow cream and out of those two I like Bigelow the most. It performed better for me.
 

JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
Well, there is no doubt at all they are terrific products. I just got the same feeling from the soap I got when I first tried the RazoRock. I noticed a slipperyness difference right away. I love the cream, though, I will still be using it for sure.

I am really becoming an Italian soft soap fan, though, the more I use them.
 
Same here. All I've been using lately is Razorock MDB and Cella with my new boar brush. Well those 2 and Tabac.
 
Yeah I cant wait! I got a brand new Omega SS for $7 with shipping and couldn't say no to that price. I'll let you know how it is!
 
My first cream was C.O.B. and it is still in my rotation. Not so much now as it is winter and I don't do much menthol in the winter, but come summer it will be my go to cream.
 

JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
Well Omega sopa again tomorrow with a boar. I transferred it into an empty RazorRock tub, using Marco's method. I will be very conscious of the level of slickness tomorrow.
 
I use Proraso in the tub and LOVE the tingle, especially when combined with the Pre-shave (used Pre and post). You think you like the soap now, try loading up a warm brush and face lather for a slick, protective coat. The face lather really works in the feeling from the menthol too, which is amazing!
 
I'm not that impressed with either cream or soap, just not slick enough.

The aftershave balm and splash that Proraso makes is the bomb. The scent is great and my skin glistens with the aftershave balm - one of my favourite aftershaves.
 

JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
I use Proraso in the tub and LOVE the tingle, especially when combined with the Pre-shave (used Pre and post). You think you like the soap now, try loading up a warm brush and face lather for a slick, protective coat. The face lather really works in the feeling from the menthol too, which is amazing!

I do. I've done it both ways, face lather, and scuttle, but usually with the soft soaps, I face lather. Headed to the shave den now to try the soap again and test my impression.
 
Received my tub yesterday and shaved with it this morning! This stuff is amazing and I liked it more than the cream. I've turned into a SS and croap guy. I've used the proraso sc before and this Omega SS is a re-branded proraso. Same exact quality but is just called Omega instead. BBS was achieved today with this stuff!
 

JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
Oh yeah, NO CONTEST here on slickness.

I used C.O. Bigelow (basically Proraso) cream for both weekend shaves and was concentrating on slickness, especially the feel of my skin during rinses between passes. Today, back to the Omega (Proraso) soap in a bowl which I moved to an old RazoRock container.

I am not knocking Proraso cream, I love it and will continue to have it in my rotation, but there is simply no comparison here on slickness at all. The soap is significantly slicker. Both are great shave experiences, and one takes the totality of the shave into account, but there is no doubt in my little military mind the soap blows the cream away in the slickness category.

By the way, get those soft Italian soaps out of those little bowls and stick them in something bigger. The RazoRock container is brilliant for lathering Italian soft soaps with Marco's method.

Today's shave,

DE89 head on BRW handle
NOS Schick Plus Platinum on shave #2
Omega soap in a bowl
Semogue 2000 boar brush
Thayer's Witch Hazel
Pinaud Classic Vanilla with one drop of pure glycerin


BBS for sure. Comfortable. Perfect!
 
Glad to hear this. I always find myself going back to that Proraso tub when I want a 'sure thing'. Only the Cella has been as reliable. I have used the tube, and remember it being pretty slick, but for reliable thick lather, I love the tub. Every time I use one of my other soaps for a couple days, I always find myself missing the Proraso. It's what has kept me from splurging on more expensive soaps. It just seems to be the right tool for the job.
 

JCinPA

The Lather Maestro
Using Marco's method, I have found they really don't take any more work to speak of. I went soap heavy to cream heavy, and now I'm rolling back to mostly using soap, I think. Boy, the difference in slickness between the tub and the tube really surprised me.
 
Green Proraso is not the same as Black Omega. Black Omega was imo better and had nicer smell, but... some time ago they reformulated it and new Omega is just bad for me. :( Old one was mine favourite cream.
 
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