19 December 2009

A Saturday Shave - Crema Sapone

Crema Sapone Shaving Soap

I thought this Italian shaving soap would come with its own bowl but no such luck. It looks like a large brick of snot but it smells like almonds and lathers up fast and rich. You tear off a piece and cram it into a bowl of your own. It's soft and very malleable. And this box looks like it'll last a couple years at least.

12 comments:

The Sluice Box said...

One of your previous postings inspired me to give double edged shaving a try. Now I'm happily using a Merkur razor. Next I need to settle on a favorite blade. I've yet to graduate from creams to soaps. Thanks for sharing this type of information. -Aaron

Anonymous said...

I thought I was being exotic ordering shaving soaps on eBay. Where did you find that Italian soap?

tintin said...

Aaron- Great to hear. I hope to high light every Saturday some of the more obscure shaving stuff available as well as stuff that can be ordered on on line.

PP- I found this at Pastuer Pharmacy in NYC. I know that doesn't help you in the Great White North so here's a link to a forum discussing the soap with some links where it can be ordered.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?ltr=C&t=2222

Good luck on the hunt. It's great stuff and worth the effort.

James said...

My mother gave me my grandfather's shaving kit about 15 years ago. Old Spice mug.Boar brush and a Gillette Adjustable. I've used them ever since. As an Army Brat in the 50s and 60s I still can smell the Barbasol and boot polish in the morning.

TRB said...

I guess you've previously revealed your insurance background; but what a great use for the old centennial J&H bowl. Mine is filled with lord knows what and in a drawer somewhere. Wonder what it would fetch on Ebay??
TRB

Michael Rowe said...

I'm using Harris lime cream shampoo because of Tintin. :-)

tintin said...

James-
It's a pleasurable way to shave isn't it? A little more time but well worth the luxury.


TRB- You didn't know I was outted? In Business Insurance no less but fortunately no one reads it anymore. And it's a sesquicentennial, dude. A shame J&H'll never make a bicentinneal. Did you see any of that $1.8 billion?

Michael- It's lemon. And it's the best isn't it? But it's getting tough to find even in NYC. I think Cambridge is the last to carry the large size.

GSV JR said...

Beards in the winter, guys. Beards.

Cary B. said...

There's nothing more relaxing, when you actually have the time, to give yourself a proper shave. Not to mention, using a brush is the best way to fend of razor burn and the like.

Bill Smith said...

Great review on this soap, I have read good things about it. Granted I just started another puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat so it will be a while before to trying some...

-=Doug said...

Hey Tin--

Where do you procure Crema Sapone. It is NA on Amazon.

I too have discovered the joys of Double Edge shaving and, after nearly a year of experimenting with many razors, Jaggers, Merkur Slants, Gillette SS's and Adjustables, have settled on the 1930's open comb Gillette "New". They are readily available for $15 or less on eBay but typically are worn to the raw brass which was off-putting at first but now and once polished, I rather enjoy it.

Thanks for you amazing blog, Tin!!

-=Doug

tintin said...

Doug-
I get the Sapone at Pastuer Pharmacy in NYC. Looks like it'll last for 20 years the way it's going. I'm using a Merkur and have a fondness for Derby blades ($1.49 for 5). Never going back to the Gillette triple power super slick $4 a blade fraud. I woke up and smelled the Sapone.