Cella Almond Shaving Cream Soap Review – Smell like a Dessert with Smooth Skin
Cella Almond Shaving Cream Soap
Cella Milano brings us a light and fluffy shaving cream, that smells so good it could be a dessert!
Pros
All Natural Organic Ingredients
Subtle yet Sweet Scent
Frothy Lather
Protects and rejuvenates skin as you shave
Cons
The scent could be too sweet for some
Lather takes some work to build
Coming back at you dear readers, with another soap from the masters over at Cella Milano in the quest to find the best shaving soaps money can buy.
In the last article, we reviewed the Crema Da Barba with Aloe. That soap was nice and thick, with a really oily texture that made it great for protecting and nourishing your skin but it was somewhat of a chore to thoroughly rinse and clean.
How does this Almond Shaving Cream stack up? Let’s find out.
About the Brand: Cella Milano is an old-world brand that has been around for over a century. They make some of the best shaving creams on the market with traditional methods and ingredients. Their products range from beard care, hair care, to shaving supplies. Cella Milano is a safe bet if you are looking for a good brand.
Cella Milano Almond Shaving Cream Product Description
Much like the other Cella Milano soap, this one came in a nice and friendly plastic jar with the jovial face of the company smiling back. I honestly think this guy loves shaving as much as I do.
Plastic jars are always preferable for me because there is less of a chance they are going to break if you need to move them, or they are dropped. This kind of soap is perfectly made for traveling. It will fit into a suitcase and handle almost all kinds of jostling.
Just make sure you put it in your checked bags because TSA is pretty strict about the limited volume of fluid you can carry.
About the Scent
The scent profile for this soap is very sweet. For those who bake often, it smells like almost pure almond extract or amaretto liquor.
It starts with a sweet and sugary note, that moves through a more floral aroma.
I like this scent personally, but I know for some it could be TOO sweet. The smell of sugar is possibly overpowering and could drown out or clash with other scents that aren’t in the same profile.
Ingredients
One of the best parts of Cella Milano is their all-natural organic ingredients. The traditional formulas are great for the skin.
Included in their soap is stuff like Jojoba Oil that conditions the beard hair to make it softer and easier to cut, and shea butter to help the skin maintain its moisture and softness.
Frankly put, running a blade over your face can be traumatic to the skin even if you don’t do it every day. Your face is going to need all the help you can get.
The Lather and Shaving Experience
For this review, I did my usual method of shaving with three passes over the skin. I didn’t use any pre-shave because I didn’t want to change how the soap would feel or perform overall.
How Well does it Lather?
This soap Lathers very well. The end result of the lather looks like the densest of marshmallow fluff and foam.
The only issue is that it took some time to get there.
I would say that it needs somewhat more elbow grease, but not a great deal. A difference of about 30 seconds worth of building the lather is all the time. The only reason I even noticed is that I review and compare soaps on a regular basis.
It changes your perception when you are trying out a new soap every few days.
I would recommend slightly less water to charge up your soap before you shave. You will know you have just the right texture when it gets to the same consistency as something you would want to put on a pie during a family dinner.
Lather from the Puck – Face lathering?
In the case of this soap, it is definitely possible to lather straight from the brush to the face rather than building a lather in a bowl. I would not recommend lathering from the puck, as it ends up getting soap all over your hands and the plastic container.
Does it build the lather faster though?
Not really. You are more likely to waste soap than actually build a good lather quickly especially if you attempt to lather from the puck
How is the Texture?
The texture of this soap is a good medium between some of the extremes we’ve reviewed in the past.
The Cella Milano with Aloe was very heavy and oily, and it took some doing to rinse it all off and clean my brush. At the other extreme, there are soaps like Sir Hare which are so light they might as well not be there.
Cella Milano with Almond is going to be more like what Goldilocks is a fan of: “Just right.”
It has enough of an oil texture to feel like it is really there and assisting your shave, but not so heavy that it gums up your razor or makes your skin feel oily.
Overall the texture is nice and smooth, with a soft feeling on the skin itself.
How is the Overall Shave?
The shave itself was just like normal but felt very good and cleansing overall.
The soap left my skin feeling nice and clean, with a gentle smoothness that I only get from the best shave soaps.
After the shave, my skin felt supple and nourished for hours, and the scent wasn’t too overpowering throughout my day.
Value for Money
At the risk of repeating myself from the Cella Milano with Aloe review, I honestly have to sing the same praises here as I did before.
This is a professional, high-quality, Italian shaving soap that you can get for pretty inexpensive.
Most places will have it for around $14-$15 USD, but I have seen some sites as low as $10 USD.
The price makes this a great option if you are wanting just a good, professional, everyday shave soap.
Common Consumer Issues, Complaints, and Positive Reviews
Like many shaving soaps we’ve covered, this soap does review well amongst its consumers. It is almost like those who comment or review products online are the ones who really have something to say about the product. Figures.
That is not to say there are no complaints. There are a few things consumers bring up that are less than stellar.
Many consumers bring up the fact that the soap does not cushion their skin well against the razor, and I can see that definitely. I’ve used some soaps that are richer, and provide a deeper cushion while shaving. However, it is a trade-off. Many of those soaps are often so thick and heavy that they end up feeling like you’ve covered your face with sunscreen.
There are also complaints regarding the smell. Many people do not like the sweet smell of Almonds with the fruity cherry-like aroma that comes with traditional amaretto. I will admit it is very sugary, and I know MANY people who cannot stand aromas that are so sweet.
On the positive side, people really do rave about how this soap feels and the clean feeling it leaves on the skin. There are many notes about the rich lather that can be made. I honestly think that if you spend more time lathering than you think, then most of the problems people have would go away quickly.
Final Thoughts – Who is Cella Milano Almond Shaving Soap for?
Overall, I would say this soap is pretty nice and is a good fit for most shavers.
If you already have a soap you swear by and don’t feel like changing, then you don’t need to pick this one up.
However, if you are wanting to try new things and have an extra $10-$15 USD to spare, then give this a shot. At worst, you will have some okay soap. At best though, you have found a new favorite.
