Newbie Q, what is the difference between soap and cream?
- Thread starter jonboy
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From a physical point of view, the difference between soap and cream is consistency. A soap is hard (or semi hard in a shaving soap) whereas a cream is fluid (slowly, but still). Technically the difference is water content. That means that you can make any soap (while it is still malleable) into a cream by adding water. Or alternatively, that if you dry a cream what you are left with is the corresponding soap.
Now this doesn't mean that there aren't any other differences in soap and cream formulae, but these are usually fine-tunings, or, in the case of wellknown suppliers of both soaps and creams (such as Taylor or Harris or you name them) reflect the fact that they source their soaps from different manufacturers than they source their creams from.
Creams are slightly easier in practice, at least when starting out, soaps are more economical.
I make only creams, for a very technical reason. When making creams, I end up with a soft product, so that I can add my fragrances after letting everything cool. Much more economical on the fragrance (when you add it to hot (malleable) soap, at least 30% is lost by evaporation before you can even put it in tubs...
There are other ways, but those require heavy investments in professional machinery (plodders, millers, extruders...) Not what I intend to spend my money on right now...
Note also that soaps/creams, being detergent rinse-off products, cannot be moisturizing. Besides, once whipped up into a lather, there should be no difference between a soap and cream (of the same general composition) in that respect.
Now this doesn't mean that there aren't any other differences in soap and cream formulae, but these are usually fine-tunings, or, in the case of wellknown suppliers of both soaps and creams (such as Taylor or Harris or you name them) reflect the fact that they source their soaps from different manufacturers than they source their creams from.
Creams are slightly easier in practice, at least when starting out, soaps are more economical.
I make only creams, for a very technical reason. When making creams, I end up with a soft product, so that I can add my fragrances after letting everything cool. Much more economical on the fragrance (when you add it to hot (malleable) soap, at least 30% is lost by evaporation before you can even put it in tubs...
There are other ways, but those require heavy investments in professional machinery (plodders, millers, extruders...) Not what I intend to spend my money on right now...
Note also that soaps/creams, being detergent rinse-off products, cannot be moisturizing. Besides, once whipped up into a lather, there should be no difference between a soap and cream (of the same general composition) in that respect.
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James_uk said:
Or conversely creams are diluted soap and you're paying for the added water by getting less soap :lol:
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jonboy said:
If you count only the "shaving" part yes - if you factor in the "hobby/collecting" part and the drive to try any and every product you see.... no.
Mind you, I've not bought a single shaving-related product since November....
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hunnymonster said:
How many did you buy in november ? about 20 was'nt it :lol:
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Damian Murphy said:
26... but there was a reason for it... I'm not often in Bulgaria.... and I did spend less than €15 total