Thoughts on Cella?

Hello gentleman, 

My first time on a thread like this. I have Cella and I've been using it for about 9 months, I love the scent and the slickness it delivers but I don't think it offers much protection (in comparison to RazoRock's XXX for example). Is it just how the soap is or do I need to dial it in more? I would be curious to know peoples take or just their views regarding Cella in general.

Cheers!

I find that Cella leaves my skin very dry. Many people love it of course, but that's been my experience with it

(I feel the same way about MdC, so clearly I may be way out of the mainstream opinion on this.)

I, for one, don't particularly care for the soap's scent.  It was described as "almond" but I don't think so.  The performance is okay but so many others surpass it, as far as I'm concerned, and that includes artisan as well as mainline products.  It's not that it is a particularly bad soap; there is just better out there.

I, for one, don't particularly care for the soap's scent.  It was described as "almond" but I don't think so.  The performance is okay but so many others surpass it, as far as I'm concerned, and that includes artisan as well as mainline products.  It's not that it is a particularly bad soap; there is just better out there.

Fair enough, a valid point. I think it's described as an almond/cherry/marzipan scent, not almond alone. It's essentially a love it or hate it scent amongst people I find

I like it, but with so many quality options out there I wouldn't say it's on the Mount Rushmore of soaps. It's one I recommend to beginners who specifically want to order everything from Amazon only. As with many other classics, I think it's greatest merits lie in the fact that many shavers can use it at a reference/comparison point because so many people have experienced it.

I completely agree with Freddy. Cella is a soap that I won't replace. The scent bothered me and I've used many that perform better.

I completely agree with Freddy. Cella is a soap that I won't replace. The scent bothered me and I've used many that perform better.

A man after my own heart.

Love it, a favorite. Have always had great shaves with it.

Love it, a favorite. Have always had great shaves with it.

Cella has always had thoughts across the spectrum from love to hate and all points in between. This seems to be very different from something like Arko which is very polarizing.

If you like Cella don't let what we write change your mind. It has a following for a reason and not everyone likes all shave products equally.

When I bought my first and last brick of it it was so freshly made that the scent was absolutely nasty. Very much a strong chemical cherry scent and not at all pleasant. But I tried it anyway and disregarded the scent. Cella lathers easily. IMO that's it's strongest attribute. There are better soaps. 3P is one that is at least just as good and the last time I checked had a lower sale price, but that was 2 1/2 - 3 years ago. Things may have changed since then.

But back to Cella and scent. Cella might require aging; mine did. Give it that and the scent mutes and becomes pleasant. I still think there are better soaps out there though. FWIW, Cella isn't the only soap that requires aging. MDC Mestre is a strong candidate for that. But in the case of MDC it takes much longer to age and get really good. Or maybe not. I did age the Cella with the lid off for at least a month. I never did that with the MDC Mestre. I just went to the cabinet, opened the tub and took a sniff, and it's really very nicely scented today. ARKO is another soap that some folks have a problem with as far as scent goes and that benefits greatly from aging, or so I'm told.

But I'm way off topic.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention. I have quite a few soaps and that means they don't get used up rapidly and that they stay in my cabinet for a long time. I've had only one soap change to a brownish state in the years since I've had soaps opened and not fully used up. That one was Cella. To use it up I finally just took it into the shower. I currently have no Cella in the cabinet. I do have more in the refrigerator out in the shop along with another tub of 3P and a bunch of P160 morbido.