Here I go again, obsessing, only now it's with creams and soaps. I have a list of about six different creams I want to try, but someone brought up the idea that creams go bad over time. I've heard some talk about creams hardening up ... was that because of their age, or were they left out or with the lid off? I want to buy these creams, but I don't want them going to waste. Are they good for a few years?
We recently got back from Vegas where I spoke to Noe Hernandez, one of Truefitt & Hills master barbers and he said without opening one of their creams, the life stands at about 2 years and opened, about one. Buuuuut, he also said he heard stories of the Titanic holding some T&H products that when opened seemed to be in perfect usable condition. I hear that some last 5> years when opened if shut tightly and 10> if never opened. Then again, who REALLY knows? I'm going to vote they last 5> years never opened and about 2-3> opened, but lid shut. I also believe if they dry out or start to separate that you may just add some water and stir the tub up. Admittedly, I do have a tub of vintage blades sandalwood from a year and a month ago that doesn't lather as well as I remember. Italian soaps are different. (Valobra/pra, P160, Cella) do not have preservatives. Valobra/pra has a 3 year shelf life warning and P160/Cella have a 1 year warning. I understand that when opened, P160/Cella should be used within a year and Valobra/pra within 2 years. This is all what I understand and should be taken with a grain of salt. Hope that helps.
Buy soaps. They never go bad. They may loose a little scent, but I have a puck of Old Spice that's probably 30-40 years old (purchased still in the box at an antique shop) and still whips up a great lather. The scent on this one has fortunately held up, as well.
Yep. I have about 10 years worth of soaps stocked on top of the 6 years supply I have open. I only have 2 creams stocked and that's AoS and TOBS avocado. From this point forward, unless it's a cream i'm extremely attached to, it will be replenished as it finishes. The soaps will just keep coming.
I've had a couple old creams dry up. A TOBS a long time ago, and a T&H that I recently left accidentally uncovered for a couple months. They both looked like mud when it dries, cracks and all. With both of them, I just added some water and sealed them back up. No stirring, even. They both rehydrated and I'm still using them.
All the European creams have 12m on them, expect at least 12 months if kept covered and stored at a reasonable temperature.
The only one that I noticed go "bad" on me was the first tube of proraso I got. I was a total noob, and decided I did not want it in a tube I wanted it in a container. After a few months it got all weird. If they come in a tube keep them in the tube.
the oldest cream i have is a pump bottle of KMF and its just like it was when i first got it. i have a jar of TOBS thats a year old and no prbs yet.
This is interesting. I bought a tub of Cella several months ago and use it every now and then. I never really got any of the cherry almond smell that I hear about, but then a couple of weeks ago, I got a sample of Cella in a Bullgoose order and that sample definitely smells like cherry. Perhaps my original tub o' Cella has gone bad???
I could be wrong but I think it has to do with the preservatives in the product. It doesn't have any, unlike many many shave products out there. One of the few. I love the matured scent of cella. The fresh scent is good too..
I started a thread awhile back about this very issue. I had a tub of TOBS Eton College that had changed color and hardened on me. Ended up throwing it out w/ about a 1/4 left. Too bad because I really liked the scent. It wasn't even a year old. I've had a tub of TOBS Avocado the same length of time and nothing wrong with it. Still nice and creamy. My advice is if you open up a tub of something try to use it relatively quickly....by that I mean w/in a few months if you can. Usually they will last ok for months, but you never know when one might not.
