1st Time Wet Shave - Lathering Problem

**actuary32174** · 03-12-2007, 04:12 PM

I just tried to "wet shave" for the first time. The final product was fine, but, I did have a problem getting a thick lather. I put about 3/4 inch of Prosaso in a cup and stirred in up with a badger brush for about 2 minutes or so. I dunked the brush under hot water until totally soaked. I shook it off a couple of times, but, not too hard, before I started the stirring. I occasionally added a small bit of water as needed along the way. It appears that the lather I made was "light and airy" as opposed to "heavy and thick." When I put it on my face, the lather was pretty light and almost transparent. I was hoping for a little thicker lather. Should I have kept stirring, add more water or what?

**Scorpio** · 03-12-2007, 05:10 PM

Use more cream. Given your description you had to much water not enough cream. How much more?? I go another 1/2 to 3/4 in. see what happens. You can always do a couple of practice runs to get the water/cream ratio just right.

Around here we use what is commonly known as a snurdle as the unit of measure for cream. Keep trying you will get there!!

Raf

**Jim** · 03-12-2007, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by actuary32174

I just tried to "wet shave" for the first time. The final product was fine, but, I did have a problem getting a thick lather. I put about 3/4 inch of Prosaso in a cup and stirred in up with a badger brush for about 2 minutes or so. I dunked the brush under hot water until totally soaked. I shook it off a couple of times, but, not too hard, before I started the stirring. I occasionally added a small bit of water as needed along the way. It appears that the lather I made was "light and airy" as opposed to "heavy and thick." When I put it on my face, the lather was pretty light and almost transparent. I was hoping for a little thicker lather. Should I have kept stirring, add more water or what?

Stirred like a cup of coffee or like scrambling eggs or whipping cream?

Throw the brush in the sink with hot water and let it soak for the time you are in the shower,then flick it out hard a couple of times.

I would triple the amount of product to start and see what happens.

You can always add water back in.

keep posting! And welcome to the B&B!

**Patrick D** · 03-12-2007, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by actuary32174

I just tried to "wet shave" for the first time. The final product was fine, but, I did have a problem getting a thick lather. I put about 3/4 inch of Prosaso in a cup and stirred in up with a badger brush for about 2 minutes or so. I dunked the brush under hot water until totally soaked. I shook it off a couple of times, but, not too hard, before I started the stirring. I occasionally added a small bit of water as needed along the way. It appears that the lather I made was "light and airy" as opposed to "heavy and thick." When I put it on my face, the lather was pretty light and almost transparent. I was hoping for a little thicker lather. Should I have kept stirring, add more water or what?

I'd like to suggest that you try a cream/soap combo and learn to build the lather up on your face. If you start off with the cream, applying it as soon as it's spread out and moistened in your brush, your face benefits from having the cream directly applied, imo, YMMV! Loading up a fairly dry brush with a quanity of soap, and spreading that around over the cream and then just moisten the brush tips a little, start to work it up to a lather you may not believe! Just a little water at a time on the tips of the brush will do it, you can always add more, it's harder to take it back.

I always end up with a thick rich gliding lather that protects my face and gives the edge of the blade something to skate across,,,,,,but, the creedo around here is YMMV, but I'd try it.

**Ernie** · 03-12-2007, 06:15 PM

First welcome to the site. You have already good tips above, but I would like to emphasize one point. That is practice. If you have an hour to spend, just go and make lather. This may seem funny but if you take a somewhat scientific approach to it and try out different variables, you may make progress. This insures that when you are ready to shave that you don't have to spend 20 minutes making a decent lather.

Enjoy.

**dsipari** · 03-12-2007, 06:34 PM

I read your post and the replies, and agree with the advice you've been given as well. BUT, then i re-read your post and thought......maybe you need to change what you're mixing in. You said you used a 'cup' to mix your shaving cream. Try using something more like a bowl. Just my 2 cents........and welcome to B&B!!

**Jim** · 03-12-2007, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by dsipari

I read your post and the replies, and agree with the advice you've been given as well. BUT, then i re-read your post and thought......maybe you need to change what you're mixing in. You said you used a 'cup' to mix your shaving cream. Try using something more like a bowl. Just my 2 cents........and welcome to B&B!!

Good catch !

**BroJohn** · 03-12-2007, 07:27 PM

If you haven't viewed Mantic's videos on YouTube, you need to stop right now and go do so. Mark has a good video on lathering (as well as many others) that you need to review.

Welcome to B&B, it's a wonderful journey.

-- John Gehman

**actuary32174** · 03-12-2007, 07:34 PM

I tried tp parrallel the technique used in the shaving video on Youtube.com "Introduction to Traditional Wet Shaving, Part 2: Lathering." I used a "large" cup, almost a small soupbowl. I mixed the brew at about the same speed he did. After viewing the video again just before typing this response, I did notice a difference. The Prosaso I am using comes out like toothpaste. The shaving cream he started with similarly came out of a tube, but , the amount was difference. Instead of a toothpaste size piece, he "squirted" about a nickel size stream from the tube. Anybody have an idea what he was using?

I will try using more Parsaso in my small soup-sized cup and try again. How fast should I being stirring this mixture. Slow, medium or fast?

**galpman** · 03-12-2007, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by Goosemeplease

Stirred like a cup of coffee or like scrambling eggs or whipping cream?

Throw the brush in the sink with hot water and let it soak for the time you are in the shower,then flick it out hard a couple of times.

I would triple the amount of product to start and see what happens.

You can always add water back in.

keep posting! And welcome to the B&B!

+1 Like in cooking, you can always add, but it is hard to tak away. Add water a bit at a time. Keep us informed via updates.

**DoubleE** · 03-12-2007, 07:54 PM

I differ somewhat in my approach in that I never shake out my brush. I let it drain until it stops and then I start making lather. To quote the Lathermeister, "this is wetshaving". As you experiment, try not shaking out the brush and see what kind of lather you get. If you find it a little too thin, keep whipping up the lather for just a tad longer and it will thicken up. Just be sure you're not scrimping on soap/cream.

**BroJohn** · 03-12-2007, 07:58 PM

but , the amount was difference. Instead of a toothpaste size piece, he "squirted" about a nickel size stream from the tube. Anybody have an idea what he was using?

I think Mark was using KissMyFace cream in that video. Not as lubricating as some products, it lathers like crazy and makes sense to use it in producing the video.

-- John Gehman

**Jim** · 03-12-2007, 08:07 PM

This is what you are looking for-

**actuary32174** · 03-13-2007, 05:15 AM

Dear Jim,

I appreciate you taking the time to upload the pictures. It appears that the Nivea cream you are using is also the squirt variety that was used in the Youtube videa instead of the toothpaste size that comes out of Prosaso.

Rick

**Jim** · 03-13-2007, 05:23 AM

Rick
The Product you are using will do the same thing- its in the way you put the water soap and agitation together that makes the lather-Its an emulsion of all three.
Don't get hung up on the product. It might take a week or a month but you can do it.
Practice making lather when you are not shaving so thats not adding to your stress.

Keep us posted and we will help you sort it out.

**actuary32174** · 03-13-2007, 08:14 AM

I should have mentioned that I live on the east coast of Florida and the water here is hard. I gather that this fact can slow up the lathering process.

**michaelskar** · 03-13-2007, 11:07 AM

I have had trouble when using hard water. there are some threads out there on how to deal with it (some boil the water, I believe)...

I find that when the lather is a little thin when applied (especially with proraso) I lather it longer on my face. I build the initial lather in a bowl, but I'll keep whipping the brush around my face and the lather starts "thickening" as it dries a little and more air is worked in...YMMV, of course, but I find it works to transform a "loose" lather to a thick lather