Do you ever practice lather?

I've basically come to the conclusion that an every-other-day shave is probably best for me. My beard still feels pretty close after shaving at about this time last night, so I'll wait for tomorrow night for a guaranteed DFS.

However, I like to play with my shaving stuff. I was just standing at the bathroom sink practice lathering some P.160 (a beautiful, bountiful bowl of award-worthy lather, btw). SWMBO came in and asked what I was doing and I told her I was just goofing off. She said, "Isn't that wasting it??"

Does anybody else do this? I'm still only about a month in. Does it go away?

With my beard I don't need to practice. In fact, there are days when I have an evening engagement when I shave twice a day. However, when I first started shaving I must confess to trying different techniques to get a good lather. It only takes a little product to make a nice experiment. The first time my wife saw me doing this she shook her head and said boys will be boys - and I was 66 at the time!

I did indeed make practice lathers when I first started out.

Whenever I get a new soap/cream, the first thing I do is lather with it, even if I don't shave with it right away. I just want to see how it smells lathered up, how it feels on my skin, and how it looks.

Shane said:

Whenever I get a new soap/cream, the first thing I do is lather with it, even if I don't shave with it right away. I just want to see how it smells lathered up, how it feels on my skin, and how it looks.

Click to expand...

Sound advice. Practicing lather is a great way to prevent mistake variables. If you are familiar with what it takes to get a good lather, then the soap should never be to blame if part of your routine is outta wack.

Being new to this, and after seeing the difficulties with two different shaves where the lather was less than ideal, I practice a good bit. I figure the product is relatively cheap so it's worth it.

Charlie

Did it all of the time. I wouldn't make nearly as good a lather as I do now if I hadn't practiced a whole lot. I don't see that as a waste - that's time and product well-spent.

SWMBO also thinks I'm a nutter, but is enjoying the results (she loves to touch the smooth face - oh, wait - we're BOTH enjoying that!)

Now, I'm lathering twice a say to break in my Semogue Owner's Club faster. I lather in the morning with Tabac to shave, and then I lather in the evening with JM Fraser to soften the bristles (the brush, not mine).

Shane said:

Whenever I get a new soap/cream, the first thing I do is lather with it, even if I don't shave with it right away. I just want to see how it smells lathered up, how it feels on my skin, and how it looks.

Click to expand...

This. I usually try 2-3 bowls of lather, maybe more if I have troubles with the product...

I have made practice lathers with Modern Williams frequently. So far I have failed with it every time.

Nah I don't practice making lather but I do like to brushterbate.

spanx said:

Nah I don't practice making lather but I do like to brushterbate.

Click to expand...

+6(brushes)

kg4ghn said:

I did indeed make practice lathers when I first started out.

Click to expand...

Coda_ said:

Sound advice. Practicing lather is a great way to prevent mistake variables. If you are familiar with what it takes to get a good lather, then the soap should never be to blame if part of your routine is outta wack.

Click to expand...

Charles Darwin said:

Did it all of the time. I wouldn't make nearly as good a lather as I do now if I hadn't practiced a whole lot. I don't see that as a waste - that's time and product well-spent.

SWMBO also thinks I'm a nutter, but is enjoying the results (she loves to touch the smooth face - oh, wait - we're BOTH enjoying that!)

Now, I'm lathering twice a say to break in my Semogue Owner's Club faster. I lather in the morning with Tabac to shave, and then I lather in the evening with JM Fraser to soften the bristles (the brush, not mine).

Click to expand...

Been Shaving ~3 months and I still Test Lather, I Lathered four brushes last night, a new Semogue 1250, New Chinese Silvertip (first one & LOVE IT) and both my Horse Hairs ( Turkey &Spain), this was in addition to my Morning shave.

I also Lather New Soap/ Cream to learn its quirks, for Brush Break- ins I use VDH Deluxe $1.70 per puck inc. tx

I have practiced bowl lathering. I face lather almost all the time now, but every once in a while I will get it wrong by having the brush be too wet (or just decide I want something else instead), so I'll wash it off and go again. Every time is more practice, more experience gained and it gets you through whatever product you got so you can get some more.

-jim

Of course. It's a great way to break in a new brush, try a new soap, or work on one that's tricky to lather. Even if I don't have those excuses, I'll face-lather before bed, as a more pleasant way to wash my face.

Why would you waste the P.160? You might not get any more of it.

As a matter of fact, I just got done doing some practice lathers. I was bored so I went and bought a puck of the soap-that-shall-not-be-named. Ya know, the cheap stuff that costs under a buck at the grocery store. Anyway, I realized that I have never used it so I decided to give it a go. Surprised I was able to even create some sort of lather with this Tweezerman brush. Yeah, that stuff takes a little more coaxing to convince it to make a lather. I decided to see what would happen and added a few drops of glycerin to the lather. Poof said the magic dragon and lather soon gushed forth. Not the best lather, mind you, but it was better than I was getting from it before.
Think I'd prefer to shave with VDH instead.
What prompted this moment of spontaneity was I was reading a post on here and someone mentioned everyone should get some of the soap-that-shall-not-be-named and try to create lather with it. Something about it being a sort of rite-of-passage or something that all new wet-shavers should experience. Now I can say I've been there, done that and continue using my other fine soaps and creams.

craig87c said:

Why would you waste the P.160? You might not get any more of it.

Click to expand...

Huh? Why's that? Don't they still make it? (Seriously, it's my current fave although SWMBO thinks it smells like cockroaches. )

Chadtheguru said:

Huh? Why's that? Don't they still make it? (Seriously, it's my current fave although SWMBO thinks it smells like cockroaches. )

Click to expand...

1. don't practice, lather is not always perfect but I go with what I have

2. been out of production for a couple of months, if you love it, load up from where you can get it, I think I saw some at shaving ie

ken

I'm currently lathering twice a day; once for my shave, and once in the evening because I'm breaking in two new boar brushes.

When I'm not breaking in brushes, I do not practice lather. I'm pretty good at it now (I've been doing it every single day for almost two years).

As bad as I am at lathering, I *should* practice it. I am going to give face lathering a go, so maybe I'll give that a few practice rounds with my new Speick shave stick.

Dave