Face lathering soap problem

**Songwind** · 03-17-2012, 10:43 AM

I'm having a problem with lathering that only seems to occur when face lathering.

I load the brush for 45-60 seconds, or give my face a nice coating with the shave stick.
I lather up a really nice, creamy lather for pass one. (Used my stopwatch today, mixed on my face for 2 minutes)
Pass two is thinner but still nicely slick.
Pass 3 might as well be colored water off the brush.
If I squeeze the knot from base to tips, I get the deep-brush creamy lather I am expecting from most of the knot. But the center is a wet, bubbly, dribbly mess. If I mix it all together with my hands and apply manually, I can have a decent third pass.

I'm pretty sure I have enough soap on the brush before I start. I have experienced this when starting with a fairly dry brush a-la the "how to lather hard soaps" sticky thread. I have also seen it when starting with a fairly wet brush as in Marco's Method.

As for soaps I have seen this with Mike's Natural Soap, Arko, Palmolive stick, and MWF.

I haven't had this problem that I remember when bowl lathering.

So, B&B, anyone know what the root cause is here?

**Jcabbage** · 03-17-2012, 12:18 PM

just rub the soap on your face in between passes problem solved. i hope!

**Songwind** · 03-17-2012, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by Jcabbage

just rub the soap on your face in between passes problem solved. i hope!

That does solve the problem, but I know that lots of people get enough lather for 3 or 4 passes this way. I'd like to know what I'm doing wrong, as well.

**smalltank** · 03-17-2012, 12:48 PM

cream should be in the middle of the brush..get some water in the brush..smear on your face.

**njpaddy** · 03-17-2012, 12:48 PM

With sticks I almost always do a lite rub with the stick before pass 3 or 4 as opposed to applying too much to start. As for pucks, I'll do a couple of swirls between passes if I feel it needs it. No big deal. I never squeeze the knot.

**djh** · 03-17-2012, 12:59 PM

A question: how large is your brush?

I normally shave with a soap puck and have no problems building more than enough lather for my needs from a slngle charging of the brush. Last Saturday morning I was in a hotel and shaved with a Palmolive Shave Stick- likewise, plenty of lather for 3 passes.

If you don't wish to return to the soap during your shave, it might be an idea to concentrate on loading a little more soap to start with.

**Brent** · 03-17-2012, 03:19 PM

I was just going to ask about what brush you were using.

I have found when I squeeze the knot I'm getting a nice cream. The few times I get a dribbley mess is when I haven't mixed it enough. Do a bit more pumping motions with your brush, hopefully this helps.

Mantic actually mentioned this is his video "Shaving Q&A #1: Runny Lather".

**Songwind** · 03-17-2012, 06:47 PM

It happens with my 22x49mm TGN Super Silvertip. It think it happened once with my horse hair brush.

I think you may be right on the mixing. I'll try the pumping thing - I do it in the bowl, never thought to try it on my face.

**Sullybob** · 03-17-2012, 07:14 PM

Originally Posted by djh

A question: how large is your brush?

I normally shave with a soap puck and have no problems building more than enough lather for my needs from a slngle charging of the brush. Last Saturday morning I was in a hotel and shaved with a Palmolive Shave Stick- likewise, plenty of lather for 3 passes.

If you don't wish to return to the soap during your shave, it might be an idea to concentrate on loading a little more soap to start with.

David is spot on. Load up on the soap. I've never had a sub par shave because I used too much product.

If you are loading your brush for the same amount of time when you face lather as when you bowl lather then you might be leaving to much product on your face for the first pass.

**celestino** · 03-17-2012, 08:49 PM

i face lather exclusively and do not have much of a problem, but you may want to touch up the brush on the soap for five seconds before the third pass lathering to the face. What David, suggested is fine also. Good luck.

**mftoms59** · 03-18-2012, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Songwind

... But the center is a wet, bubbly, dribbly mess...

I'd say too much water is in the Brush on the initial application, since your holding the brush horizontal the water in the knot will have difficulty moving toward the tips and remains further up the knot. Try a drier brush initially and you'll have to dip the tips a few extra times on your first lather, also make sure your face is really wet when applying your soap or starting your first lather.

**Island Dreamer** · 03-18-2012, 12:40 PM

While face lathering seems to be quite popular on B&B I don't like it because it's a major hassle and inconsistent between passes as you've noted. If you want the benefits of face lathering (whatever they're supposed to be) just spend more time working your bowl made lather on your face. My lather is always consistent and I'd put my quality of shave up against anyone's.

**ironsights** · 03-18-2012, 01:27 PM

I face lather too, and I used to lather problems on subsequent passes. My problem was that I left too much water on my face when I rinsed between passes...this watered down the soap for my second and third pass. The way I fixed it was to make sure I load plenty of soap into the brush, and when I rinse between passes I kind of wipe the excess amount of water off my face before lathering up for the next pass. Eventually I got a feel for it and I don't have an issue. Hope this helps.

**turtle** · 03-18-2012, 01:37 PM

Not enough product.

Try turning the soap upside down (for bowl soap) and load with your brush bristles pointing up into the soap then double the amount of time you take to load your brush. Sometimes I go back to the soap for the 3rd or 4th lather but usually I can load enough to get 4 passes worth of lather out of the initial loading of my brush

**Songwind** · 03-18-2012, 01:40 PM

I bowl lathered this morning. I squeezed the last of the lather out of the brush and found the same issue, just milder. I thought it might have something to do with the part of the knot that is inside the handle.

I tried a practice lather and after shaking I gave it a gentle squeeze at the base with thumb and forefinger. A lot of water came out. The brush actually made better lather and the dribbling issue was gone.

**cvac** · 03-18-2012, 03:40 PM

I find that really dense brushes can hold a bit of water at the base of the knot that might not be readily apparent. A gentle squeeze helps get this excess water out of the base before loading. Also, more loading time will help a lot. Spend about two minutes loading your brush and you'll see a difference with lather quantity also.

**bkfist** · 03-18-2012, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by Island Dreamer

While face lathering seems to be quite popular on B&B I don't like it because it's a major hassle and inconsistent between passes as you've noted. If you want the benefits of face lathering (whatever they're supposed to be) just spend more time working your bowl made lather on your face. My lather is always consistent and I'd put my quality of shave up against anyone's.

For me, the main reason I like it is because I don't have to use a bowl, the #2 reason is because I prefer to use *any* soap as a soap stick... Neither way would allow working the lather in the bowl.

However, the suggestion to start with a drier brush, then dip the bottom 1/3 of the tips a few times while thinning the lather is the way to go. It's the water held in the breech that is causing the problems.

**jdrum3** · 03-18-2012, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Brent

I was just going to ask about what brush you were using.

I have found when I squeeze the knot I'm getting a nice cream. The few times I get a dribbley mess is when I haven't mixed it enough. Do a bit more pumping motions with your brush, hopefully this helps.

Mantic actually mentioned this is his video "Shaving Q&A #1: Runny Lather".

+1