So for the past year or so, ive been using a bowl to make my lather. Unfortunately, i was never too happy with the lubrication, my DE razor always stuck and skipped. Last night however, I went to the bathroom and forgot a bowl, so i figured ill just make the lather on my face. I continued with my regular system of soaking the badger brush, and dropping a few drops of hot water into the C&E soap "dish" to let the soap soften. then i would rub the brush in the soap until i get a good amount of soap in the brush. normally after this i would make later in a bowl, but this time i took the brush to my face and just made the lather directly on my face... I noticed that it was MUCH more lubricating. the blade did not stick or skip. Does anyone have any idea why this would be? All i know is that im going to stick to making lather on my face.
Lather made on the face is more lubricating than with a bowl.
- Thread starter immax01
- Start date
Hmm.... Hard to say for sure. Maybe too little water when you do it in the bowl? I had that problem early on. Never figured out what exactly it was. With practice, it should be plenty possible to get a good lather in the bowl.
That said, I think it is faster and easier to do on the face, and these days I only face lather.
-Mo
That said, I think it is faster and easier to do on the face, and these days I only face lather.
-Mo
Always found it faster and easier to get a good lather with a soap by lathering directly on to the face. Eliminate the whole middle man sort of thing.
Totally converted to the face
I also am a Face Latherer and it may perform better because during the process of building the lather on your face, your are working the brush and soap into the beard and face. I think the whole deal of mountains of foam is all for show. Essentially, it is that very thin layer between the blade and the skin and around the hair shaft that do the work.
The only time I like mountains of white foam, is whem it is sitting on top of a strawberry shortcake and the foam ain't soap.
The only time I like mountains of white foam, is whem it is sitting on top of a strawberry shortcake and the foam ain't soap.
The only time I like mountains of white foam, is whem it is sitting on top of a strawberry shortcake and the foam ain't soap.
I had the same experience. I almost gave up on wet shaving before I started face lathering. Razor skip was a common issue and is usually a result of too much water. http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=83170#post83170
The nice thing about face lathering is that you can better see and feel how the quality of your lather as you build it. It also helps in hydrating your face since it's on your face longer as you work it around. The only drawback is that you may find it dries your face a little more with certain creams/soaps. IMO, face lathering?
I too have become a face latherer, but I mostly use soaps anymore. I might still use a bowl with cream, but the face is the place with soap.
In my experience, face lathering works equally well for soaps and creams. Think about how the bristles scrub oil from the whisker follicles. Then, still mechanically, how the brush works moist lather into the skin pores and around the follicles.
And all the while, the time spent is luxurious!
And all the while, the time spent is luxurious!
When I bowl-lather I get the exact same results regardless of whether I'm using a soap or a cream (the respective results are excellent, of course). V
V
I am thinking that perhaps the reason your lather was more lubricated when made on your face was that your face was already wet from preshave prep and that gave you the water you needed for great lather?
Either way, congrats on some slick lather.
Either way, congrats on some slick lather.
Good point
Amen.
Plus you have the instant feedback regarding more or less water required.
Only downside I feel with face lathering, is by the 3rd pass the lather on the brush is stone cold.
100% face latherer here. IMO, no need for a bowl. Also, if all you have is C&E soap, you may want to try something else when you run out. C&E SS is good, but something like Trumpers performs better - nicer lather, a little more slick (ymmv).
I've found little difference in the performance of most creams and soaps regardless of where the lather is built. The exception to this is in the TGQ creams. Every effort in the scuttle led to all the lather stubbornly staying embedded in the brush. Face lathering with Colleen's cream was the path to shaving righteousness for me. A somewhat puzzling situation without any quibbles on the outcome.
Wayne
Wayne
My experience is the exact opposite. The brush is loaded with soap, rather than lather, and by dipping the brush a bit in warm water before lathering my face for each pass, I find that I have warm lather without the need for any scuttle, bowl floating, crockpot or such elaborate devices.
Aside from what have been mentioned, another side benefit (for people who enjoy it) I find is the stronger scents with face lathering, since the brush is loaded with more concentrated stuff rather than the end product lather.
That being said, I facelather only with soap, and use a bowl for creams.
