Frothy or marshmallow-y lather?

I am always seeing these pictures posted of lather that has been whipped up into a state of extreme "peakiness" for lack of a better word. I can easily achieve this with any cream and controlling the right amount of water. But I've realized that there this type of lather contains too much air for my tastes. I get significantly better shaves if my lather is a bit runny (compared to the pictures), and has the consistency of melted marshmallows that have maybe been watered down a bit. The less air and bubbles, the better.

Am I crazy? Do you all go for the "perfect lather picture" or something else, like my soupy slick mess? For what it's worth, I've learned that working the lather for a while with very little pressure on the brush (think stirring, not whipping) allows it to hold quite a bit of water while staying incredibly slick. Again, totally NOT the way people do it in pictures and "how to lather vids". I suspect living in a super dry low humidity area is steering me this way.

But ya, I don't like "perfect" lather at all. Bring on the melted marshmallows.

Melted marshmallow, marshmallow crème, yogurt, are all good descriptions of the type of mental picture of the ideal lather that you like. Your description also fits the type of lather that I like as well. A yogurty (new word) lather, that has a moist, wet, light reflective shine to it, without peaks or a lot of volume. The lather actually stays close to the face, not billowing, (another new word) .

Yet while moist, it doesn't run or dissipate. I am with you good sir.

I agree that I would not be happy with a lot of lather that I see in pictures. But I guess dense slick lather simply doesn't look good enough for "lather ball".

I am another "why make a mountain of lather just to wash most of it down the drain" guy.

I do not want to see bubbles and I do not want it drippy and runny.
But I do want it opaque when on my face and I want it to stay until I get to it.

I can get that kind of lather with almost any soap or croap or cream I use except Wilkinson and Williams - both soaps.

I have just discovered Mem which although it looks runny and anemic when it comes out of the tube gives me the best lather with the least effort and leaves my face feeling smooth as an olive. It contains some olive oil and makes a light olive green lather.

Mickey

My lather doesn't look like that either, it's more like yogurt. I prefer it on the wetter side for more slip.

As long as mine is slick I don't care about how it looks.

Frothy=bad. Creamy=good. What photographs well doesn't perform well so ignore the photos. Slickness with just enough fluff to stay on the face rules!

+1 for this. I want functional lather and don't so much care how it looks.

FOR TH

Mickey Oberman said:

I am another "why make a mountain of lather just to wash most of it down the drain" guy.

I do not want to see bubbles and I do not want it drippy and runny.
But I do want it opaque when on my face and I want it to stay until I get to it.

I can get that kind of lather with almost any soap or croap or cream I use except Wilkinson and Williams - both soaps.

I have just discovered Mem which although it looks runny and anemic when it comes out of the tube gives me the best lather with the least effort and leaves my face feeling smooth as an olive. It contains some olive oil and makes a light olive green lather.

Mickey

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I admit that when I was taking pictures of how my new soap performed, I was a little bit unsatisfied with how the brush looked. So I then really scraped out the bowl to make sure that the brush was looking massively loaded with foam. I wonder how many other people are taking pictures of a brush in a less than natural state just for the lorn (lather porn)

kongar said:

But ya, I don't like "perfect" lather at all. Bring on the melted marshmallows.

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OkieStubble said:

A yogurty (new word) lather, that has a moist, wet, light reflective shine to it, without peaks or a lot of volume. The lather actually stays close to the face, not billowing, (another new word) .

Yet while moist, it doesn't run or dissipate. I am with you good sir.

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chris.hale said:

My lather doesn't look like that either, it's more like yogurt. I prefer it on the wetter side for more slip.

Click to expand...

vaplanman said:

Frothy=bad. Creamy=good. What photographs well doesn't perform well so ignore the photos. Slickness with just enough fluff to stay on the face rules!

Click to expand...

+1 To all

I've always been liked looking at the huge lathers people make, but quickly learned they're not right for me. I think I came to the realization when I started face lathering. Mine isn't so much runny but I'd describe it as yogurt-y.

Lather porn is simply pictures of lather that isn't done yet.

I like my lather not fluffy and really slick. I also do not take pics of lather. I agree, I would see those pics and the lather looked dry and airy.

As long as it works, who cares what it looks like. And for the type of woman in my neck of the woods, same rule apply's.

After 50 years of lathering, trying different methods, creams and soaps, expensive and cheap, all different aromas. I came to the conclusion that the lather needs to be wet enough to keep your beard hydrated enough to give you a good close shave. Pretty bowls of fluff is great if that's your joy but the basics is to keep your beard hydrated after you've given your beard a good wet down.

My preference is a good face lather with a brush that has a strong backbone and good ole Williams or Van der Hagan soap. Whatever one i can find at the drugstore.


Denis, Happiness is a BBS

The bottom line is, do what works for you.

I find that when I bowl lather and get it looking the way it should, it isn't very good. That's why I face lather almost exclusively now. I stop building when it feels right. And it doesn't get any better than that!

abragus said:

+1 To all

I've always been liked looking at the huge lathers people make, but quickly learned they're not right for me. I think I came to the realization when I started face lathering. Mine isn't so much runny but I'd describe it as yogurt-y.

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Like Adam, my perspective recently changed when I started face lathering. In the bowl, I would be looking for big white peaks of lather. Now I'm looking for something a bit wetter and less stiff. This is even more so since I've started using a straight razor. For me, I do not like when the lather sticks to the razor.

Slickness is a feel not a look so I can make pretty much any soap look great but if the performance isn't there than I'm going to add or subtract water until I get the feel I want.

Edit: face lather I find much better than bowl for really understading the feel of the lather but I've started experimenting with palm lathering too and that looks promising as well since you always know what the lather's performance will be while you are generating it.

Depends on the product too. Kiss my face is at its best when thicker. If you water is down too much, it is horrible but if you leave it "too thick" it is a great product.

Mashmallow-y, but it needs to shine too... If it doesn't have a shine to it, there's not enough water, and that's the key to both hydration (obviously) and slickness.

Lather porn pictures are generally just for looks. I don't know anyone that uses lather like that to shave with. I whip mine until it peaks and falls over like meringue pie.