2024 Reflection - Lathering. I thought I knew how to until I watched this.

[Golden_Edge]

'I thought I knew how to until I watched this.'. That sounds like one of those click bait Youtube videos. Not intentional.

Couple months ago, I bought some Stirling samplers. I'd cut a piece, press it in a bowl and start lathering. The lather was good. I just had higher expectation; likely due to everything I had read about them. Lurking B&B, I wanted to find out more. There was more than enough info to confirm that my expectation vs my reality didn't match. Meaning one thing: I was in fault.

I kept looking and stumbled (by luck/coincidence or thanks to Google's algorithm), on Rod's lathering video:

It was everything written in B&B posts but in one video. Off to test the lather. Eureka moment. Boy to Man Rite of Passage passed.

This made me realize something else: I discredited many soaps and creams (AdP for instance) in the past due to my improper technique. I will have to re-try many of them.

Moral of my story: don't think you know until you know.

Moral of the shaving story: whether you bowl or face lather, go slow. Load and add water as you go. It takes few minutes? Five minutes? So be it, you will be rewarded with the soap/cream's true characteristics (assuming they exist in the first place).

 

[BigJ]

Great point!! For me, that is there is always something more to learn!!

 

[Phoenixkh]

This is how I learned how to bowl lather.... I don't like using a brush in the soap tub as I like to keep them pristine... So I'm a scoop and smear guy.... This video is what I watched in the first few weeks of my shaving journey..... I didn't have a CaYuen bowl until much later, but I still used this method.

I don't face lather due to a skin condition that prohibits it for me..... It is a lot easier, but I tried it a few times, hoping I wouldn't get brush burn, red face.... Whatever you prefer to call it.

As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. <eg>

 

[m949]

This is how I learned how to bowl lather.... I don't like using a brush in the soap tub as I like to keep them pristine... So I'm a scoop and smear guy.... This video is what I watched in the first few weeks of my shaving journey..... I didn't have a CaYuen bowl until much later, but I still used this method.

This video is extremely helpful. In fact, after watching it I decided to try his method out today.

I also bowl lather and prefer to scoop my soaps if possible. I use a little steel cosmetic spoon. I never had the idea of flattening and spreading out the soap slivers in my bowl. I always ended up with chunks of soap in my brush and more often than not in the lather on my face. Many times I had pieces of soap left over. Spreading out the scooped soap in the bowl really addresses all these problems.

The advice on brush pressure during lathering and hydration in both videos was also very eye- opening. Needless to say that I had a fantastic lather today using the knowledge from both resources.

Thanks @Phoenixkh and @Golden_Edge for sharing these informative videos with us. I've learnt a lot from both of them and elevated my lathering to the next level as a result. I got a better structured lather and no more trouble with un-lathered pieces of soap in my bowl (and on my face).

 

[Jay S]

'I thought I knew how to until I watched this.'. That sounds like one of those click bait Youtube videos. Not intentional.

Couple months ago, I bought some Stirling samplers. I'd cut a piece, press it in a bowl and start lathering. The lather was good. I just had higher expectation; likely due to everything I had read about them. Lurking B&B, I wanted to find out more. There was more than enough info to confirm that my expectation vs my reality didn't match. Meaning one thing: I was in fault.

I kept looking and stumbled (by luck/coincidence or thanks to Google's algorithm), on Rod's lathering video:

It was everything written in B&B posts but in one video. Off to test the lather. Eureka moment. Boy to Man Rite of Passage passed.

This made me realize something else: I discredited many soaps and creams (AdP for instance) in the past due to my improper technique. I will have to re-try many of them.

Moral of my story: don't think you know until you know.

Moral of the shaving story: whether you bowl or face lather, go slow. Load and add water as you go. It takes few minutes? Five minutes? So be it, you will be rewarded with the soap/cream's true characteristics (assuming they exist in the first place).

Other than load and add water as you go.....was there anything else in particular that became and 'A-ha' moment?

 

[Big Jim]

'I thought I knew how to until I watched this.'. That sounds like one of those click bait Youtube videos. Not intentional.

Couple months ago, I bought some Stirling samplers. I'd cut a piece, press it in a bowl and start lathering. The lather was good. I just had higher expectation; likely due to everything I had read about them. Lurking B&B, I wanted to find out more. There was more than enough info to confirm that my expectation vs my reality didn't match. Meaning one thing: I was in fault.

I kept looking and stumbled (by luck/coincidence or thanks to Google's algorithm), on Rod's lathering video:

It was everything written in B&B posts but in one video. Off to test the lather. Eureka moment. Boy to Man Rite of Passage passed.

This made me realize something else: I discredited many soaps and creams (AdP for instance) in the past due to my improper technique. I will have to re-try many of them.

Moral of my story: don't think you know until you know.

Moral of the shaving story: whether you bowl or face lather, go slow. Load and add water as you go. It takes few minutes? Five minutes? So be it, you will be rewarded with the soap/cream's true characteristics (assuming they exist in the first place).

This is a great video. I found it helpful when I ran across it a few months ago although it was pretty much how it did it anyway. Most of the time, I'm a mug latherer, but I'm not afraid to move to a bowl when I see it would be helpful, or when lathering creams. Basically, when lather doesn't seem to be building well in the mug, I'll move to the bowl where I can better control the soap to water ratio need at the moment.

 

[Golden_Edge]

Other than load and add water as you go.....was there anything else in particular that became and 'A-ha' moment?

I would say to use enough soap/cream. A tiny amount of cream can yield a voluminous lather but it doesn't mean it's the right type of lather. In the case of British soaps, like D.R. Harris of instance, make sure to load, load, load and then build up with water. Most soaps/creams share similarities in lather preparation but also have differences.

 

[Jamolay]

Other than load and add water as you go.....was there anything else in particular that became and 'A-ha' moment?

I agree that after watching, I learned to worry less about how much I load and to be less aggressive whipping. The lighter touch made a big difference and is a lot easier. I was trying to force it before, I think.

 

[MaineYooper]

Thanks to @Golden_Edge and @Phoenixkh for sharing the videos. I used parts from each this morning as I built my lather in a bowl. Copious and creamy lather and a wonderful shave!