How much soap/cream per shave?

[The Blackadder]

Hello everyone. I know we all have our loading methods, but I bring up this topic because I’m learning to build decent lathers and usually one of the suggestions we new wetshavers hear is “you need to use more product”. Unfortunately, some people load counting swirls, others seconds, etc. We use different brushes, apply different force, different levels of water in the brush and so on. If we could measure in grams the amount of product needed to get a decent lather, how much would it be? People go from 0.8 to 3 (or even more), according to what I’ve read here. So, how much product do you use for:

- Creams
- Croaps
- Hard croaps
- Pucks

I’d really appreciate your insight. I’ve bought a jewelry scale to measure with precision how much to use. Besides, I don’t really like loading directly from the tub, I prefer scooping a bit and then bowl lather. Thanks a lot

 

[Lockback]

I'm a 30 Swirl Man when I use a shave soap puck. I fill the brush with 30 swirls from the damp brush, then transfer it to a shave bowl, which is a repurposed dog bowl that I got through Stirling Soap. It has tips on the bottom which really help create some nice lather.
When it comes to shave creams, I usually use Cremo. I squeeze out product from the first joint on my index finger to the tip and just a little bit more, like an inch worm. Cremo doesn't really lather but, man, it's slick and I love it.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

 

[silverlifter]

View attachment 1668376

This. Some are determined to make it a "science" (see reddit's GUTL), but it is an art; you learn with experience and just feel what is right. Having said that, it is not difficult, and generally only takes a couple of goes.

 

[Joetomlin01]

For soap 30 swirls . For cream about half the size of my index finger .

 

[poppi]

Depends on the soap/cream. I guess it boils down to as much as it takes to get what you want in the way of a lather

 

[Jay21]

I load hard soap on a wet brush until the bristles stick together.

 

[Deano]

Usually more than l need.

 

[brucered]

Way too many variables to get any sort of number.

Most people lathers I see here, I'd toss and load again. But if they are happy with it, that's all the matters.

Check out the 3017 thread. You'll find lots of info on number of shaves per entire soap puck/tub/ tube and can do the math if you want.

I gave up on shaving and math and counting swirls or weighing soaps long ago. It's not worth the hassle and not enjoyable. The weighs will vary too, based on when you weight them if they are still damp or recently used vs a few days after to dry out.

Creams are the only product worth scooping out. All the others will greatly benefit from loading directly on the puck or in the tub.

Don't buy and sell use soaps, you'll never have to worry about mystery hairs and koodies.

Use more product and skip the calculator.

 

[The Blackadder]

This. Some are determined to make it a "science" (see reddit's GUTL), but it is an art; you learn with experience and just feel what is right. Having said that, it is not difficult, and generally only takes a couple of goes.

Depends on the soap/cream. I guess it boils down to as much as it takes to get what you want in the way of a lather

I load hard soap on a wet brush until the bristles stick together.

Usually more than l need.

 

[The Blackadder]

Way too many variables to get any sort of number.

Most people lathers I see here, I'd toss and load again. But if they are happy with it, that's all the matters.

Check out the 3017 thread. You'll find lots of info on number of shaves per entire soap puck/tub/ tube and can do the math if you want.

I gave up on shaving and math and counting swirls or weighing soaps long ago. It's not worth the hassle and not enjoyable. The weighs will vary too, based on when you weight them if they are still damp or recently used vs a few days after to dry out.

Creams are the only product worth scooping out. All the others will greatly benefit from loading directly on the puck or in the tub.

Don't buy and sell use soaps, you'll never have to worry about mystery hairs and koodies.

Use more product and skip the calculator.

Thanks. I read some people got mold in their tubs, and others say the soap loses scent or shrinks with the introduction of water. Is it something common? I wouldn’t want my soaps to go bad, specially not my precious Arko

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

I don’t know exactly, but I can tell you that after 3 more shaves, I will be finishing a jar of Officina Artigiana Milano Stay Traditional. This means it only lasted for about 30 shaves. If I use less amount, it still lathers decently, but using more product makes a much better lather.

 

[Jay21]

You can spend your morning counting and weighing soap, or you could spend it shaving. Making lather really isn't rocket surgery. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. I'm a pretty terrible DE wet shaver, but even I figured out how to lather pretty quickly.

 

[The Blackadder]

You can spend your morning counting and weighing soap, or you could spend it shaving. Making lather really isn't rocket surgery. Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be. I'm a pretty terrible DE wet shaver, but even I figured out how to lather pretty quickly.

Thanks. My biggest problem so far has been getting decent lathers. I could face lather more easily, but I get brush burns quickly. So my objective is to create good lathers in a bowl, but unfortunately haven’t hit the jackpot yet

 

[GeronimoWSB]

I tried to figure out last shave or so. Stirling glacial margherita (sp) 1 gram was more than enough for 2 face shaves. Gave myself a general idea at least. I had to use my kitchen digital scales that are pretty accurate. Couldn't find my old triple beams lol.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I think most people just learn through experience and observation how much soap is needed to get the lather they want. Their number might not apply to other people like a rule of thumb.

As @brucered suggested, maybe check out the 3017 threads. The only way to really know is to use the same soap for every shave until it is finished, then you can do the math to get an average. Most people here seem to rotate among several different soaps, so it's hard to know how much is used per shave with any accuracy.

 

[brucered]

Thanks. I read some people got mold in their tubs, and others say the soap loses scent or shrinks with the introduction of water. Is it something common? I wouldn’t want my soaps to go bad, specially not my precious Arko

I've never had a soap go moldy or bad, but I don't rotate soaps.

 

[DougK]

I just go by feel and how the lather looks and feels on my face. I usually face lather so I can tell if it went on a little dry and needs more water, or if the brush was too wet and I need a little more soap. The quality of water in your area can also make a huge difference. My brother-in-law remarked on that while he and my sister were staying with us a couple of months ago. They live in an area with very hard water, whereas I don't. He commented that he'd never been able to shave comfortably or had a good lather before, which caused me to recall that I hadn't either until I moved here (we have very good municipal water). He was surprised at how little of my shaving cream (Palmolive) he needed to use.

TL;DR: I don't know what the answer to your question is, and I'm not sure there is actually a single answer.

 

[NorthernSoul]

...Besides, I don’t really like loading directly from the tub, I prefer scooping a bit and then bowl lather. Thanks a lot

Just a suggestion on this part...

If you are using harder soaps, you will get better results loading from a large surface area. So, maybe instead of scooping out enough for one shave, take out enough for a couple weeks into a separate container used as a loading bowl. That way, you will get better lathers and your main supply will still stay pristine.

 

[lasta]

100-160 swirls.

A few soaps can get away with less, but IMO it's not possible to get optimal lather if the brush is not saturated.