How wrong have i been lathering for 5 months?!

[Tonikallinn]

So, when i had recently started DE shaving, which was in June this year, i started looking up tips and tricks/tutorials for lathering. I took the main pointers that i saw most frequently to mind, such as:

-You want the lather to have a nice shine/sheen to it
-Want to be careful of not having a lot of air bubbles in the lather
-Slowly work up the lather, by adding water, mixing and then agitate a bit . Rinse and repeat

I've had varying results with Proraso, which i gave up on. And then i just tried my first tub of TOBS this morning. There was basically no slickness (after working in just a light sheen to it) and i added more water each pass, and by my last pass, the lather was rapidly dissipating on my face.

I started wondering if cold water was the issue, or if i just need way more product to make a good lather. So i tried using a bit more product for a practice lather after my shave (not my best shave so far, as there was basically no slickness)

I basically did everything like i am used to do, but i tried adding less water and agitating the lather in the bowl much more after adding a bit of water. A LOT more. - And not only did i get an tremendous amount of lather from doing so, it was also incredibly slick - . I would say that the lather had no ''sheen'' and a decent amount of bubbles in the lather (small bubbles) And i saw a huge change in my brush. It was ''expanded'' with soap, so far it always kept around the same size, as it is when damp

For some reason, i seemed to be under that impression that you dont want to agitate the soap too much. I don't know if it's something i read, a video a saw or something. Maybe something about ''expanding the soap too much'' or something along those lines.

While using Proraso, my skin was often very shiny after, even after thoroughly rinsing my face with first warm, then cold water. Does that mean that i just wasn't agitating/breaking the soap down enough?

Just how BADLY have i been lathering with the completely wrong technique? Or is this just TOBS Maybe? I am ashamed it took me this long to realize i might have been doing something wrong!

 

[DrStrange]

This is the YouTube where I learned everything that I needed to know
about face lathering with cream.
The beginning of it can be condensed into "First, you wash your face."

What shaving brushes in indian barbershops ?

Hi guys, I made sone researches but I cannot find what type of shaving brush do india barbers use. It seems to be very floppy brushes (synthetic, goat hair, human hair ???) I also cannot find any website that sell those kind of brushes. Do you have any idea ? :) see an example here :

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[DesertIguana]

Well we are all different, what works for one person don't work for another. Shaving is not a game of follow the leader, unless the LEADER is a USMC DI. Then it comes down to if you value life or be dead.

 

[Quaznoid]

There is no wrong way to shave.

 

[Ranyart Finn]

Water type has a lot to do with it, too. I live in an area with extremely hard water (I'm on a well, and the water comes straight out of the ground system, which is limestone), and with some soaps, lathering is extremely hard work. Recently I switched to using distilled water, keeping some in a misting bottle, and using that for both brush soaking and lather hydration. The results have been great: better hydrated lather with relatively little effort.

Like the OP, I also find that a little vigorous agitation with the brush, followed by a squirt of water, is better than just working and working. I also let my agitation grow lighter as the lather starts to build, more swirling the brush.

There's no one 'right way' though. Its practice and learning what the variable are in your situation. All part of the fun, I'm finding!

 

[Tonikallinn]

There is no wrong way to shave.

My face after this morning would disagree with you... But i do get what you mean. I mainly want to know if anyone has experienced the same, agitating the soap too little, causing problems

 

[swellcat]

. . . just need way more product to make a good lather . . .

More may be more, in this case. Too much seems to work better than too little.

I'm open to folks' experiences . . . open and a touch skeptical of the lather legions and their orthodoxies. (Sheen? How about Martin?)

One of the contrarians on here maintains that lather is an irrelevant distraction.

Keep experimenting, and tell us what you find.

 

[Frito Ray]

With all due respect, I think you are overthinking this.

Some guys like a whipped cream texture, some yogurt and a lot of the straight razor guys prefer a runnier lather.

The important thing is to get it on your face, work it in a little, then let it be for at least a minute or so, then come back to it with a little bit of water on you fingertips before starting your shave.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

So, when i had recently started DE shaving, which was in June this year, i started looking up tips and tricks/tutorials for lathering. I took the main pointers that i saw most frequently to mind, such as:

-You want the lather to have a nice shine/sheen to it
-Want to be careful of not having a lot of air bubbles in the lather
-Slowly work up the lather, by adding water, mixing and then agitate a bit . Rinse and repeat

I've had varying results with Proraso, which i gave up on. And then i just tried my first tub of TOBS this morning. There was basically no slickness (after working in just a light sheen to it) and i added more water each pass, and by my last pass, the lather was rapidly dissipating on my face.

I started wondering if cold water was the issue, or if i just need way more product to make a good lather. So i tried using a bit more product for a practice lather after my shave (not my best shave so far, as there was basically no slickness)

I basically did everything like i am used to do, but i tried adding less water and agitating the lather in the bowl much more after adding a bit of water. A LOT more. - And not only did i get an tremendous amount of lather from doing so, it was also incredibly slick - . I would say that the lather had no ''sheen'' and a decent amount of bubbles in the lather (small bubbles) And i saw a huge change in my brush. It was ''expanded'' with soap, so far it always kept around the same size, as it is when damp

For some reason, i seemed to be under that impression that you dont want to agitate the soap too much. I don't know if it's something i read, a video a saw or something. Maybe something about ''expanding the soap too much'' or something along those lines.

While using Proraso, my skin was often very shiny after, even after thoroughly rinsing my face with first warm, then cold water. Does that mean that i just wasn't agitating/breaking the soap down enough?

Just how BADLY have i been lathering with the completely wrong technique? Or is this just TOBS Maybe? I am ashamed it took me this long to realize i might have been doing something wrong!

What you created there is exactly the kind of lather I try to avoid. Bulky lather, whipped full of air. For me, that performs as badly, or worse, than aerosolised foam. I need a wet, thin lather, with minimal air content.

However, just because it works poorly for me, doesn't mean that it has to for you. Keep exploring, trying different things, and whatever gives you the closest and most comfortable shave is the one to stick with... even if other people prefer something different.

 

[Tonikallinn]

More may be more, in this case. Too much seems to work better than too little.

I'm open to folks' experiences . . . open and a touch skeptical of the lather legions and their orthodoxies. (Sheen? How about Martin?)

One of the contrarians on here maintains that lather is an irrelevant distraction.

Keep experimenting, and tell us what you find.

Just tried with Proraso again.... Wet brush, shake all water out. Swirl brush for 30 seconds (what i usually do) in the Proraso tub, then go to bowl.

Less water, more agitation - Thick, Lovely slickness (i usually don't get both slick and thick at the same time), and more lather than i usually get out of it. I mentioned that i had varying results with Proraso. I've once or twice had this amount of slickness

Lathering seems to have just ''clicked'' for me.

Oh, and minimal sheen.

 

[swellcat]

. . . whatever gives you the closest and most comfortable shave is the one to stick with... even if other people prefer something different.

I support this message.

 

[Tonikallinn]

With all due respect, I think you are overthinking this.

Some guys like a whipped cream texture, some yogurt and a lot of the straight razor guys prefer a runnier lather.

The important thing is to get it on your face, work it in a little, then let it be for at least a minute or so, then come back to it with a little bit of water on you fingertips before starting your shave.

I just tried doing another practice lather, but with Proraso.

It seems i've simply just been using too much water. Less water, more agitation - Lots of lather and slickness

And i do agree that letting the lather be for a minute or two, helps a lot. Hydrating the skin, softening the hairs

 

[GNR]

Just keep experimenting until you find the lather you like.

Keep in mind that every soap and shaving cream are going to require slight adjustments to get the lather that you like best.

You haven’t done anything “wrong”. Keep trying new things and disk in your preferences”, while enjoying shaving.

 

[Tonikallinn]

What you created there is exactly the kind of lather I try to avoid. Bulky lather, whipped full of air. For me, that performs as badly, or worse, than aerosolised foam. I need a wet, thin lather, with minimal air content.

However, just because it works poorly for me, doesn't mean that it has to for you. Keep exploring, trying different things, and whatever gives you the closest and most comfortable shave is the one to stick with... even if other people prefer something different.

I've heard that people want a thicker lather, for ''protection''. The times i've gotten a successfully slick lather, i personally haven't found any difference in thicker lather, or thinner/runnier lather. Except for the thicker lather clogging up my razer quicker.

Otherwise, as long as it's slick, im happy

 

[Doc Dan]

i load more and use less water. I add water as needed as I build the lather a drop or two at a time.

 

[Tonikallinn]

Just keep experimenting until you find the lather you like.

Keep in mind that every soap and shaving cream are going to require slight adjustments to get the lather that you like best.

You haven’t done anything “wrong”. Keep trying new things and disk in your preferences”, while enjoying shaving.

It just might be, that in chasing that ''sheen'' i kept seeing being mentioned, that too much water went into my lather. Based on my two past practice lathers, that seems to have been it. They had minimal to no sheen, and it was very slick

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I've heard that people want a thicker lather, for ''protection''. The times i've gotten a successfully slick lather, i personally haven't found any difference in thicker lather, or thinner/runnier lather. Except for the thicker lather clogging up my razer quicker.

Otherwise, as long as it's slick, im happy

For what it's worth, here is what I'm currently doing. I went (back) to this method to get better performance out of floppier brushes, particularly on multi-day growth, but I am doing something similar with higher backbone brushes too.

Layering: My new (old) lather method

This is something I’ve been playing around with for a little while recently, and wanted to share my progress. Apologies in advance for the long post, but there's a lot to share. Backstory: I started toying around with this concept, because of a couple of “floppy” best badger and super badger...

www.badgerandblade.com

At some point I will update that thread with the tweaks I need to make with certain brushes, but the overall principle of alternating between soap and water, remains the same.

 

[Ravenonrock]

It just might be, that in chasing that ''sheen'' i kept seeing being mentioned, that too much water went into my lather. Based on my two past practice lathers, that seems to have been it. They had minimal to no sheen, and it was very slick

Bingo!

 

[Tonikallinn]

Bingo!

Hopefully!

Now im curious if that ''sheen'' is for hard water?.... No sheen for me, at least!

 

[BigJ]

Great advice above!

In the end there is only one person you need to please!! Keep experimenting and you will get there!