The lather conundrum; too dry first pass, dissipates second pass.

[Mr. Shavington]

Less Water.

No. More soap. Probably more water as well, but definitely more soap. It’s not just the proportions, it’s the amount that matters. Brushes will just eat up the soap when there’s too little, and you’ll never get a good lather going.

 

[DesertIguana]

No. More soap. Probably more water as well, but definitely more soap. It’s not just the proportions, it’s the amount that matters. Brushes will just eat up the soap when there’s too little, and you’ll never get a good lather going.

Your point are correct, and make a good lather is something you do not accomplish on first try.

Unless your lucky.

 

[Herrenberg]

I laugh now, at my earlier attempts to not use too much soap. First, too much soap is great, and second, if you're using hard pucks, they seem nearly impossible to use up anyway.

If you're really using enough soap, then make sure you're adding water gradually. A big dose of water, all at once, can kill a nicely developing lather.

 

[Lane101]

So if 1/2 tsp isn't enough, maybe 3/4 or 1 tsp? It feels like even 1/2 feels a bit excessive as a starting point, but then again most people I've watched on Youtube tend to load the brush directly from the soap and makes it easier to gauge the right amount.

Yes @Mr. Shavington is right that you should add more soap. The few times where I had weak/dissipating lather were resolved when I just added more soap or cream. My few softer soaps, like TFS Red Bowl, require use of a lot more product than what I'm used to using from my hard soap pucks. Once you get quality lather you can refine how you dial in and see if a little less soap still works.

 

[Quaznoid]

One of the best lessons I learned in law school applies equally to wet-shaving: KISS, i.e., Keep It Simple Sweety.
I bowl lather. I keep bath soap scraps in an old yogurt container. I add hot water to the bowl and soak my brush as the sink fills. I shake the brush 3 times and swirl it in the bowl for maybe 15-20 seconds. A lather forms. I wet my face and build the lather on my face, swirling, painting and slapping. I get a nice, slick coat in maybe 15 seconds. Shave. Repeat. Done.
Keeping the soap puck or scraps in the bowl ensures you always get the right amount of soap. For second and third passes you go back to the bowl as needed. You get as much lather as you need and it stays moist in the bowl.
Simplify! Don’t make it complicated. Shaving should be easy.
And if lathering doesn’t work for you, there’s no shame in using canned shaving cream.

 

[Tillerman]

Welcome to the forum. Don't overthink things. If soap is dry add more water, if not enough soap add more. A wet soapy thin lather with light pressure will get the job done. Just keep at it. You don't have to have a picture perfect yogurt looking lather to have a great shave. You will figure you what kind of lather you like and works for you. It just takes some time.

 

[know1special]

I would humbly suggest lathering more soap with a slightly damp brush. Then, introduce more water a bit at a time to achieve desired slickness. Don't give up! It's a bit of an art this lathering business.

 

[Frito Ray]

If O.P. Is still around, adding a 3-4 drops of glycerine into the lather bowl makes a huge difference in lather quality.

 

[rajagra2]

No. More soap. Probably more water as well, but definitely more soap. It’s not just the proportions, it’s the amount that matters. Brushes will just eat up the soap when there’s too little, and you’ll never get a good lather going.

Or... less brush!

For the first time ever, I got fantastic lather from a boar brush today. Guess which one.

 

[Happy Jack]

Decide what you think is the correct amount of shaving cream to put in the bowl and double it. I use an Evil Zebra 26 synthetic brush and soak it with water from the hot tap. No shaking or squeezing, just stick it straight into the bowl and lather it up. The lather should start off watery, so keep lathering until it's firm enough to not drip off your face. Takes me about 15 seconds now I have the hang of it, but lather until you're happy with it to start with.
BTW TOBS is a really good shaving cream, so excellent for experimenting.