Why lather the soap?

[H Brad Boonshaft]

So, a few years ago thick lather was all the rage, with tons of photos of lather that look like bowls of whipped cream, they even dubbed it “Uber Lather”.

For me it is all about the wetness, lots of water and a good soap, big MDC fan. Years ago I regularly shaved in a steam bath with no soap, great shave.

As said what ever work for you, good soap does make a difference, my second pass is a lot more water and less lather, water only clean up.

 

[Koop]

^ Yes. Soap quality and residual slickness matter most. I like Stirling and Cajun Blade tallow based soaps. I think Cajun Blade is made from the same or very similar base soap with different fragrances. Good stuff from forum member @Eshebert.

 

[marv]

Similar attempts have been made in the past by Charles Roberts (RIP). Too thick a foam will prevent the razor from flowing. Too watery a lather will also lack protection. The lather you create should not be as thick as cement used in construction, nor as thin as foam from a bubble toy.

There are no fixed rules. Go with what feels good for your skin.

 

[Chandu]

What is lathering the soap supposed to do? After getting fairly good at working up a thick lather and shaving I also tried wetting the brush, running it around in the soap a bit and daubing it on - I don't perceive a difference in the resulting shave.

Ahh, we've got one that can see...LOL

I don't disagree with youl. I do like lather simply so I can see where the brush has been. I don't buy into cushion or protection because that is mechanical and simply using less pressure does the same.

First and foremost a shave soap should reduce friction that is be slick!

That is why I don't mind many of the cold saponified soaps that others turn their noses up at because the lather dissipates. I don't need lather, I need slick and a good post shave feel.

 

[Chandu]

Hey, whatever works. A person could shave with water alone, olive oil, Crisco, anything's possible I suppose for the creative person.

Oil, not for me. It's slick in general and great on sharpening stones, but any shaving oil I have ever tried has about 100x more friction betwixt razor and face than the worst soap does.

I used to get sucked in on the glowing reports on shaving with oil alone and then I tried it. After that I concluded they were on the take or their skin was way different than mine.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Oil, not for me. It's slick in general and great on sharpening stones, but any shaving oil I have ever tried has about 100x more friction betwixt razor and face than the worst soap does.

I used to get sucked in on the glowing reports on shaving with oil alone and then I tried it. After that I concluded they were on the take or their skin was way different than mine.

Rather use soap or cream myself, so I'm hardly an expert with it, but IIRC water is also used in combination with the oil. There is just a thin layer of oil on the skin and when combined with water, the oil acts like miniature ball bearings for the razor to ride on.

 

[Chandu]

Rather use soap or cream myself, so I'm hardly an expert with it, but IIRC water is also used in combination with the oil. There is just a thin layer of oil on the skin and when combined with water, the oil acts like miniature ball bearings for the razor to ride on.

It does not seem to work like that for me. Maybe I'm strange and I'm not saying that to be funny.

When I wash my hand, I literally have about 3x the water clinging to may hands of anyone I know. They are not super hairy, it's like my skin is a water magnet. I see the trash bin at the gym with the cheap brown paper towels and they are wadded and barely wet. I need minimum three towels and the first two are basically brown balls of water.

So maybe that plays into my dislike of shave oil.

 

[sylbub]

Hey, whatever works. A person could shave with water alone, olive oil, Crisco, anything's possible I suppose for the creative person.

Sinatra Lennon showed us that Big Mac sauce worked just fine!

I've had perfectly sensible latherless shaves (think Aleppo soap)... although it tends to generate some slightly messy whisker slurry. Ymmv