Glycerin Soap Tutorial - Part 2

[Scotto]

In the first part of this article, I showed you how I used to deal with glycerin soaps, leading to unsatisfying results. Now I will attempt to show you how to get ridiculous quanitities of lush, hydrated lather!

There are a few key tenets:

(1) More soap
(2) More water
(3) More agitation

Sounds easy, but the variables are tricky. Here we go!

Here is our trusty tub of QED sandalwood again:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=220

The first thing I do is prep the surface of the soap by getting some hot water on it:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=221
I put some hot water on the soap and let it sit for a minute while I am shaking out my brush, etc. This helps get things started. After that, pour off the water, but don't rinse the soap again.

Note: getting good lather out of these soaps is a messy business. Even the tubs don't provide enough room. Expect lather coming over the sides of the tub, etc. Don't worry - it is all in the name of a good shave! Flick out some of the water, maybe one or two light flicks - less than you would flick out for a cream. The soap will need more water.

Time to work the soap:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=222
Note that I am pressing down a fair amount here. This is where things start to diverge from where I was before in part 1. Instead of stopping swirling when there is visible soap in the bristles (15-20 swirls), I am going to keep working that soap until there is real lather going. This might take a bit of work, especially if you have hard water like I do. For me, it takes a minute of working the bristles into the soap to get a starting point that looks like this:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=223

Note the difference between this and what I showed in part 1:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=216

Make sure you have real lather forming before you proceed!

At this point, you can hit the bowl and start twirling. After a few swirls:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1253_1_1.JPG
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1254_2_1.JPG

Spend about a minute here, swirling and pumping the brush up and down hard to get the lather deep into the bristles. At this point, lather should be almost flying out of your bowl.

At this point, you may think you are done, but you are not. You need more water. Add a small amount of hot water to the bowl, perhaps 1/4 of a shot glass amount. Then whip the heck out of it. I mean really whip it. Don't stop for at least a minute or two. You want to build a very stable mixture, and much like egg whites into meringue, it takes some work. Don't skimp here. You are going to have lots of lather in your brush and bowl, but keep going, pushing the lather back down into the bowl with your brush, pumping as necessary, etc.

At this point, look at your mixture. It should look very glossy and rich. If it is at all matte, add a few drops of water and repeat the above.

Now we are talking!
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1255_1_1.JPG
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1256_2_1.JPG

At this point, you should be ready to lather up your face. Enjoy! If you have done it correctly, you will note that the second and subsequent passes will actually get thicker. This is due to evaporation of the water in the brush. The lather you have now should be as thick and rich as you get with a cream. if it isn't, go back and practice. More than likely you didn't get enough soap and water into the mixture, or you didn't whip it long enough.

One pass on hand:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1257_2_1.JPG
(Go back to part one and compare the difference!)

Squeezed:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1258_1_1.JPG

This is after several minutes on my arm:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=224
Notice no drying out whatsoever, unlike what I showed you in part 1.

What is left after a three-pass shave:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=225

Excess squeezed out of brush:
http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1261_2_1.JPG

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1264_3_1.JPG

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/files/1/8/IMG_1265_4_1.JPG

So there you go. This method should get you way more lather than you need. Start with lots, and you can learn to ratchet it down to a more sane level as needed. If you have any questions, please drop me a note and I would be happy to answer, take more pictures, whatever.

To reiterate,

Work the soap longer than you think you need.
Add more water than you think you need
Whip it way longer than you think you need

And you should be in business.

Enjoy!

[Austin]

Kudos Scotto! Very informative and concise.

[JohnP]

Awesome pictorial Scotto
John P.

[rtaylor61]

Damn! Here I sit at work, and I could swear I smell SANDALWOOD! Really!

Great job!

Randy

[guenron]

Greetings Scotto,
Beautifully done. Simply beautiful. A work of art. :a4:

[halwilson]

Scotto,

Great pictorial; very helpful. Thanks! :thumbup:

Hal

[Coche_y_bondhu]

Well done, Scotto!

Now I need to try your method on my QED Lime tub. You do mention this is for glycerin soaps. Have you tried this technique on a Proraso tub?

Maybe something to try on my Proraso Day (Sunday).

Cheers,
Richard
Plain-O TX

[Scotto]

Well done, Scotto!

Now I need to try your method on my QED Lime tub. You do mention this is for glycerin soaps. Have you tried this technique on a Proraso tub?

Maybe something to try on my Proraso Day (Sunday).

Cheers,
Richard
Plain-O TX

Believe it or not, I have never used a non-glycerin soap, Proraso or otherwise. I am deciding which one to pick up, but I am not sure which yet.

My impression from reading around was that the Proraso soap was very soft, almost in between cream and soap. I would proceed with caution on that one.

Of course, if someone has some tallow-based soaps they want to donate to the Pictorial cause, PM me for my address. :001_tt2:

[Keith5698]

Wow, I wish I had found this post sooner. I have been realy struggling getting a good lather with the soaps. Basically, my lather and routine looked exactly like part one (what NOT to do). It's a shame I just finished shaving. I might have had a much better lather. I may just go back into the bathroom and practice this! Thanks so much for this great tutorial.

[letterk]

Great tutorial. I do a very similar method with my glycerin soaps. Scotto, you need to check out Tabac.

[Scotto]

The thread is a year old now; since then I have added dozens of other soaps to my arsenal, including the wonderful Tabac (as you mention).

[letterk]

:lol: I saw "9" in the date and thought it was recent as it just showed up as a new thread. Sorry about that.

[PalmettoB]

Still a great update for us newbies. Thanks, Scotto!

[Agent86]

Glad this topic got bumped back up. Scotto, your tutorial has allowed my QED soap to come out of retirement.

[MINI Cooper]

Hi, This is my first post on this forum. I learned about wet shaving from a friend of mine on another board, and saw the YouTube videos that are out there. However, apparently I haven't been getting a proper lather. . . .Until tonight! Thank you so much for this thread! I didn't even shave tonight, but I went and whipped up a nice thick yummy lather using my Mug Soap (I'm going to buy some better stuff tonight). Wow, what a difference it was!

Thanks again!

[ratcheer]

More soap. More water. More agitation.

Got it! Thanks!

Tim

[kuzmo]

Hey great work Scotto! Will do my best and try using your tutorial as soon as Sue's Sandalwood Vanilla arrives :biggrin:

[ratcheer]

I tried it last night with regular Neutrogena glycerin soap. I got a great lather and a great shave. Still had plenty of lather after four passes!

Tim

[kuzmo]

if you have any spare lather do what I do .... just apply it on your face and shave ... does not matter whether you already wiped them whiskers .... just shave :drool: :drool:

[perry]

This thread should be required reading for all newbies! I must have spent over an hour tonight in my bathroom trying to whip up a lather with my first soap (L'Occitane.. not glycerin, I don't think, but the directions worked) and never could get anything that looked decent to shave with. Was ready to give up and just stick to creams.

Came to the forums and stumbled across this thread, went right back in to the bathroom and had (http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=5369) great (http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=5368) success (http://www.badgerandblade.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=5367) almost immediately! Thanks, Scotto!

[rtaylor61]

Perry,

Glycerin soaps are normally "see through" or soft if you squeeze them. L'Occitane is not a glycerin soap, but a "hard" soap. Glad you found success!

Randy

[soapbuddy]

Great pics!:thumbup1:

Thanks for posting!

[michaelskar]

Just got my soaps from charles (fresh lime and lavender) and tried my first shaving soap this morning. using Scotto's techniques I had huge success in creating a really nice lather that equaled a perfect shave! Thanks for the info, as I would have probably done it all wrong and blamed the soap. The loading it up part was especially helpful as most places suggest just seeing the foam start before transferring to the bowl...waiting for a nice lather in the tub before the bowl helped create 5 passes worth of soap 9though I only did three).

[netsurfr]

Wow! This was excellent. Thanks, Scotto. Wish I would have run across this several months ago when I started straight shaving. This explains why my shaves are much better with the soft tubs than with my glycerin soaps.
Thanks again,
Steve

[AaronP]

Scotto -

I too am glad this thread got bumped. I have been struggling to get a satisfactory lather with my soaps. I could get a good qualitiy lather, but not the quantity I wanted for four good passes. Followed your technique this morning and ended up with loads of great lather. I just wasn't using enough water and was not spending enought time loading the brush with the soap.

Thanks again.

Aaron

[SilverKarn]

it has GOT to be my Boar Hair Burma Shave brush thats preventing me from getting lather like this.

i swirl it in the bowl of MamaBear Lime for at LEAST a full minute, theres so much lather coming out of the bowl that i cant see my hand anymore.

i then swirl and swirl in a bowl, adding water as i go little by little.

i have only managed to get lather like yours ONCE, never since.

i cant wait for my C&E best badger to come tuesday so i can try this out.

I also have very hard water, and its nice to know you can still make a good lather even if you dont have soft water

[ratcheer]

That's odd, I always get great lather when I use my el cheapo Burma Shave brush. But I only use it about once a month. :rolleyes:

Tim

[SilverKarn]

Maybe i got a bad Burma Brush

i just got my C&E best badger today, tried the same thing i tried with my Burma and i got a great lather, though not as good as Scotto's

I just have to practice more

[Richard]

Great stuff Scotto!!! HUGE difference in my shave - bbs WITHOUT the irritation and tiny blood spots on my jaw!:biggrin:

[Arthur J Cummings]

Very helpful!. I think since I'm retired and got on to a DE razor, that the morning shave has become a pleasurable ritual. The point is to change ones thinking and allow enough time. Easy for me to say. When I was working, I used to get up at 4.30A.M daily and had to rush rush eyc. Ah! Ain't life grand?Now it's so much fun I'm going to have to confess it. " Bless me father, I think I'm in love with my razor!!!"

:001_smile Art Cummings-
AKA; connman

[Jim]

Welcome Art!

[Arthur J Cummings]

Would the process be enhanced if I were to heat the soap in a metal container
and leave the container in the sink in hot water.?( Note I didn't say speed up the process, shaving is now a pleasurable event.Greaat instructions- specific,and easy to understand,
A,J. C. Aka Connman ( from Connecticut)

[Patrick D]

Would the process be enhanced if I were to heat the soap in a metal container
and leave the container in the sink in hot water.?( Note I didn't say speed up the process, shaving is now a pleasurable event.Greaat instructions- specific,and easy to understand,
A,J. C. Aka Connman ( from Connecticut)

Arthur, a Moss Scutttle would brighten your days and shaves a lot!

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14783

[Desiderius]

Thanks for this informative thread, I've copied your way of making lather and I've adjusted it a bit.

1: Prep the surface of my 'Taylor of old bond street' Sandalwood soap by getting some hot water on it. I let it sit in for a minute like you.
2: I pour that water in my shave bowl.
3: Start to work the Sandalwoord soap. I also press down a fair amount here. I keep working that soap until there is real lather going. As you already mentioned; This might take a bit of work.
4: Now I grap my shave bowl and start swirling. ... Swirling and pumping the brush up and down hard to get the lather deep into the brush.
5: Now I wipe my brush, so all the lather is still in the bowl.
6: I repeat step 3; Working the soap again.
7: I go back to my bowl and start swirling again untill I've got a thick lather.
8: Now I add some Proraso Shaving Cream and start swirling again. Again until the soap looks nice and thick.
9: Now I start adding water to my bowl, little by little, until the mixture is glossy and rich.

Lather up the face now !

[BarryR]

Great post, but I got two questions:

1) Is the technique any different for hard (milled) soaps? Seems to me like it would be pretty much the same.

2) I think I've been using too little water and too little soap. But if so, why don't I just wind up with a small amount of good lather? After, the only two things in the lather are soap and water. Wouldn't it be mostly the ration that matters?

[TOB9595]

I'm thankful that I came upon this post.
GREAT Tutorial!
Thanks
Tom

[Lelander]

Great post, but I got two questions:

1) Is the technique any different for hard (milled) soaps? Seems to me like it would be pretty much the same.

2) I think I've been using too little water and too little soap. But if so, why don't I just wind up with a small amount of good lather? After, the only two things in the lather are soap and water. Wouldn't it be mostly the ration that matters?

Not enough water and not enough soap results in large volumes of lather made up mostly of air that has been whipped into the soapy matrix. This won't last long, provides little cusion, and fails to soften the hair. Water to soap ratio is only part if the equation, you also have to take into account the time spent creating lather as well as the size of the brush. Big brushes need to be loaded with quite a lot of soap to develop lather of correct consistency. You will almost always be able to whip up a large enough volume of lather if you try hard enough; however, if there is not enough water to make the wet lather really wet or not enough soap to bind with that water you get either really light frothy lather or thin runny lather. You need to have the correct amount of water for the soap and the correct amount of soap for the brush.

[masonjarjar]

it has GOT to be my Boar Hair Burma Shave brush thats preventing me from getting lather like this.

i swirl it in the bowl of MamaBear Lime for at LEAST a full minute, theres so much lather coming out of the bowl that i cant see my hand anymore.

i then swirl and swirl in a bowl, adding water as i go little by little.

i have only managed to get lather like yours ONCE, never since.

i cant wait for my C&E best badger to come tuesday so i can try this out.

I also have very hard water, and its nice to know you can still make a good lather even if you dont have soft water


I dunno, the Burma is the only brush I've used for 15 years. Maybe I'm just good at it, but I've never had a problem getting good lathers with my Burma. Sorry to be blunt, but you've just got to attack that soap. Beat the living $hit out of it. Don't be afraid to put your wrist into it.. :biggrin:

-Mason

[Androclese]

Tried this tonight with some of my Col. Conk's Almond and it was the best lather I've gotten so far. I probably could have added still more soap and water for even better results. I got three passes out of what I lathered up and I think 4 would have been pushing it. Practice, practice, practice. :biggrin:

Thanks!

[Hoos]

My thanks to Scotto and the rest for this thread.

Received a tub of glycerin today, so stumbling across this thread is very timely.

Probably will save it for the weekend - when I have both time and time to get it right.

[Sue]

This is a great tutorial Scotto! Good Job!
Sue

[a.calhoon]

Holy smoke! This method made my lather twice as lush as usual. I'm in love! :001_tt1:

[Gunnar]

Great tutorial! I was using your first tutorial with Tabac soap and a brush that looks suspiciously similar to yours (Vulfix 2235) and not getting a very good lather. I was given a jar of shaving cream for Christmas and used that until the start of February when I decided that Febuary would be the month that I learned to lather properly with Tabac. The first of the month I forgot to empty the water that I dripped onto the soap to wet it (a couple of teaspoons) and got totally carried away with swirling the brush on the soap, carrying on far longer than I normally do. Suddenly lather exploded from the top of the soap and I got enough for three passes.

Nice to see that someone got there before me so the technique is "B&B Approved"!

[fixed point]

Thanks for the informative pictorial. I just started using my first glycerin soap a few days ago and was achieving the same results as in Part 1. Finding this thread was great timing!

[TENroaches]

This method of lathermaking from a soap deserves to be in the Wiki. It works so much better than the one in there now for so many people. One of these days, I might figure out how to add things and put it in there.

If anyone else has experience with making Wiki articles, feel free to beat me to the punch. :smile:

[Schaefo]

I was having some problems getting a great lather with my QED soaps until I read this tutorial. Lot's of thick lather now, thanks for the info Scotto!!

[Bradford]

helpful scotto thanks

[Madcap]

Thanks alot...shall i say... soapmaster!:cornut:

[iwakura42]

Scotto, what do you do between soaking your brush and starting to swirl the brush on the soap? I realized from another tutorial that my brush may initially be too wet--squeezing it out before I started got me much better results. The tutorial doesn't mention this step, though. Thanks for your comments.

[JRod]

I was just wondering, but what's the difference between a glycerin soap, and a regular non-glycerin soap?

[soapbuddy]

Glycerin soap has the actual glycerin added.
Regular soap makes it's own glycerin during the soapmaking process naturally.

HTH.

[JRod]

I see now, thank you.

[soapbuddy]

I see now, thank you.

You're welcome. I make both on a regular basis, so feel free to ask. :-)

[RoyalKooparillo]

Just used this method on a little Mama bear's Sandalwood Vanilla...Worked perfectly--made gobs and gobs of lather that didn't dry out, and I got a marvelous shave!

Kudos! :biggrin:

[Etoyoc_Rebmos]

Thanks for the tutorial. This is the only method I have found to get workable lather (other than adding cream) from a VDH glycerin, VDH boar brush, and extremely hard water.

[marco polo]

Learned something new today, thanks for this.

[The Seeker]

Thanks very much Scotto. I've used your technique with Mama Bear's Masculine Musk and Proraso Green Tea and Aloe to great effect. My shaves have noticeably improved.

[CarlJN]

It took a while of work with the old boar, but THANK YOU!!! I FINALLY got great lather out of my Honeybee soaps that everyone has been raging about but I was epic failing with!

[OneRand]

I feel this is a great video, lathering mama bear soap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDsptQLRA00

[profsaffel]

I'm so glad this tutorial reemerged. I see now why I haven't been getting the lather that I needed. This helps so much. Thanks, Scotto, Swami of Wet-Shaving!