What does it mean when a shave soap lather is described as having a "low structure"?
Low structure?
- Thread starter raiden
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Love when people come up with new terms to describe something.
I assume it means that it does not form stiff peaks of lather.
I assume it means that it does not form stiff peaks of lather.
Hannah's Dad
I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
I would say it means more like yogurt than whipped cream.
I like the low/high structure terms because it seems accurate.
Low - these stay kinda glue-like in appearance, even when properly hydrated.
High - these puff up even before being hydrated properly. Sometimes these guys fool me.
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Low - these stay kinda glue-like in appearance, even when properly hydrated.
High - these puff up even before being hydrated properly. Sometimes these guys fool me.
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It was made for basement dwellers.
They couldn't get the high structure permit.
Hey, this soap has no volume, and is much harder to lather than any other soap. Let's invent a term that sounds legit and gives the impression that this is a whole new breed of soap. ;-)I think that’s a term that a soap maker came up with when responding to some negative feedback about the quality of the lather their soap produced.
Can you link where this term has been used?
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The low structure soaps so many artisans now produce are intentionally made that way. As a soap maker I can control the type of lathering properties any given soap will have by choosing the fats and oils. I can tell you that soaps that have creamy low structure lather are no mistake. These low structure lathers can hold a ton of water before breaking down and that has its benefits. I much prefer low structure lathers than foamy dry high structure lathers. They aren’t harder to lather. The end result may leave some dissapointed and confused but the performance increase over lather porn is justifiable.
That’s all in good but I think there is irony in the constant invention of new terminology in this hobby. It seems to be a trend on the increase.
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Low lathering and high lathering I can understand but where do you get the definition of "low structure lather"?
I don't want to be confrontational when I say that's you opinion. You're stating the two points above as fact, when in reality they don't apply to everyone.
There are so many posts that say I can't lather Low Structure Soap X and I can lather any other soap. It's not insurmountable, but those soaps are more finicky to lather and take longer. I don't want to take 4+ minutes to lather a soap when I can lather Chiseled Face soaps in under 2.
Now your performance point. Higher performance by who's standard? What defines higher performance? I'll use CF soaps as a reference again. To my face, CF is just as slick and gives me just as good a face feel as any low structure soap. Maybe low structure is better for people with uber dry skin, but for many regular Joes, they're no better.
If they're so much better, no one would use the regular higher structure soaps once they try the low structure stuff and that's not the case. The world needs variety, and low structure soaps give us another perfectly viable option ... not necessarily a better or worse, just different.
As a straight razor user and now for all my shaves, I also prefer a lather that it well hydrated. For me it has the same beneficial effect as shaving in the shower.
+1! I have found because of the performance increase in areas of both primary & residual slickness & protection, it allows me to do what I couldn't normally do with higher structure lathers--such as more blade buffing, touch ups where there is no visible lather, or moving the razor along faster, etc.... However, I still have & use plenty of other soaps with no problem, I just need to be a little more attentive.
My first introduction to this type of lather was Declaration Grooming (bison base), B&M Reserve, & Midnight &Two--still all phenomenal soaps! But at this moment in my opinion, the new WK Bufala base and also the newest base from A&E Signature are leading the pack in low structure lathers!
Here's a borrowed pic from a member here that I've used many times & it is exactly what I strive for in a lather. Here is a low structure lather:
I’m also a hobbyist soap maker and completely agree.
I use a straight more often than a DE and I much prefer low structure lather for straight shaves. It allows straight users to still get the high lubrication needed for straight shaving without having to over hydrate to the point that the lather breaks down.
shavefan
I’m not a fan
I think terms about lather "structure" started about the same time as butter/oil loaded soaps hit the market and started becoming popular. I was very confused the first time I tried to lather L&L (now Declaration Grooming) shave soap. I thought I was doing something wrong, as what my efforts produced was a yogurt like slurry unlike any soap I had previously used. Seemed like it was soon after that I started noticing terms thrown around the forums like "low structure".
I find I can vary the “structure” of my lather by water/soap ratio and degree of agitation. Having worked in the CPG field it is never a term I have heard used in the science or manufacture of soaps or detergents.
It just irks me that we have to create a vocabulary that is unnecessary. If you like a crap ton of unsaponified products and other additives in your soaps roll with it and enjoy. Don’t build a pseudoscience around it that just raises the bar for entry into learning the hobby.
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It just irks me that we have to create a vocabulary that is unnecessary. If you like a crap ton of unsaponified products and other additives in your soaps roll with it and enjoy. Don’t build a pseudoscience around it that just raises the bar for entry into learning the hobby.
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Who said only saponified ingredients belong in soap? That would be a really bad soap to shave with. No superfat? No glycerin? Is that what you’re suggesting?
