I bought a marble bowl which has a rough texture to the inside. Makes it so that the lather tends to build up as much into the brush as in the bowl. At first I was put off by that…but have since found that it’s a nice midway between face and bowl lathering. A change of pace. And the consistency is pretty easy to manage (I like it just as it’s beginning to peak).
Favorite Lather Consistency and Feel
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rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
Thin, wet and slick. That's all I need as a SR shaver.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
The wetter, the better. A thin mix, and a thin application too. Maximum slickness with maximum shave feel/awareness. I am far more interested in the luxurious feel when removing It, than when applying it.
Also, very importantly, minimal air content. I don't want it to look like beaten egg whites, nor whipped cream. It's air that gives it that structure, but that air does absolutely nothing to help the shave. I'd rather have it like non-whipped cream than yoghurt, even if it's a bit runny. In fact, it's not uncommon for the water on a freshly rinsed razor to cause runs down my face and neck.
There's a simple way to know if I've got the lather wet enough, which seems to work with most lathers. I rinse my razor in a mug, and as soon as I dunk the razor (before I "swish" it), if the lather floats on the surface like a mini iceberg, it's not wet enough. When I've got it right, the lather just about holds together on the razor, but collapses instantly on contact with water, and the water in the mug looks more like dirty dish water. There may be some scum and detritus on the surface, but no lather clumps. Clumps means that I either got it too dry, or got too much air in it.
Also, very importantly, minimal air content. I don't want it to look like beaten egg whites, nor whipped cream. It's air that gives it that structure, but that air does absolutely nothing to help the shave. I'd rather have it like non-whipped cream than yoghurt, even if it's a bit runny. In fact, it's not uncommon for the water on a freshly rinsed razor to cause runs down my face and neck.
There's a simple way to know if I've got the lather wet enough, which seems to work with most lathers. I rinse my razor in a mug, and as soon as I dunk the razor (before I "swish" it), if the lather floats on the surface like a mini iceberg, it's not wet enough. When I've got it right, the lather just about holds together on the razor, but collapses instantly on contact with water, and the water in the mug looks more like dirty dish water. There may be some scum and detritus on the surface, but no lather clumps. Clumps means that I either got it too dry, or got too much air in it.
I like lather that is wet but not runny and lather that will remain with sufficient water throughout the shave. Lather that looks like it came out of a custard machine does not do it for me.
In fact, over the years I have gotten a number of PMs from new shavers who saw lather photos on B&B and said they could never make lather that looked like that. My advice to them was not how the lather looks but how it performs. For me, that lather must be sufficiently hydrated.
In fact, over the years I have gotten a number of PMs from new shavers who saw lather photos on B&B and said they could never make lather that looked like that. My advice to them was not how the lather looks but how it performs. For me, that lather must be sufficiently hydrated.
Thick, I can always drip hot water into my brush, but I like it thick when the razor hits.
Low structure thick lather with just beginning to show a sheen is a good place to start.
Have you tried making lather with that same consistency, but no bubbles? Whenever my lather has visible bubbles it usually results in a lackluster shave. Maybe the soaps I use just dont do well as foam. In order to reduce the bubbles, I add water slowly, churn slowly, and sometimes use slow back and forth painting strokes in the bowl instead of fast circular motion.
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- #28
A lot of good notes in this thread, thanks to all who contributed. I'm excited to branch out and try my hand at your preferred lathers to see if my tastes change.
After reading some of the bowl lathering comments on here, I decided to revisit it today after many months. I loaded my brush straight from the soap tub and started my lather off in the bowl. I kept it low structure and did not splay the brush once to avoid introducing unwanted air and volume, and I added roughly 7-10 drops of water from my fingertips every so often when the lather started to increase in volume. I kept it dryer than I normally like so that I could finish off on my face. I squeezed out all the soap from the brush into the bowl, picked up roughly a third back into the brush, and switched between painting and splaying with generous additions of painted water on my face.
This was performance-wise one of the most interesting shaves I've had. Because I didn't have nearly as heavy of lather buildup that I normally get from a pure face lather, I was able to hydrate much more consistently with this "hybrid" lather. An added bonus was that my brush was not dripping wet when I set it down since I didn't need as much water to dial in the hydration due to less soap in the brush. My second and third passes weren't nearly as thin as they normally are either because I had wasted less soap on the first pass.
I'll definitely try this again for a few more shaves to see if I feel like adding this to the mix. Now to try the thin/wet lathers and the thin/dry lathers.
After reading some of the bowl lathering comments on here, I decided to revisit it today after many months. I loaded my brush straight from the soap tub and started my lather off in the bowl. I kept it low structure and did not splay the brush once to avoid introducing unwanted air and volume, and I added roughly 7-10 drops of water from my fingertips every so often when the lather started to increase in volume. I kept it dryer than I normally like so that I could finish off on my face. I squeezed out all the soap from the brush into the bowl, picked up roughly a third back into the brush, and switched between painting and splaying with generous additions of painted water on my face.
This was performance-wise one of the most interesting shaves I've had. Because I didn't have nearly as heavy of lather buildup that I normally get from a pure face lather, I was able to hydrate much more consistently with this "hybrid" lather. An added bonus was that my brush was not dripping wet when I set it down since I didn't need as much water to dial in the hydration due to less soap in the brush. My second and third passes weren't nearly as thin as they normally are either because I had wasted less soap on the first pass.
I'll definitely try this again for a few more shaves to see if I feel like adding this to the mix. Now to try the thin/wet lathers and the thin/dry lathers.
And now you know why I like to bowl lather. See, isn't it awesome! I love it when others can help open a new world into things for us to try here at B&B. I was really hoping that you would try out bowl lathering. I hope that you like the experience, it sounds like you do though. And I thank you for delivering your report, I love to read updates on people's shaving journey's. Its in my opinion, that you are doing amazing!
Most of us shave after having a shower. This hydrates and softens the whiskers prior to the shave. I feel its the best and only "pre shave" you'll need ... ideally. I agree with what many have stated, that the lather doesn't have to be super thick and peaky. As long as it's well hydrated, not sudsy and properly worked in, it will be fine.
Do shaving soaps/lather actually help soften the whiskers as well as a shower does when you're face lathering? I know some guys don't shower before their shave. So does the lather actually help in terms of hydrating and softening the beard?
What about bowl lathering? You are basically spending time building lather in a bowl before applying it on the face and you start your shave right after applying. How does this help in terms of hydrating and softening for those who don't shower before their shave?
Also, are there soaps that actually contain ingredients that softens whiskers? Or are shaving soaps/creams just used for their slickness?
As for "cushion/protection", I just don't get it. Protection from what actually? No matter how thick my lather is, only a small portion of the razor makes contact on the face and with a thick lather, it doesn't actually feel like there's any cushion/resistance at all. It's not like as though the razor is floating on top of the lather due to it's thick density.
Do shaving soaps/lather actually help soften the whiskers as well as a shower does when you're face lathering? I know some guys don't shower before their shave. So does the lather actually help in terms of hydrating and softening the beard?
What about bowl lathering? You are basically spending time building lather in a bowl before applying it on the face and you start your shave right after applying. How does this help in terms of hydrating and softening for those who don't shower before their shave?
Also, are there soaps that actually contain ingredients that softens whiskers? Or are shaving soaps/creams just used for their slickness?
As for "cushion/protection", I just don't get it. Protection from what actually? No matter how thick my lather is, only a small portion of the razor makes contact on the face and with a thick lather, it doesn't actually feel like there's any cushion/resistance at all. It's not like as though the razor is floating on top of the lather due to it's thick density.
rbscebu
Girls call me Makaluod
You may find that it is actually about 50/50 with B&B members.
I prefer thinner, slick, and somewhat dense. It's not pretty like a big fluffy lather but it works much better. I don't want any grab when shaving.
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- #33
I finally tried a thin lather a few days ago. I loaded the brush around as heavily as I normally do which I now realize is a mistake since I don't utilize all the soap in the brush as much as I would with my typical voluminous lather. Since air and agitation is what gives a lather its volume, I just used painting strokes, and let me tell you it was a lot of painting. At times I was concerned that the water was not getting deep enough to reach my skin, but with about 6 to 7 minutes of perseverance I finally had consistent hydration between my face and the soap. First pass was very smooth albeit with a lot of soapy water running down my neck. Second and third passes were too thin and watery for my liking since I could feel too much of the blade's sharpness against my skin, but on the other hand I did not have to buff very much. Overall I think I'll add this type of lather to my rotation as a change of pace, particularly when I'm done with my 100 pack of Feathers and I can use a less aggressive blade.
Runny lather dripping all over is not what you want. Too much water.
Give me a dry lather any day of the week. After several years of on and off de shaving I just figured this out this week. I made a dry lather (toothpaste plastered on the face consistency) and I enjoyed the closest shave I think of my life. Even my wife commented on it when she rubbed my cheek and she has zero interest in my shaving hobby!
Whatever works for you. "toothpaste" consistency? Yikes.
I agree with CCS on this one!
To use a dry based lather consistency for me, is to invite the following...
- Razor burn & or irritation
- Nicks
- Weepers
- Razor bumps
Look at that deliciousness right there, its enough to make you hungry!
Here's what yogurt consistency lather, that is well hydrated, does for me...
- Prevents razor burn & irritation
- Prevents nicks
- Prevents Weepers
- Prevents Razor bumps
- Allows Razor To Glide Easily
- Provides For A More Comfortable Shave
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- #38
I think a lot of this comes down to what kind of skin and hair we have. I'm in the same camp as you; dry lathers leave my face looking like a battlefield. I have naturally dry skin and hair that does not absorb water. The best I have been able to do is use really slick soaps to get between my face and hair so that the razor glides smoothly against my skin. My go-to lather as described earlier in this thread is very wet, moderately dense, and moderately voluminous. I imagine people with oilier skin and softer hair that does absorb water need less hydration in their lathers.I agree with CCS on this one!
To use a dry based lather consistency for me, is to invite the following...
Instead, I use a Yogurt lather consistency which looks like this...
- Razor burn & or irritation
- Nicks
- Weepers
Look at that deliciousness right there, its enough to make you hungry!
Here's what yogurt consistency lather, that is well hydrated, does for me...
- Prevents razor burn & irritation
- Prevents nicks
- Prevents Weepers
- Prevents Razor bumps
- Allows Razor To Glide Easily
- Provides For A More Comfortable Shave
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- #39
It's been a couple months and nearly two dozen shaves since my last post, and I think I've completely transitioned off of face-lathering to bowl lathering. Face lathering is still the more fun lather of the two, but there are two major issues with it. The first is that it takes a lot of water and time for me to dial in the lather to the consistent hydration I want, and the second is that because the lather is so voluminous for the first pass, I end up making the outer portions of the lather way too wet to get the base layer that is touching my skin hydrated enough. Bowl lathering is both faster and easier to dial in for me and less wasteful because I can build the lather more consistently. On a lazy Saturday or Sunday I can really enjoy my face lathers, but for the weekdays a bowl lather is just faster, not to mention more reliable. It's official, I've converted to the dark side.
After a year into this hobby I prefer more pasty lather but still wet enough to create a sheen then a puffy one. I feel like with pasty (or yogurt like) lather my skin well hydrated and much more protected during my shaves.
I also gravitate towards creams more and more because I can get into this consistency much faster. There is definitely something about creams and consistent lather results for me.
I also gravitate towards creams more and more because I can get into this consistency much faster. There is definitely something about creams and consistent lather results for me.
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