I started off bowl lathering -- at the time, I couldn't get face lathering to work right, possibly because the hard water where I lived made lathering incredibly difficult and bowl lathering made it easier to get just right. I live in an area with soft water now, so lathering's way easier, so I almost entirely face lather...shave brushes are probably my favorite category of wetshaving paraphernalia, so being able to feel the bristles against my face while I lather is a huge plus.
Face v Bowl Lather
- Thread starter Cino
- Start date
I face lather exclusively. I just find I make a better lather than if I bowl lather. I can adjust the lather better that way.
I bought a bowl to bowl lather when I started using soap&brush, found out I prefer the feel and adjustment of face lathering.
Prefer face lathering. Face lather all soaps but I do like to bowl lather a cream. Especially out of a tube. Used to face lather tube creams but I now prefer bowl lathering creams. Each to his own.
I have tried a bowl from tine to time, but found it took ages to make lather. After loading my brush with soap, I find lather is produced almost instantly when I face lather, and continues to increase without fail. When i say face, I find my chin makes the lather as opposed to the side of my face.
I agree with this, I’ve never been great at bowl lathering. I also like the feel of building lather directly on my face vs applying from a bowl.
I mug lather my Williams, and Mug lather my creams that come in a tube.
The soaps that come in their own tub (read Stirling, Dr. Jon's etc...) I will face lather.
I don't use a bowl or scuttle... 'cause, I get the results I want from the other two.
The soaps that come in their own tub (read Stirling, Dr. Jon's etc...) I will face lather.
I don't use a bowl or scuttle... 'cause, I get the results I want from the other two.
While I prefer a mug or scuttle, others may find face lathering is best for them.
Some soaps simply take longer to build lather; those benefit from bowl lathering.
Or else you be scrubbing your face like a hubcap.
AA
Or else you be scrubbing your face like a hubcap.
AA
I face lather because I like the feel of my brushes!! 
The only reason I would bowl lather is for sampling reason being its a tad inconvenient for the brush to gathers a lather from those mini sample containers.
Full tub always face lathering add water moderately.
Full tub always face lathering add water moderately.
I usually just scoop those samples out with a finger and place them into my brush. If it is a croap I just scoop it all out and stick it to the bottom of my scuttle and use it until it is gone.
I mostly bowl lather. However I started experimenting with face lathering a couple weeks back when I got my first stick of Arko. I'm gonna work on it and probably use that for my travel set up to cut down on the kit I need.
I enjoy both methods. I like to use the bowl for creams and face lather with soaps. Synthetic brush for the bowl and badger for the face, works for me.
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I face lather. All the time and effort spent whipping a lather in a bowl, could be helping to better prep my beard for shaving. That said, I have used a bowl for creams, where it seems to help the lather get started before I bring the brush to the face. Face lathering cream didn't work well for me for some reason.
Me too.
Despite videos and attempts, face lathering doesn’t work.
Life is simple.
Do what works.
Lower your expectations about getting it as good as in a bowl and consistently for 3 passes. You'll see it's super easy. It doesn't have to be superb lather to give you a decent shave.
For me, I can tell better if the lather is the sort I need by face lathering. It was more difficult to impossible using a bowl.
There's no trying. Whatever you slap on your face just shave with it. That's what everyone does. Do you think people who don't have the will to wash a bowl for 15 seconds invest much effort in face lathering to perfection? Nope. Razor technique is where everyone's focus is at.
Keep at it and your process will improve with time.
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