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Lather problems with artisan soaps

I recently purchased samples of Wholly Kaw Noce di Cocco and Barrister & Mann Reserve Waves. Both soaps were rock hard in the conrainer and I could barely push my thumb into them. I bloomed each while showering and tried both my boar and badger brushes to create a lather in my shave bowl. I produced zero lather, partularly with the WK. My wrist actually started to ache. I was very excited to try these 2 artisan soaps but as of now I am exteremely disappointed. Any thoughts as to what I'm doing wrong? Thanks in advnace.
 
I recently purchased samples of Wholly Kaw Noce di Cocco and Barrister & Mann Reserve Waves. Both soaps were rock hard in the conrainer and I could barely push my thumb into them. I bloomed each while showering and tried both my boar and badger brushes to create a lather in my shave bowl. I produced zero lather, partularly with the WK. My wrist actually started to ache. I was very excited to try these 2 artisan soaps but as of now I am exteremely disappointed. Any thoughts as to what I'm doing wrong? Thanks in advnace.
I like to take samples out the little containers and put them into a large "loading bowl". That makes it easier to get the soap onto the brush. Run a very wet brush over them and leave them to sit for a few hours before you want to shave. You don't want them to absorb too much water, though. Normally, both soaps should be soft enough not to need full blooming.
 
I too got several samples, and i've found that digging out some of that sample and putting it in a bowl of warm water and showering helps. Honestly, I've had lots of luck by using kind of a whisking motion when lathering. It took me years to figure this motion out, but it gets great results in my G20 scuttle. I've also found that the B&M soaps in particular need a TON! Of water. And I'm in Colorado at high altitude where things dry off and cool off rapidly. The samples of B&M soaps seem to absorb water well enough that I let them sit for a little bit to dry out, and then cap them. I know there's this ongoing dialogue about having too much water and making things too fluffy, but particularly with B&M soaps, no matter what base they use, they still need a lot more water than I ever thought a soap would need. I usually take a quarter of the sample and squish it into the bottom of the scuttle and then let it sit while I shower. Hth


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Dcbahr is right, at least in my experience with Barrister and Mann. They take a lot of water to really to get into shaving shape, so try adding more water as you work up a lather to see if that helps.
 
I purchased a sample of Zingari man and had the same issue...I tried it 3 times and had Zero lather..So I ended up tossing.
 
This is the first time I've heard of artisan soaps being too hard. I always complain that they are almost always too soft.
 
Does one type of brush hair work better with these types of soaps?
Probably synthetic, like for instance this tuxedo knot brush. They can usually build a lather without using as much soap. Try not to use gigantic brushes that eat a lot of soap. Those can be nice in the right situation.

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OP, to be clear, are you taking some of the soap out of the sample container, about the size of an almond, and pressing it into the bottom of your lathering bowl. I'm sure you are. You can't load a brush in the small sample container.
 
Probably synthetic, like for instance this tuxedo knot brush. They can usually build a lather without using as much soap. Try not to use gigantic brushes that eat a lot of soap. Those can be nice in the right situation.

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Was going to say the exact same. I feel like actual badger hair soaks up a lot of the water you’d need for these soaps to really take off when lathering.

I have one badger and noticed right away how much water I continually had to add as opposed to a synthetic.
 
Other than my own home made soaps and Mama Bear’s Soaps, I do not foray into “artisanal” soaps.


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...big story. Probably it has to do with the small quantity of samples for some particular soaps.

I had bought 12 samples among which was Stirling "Dressed Man"and "Executive Man". All other samples worked except Stirlings. Great scent, but did not work. No lather at all. Brushes used Simpson Chubby Manchurian, Shavemac DO1 Two Band, Omega, Yaqi,.....

I was so curious, that finally, I bought these two soaps of Stirling. After all, so many people praise for these Stirling soaps. Both work great for lather, but the scent is very faint or does not exist compared to the sample.

It seems that for some reason, small quantities of certain soaps, lather is not working.

By the way, among the 12 samples, the best was MdC, which now is in my 5 top.
 
OP, to be clear, are you taking some of the soap out of the sample container, about the size of an almond, and pressing it into the bottom of your lathering bowl. I'm sure you are. You can't load a brush in the small sample container.
Yes, exactly.
 
OP, to be clear, are you taking some of the soap out of the sample container, about the size of an almond, and pressing it into the bottom of your lathering bowl. I'm sure you are. You can't load a brush in the small sample container.
A TOBS sample container contains enough cream for three maybe four shaves. Like Leverspro says, press an almond sized amount into your bowl and have at it.

A word of caution about TOBS samplers. Resist the urge to open them all up and smell them right away. I did that and about five containers in, I found the cream was staring to dry up. Apparently they don’t seal back very well.
 
It took me some time/experience to learn how to get up a decent lather, and like others have pointed out, I found it was all about how much water to use, and every soap will be different, obviously. I have never used a sample, actually, but I do use a coffee mug to whip up lather when I use creams. Maybe using a mug would give you a more effective space in which to work up your lather? The dynamic of having the high walls seem to assist the brush motion and diminish fatigue. I'd just pop the entire sample out of the container and have at it. Good luck!
 
I despise trying to produce a lather from small samples. It is always more difficult than using full tubs.

Since the samples had dried out, I suspect they have been sitting on the shelf for a while. It is difficult blooming a small sample. Scoop our about 1/4 teaspoon of soap and press it into the bottom of a bowl, add 2-3 teaspoons of hot water, allow it to sit while you shower and then build your lather in a bowl.

The Noce di Cocco is based on Wholly Kaw's Donkey Milk formula which is two generations back. That formula has been superceeded by the excellent Buffala formula and the superb Siero formula, but older stocks of Donkey Milk soaps are still available.

Barrister and Mann continues to sell their Reserve formula. A new tub should be fairly soft. The Reserve base, however, has been superseded by the Excelsior base which replaced the older Glissant base.
 
I purchased a sample of Zingari man and had the same issue...I tried it 3 times and had Zero lather..So I ended up tossing.

I have heard a few other complaints about Zingari Man being hard to lather. I have never tried lathering a sample. I always find lathering samples to be more difficult.

I have three full tubs of Zingari Man Sego soap and have absolutely no issue loading or lathering the soaps. I do bowl lather rather than face lather.

I bloom the soap for about 10 seconds using 1 Tablespoon of water and dump the bloom water in my lather bowl. I load my damp (not wet) brush for about 10 seconds. I then start developing a lather in my lather bowl using the water already in the bowl. I can get a great lather with about 30 seconds of vigorous agitation and then apply the lather to my face. The entire process takes about 60 seconds.

If you have difficulty lathering Zingari Man, you need to change your process. Lathering is a skill, just like other aspects of shaving. The method I use works with 90% of the soaps in my collection, but there are those that require a different method.
 
I have heard a few other complaints about Zingari Man being hard to lather. I have never tried lathering a sample. I always find lathering samples to be more difficult.

I have three full tubs of Zingari Man Sego soap and have absolutely no issue loading or lathering the soaps. I do bowl lather rather than face lather.

I bloom the soap for about 10 seconds using 1 Tablespoon of water and dump the bloom water in my lather bowl. I load my damp (not wet) brush for about 10 seconds. I then start developing a lather in my lather bowl using the water already in the bowl. I can get a great lather with about 30 seconds of vigorous agitation and then apply the lather to my face. The entire process takes about 60 seconds.

If you have difficulty lathering Zingari Man, you need to change your process. Lathering is a skill, just like other aspects of shaving. The method I use works with 90% of the soaps in my collection, but there are those that require a different method.
I have Stirling..Noble Otter..M&M..CBL..MWF..Moon..Haslinger..A&E soaps...There has been Zero issues with Face Lathering any one of these soaps...My guess is that the Sample could have been very old.
 
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