Adding Glycerin for Glide?

[flutewhistler]

Folks:

I've read in a couple of places where people have added a few drops of glycerin to their soap/cream as they're whipping it up to improve the glide/slickness of the lather. Is anyone doing this on a regular basis?

Thanks.

 

[lordnoble]

I'm interested to hear the answers as well. I can always use more glide on my coarse beard.

-Jason

 

[blzrfn]

In my experience the glycerine doesn't seem to add any slickness but does keep the lather more stable or hydrated longer so I don't have to worry as much about it drying out. But, I haven't ever done an actual experiment with/without glycerine so I'm just shooting from the hip.

 

[Mick]

I've done it before but not lately. I wash my face twice using glycerine based soap before shaving. I will sometimes leave the lather on my face from the second wash and apply my bowl made lather directly on top of that. Today I rubbed my shave stick onto the residue of the last wash of glycerine based soap.

Now I do add glycerine and Aloe to my aftershaves. makes a big difference in them (just don't add too much)

 

[VT_Hokie]

With so many outstanding soaps available to us, I don't like to use subpar performers and try to circumvent their shortcomings by supplementing them accordingly.

Not to mention glycerine isn't all that "slippery" to begin with.

I'd say if you're not getting adequate "slip, glide, slickness, etc." from your lather, than you would be better served looking into other products and ensuring that your lather is up to par.

 

[Rohrbach]

I don't add glycerine to my soaps, but I apply it once in a while to my skin between shaving passes when I notice that I need some extra protection. Might it be from bad lather preparation, sensitive skin day, etc... Often it works to smoothen things out a bit.

 

[Coler]

With so many outstanding soaps available to us, I don't like to use subpar performers and try to circumvent their shortcomings by supplementing them accordingly.

Not to mention glycerine isn't all that "slippery" to begin with.

I'd say if you're not getting adequate "slip, glide, slickness, etc." from your lather, than you would be better served looking into other products and ensuring that your lather is up to par.

^ This.

Also Martin de Candre.

That is all.

 

[Luc]

That would be Uberlather. Some do this on a regular basis yes. I do on soaps that need it only (only 1 at the moment).

 

[inspiringK]

That would be Uberlather. Some do this on a regular basis yes. I do on soaps that need it only (only 1 at the moment).

I always felt Uberlather referred more to a the mix of glycerin and soap when also accompanied by a cream. Mixing a soap and a cream without glycerin being Superlather. Mixing a soap and glycerin without a cream being ubersoap. Using a cream and glycerin without a soap being ubercream. And using a brushless cream being superbad. (I may have made one or three of the last ones up)

Anyway. I don't feel like adding glycerin adds slickness necessarily, but as others have mentioned it improves the overall lather quality, making it able to retain more water without losing stability. I like using glycerin from time to time, especially if I mix a soap and a cream

 

[Luc]

I always felt Uberlather referred more to a the mix of glycerin and soap when also accompanied by a cream. Mixing a soap and a cream without glycerin being Superlather. Mixing a soap and glycerin without a cream being ubersoap. Using a cream and glycerin without a soap being ubercream. And using a brushless cream being superbad. (I may have made one or three of the last ones up)

Anyway. I don't feel like adding glycerin adds slickness necessarily, but as others have mentioned it improves the overall lather quality, making it able to retain more water without losing stability. I like using glycerin from time to time, especially if I mix a soap and a cream

That depends, it could be a shave cream with glycerin added. By definition, it could be a shave cream with a glycerin soap... It comes back to a similar result.

 

[The Dean]

I always felt Uberlather referred more to a the mix of glycerin and soap when also accompanied by a cream. Mixing a soap and a cream without glycerin being Superlather. Mixing a soap and glycerin without a cream being ubersoap. Using a cream and glycerin without a soap being ubercream. And using a brushless cream being superbad. (I may have made one or three of the last ones up)

Anyway. I don't feel like adding glycerin adds slickness necessarily, but as others have mentioned it improves the overall lather quality, making it able to retain more water without losing stability. I like using glycerin from time to time, especially if I mix a soap and a cream

I agree completely with your definition of "superlather" and "uberlather"--at least that's the way I use those terms.

Glycerin might add a bit of slickness to the lather. I think soaps and creams with a lot of glycerin, tend to make slicker lathers. But as has already been mentioned, it really helps the overall lather quality and helps keep the skin very moist.

 

[Mythrol]

I will sometimes add a drop or two of glycerin when I bowl lather (large majority of the time I face lather). It makes an awesome lather on just about any soap/cream. It basically turns the lather to meringue. I can't speak to how much more "slippery" it makes the lather but it does give it more body and it holds its shape amazingly.

I also use it when I make my aftershave and it does help five some slickness to the aloe gel/WH mix.
Ive never tried to add it to my face inbetween passes, I will have to do that.

the best part is you can get a bottle of glycerin for $3-4 and because you only use a drop or two, it lasts a LONG time.

 

[The Dean]

I will sometimes add a drop or two of glycerin when I bowl lather (large majority of the time I face lather). It makes an awesome lather on just about any soap/cream. It basically turns the lather to meringue. I can't speak to how much more "slippery" it makes the lather but it does give it more body and it holds its shape amazingly.

I also use it when I make my aftershave and it does help five some slickness to the aloe gel/WH mix.
Ive never tried to add it to my face inbetween passes, I will have to do that.

the best part is you can get a bottle of glycerin for $3-4 and because you only use a drop or two, it lasts a LONG time.

When I make uberlather, I typically make it in a mug. But since I mostly face lather, I tried something different the other day. I first worked the soap and lathered my face. I always use the first lather as a beard softener and rinse it off before shaving. So I rinsed off the first lather. I applied my pre shave oil. Worked the puck a few more seconds then added a couple drops of glycerin and a pinch of shaving cream right to the brush. Built the uberlather right on my face. It worked great!

 

[ricardo9505]

With so many outstanding soaps available to us, I don't like to use subpar performers and try to circumvent their shortcomings by supplementing them accordingly.

Not to mention glycerine isn't all that "slippery" to begin with.

I'd say if you're not getting adequate "slip, glide, slickness, etc." from your lather, than you would be better served looking into other products and ensuring that your lather is up to par.

agreed