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Anyone here prefer to just use their face to lather?

Bowl lather on weekends. Face lather during the week.

I alternate between my badger and synthetic brush during the week as I get terrible brush burn with my badger if I face lather with it on consecutive days.
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
I like to face lather soaps but I do like to bowl lather creams. I used to face lather creams but since buying a Copper Lather Bowl from Captain’s Choice I much prefer to bowl lather the creams. Soaps I still face lather either from the puck in it’s container or by using the puck like a shave stick.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I have 2 Captain’s Choice bowls AND his Copper bowl .....

I still would face lather back when I was shaving. But the bowls are so nice I just keep them to look at them and store my shaving gear in.

This is more to do with me using hard soaps. It’s very easy to load the brush then go right to the face with a hard vintage soap.
vs. A soft cream where, IMO, you benefit more from bowl lathering.
 
For me the face-lathering is a key part in the face prep routine, whether I'm using a hard soap or a cream. And since it's step in the face prep, I lather for a good 2-3 minutes, then leave the lather to sit on my face for another 5-10 minutes, then re-lather for another minute or so and off we go. Perfect shave every time.
 

AimlessWanderer

Remember to forget me!
For me the face-lathering is a key part in the face prep routine, whether I'm using a hard soap or a cream. And since it's step in the face prep, I lather for a good 2-3 minutes, then leave the lather to sit on my face for another 5-10 minutes, then re-lather for another minute or so and off we go. Perfect shave every time.

My version of that, is to apply the lather far too wet, and wait. Once the additional moisture has been absorbed, I give it a quick flick over with the brush for a few seconds, and it's ready to go. It works a treat if you find yourself with a "bubbly" lather too, far better than trying to beat the bubbles out of it.
 
When I was using blades I was a face latherer exclusively. Even soaps, the bowl just held the cake and I lathered on my face after some 'pick up' swirls. Actually, most of my soaps I made into/used as sticks. I hate extra crap sitting around and I hate using something that has a singular purpose that isn't absolutely necessary (ie: a bowl to lather in when my face works fine) especially when I can omit it or repurpose something else. I will say that it's easier to dial in the consistency of your lather with a bowl when you are newer to this and I was always able to get the same quality of lather using less product in a bowl vs face. However, face is quicker, easier, and I refused to buy expensive boutique products ($15 or less per pick/tub/tube) so using a little more didn't matter. If I was test lathering a product and not actually shaving I would just use my opposite hand.
 
I face lather. I use hard soaps and synthetic brushes. I like how it feels, it's like I'm waking up my skin. I also find I can control moister and be more consistent when I face lather ( probably because I wasn't using the bowl correctly ).
 
Lately been starting to face lather more and more. I thought I could judge the lather more in the bowl, but with the acquisition of two new brushes (Yaqi Sagrada & Maggard Synthetic), it’s become easier to judge the slickness and water content while on my face.

For whatever reason trying to bowl lather with TOBS cream and these brushes, the lather becomes more airy than slick. But after testing a couple face lathers, I’ve come out with some really good, slick lathers.

It also beats having to clean up one less thing. Guess it looks like I’ll continue face lathering here for a bit since I’m getting pretty good results.
 
I was bowl lathering for some time.
But last month I am face lathering with great results. Cream or soap, I load the brush with product, wet my face, and start painting. Then I dip the tips into water, more painting, more water, more painting, then I splay the brush and make a lather.
But, part of this process is using a nice soft brush, synthetic or broken in boar are very good.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
I've been using my face for a bowl most of the summer, but it will soon be scuttle season.

Advantages:
1. Very handy place to soak my boar brush during shower.
2. Can whip the lather as fast as I like/can without having it fly around the bathroom (although I have learned to whip slower while face lathering, so that's not a problem with my SOC badger - synthetic can be interesting).
3. Warm lather for the first pass, warmer lather for the second pass, even warmer lather for the third pass. This is really great in the middle of NY winters.
4. Very handy place to wash the brush after shave. I run the water into the scuttle and whip the brush around the bowl the same as making lather. Exceedingly clean in a jiffy, as it's sitting in water that is constantly refreshed.
5. No added irritation from the brush twirling on the skin repeatedly.
6. My Georgetown G12 is pretty.

Disadvantages:
1. It's one step away on a shelf, which must take at least 4 seconds to grab, and then another 14 seconds to dry and put back on the shelf. I'm sure I could do that faster, but I'm retired and don't care about the added seconds.

But I get it. I have a Shopsmith in my wood shop and it always irritates me to switch to the drill press mode, despite only taking seconds. It's not that I have a great plan for those 35 seconds, it just feels like a pain.
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
I've been using my face for a bowl most of the summer, but it will soon be scuttle season.

Advantages:
1. Very handy place to soak my boar brush during shower.
2. Can whip the lather as fast as I like/can without having it fly around the bathroom (although I have learned to whip slower while face lathering, so that's not a problem with my SOC badger - synthetic can be interesting).
3. Warm lather for the first pass, warmer lather for the second pass, even warmer lather for the third pass. This is really great in the middle of NY winters.
4. Very handy place to wash the brush after shave. I run the water into the scuttle and whip the brush around the bowl the same as making lather. Exceedingly clean in a jiffy, as it's sitting in water that is constantly refreshed.
5. No added irritation from the brush twirling on the skin repeatedly.
6. My Georgetown G12 is pretty.

Disadvantages:
1. It's one step away on a shelf, which must take at least 4 seconds to grab, and then another 14 seconds to dry and put back on the shelf. I'm sure I could do that faster, but I'm retired and don't care about the added seconds.

But I get it. I have a Shopsmith in my wood shop and it always irritates me to switch to the drill press mode, despite only taking seconds. It's not that I have a great plan for those 35 seconds, it just feels like a pain.
Yes, the struggles of us retired folks is real my friends!
 
I do like the look and feel of a bowl filled with mountains of creamy lather. At the end of the day though, face lathering just gives better shaves and there is less mess to deal with when you're done. In my experience, more 'face time' with a soap or cream equals a better shave. To me, it is really that simple. Apart from a few brief spells, I never really bothered with, mugs bowl, scuttles etc.

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