I need help with my shaving cream application technique. Currently I am slapping/painting my cream on my face. I feel like I am getting good coverage but I also feel like my technique is not proper. Any suggestions? Anyone want to find this topic in the Wiki page or submit one there?
Applying Shave Cream
- Thread starter Just+Ice
- Start date
I like to rub it in first with circular strokes, which generally requires a little more brush compression than the finishing painting technique. I find it nice to take a little time with this so the cream gets a chance to soften the hair.
First question: why do you think your technique is improper?
IMO there is no perfect technique - just what suits you. My procedure depends on the lather and the brush I am using. However, as a general rule I usually gently rub the lather in a circular motion and then even out the lather with painting strokes.
IMO there is no perfect technique - just what suits you. My procedure depends on the lather and the brush I am using. However, as a general rule I usually gently rub the lather in a circular motion and then even out the lather with painting strokes.
When using creams, which is rare these days, I get the lather started in a bowl. Then I face lather the rest of the way as part of my beard prep. Basically, scrub it in and even it out.
Slapping it on is fine for me...
If all you are doing is slapping shaving cream on and leaving it there - i.e. no brushing - well that is okay for the creams that don't lather like Neutrogena and Zirh. For the creams that do lather, which is most of the others, you just apply it in different parts of the face, then use a wet brush and make a pasty lather all over your face - so that it doesn't matter whether you applied it unevenly in the very beginning.
While you are brushing it in - it is being applied more evenly, and the seconds are ticking away so that you have the cream on for two minutes before shaving.
Anyhow, that's how I do it and it works well for me.
Cheers,
Renato
While you are brushing it in - it is being applied more evenly, and the seconds are ticking away so that you have the cream on for two minutes before shaving.
Anyhow, that's how I do it and it works well for me.
Cheers,
Renato
good advice here, the only thing I would add is when you are doing the final "painting" pass with the brush, go against the grain (against the direction of hair growth). The shaving cream helps to hold the hairs at a 90 degree angle which is the preferred ideal angle for shaving. It will help you get a closer, irritation free shave.
- Thread starter
- #8
Wow. A lot of great advice. I'm going to take my time and try some of these new ideas.
+1 guess this is more "do you face lather then paint, or bowl lather, then paint" that seems to be the big difference...
Short whiskers are far more rigid than the brush, so I don't think this actually happens, although it is popular lore. In any case, the safety bar on the razor contacts the hairs before the blade edge does, so the hairs would be flattened before being cut.
Whether I bowl or face lather, I like to work the lather into the beard. I feel that it helps get it into the pores and the action of the brush lifts the beard.
I dont want to hijack the thread but I'm in between, i bowl lather the soap before applying but i try to face lather the cream i have.
How long does everyone lather on the face? It takes some time in the bowl to get a nice lather but the face lather with the cream seems almost too quick to me.
How long does everyone lather on the face? It takes some time in the bowl to get a nice lather but the face lather with the cream seems almost too quick to me.
Creams have to be quicker than soap, as they already have a lot of water in them.
You're right - it is too quick in terms of time, in that one could easily start shaving before the soap has sat there for two minutes and softened everything up.
I tend to use a boar brush for creams, since it's a bit slower, I do a bit of face pummelling with them, and I also expend some time picking off hairs the cheaper ones leave behind.
Cheers,
Renato
Thats key too...take your time.
I like to use creams as part of an uberlather, but if I'm only using a cream I warm a bowl, put a drop of xly hot water in it then add the cream, then shower. This allows the cream to be broken down and can be very important if using somethinglike Castle Forbes. Then I spend a good while making a lather before I apply to my face. Like everything else, the more time spent on it, the better the results. "Slapping it on" is wasting the potential of your product, in my opinion
+1, really good technique.
I bowl lather, so I'm not sure it makes much difference. I do like to swirl it around for a while with circular brush strokes so it sits on my face for a minute or so - just in case it's doing some good softening there. I usually paint it cross grain so I don't get even more lather up my nose.
