Bigelow Dry Cream

[Solemnsaint]

So I just started using my first cream today. I made an excellent lather (I think?), put it on, and went a go with my Aristocrat. As this is my first week wet shaving I had this question. Even before I finished shaving half my face, the Bigelow started to dry out and even crack in some places. I dont get it. It was nice and creamy. Really hot. Used a badger brush. Oiled my face before hand. I dont know what I'm doing wrong. Is this drying normal? Can I fix it? It tends to clog my razor a bit. What do you all do?
Mike-FNG

 

[Sodapopjones]

1. Don't use pre-shave oil
2. Soak your brush
3. Use more water
4. It should lather easily with a real brush and not dry out period.

 

[michiganlover]

It is not normal. I think you have two potential issues going on:

1) Your cream is too dry, which will cause it to dry out. Bigelow/Proraso will soak up a lot of water before reaching the watery, runny, ruined state.
2) Your not using enough product. The usual recommendation is an almond sized dollop, but I have found optimal results require a bit more than that.

I have to second the suggestion to not use Pre-Shave oil. They are an expensive waste of money, for no benefit. If you have properly prepped your face, they are fully unnecessary.

It is likely the pre-shave oil, and not the cream that is gunking up your razor.

 

[Solemnsaint]

Okay. I'll try exactly that. No oil, more cream, and more water. I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Bobtrumpet]

1) Your cream is too dry, which will cause it to dry out. Bigelow/Proraso will soak up a lot of water before reaching the watery, runny, ruined state.
2) Your not using enough product. The usual recommendation is an almond sized dollop, but I have found optimal results require a bit more than that.

I believe you have harder water in San Diego, so #2 is especially relevant even after you have remedied #1.

 

[Solemnsaint]

We do have very hard water in the part of SD I live in too. So more product will fix that hugh?

 

[Bobtrumpet]

We do have very hard water in the part of SD I live in too. So more product will fix that hugh?

Harder water => more product + more water

It seems some of the product combines with the minerals in the water to make something other than lather (usually soap scum), so you need more product to combine with the water to make the lather you want.

Go a little overboard on product at first; with experience you can dial back the amount of product to get the quantity of lather you need. With hard water, though, you'll never get to the "almond sized dollop" which is often cited.

 

[Solemnsaint]

Harder water => more product + more water

It seems some of the product combines with the minerals in the water to make something other than lather (usually soap scum), so you need more product to combine with the water to make the lather you want.

Go a little overboard on product at first; with experience you can dial back the amount of product to get the quantity of lather you need. With hard water, though, you'll never get to the "almond sized dollop" which is often cited.

I came accross a thread about super lather. I used a healthy dollop of bigelow on top of my williams puck, then added more water then usual and wham! It happened. Silky smooth lather. I had been doing it all wrong. It stayed wet and was very nice. From now on I'll use this method. It even made it smell nice.