As far as I remember from my short experience, my best lathers have come as a result of doing the process directly on my face. However, those lathers have also resulted in irritation. Even with small and soft scrubbing motions only with the tips, I still get irritation in my cheeks, not on my neck though. Is it possible to build a lather with only painting motions? Or maybe scrub a bit only on my neck? Thanks
Can you face lather without scrubbing?
- Thread starter The Blackadder
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Check this out. It helped me get the hang of lathering.
I can build a great lather using “paintbrush strokes” depending on the soap. In fact, Simpsons brushes have a pamphlet that says to only use paintbrush strokes. I have super sensitive skin prone to some issues, as well as brush burn around my nose if I scrub. I’ve found if I do scrub, scrubbing only on my chin area minimizes irritation.
You could also get a lather started in your bowl and then add some water using paint bruh strokes on your face. I do this sometimes.
You could also get a lather started in your bowl and then add some water using paint bruh strokes on your face. I do this sometimes.
Perhaps try a non-scented (sensitive skin) lather? Softer brush? It would be interesting to learn the root cause.
... Thom
... Thom
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- #7
Thanks, I’ve read those guides extensively and have helped me improved a ton my bowl lathers. Still I think my shaves could be better with face lathering
Very. It’s a Razorock plissoft
Yes, I’m currently doing that: starting on the bowl and then taking it to my face. I will try the chin scrub only approach
I’ve tried different soaps, but I’m pretty sure it’s the scrubbing, specially in the jaw line. I can feel right away when I’ve given myself a brush burn, my skin gets upset really fast
Do a quick mug lather, then paint and slapping motions to thicken it up. Drip tap water onto brush as needed to add any additional water you need/want.
You can easily face lather without using any swirl motions or scrubbing.
For pass two (or three if you do three), you could probably just squeeze the lather out of the brush and apply by hand Iif you want. There is usually aot if thick, quality lather, hiding in the base of the knot that many just wash down the drain.
You can easily face lather without using any swirl motions or scrubbing.
For pass two (or three if you do three), you could probably just squeeze the lather out of the brush and apply by hand Iif you want. There is usually aot if thick, quality lather, hiding in the base of the knot that many just wash down the drain.
Face lathering can do a good job of prepping the beard. It is not just the lather, but the process itself. You don't really need a lot of pressure on the brush. The lather is built mainly at the tips of the bristles. Some people like to "splay" and grind away, or have enough "backbone" to jack up a truck, but I don't think this is the only way to go.
BTW, it may be hard to believe for some, but a well broken-in boar brush can be soft. Some badger brushes will have "scritch" that will never go away no matter how much they are used.
BTW, it may be hard to believe for some, but a well broken-in boar brush can be soft. Some badger brushes will have "scritch" that will never go away no matter how much they are used.
I load my brush directly from the puck or jar and just use paint brush strokes on my face/neck while adding some water 'til I get the right consistency. I use a spray bottle to add water directly to my face while I'm painting it. The lather I make with brush strokes seems to lubricate and cushion every bit as well as the lather I get if I splay and swirl the brush etc.
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There are quite a few brushes with exceedingly soft tips.
There is no difference between the lather in a bowl or done on the face - assuming both are don't correctly. However, if your prep isn't complete face lathering can be a good addition to prep.
Yes, you can build later with just painting strokes. I've tried it and I don't have the patience, but plenty of shavers do just fine with that method.
You might want to consider palm lathering. It's simply face lathering substituting your palm for your face.
There are lots of choices, and it seems your current choice is not a good one for your face. I suggest experimenting with other methods of building lather. They can all produce the same lather with a little practice and the proper technique.
There is no difference between the lather in a bowl or done on the face - assuming both are don't correctly. However, if your prep isn't complete face lathering can be a good addition to prep.
Yes, you can build later with just painting strokes. I've tried it and I don't have the patience, but plenty of shavers do just fine with that method.
You might want to consider palm lathering. It's simply face lathering substituting your palm for your face.
There are lots of choices, and it seems your current choice is not a good one for your face. I suggest experimenting with other methods of building lather. They can all produce the same lather with a little practice and the proper technique.
+1! I also get terrific results using a ‘painting’ motion!!
The main things are to use:
1. Plenty of soap, and
2. Enough water.
I enjoyed reading this thread. It is packed with great advice from experienced shavers.
While I don’t have sensitive skin, I do enjoy face lathering, just as the OP does. Most of the great advice has already been covered, but I noticed in your post you use the RazoRock Plissoft?
That is a great synthetic brush with soft tips. In fact, I don’t know if there are any softer tips than Plissoft tips?
My question to the OP would be? Have you considered, that the brush irritation you are getting from face lathering has nothing to do with the tips of your Plissoft brush?
And while you have very sensitive skin, is there a brush out there, that will allow you to swirl and face lather like most others who face lather do? Despite how sensitive your skin is?
If it is truly possible for you to face lather, what other things about your Plissoft brush should or could be considered that might be causing you irritation, other than the wonderful soft tips it has?
How long or short is its loft? Does it have a glue knot? A substantially raised glue bump at the base of your brushes handle and lower knot, will make those bristles feel, a bit stiffer, regardless how soft the tips are? And while someone with normal skin might not notice, someone with sensitive skin definitely would?
Has the OP ever considered a Plisson Synthetic brush?
Plisson will cost you 3X more than your Plissoft. The brush knot and extremely soft tips are the same; and no different than your Plissoft. However, Plisson designs their knots and builds their brushes to where there is no noticeable glue bump raised up into the bottom of the brush knot whatsoever. In fact, I’m not sure, but I think their brush knots are tied and not glued? Could be why there is no sign of a glue bump in my brush at all.
This allows the brush to be very flexible and the sensation of the tips to be very soft and very luxurious from the very tips of the brush all the way down to the very base of the knot. This, along with the fact that Plisson knots will also be a bit longer or taller in the knot itself which also allows a softer and milder perception on the skin when face lathering. It will cost a bit more, but may well be worth researching and/or considering?
Consider this. I have owned and used a RazoRock Plissoft. I had no problems with it at all because I don’t have sensitive skin. But my main brush I use the most is my Plisson Synthetic, because it is a quality built brush with an awesome designed knot that has no stiffness in its bristles from a raised glue bump.
Because personally, I just can’t stand any type of raised glue bump at the base of a brushes knot and handle which makes the bristles in the knot stiffer and the tips feel tougher. Especially for someone with very sensitive skin?
While I don’t have sensitive skin, I do enjoy face lathering, just as the OP does. Most of the great advice has already been covered, but I noticed in your post you use the RazoRock Plissoft?
That is a great synthetic brush with soft tips. In fact, I don’t know if there are any softer tips than Plissoft tips?
My question to the OP would be? Have you considered, that the brush irritation you are getting from face lathering has nothing to do with the tips of your Plissoft brush?
And while you have very sensitive skin, is there a brush out there, that will allow you to swirl and face lather like most others who face lather do? Despite how sensitive your skin is?
If it is truly possible for you to face lather, what other things about your Plissoft brush should or could be considered that might be causing you irritation, other than the wonderful soft tips it has?
How long or short is its loft? Does it have a glue knot? A substantially raised glue bump at the base of your brushes handle and lower knot, will make those bristles feel, a bit stiffer, regardless how soft the tips are? And while someone with normal skin might not notice, someone with sensitive skin definitely would?
Has the OP ever considered a Plisson Synthetic brush?
Plisson will cost you 3X more than your Plissoft. The brush knot and extremely soft tips are the same; and no different than your Plissoft. However, Plisson designs their knots and builds their brushes to where there is no noticeable glue bump raised up into the bottom of the brush knot whatsoever. In fact, I’m not sure, but I think their brush knots are tied and not glued? Could be why there is no sign of a glue bump in my brush at all.
This allows the brush to be very flexible and the sensation of the tips to be very soft and very luxurious from the very tips of the brush all the way down to the very base of the knot. This, along with the fact that Plisson knots will also be a bit longer or taller in the knot itself which also allows a softer and milder perception on the skin when face lathering. It will cost a bit more, but may well be worth researching and/or considering?
Consider this. I have owned and used a RazoRock Plissoft. I had no problems with it at all because I don’t have sensitive skin. But my main brush I use the most is my Plisson Synthetic, because it is a quality built brush with an awesome designed knot that has no stiffness in its bristles from a raised glue bump.
Because personally, I just can’t stand any type of raised glue bump at the base of a brushes knot and handle which makes the bristles in the knot stiffer and the tips feel tougher. Especially for someone with very sensitive skin?
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I can build a lather in my bowl and “paint it” on my face. No scrubbing or swirling. Works well.
Face lathering? I’ve never been able to go with just painting. The results are always that YouTuber typical dry paste weird stuff.
It’s the swirling that transforms it from paste to usable. (For me)
It’s the swirling that transforms it from paste to usable. (For me)
I use a RazoRock Plissoft (I switched after years of using a badger brush) and I don't have this problem, but I also don't scrub my face, just swirl enough to build lather with a light touch, then switch to painting strokes. If it helps, I actually start building the lather on my throat/neck, then move to my cheeks.
AimlessWanderer
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I can get an excellent lather with just painting strokes. I tend to layer up as described in this thread....
www.badgerandblade.com
Occasionally I will scrub, either to free any ingrown hairs, or simply because my face feels like it needs a good scrub. For all other shaves, I'll layer up with the painting strokes. I have found it works with all my brushes, and with every soap and cream I've tried.
Layering: My new (old) lather method
This is something I’ve been playing around with for a little while recently, and wanted to share my progress. Apologies in advance for the long post, but there's a lot to share. Backstory: I started toying around with this concept, because of a couple of “floppy” best badger and super badger...
www.badgerandblade.com
Occasionally I will scrub, either to free any ingrown hairs, or simply because my face feels like it needs a good scrub. For all other shaves, I'll layer up with the painting strokes. I have found it works with all my brushes, and with every soap and cream I've tried.
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