Creams in jars

[Balthazar]

I recently got intro wetshaving, and one of the parts of the "ritual" that I find most appealing is the shaving cream: the lathering process, the smell, the feeling when I apply it to my face. I don't have heavy hair growth, so finishing every tube/jar of cream takes quite some time. Still, even before I finished my first tube of Proraso I ordered two new creams: ToBS Sandalwood and T&H Trafalgar.

Both of these creams comes in jars. I just finished my first shave with the ToBS (which I loved), and after a little experimenting I think I found a good balance of cream and water and was able to make a good lather. But one thing bothered me a little, the consistence of the cream makes it hard to make use of all that I attached to my finger when taking out some of the cream. Seeing how I only shave every other day and would like to get to try out lots of different creams, I guess I should consider this a blessing, but I think it's the economic student-mentality that makes me want to make the most out of every product I buy.

I guess my question really boils down to this: is there a more effective way to "get the cream out" (sorry for the lame English, I'm Norwegian) than with your fingers? I found this easier with the tube, but I'm sure there's a simple way to do this with jars as well. Searching didn't give me much, so I guess the answer should be pretty obvious?

 

[htownmmm]

Some members use a demitasse spoon or popsicle stick or tongue depressor........



marty

 

[mammoo]

I've always used creams from jars (or tubs as other people call them) and when I started I used my fingers. This allowed me to see exactly how much cream I was taking out which helped me when learning to lather.

Since then I have switched to taking the cream out using the brush directly. After my brush has soaked for a few minutes I give it a quick shake and then swirl it around a couple of times on the top of the cream. This gives a very thin coating on the brush which is enough to make a good lather and with 0 mess or wastage.

 

[mdunn]

i just swish my brush on the cream (very gently) as if it were a soap.

 

[Pierce]

I usualy shake dry the brush and then swirl it. I have had shaving creams for over 12 months now and they do not develope mould or anything...

Just be careful not to put water into the cream!

You could also use a silver mustard spoon off ebay!

Pierce

 

[Balthazar]

Thanks for the answers! I think I'll go with the spoon-suggestions, using my brush directly on the cream seems like something I could easily mess up.

 

[scottish steve]

This is why I prefer to buy creams in tubes. I've just taken possession of 6 unopened tubes of The Real Shaving Co double-concentrated "sensitive" cream, which should last me a very long time.

 

[40boy]

Nest time you're in your local department store, look in the baby section for child spoons. For me, it's the perfect size.

 

[wundergussy]

In the couple months I have been at this I went from fingers, to a little spoon, to swirling my brush in the tub. Once you know how much you need, the swirling is the way to go! (YMMV)

 

[kingfisher]

Go to an ice cream store and ask for a taste of a flavor of ice cream. They will give it to you on a little plastic spoon.

Taste the ice cream and then put the spoon into your pocket. That little spoon is the perfect tool for extracting cream.

 

[ZZTop]

Go to an ice cream store and ask for a taste of a flavor of ice cream. They will give it to you on a little plastic spoon.

Taste the ice cream and then put the spoon into your pocket. That little spoon is the perfect tool for extracting cream.

That's a great idea! I would have never thought of it.

 

[tsmba]

I'm a brush-twirler myself....just used Nancy Boy cream this AM.

 

[crocto]

you don't even have to swirl you can just do a quick dip in the jar of shaving cream to get a little on the tips of the brush and this should do more then enough.

you can also get creams in travel tubes. they are a bit cheaper and have less cream in 'em so you don't feel bad buying a ton.

 

[pressman]

Brush dipping for me, just the right amount and no mess. It just take a little practice to get the right amount, every shave isn't going to be perfect. That's what we strive for, it's a learning curve.

 

[AFG]

Trying to measure out the precise amount and then adding water never really worked for me. Once I started dipping the brush in the cream, the lather came much easier. For me face lathering is the only way to go whether it be cream or soap.

 

[Fernando]

Go to an ice cream store and ask for a taste of a flavor of ice cream. They will give it to you on a little plastic spoon.

Taste the ice cream and then put the spoon into your pocket. That little spoon is the perfect tool for extracting cream.

-Tks. Excellent delicious idea.

 

[Taipei Personality]

I was coveting my wife's icing spatula for my shaving creams, so I bought one of my own. $2 with a half-off coupon at your local arts and crafts store. Mine has a manly black handle, though.

 

[cricky101]

Brush dipping for me, just the right amount and no mess. It just take a little practice to get the right amount, every shave isn't going to be perfect. That's what we strive for, it's a learning curve.

This has worked great for me. After a few shaves I figured out how much cream should be on the tips of the brush bristles to get the right amount of lather for 3 passes.

When I first tried it, it looked like there was no way I had enough cream on the brush tips to make enough lather, but it turned out to be more than enough.

 

[crocto]

This has worked great for me. After a few shaves I figured out how much cream should be on the tips of the brush bristles to get the right amount of lather for 3 passes.

When I first tried it, it looked like there was no way I had enough cream on the brush tips to make enough lather, but it turned out to be more than enough.

exactly. you don't need to go out and buy stuff or use left over ice cream sample spoons from baskin robins.

just dip the tip baby!

 

[mammoo]

Go to an ice cream store and ask for a taste of a flavor of ice cream. They will give it to you on a little plastic spoon.

Taste the ice cream and then put the spoon into your pocket. That little spoon is the perfect tool for extracting cream.

Better still... go to an ice cream store and buy a big tub of ice cream. Then you get the spoon and a big tub of ice cream .