Define face vs mug lathering.

[seattleshaver]

I see these terms used all the time but I'm not sure what they mean.

Some people use cream and a separate bowl and make lather in the bowl. Some use a shave stick (of soap) and apply that directly to the face.

I understand face vs soap or mug/bowl lathering in those cases. That's not what I do however. I use a boar brush on soap. I wet it once and then squeeze it once and whip up some lather on the soap and apply it to my face. I don't use any more water (usually) and whip up some some lather on the soap and apply that as well.

At this point I whip up the lather that is already on my face. So, using those terms am I face lathering or soap lathering?

 

[tjg5181]

You are face lathering. The soap lathering that you are reading is in fact the putting of soap into the bristles of the brush, meaning that soap lathering is the creation of a lather from soap whether on your face or in a bowl. Face versus mug/bowl/scuttle lathering... In face lathering, you are using your face as the abrasive agent, whereas in bowl/mug lathering, you are creating a lather against the sides of the bowl/mug. I myself am a bowl latherer (use a scuttle actually) to create the lather and then apply the "cream" to the face.

 

[seattleshaver]

Thanks! Face vs mug seems to be a rather fine distinction (to me). You say I face lather and yet I still whip up the initial lather in a mug holding the soap and then lather some more once it's on my face.

I guess the real distinction that people are making (correct me if I'm wrong) when using those two terms is using a small mug with a cake of soap filling most of the mug (face lathering) and using a large bowl to completely create the lather before transferring it to the face (bowl lathering). In other words, people either use a bowl (as opposed to a mug or shave stick) or not.

Is that the distinction being made? Since, other than shave stick usage, everyone is whipping up some lather before it hits the face and the only difference is whether they do it in a small mug or a large bowl.

 

[neverender2113]

The way I think of it, face lathering only requires two items, the soap (in whatever container) and the brush, while bowl lathering requires three: the soap, a separate, empty bowl for the creation/enhancement of lather, and the brush. The empty bowl is an intermediate step before going to the face. I build my lather to completion directly on the soap sometimes, but since I'm not transferring my loaded brush from the soap to a separate, empty bowl to continue to build the lather, I am face lathering instead of bowl lathering.

Maybe we can call it 'puck lathering'?

 

[michiganlover]

I build my lather to completion directly on the soap sometimes, but since I'm not transferring my loaded brush from the soap to a separate, empty bowl to continue to build the lather, I am face lathering instead of bowl lathering.

I would call what you are doing above "lathering on the puck". If the lather is already built when you transfer it to your face, and no further building of the lather happens on the face, then I don't think it's proper to call that face lathering.

 

[michiganlover]

There are generally three methods of building lather:

1) load brush on soap, take brush to face, and build lather on the face. (face lathering)

2) load brush on soap, take brush to bowl, and build lather. Once lather is built use brush to paint onto the face. (bowl lathering)

3) Build lather on top of the soap, once lather is built, move to face, and paint lather on the face. (lathering on the puck)

Method 3 is generally considered to be wasteful of soap, but it is my preferred method of doing things.

In methods 1, and 2 you start out with a pretty dry brush, as you need a drier brush to successfully load the soap. You would give the brush a few good shakes and a squeeze, load the soap for about 30-45 seconds, and then move to either your face or your bowl adding additional water to build the lather.

In method 3, you start out with a fairly wet brush, adding soap into the mix until the amount of soap counteracts the heavy amount of water.

 

[celestino]

I would call what you are doing above "lathering on the puck". If the lather is already built when you transfer it to your face, and no further building of the lather happens on the face, then I don't think it's proper to call that face lathering.

+1 My thoughts also.

 

[jamesspo]

I'd add a 1a). Rub soap on face, take wet brush to face, build lather on face (face lathering). A lot of folks do it this way (myself included).

There are generally three methods of building lather:

1) load brush on soap, take brush to face, and build lather on the face. (face lathering)

2) load brush on soap, take brush to bowl, and build lather. Once lather is built use brush to paint onto the face. (bowl lathering)

3) Build lather on top of the soap, once lather is built, move to face, and paint lather on the face. (lathering on the puck)

Method 3 is generally considered to be wasteful of soap, but it is my preferred method of doing things.

In methods 1, and 2 you start out with a pretty dry brush, as you need a drier brush to successfully load the soap. You would give the brush a few good shakes and a squeeze, load the soap for about 30-45 seconds, and then move to either your face or your bowl adding additional water to build the lather.

In method 3, you start out with a fairly wet brush, adding soap into the mix until the amount of soap counteracts the heavy amount of water.

 

[Mick]

If you don't use a separate bowl for building lather you are face lathering whether you build a little lather on the puck or not (IMHO anyway)

 

[Luc]

This should help: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Different_Lathering_Options

 

[global_dev]

i find that face lathering with a stick typically ends with what looks like nice lather, but sticks to the blade, which is a supposed indication of dry lather, but loading on the soap doesn't suffer the same issue

i don't think lathering on the soap is the same as face lathering. i agree with michiganlover

 

[lowjax]

There are generally three methods of building lather:

1) load brush on soap, take brush to face, and build lather on the face. (face lathering)

2) load brush on soap, take brush to bowl, and build lather. Once lather is built use brush to paint onto the face. (bowl lathering)

3) Build lather on top of the soap, once lather is built, move to face, and paint lather on the face. (lathering on the puck)

Method 3 is generally considered to be wasteful of soap, but it is my preferred method of doing things.

In methods 1, and 2 you start out with a pretty dry brush, as you need a drier brush to successfully load the soap. You would give the brush a few good shakes and a squeeze, load the soap for about 30-45 seconds, and then move to either your face or your bowl adding additional water to build the lather.

In method 3, you start out with a fairly wet brush, adding soap into the mix until the amount of soap counteracts the heavy amount of water.

I do a combination of 1 and 3. I start on the puck, load and build some lather there, then move that lather to my face and continue to lather another few minutes.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

I do a combination of 1 and 3. I start on the puck, load and build some lather there, then move that lather to my face and continue to lather another few minutes.

Jeff:

...that's my method too!

"A good Lather is half the Shave". William Hone