Do you need a mug with shaving soap?

[kairo]

I'm a newbie here and ordered what I thought was a complete kit, DE razor, brush, shaving soap (comes in a wood bowl). However, from what I've seen it appears that I'm also in need of a mug to help work the lather? Is this true or is it a 'nice to have'?

Thanks for any feedback you can provide!

 

[Foyle]

No. You can build the lather right on your face. That's what I do.

 

[Wingnut]

While I'm a face-latherer myself, a lot of new shavers find that it's easier to make a good lather using a mug--that way, they have more control over the soap:water ratio. The good news is that you certainly don't NEED a shave-specific mug if you're just starting out. Just grab a large coffee cup or small bowl from the kitchen and you're good to go.

Lost of folks find great shaving bowls/mugs at their local thrift stores for pennies as well. Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[The Dean]

While I'm a face-latherer myself, a lot of new shavers find that it's easier to make a good lather using a mug--that way, they have more control over the soap:water ratio. The good news is that you certainly don't NEED a shave-specific mug if you're just starting out. Just grab a large coffee cup or small bowl from the kitchen and you're good to go.

Lost of folks find great shaving bowls/mugs at their local thrift stores for pennies as well. Good luck, and keep us posted!

I bought a soup mug at Dollar Tree for $1. I don't use it anymore, but it was pretty close to perfect for what I needed then. Now I face lather, and/or use the Marvy green mug.

Honestly I found it easier to control the water ratio by face lathering. YMMV

 

[Ron Scott]

I have one and can get a good lather in it but dont use it anymore. Face lathering just seems the way to go for me.

 

[kairo]

Awesome thanks all! My thoughts were to just use a coffee mug in the worst case but given I'm new to this I wasnt sure if it would be too deep etc. I'll give the face lather a shot and then give your recommendations a try!

 

[imbored2deth]

You could take the soap puck, get it wet, rub it directly on your prepped face, get the brush and go to town. Face lathering made easy. No bowl/mug needed.

 

[Luc]

Awesome thanks all! My thoughts were to just use a coffee mug in the worst case but given I'm new to this I wasnt sure if it would be too deep etc. I'll give the face lather a shot and then give your recommendations a try!

I find the coffee mug (regular) to be too deep so I never used one. A small bowl or a cappucine coffee cup is perfect. I've been face lathering for a few years now so no need to use a coffee cup, mug, etc. I use a regular coffee cup (the high one) to soak my shaving brush only so I don't use a bunch of water.

 

[Emanon]

I use a small bowl. I bought one for 99 cents at Salvation army and I also have another small one I got out of my kitchen. The one I use now I bought at Bed Bath and Beyond and it's a VDH and comes with a shave soap. it cots $6.
But I leave the soap right in the plastic container it comes in and load my brush up with soap the move to the bowl to whip up my lather. If it is actually a "bowl' that can be mixed in that your kit came with then I would say you're good to go. Hold the soap in your hand as you load up the brush (rubbing/swirling the wet brush on the wet soap) and then take the brush to the bowl and create your lather. You can find more instructions around the forum and on Youtube.

Or you can find some small plastic container to hold the soap if you don't want to hold it in your hand.

Watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzTkuQzj5Ao

 

[Eeyore]

I never used a mug or bowl. Everyone I knew as a boy made the lather directly on their face, so that is how I learned it as well. One of the advantages is that you give the lather more time to work in, while it is building. The other advantage is that you don't need a mug

Maybe I'll try lathering in a shallow bowl sometime, to see if there are advantages to that way of lathering. But you don't need a mug.

 

[NSmalls]

I am a face latherer and I use an Old Spice mug to hold my soap puck. I like to splash a little water on top of the puck and let it sit there while I'm showering. It's up to you though, you could use pretty much anything. I guess you could always hold the soap in your hand too, although I've yet to hear anybody talk about doing that. At Harmon they sell the Van Der Hagen bowl and soap for around $6-$7, but you can get whole set from Walmart for about $8-$9. Its up to you!

 

[Merk]

You could take the soap puck, get it wet, rub it directly on your prepped face, get the brush and go to town. Face lathering made easy. No bowl/mug needed.

Uh OH!!! Another technique that I HAVN"T yet tried. Shall now give that one a whirl. Thanks for being a member!

 

[Eeyore]

Oh, with a shaving stick (e.g. Vergulde Hand, Palmolive, Speick, Arko, ...) you even don't need a container for your soap. Some sticks very conveniently come with a cap, e.g. Vergulde Hand.

 

[PugslyCat]

You need something that acts as a soap dish. That's what I use shaving mugs for. Even if you are rubbing the soap directly on your face like a shaving stick you will need to set a wet gooey bar of soap down in something. The exception to that might be an actual shaving stick which is self contained in its holder.

If you are using a deep mug with some capacity to hold lather you can build lather directly on the puck, or I can simply load the brush with soap and build lather on my face or in a bowl.

None of these mugs or bowls has to be specifically for shaving, just anything to act as a soap dish or to work up lather in. I would look for something, anything, that is a good match for the decor of your bathroom. I have used mugs and bowls out of the kitchen cupboard, but don't recommend that if you have a SO. Ask her and she'll adamantly explain why that is not a proper thing to do.

 

[olschoolsteel]

I make my lathers on the soap in a mug/bowl. The only ones i dont are the fancy soaps that come in a fancy bowl that come up to the very top. In that case i load the brush and lather in another mug.

Why you ask?

'Cuz its funner that way.

 

[Ducati Scotty]

As already noted, it can be easier to build lather to just the right consistency in a mug or bowl, especially when you're new to it. Any bowl or mug with a good shape will do, and a regular coffee mug would be just fine. Dessert ice cream dishes and big cappucino mugs can be had for a few dollars at any kitchen store and work very well. If you choose to face lather you'll get the hang of it quickly though.

Scott

 

[Big Jim]

You don't need a mug, brush, or dedicated shaving soap. You can use ordinary face or body soap, create lather in your hands, apply it to your face and shave.

In my opinion, you get a much better shave with a mug and brush though.

When traveling, I sometimes use a brush to lather in my hand without a bowl, using whatever soap is available. My favorite for this method is the soap from Hampton Inns.

What I like best though is a moderate to large brush with an Old Spice Mug and Col Conk's Bay Rum shaving soap. That turns shaving from a morning chore to something very enjoyable.

 

[dparish1952]

For creams in tubes and croaps (soft soaps in a tub), I place half a snurdle (almond size scoop) on each wet cheek, select a short loft brush (loft is the height of the exposed brush hair), and lather the soap on my face. Or I might lather on my left palm (this helps me feel the texture of the soap so I know how much water to add).

I am relatively new to soaps, which are harder than creams and croaps. So I lather in a cereal bowl from my childhood, which brings pleasant memories.


@Kairo
You also do not need a razor stand, brush holder, or scuttle (a ceramic pot--or two--that keeps the lather warm). Maybe someday, but not necessary now.

Smooth Shaving,
Dennis

 

[Eeyore]

You do need a brush holder, because you should dry your brush with the hairs hanging downwards.

 

[Cedar]

I use a bowl because I have sensitive skin and don't know how my face would react to the face method.