Face Lathering and Irritation.

[Southern_S]

Hi gents,

I've started face lathering more in the last month or so, and when shaving this morning I had a random thought and wanted you to weigh in.

Is it possible that by face lathering you can end up with less irritation in the long run?

My thoughts are that by exposing your face to the bristles of the brush to make the lather, your skin will actually become more tolerant to both the brush and shaving meaning less irritation... Almost like your skin gets tougher in comparison to painting on after bowl lathering which is 'softer' on your skin.

It's quite hard to explain properly but hopefully you all get what I'm trying to say. I personally dont suffer with irritation so it isn't a theory I can/have tested...

What do you all think?

 

[Tedolph]

No.

 

[Billy T.]

Idk about less irritation but it definitely preps your skin better.

 

[Tedolph]

Idk about less irritation but it definitely preps your skin better.

You can do all the scrubbing and "face prep" you want without having to build the lather on your face. That is the beauty of the lather bowl. It separates the face prep and later building functions so you can do each one differently.
If you are in a hurry or traveling, face lathering is fine.

 

[fightingillini22]

Not sure about more tolerant, but it's a great way to both build a lather and soften up/prep your face for the shave. While I shower before all my shaves, I pretty much exclusively face lather as I find it easier to dial in a soap with the added benefit of more hydration to the whiskers.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I face lather for the simple reason that it feels great and makes me feel good about life and about myself. Exfoliation? Skin preparation? I could not care less.... face lathering feels great!

 

[DougK]

I face lather, but I wouldn't say it has anything to do with reducing my irritation compared to using a bowl; that's on me and my shaving technique (or lack thereof on a given day).

 

[Chandu]

Perhaps if one has super sensitive skin and uses a very scrubby brush and goes at it with gusto. Short of that I don't see it happening. One could always get one of those synthetic make-up brushes sold as shaving brushes if your skin is very sensitive.

 

[mumB_L_E]

I don't know if face lathering toughens up the skin over time, but I do think it helps reduce irritation by extending the amount of time your skin/whiskers are moisturized. All that time spent whipping up lather in a bowl is, in my opinion, better spent with the lather building on your face. I am also with Fighting Illini that dialing in lather is easier with face lathering, or at least knowing when the lather is "done" is easier when it is already on your face. All this to say: longer whisker prep + consistently good lather = reduced irritation over time.

 

[ElefManos]

All I can say, is all I can feel. The more time I spend with a nice brush on my face, the better the shave seems to me.

 

[Tedolph]

It takes me a slow count to 45 to build a perfect lather in my lather bowl with a boar bristle brush, sometimes longer depending on the soap. If I built the lather on my face for 60seconds I would draw blood!

Invariably when I travel and face later with a synthetic, I only build lather for maybe 15 seconds, tops. The lather is serviceable, but not luxurious like it is from a lather bowl.

 

[BigJ]

I prefer to face lather because I enjoy the sensation of building the lather on my face.

For me, irritation mainly results from errors in technique, especially:
1. Pressure, or
2. Poor razor angle.

But that’s just my experience!

 

[samhain666]

I don't believe in more iritation from normal face lathering. I've been doing it for years and my skin is on sensitive side.

But here have been reproted cases of "brush burn"...burn on face caused by excessive brushing. I'm not sure how it works, but boar never gave me that and they are considered to be a bit harsh when not broken in.

Maybe with wilkinson synthetic brush? When I tried that on my face it felt like it will brush whiskers off my face along with 3 layers of skin

 

[rivieraranch]

When you have a multi-day growth I sometimes use hair conditioner on the beard while in the bathtub. Sort of softens the whiskers.

 

[Tedolph]

When you have a multi-day growth I sometimes use hair conditioner on the beard while in the bathtub. Sort of softens the whiskers.

Basically, you are using a pre-shave oil but at a much lower cost. I will have to give it a try!

 

[Avi]

It takes me a slow count to 45 to build a perfect lather in my lather bowl with a boar bristle brush, sometimes longer depending on the soap. If I built the lather on my face for 60seconds I would draw blood!

Invariably when I travel and face later with a synthetic, I only build lather for maybe 15 seconds, tops. The lather is serviceable, but not luxurious like it is from a lather bowl.

I've noticed the same thing, maybe 20 seconds or so. Though ironically I feel like face lathering *feels* more luxurious - though looks maybe a bit less luxurious. (But it definitely gets thick enough). A bit thicker whipped cream to me feels much better than super airy light whipped cream, and razor tells if you are not quite there pretty quickly.

 

[dmshaver]

I prefer face lathering. I can't address if it leads to less irritation, or not. It feels better, to me.

How's that for using science to explain it?

 

[Mitzie]

I get a closer shave with face lathering. I rub Aloe Vera, Glycerine or Cerave hand soap into my stubble and lather up, a couple of times, as a pre shave moisturising ritual before I rinse and start with the shaving soap and shave. Finish with an aftershave balm only.

 

[Atlantic59]

Face lathering does not require hundreds of pounds of force applied to the brush, you know. It's all in the tips.

 

[Fred D]

Brush burn, especially with a boar bristle brush.
I switched to bowl lathering and synthetics, no more irritation.