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Face Lathering for newbies?

Why don't we advise newbies to face lather? It's not like starting with a R41/Feather. It is not dangerous. This is the best way to quickly learn how to mix and adjust the proper lather consistency. Also, the initial investment is lower.The process also includes part of the prep and the cleanup is quick. I didn't review the polls but don't more of us face lather rather than bowl lather?

Gus
 
I find that bowl lathering is easier than face. I do both, however. The major thing that I believe makes it easier for new shavers is that the can easily see the lather in a bowl and it is easier to add water to the mix. Plus, mixing in a bowl seems to be easier than on your face.
 
I think I'm with you, Gus. I find face lathering is the easiest path to good, shaveable lather. Bowl lathering sort of focuses on the visual aspects of the lather, which I've discovered have very little bearing on the actual effectiveness of the lather for shaving. I just rub on the soap, and go to it with my wet brush. You just have to keep adding water until it's "not dry", and you're in business.

Edit: I'll add that I generally use Arko, which is an easy latherer, but I get great results with a wide range of soaps.
 
I am a confirmed face-latherer myself, but.... One potential problem is that face-lathering makes it more important to get the lather right in the first place. With bowl lathering you can throw out a bad lather and start over, and practice whenever you like. Too many practice lathers on the face can lead to brush-burn.

There is something to be said for palm-lathering: this is what I usually do when I want to try a new brush or soap between shaves. Like face-lathering, no extra equipment is needed. I have never heard of anyone getting brush burn this way. The ridges on the skin seem to help develop lather, and you get a very tactile experience of how the lather develops. Of course you do not get the lather soak that face-lathering encourages, and it is messier.

Anyway I suppose most folks will try everything sooner or later, and stick with what works best.
 
Face lathering: Soak brush for a few minutes. Shake out brush. Apply lather to face. Repeat.

Use a quality brush and good soap/cream and nothing is easier or better
 
I have no idea to be honest, as a newbie I started bowl lathering myself and had some troubles getting it right at first. Now days I'm mostly a face latherer as it's just easier and quicker, and getting the perfect consistency is easier too imo

I guess doing it through the bowl really breaks the process down, wetish brush, little bit of water, soap ... whip it up!
 
I find that bowl lathering is easier than face. I do both, however. The major thing that I believe makes it easier for new shavers is that the can easily see the lather in a bowl and it is easier to add water to the mix. Plus, mixing in a bowl seems to be easier than on your face.

++1
 
Why don't we advise newbies to face lather? It's not like starting with a R41/Feather. It is not dangerous. This is the best way to quickly learn how to mix and adjust the proper lather consistency. Also, the initial investment is lower.The process also includes part of the prep and the cleanup is quick. I didn't review the polls but don't more of us face lather rather than bowl lather?

Gus

Yup. I agree. I have never bowl lathered for the last thirty something years and now, really, can't be bothered!

Seriously, I think face lathering is nicer. As always, YMMV, IMHO.
 
Yup, +1 here. I started out bowl lathering because it seemed to be the default, and all the mantic and geofatboy vids show it. Then I tried face lathering with a stick, and man, what an improvement in terms of efficiency and ease of use. However, asmI had alreadyminvested in an awesome Dirty Bird scuttle, I will continue to include bowl lathers in my rotations. Plus, bowl lathering is sort of fun too. I have a feeling that it is going to get left behind though, for me.
 
Actually, I usually start with the scuttle and continue to build the lather on my face. For me it depends on the soap, and whether I feel like cold or warm lather in the morning. Frankly, if I don't feel like screwing around with lathering I just use Gillette Foamy and still get a great shave.

Jeff
 
Why don't we advise newbies to face lather?


~~~I was not aware that bowl lathering has been the default approach, or the recommended approach, for n00bs

That said, if I had to guess, I'd imagine more n00bs bowl lather creams vs. face lather soaps. I know I did when I started out

For the record, I probably face lather (soap) 99 out of 100 times, for the usual reasons

Ease, effiency

i wouldn't begrudge anyone that wants to bowl lather (soap or cream), but at the same time I would try to interest the n00b in giving face lathering soap a shot

IMO and exp., anything that involves wet shaving is wirth trying, at least once

Being a straight razor shaver myself, it seems most that use straight razors (notice I said most, not all=:) face lather, and most use soap, but one of the grandest straight razor shavers I know of builds his lather in a bowl, er, ah scuttle actually


http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/136249-Chimensch-s-30th-Anniversary-Shaving-Video



Best,


Jake
Reddick Fla.
 

Luc

"To Wiki or Not To Wiki, That's The Question".
Staff member
I am a confirmed face-latherer myself, but.... One potential problem is that face-lathering makes it more important to get the lather right in the first place. With bowl lathering you can throw out a bad lather and start over, and practice whenever you like. Too many practice lathers on the face can lead to brush-burn.

There is something to be said for palm-lathering: this is what I usually do when I want to try a new brush or soap between shaves. Like face-lathering, no extra equipment is needed. I have never heard of anyone getting brush burn this way. The ridges on the skin seem to help develop lather, and you get a very tactile experience of how the lather develops. Of course you do not get the lather soak that face-lathering encourages, and it is messier.

Anyway I suppose most folks will try everything sooner or later, and stick with what works best.

+1

When you practice, making a bowl of lather is easier than face lathering. I started with bowl lathering and it almost took me a year before I switched to face lathering. I was still able to make it. Making practice bowls of lather (or palm lathering as Mike suggest) is essential IMO to succeed with a good lather.
 
Depending on which brush I use determines if I face or bowl. My Wee Scott is perfect for face lathering. Being deployed and having to share a head with 300+ dudes I don't have a lot of room or time. On my off day I use the Muhle and DB scuttle for a bowl later. Using quality cream is key to both bowl and face lathering.
 
You could tell them to use a stick. That's probably simplest.

I started with face because I didn't know bowl was an option until seeing the vids. It's good to try different techniques and see what you like. I face lather soaps about 75% of the time. I use a bowl for cream or superlather because its takes a little more adjusting to get the lather right. Also with a long bristle brush it may take some plunging motions to get lather from deep inside and I would use the bowl or hand for that rather than face.
 
Face lathering: Soak brush for a few minutes. Shake out brush. Apply lather to face. Repeat.

I find soaking the brush for 10-20 seconds is fine, even though a few minutes is the common wisdom. Is there really anything gained by the extra time?

During face-lathering, I dip the tips of the brush into my cup of water occasionally when I feel the lather needs more water.

On the topic, I preferred bowl lathering as a newbie. The first few times I tried face lathering (with a stick) I wasn't confident and didn't get great results. I didn't know how much stick to apply, and it was hard to judge the soap/water ratio. I persisted, motivated by the need to economise on time for weekday morning shaves. It only took a little experience until stick/face-lathering became my preferred option regardless of time. I use soap pucks and creams from time to time for variety, but the lather is always built on the face.

I think if newbies were given good explanations and demonstrations, they could make a go of it. However, I would have trouble explaining it. Experience guides me, but I don't know what it is I do. (And I'm a long way off having a perfect shave, or even a 90% perfect shave, every day.)

Bowl lathering is probably the easiest to explain to newbies, and we don't need a great re-education effort. I think there's enough chatter on here singing the praises of face lathering for people to eventually want to give it a go.
 
Why don't we advise newbies to face lather? It's not like starting with a R41/Feather. It is not dangerous. This is the best way to quickly learn how to mix and adjust the proper lather consistency.
Best is always highly subjective, regardless of topic. Don't assume that face lathering is best for everyone just because it is best for you. Newbies should definitely try it but they should be trying all sorts of things to determine their preferences.
 
Best is always highly subjective, regardless of topic. Don't assume that face lathering is best for everyone just because it is best for you. Newbies should definitely try it but they should be trying all sorts of things to determine their preferences.

Actually, IMHO, newbies should NOT be trying lots of things to determine their preferences. They should pick a set-up and a routine and stick with it for at least a month, better 3 months (unless something just flat-out won't work for them, allergic to soap etc.)

THEN they should change ONE thing, give it a week, etc.

Trying all sorts of things is what delays great results. If you are trying something new every day, you are never going to have a clue what works best. Only when you can get consistent shaves and are experienced enough to know what your "default setup" feels like, can you make a determination as to whether or not another product/technique/method is beneficial.
 
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