Face vs. bowl lathering

[SilentTuba]

I've always preferred bowl lathering over face lathering, but I've been having trouble getting a good lather from Razorock Caribbean Coconut soap. I've actually been avoiding it, because of my disappointment. Yesterday, I decided to try face lathering it, and see if that helped.

The end result was an incredible shave, with a very slick, cushiony lather. I was blown away by the difference.

Has anyone else had similar experience, with Razorock, or any other soap? Should I give up on bowl lathering altogether? I hope not, because I still like doing it that way.

 

[AirForceMX]

I prefer face lathering. My main reason is because it is faster, more simple, and in my opinion prepares your beard for a better shave. Sure, its not A LOT faster....but I sure like not having to rinse out a bowl when I'm done. Thats just me

 

[flutewhistler]

I started face-lathering three months ago, and have never gone back to bowl lathering - I just got better shaves from face-lathering.

 

[Niles]

I prefer face lathering. My main reason is because it is faster, more simple, and in my opinion prepares your beard for a better shave. Sure, its not A LOT faster....but I sure like not having to rinse out a bowl when I'm done. Thats just me

These are all the reasons why I face lather almost all the time.

 

[mmack66]

Bowl lathering is a wasted step for me. It is much more satisfying to build the lather on my face.

 

[Stiglitz]

I haven't bowl lathered since my 6th or 7th DE shave because I was tired of cleaning an extra piece in my shave den.

 

[goatee]

i start in a bowl, but lets face it,,,, you're just not going to get the air infusion in a bowl like you do on your face. thats why i try to start out a bit runny. i know its going to thicken up on my face.

 

[Prof. Moriarty]

I prefer face lathering. My main reason is because it is faster, more simple, and in my opinion prepares your beard for a better shave. Sure, its not A LOT faster....but I sure like not having to rinse out a bowl when I'm done. Thats just me

^ What he said.

 

[Elevenn]

I started out bowl lathering because it helped me see just how good/bad my lather was. However, since I was always in a hurry in the morning, I quickly turned to face lathering and never looked back. I have found that bowl lathering, for me, is just an extra step that doesn't add anything to the results. Plus, why spend money on a nice brush if you are simply going to use it to paint lather onto your face? With face lathering, you get to better enjoy the brush and its qualities.

 

[Galactimax]

I started out bowl lathering because it helped me see just how good/bad my lather was.

I see people say this a lot and it just doesn't make sense to me.

Part of the reason I face lather is because when I use a bowl I can never tell if it's at the right consistency to add to my face and often overshoot the water to soap ratio and end up with a foamy wet mess. When I face lather though I know exactly when to stop because it's already on my face.

 

[ackvil]

I do both and don't see a big difference in my shaves. I like variety and in any week I may face lather three of four days and bowl lather the other days and vice versa. When I travel I face lather with shave sticks and use a bowl for cream.

For me the two advantages of face lathering are speed on less clean up. The advantage of bowl lathering is that I can use the lather in the bowl to wash my face prior to shaving.

 

[TacticalPanda]

MWF seems to be fairly easy for me to face lather and exceptionally difficult to bowl lather. Go figure.

 

[SilentTuba]

I see people say this a lot and it just doesn't make sense to me.

Part of the reason I face lather is because when I use a bowl I can never tell if it's at the right consistency to add to my face and often overshoot the water to soap ratio and end up with a foamy wet mess. When I face lather though I know exactly when to stop because it's already on my face.

See, I think this is why face lathering with the RR worked for me yesterday. I think I read about how much water it needs, and was overdoing it, so my lather was ending up too thin. Yesterday, when the lather felt good and slick, I stopped, and it worked.

 

[musicman1951]

I face lather soap and scuttle lather cream.

I don't notice any difference in the shave, but I much prefer the warm lather from the scuttle. I do find it easier to add a couple of drops of water off my finger tips to the scuttle rather than dipping the entire brush for face lathering.

I'm retired so I can afford the literal extra 14 seconds the scuttle adds. You have to clean your brush when your done. I clean mine in the scuttle - does a better job and cleans the scuttle at the same time.

 

[NSmalls]

I just got tired of cleaning the bowl

 

[August West]

I prefer face lathering. My main reason is because it is faster, more simple, and in my opinion prepares your beard for a better shave. Sure, its not A LOT faster....but I sure like not having to rinse out a bowl when I'm done. Thats just me

Roger that.

 

[Jarick]

I was a bowl latherer until I got a shave stick. Then I learned to apply product to the face, add water to the brush, and scrub to build the lather. With a soft brush, it's nicely exfoliating and lifts the whiskers. Just slowly add water and eventually you get the right mix of product to water.

I have had a lot less success building lather by loading the brush from a puck though. I can't seem to get the lather into the knot. The soap loads up and stays in the tips and doesn't go to the base of the knot. Add water, same thing. I don't know why that is. I know it's me though, it's not the concept in general.

 

[nwjs]

As someone else wrote (can't be bothered to look it up now), "I'm not shaving the bowl". IMHO a bowl is a superfluous item, unless you keep your soap in it. But to each his own.

 

[ctr]

I prefer the simplicity of face lathering. A more satisfying shave experience for me.

 

[gash]

When God was feeling especially benevolent, she created pizza, kittens, and face-lathering.