Gel vs. Lather

[Eastcoast30]

I use vintage gillette double edge razors and shavettes with half blades or Feather blades. I have moved away from the drug store cans of shaving cream and am now using Proraso (green container) with a badger brush. I also use Tomb 45 gel. I use the gel successfully for small areas, like trimming the cheek line of my beard. Today I used the gel to shave my neck and caught a few weepers. There are no instructions for the gel, but youtube shows it being applied directly. I am wondering if ot should be applied to wet or dry skin. And is any prep necessary? I find the gel convenient compared to whipping up the lather. But convenience won't make up for today's weepers.

So I am hoping that board members will weigh in on the pros and cons of each, along with wht they consider a good method.

I would also like recommendations for a good post shave balm. Thanks.

 

[engblom]

In the past when I used different gels I had better result by applying it on wet face. Probably the same applies for your gel. It should not take long time to notice what works better.

 

[Dovo1695]

Wetter makes it better...

In my experience, that's true of pretty much all shaving soaps, gels, foams, creams, etc.

 

[razorhead63]

Use water.
It helps.

 

[CzechCzar]

Ymmv but tomb45 was so bad I threw it away.

This was the best no lather product I found after trying 20+:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JHFAFRG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_z9qHFbSQ1Y4F5

The discovery of grooming department preshave took my soaps to a level even better than that. Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

 

[Macduff]

If you like convenience i highly recommend Cremo. I really think it’s the best non-lathering product out there. And to echo everyone else here, wet is better than dry in all instances. As far as balms go, if you don’t mind unscented i’d go with Rugged and Dapper. It’s by far the best moisturizing product that i’ve tried. I love splashes so in the winter i use a splash then apply the balm. I also use it if my skin is getting dry. It’s non-greasy and lightweight but works extremely well.

 

[Eastcoast30]

Ymmv but tomb45 was so bad I threw it away.

This was the best no lather product I found after trying 20+:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JHFAFRG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_z9qHFbSQ1Y4F5

The discovery of grooming department preshave took my soaps to a level even better than that. Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

Thanks, I ordered some to try.

 

[Chandu]

I've used some good gels and some good canned foams. On my good list
Foam: La Toja, Gillette Foamy, Barbasol (orange can, purple can)
Gel: Nivea Deep Gel with Charcoal - very good gel. For me better than other Nivea or Edge.

With any foam or gel, I wet my face first, then put on the product, rub it around for at least 30 seconds like you are massaging it it. If it seems dry, splash some water on your hands and rub a bit more.

Many don't like foams or gels, but they can be very good. I think most don't use them properly. They make a dry santa beard and then whine that it doesn't work. Of course it didn't the way they used it. There is a reason canned foam sold well once it was invented.

 

[BobbyB]

IMHO, DE soaps and creams yield better lather than canned Gels or Foam, but the YMMV caveat applies here, too.

 

[Eastcoast30]

IMHO, DE soaps and creams yield better lather than canned Gels or Foam, but the YMMV caveat applies here, too.

The gels are designed NOT to lather. For trimming the outline of a beard, you need to see through the gel. That's the whole point - see where you are shaving.

 

[Peterv1]

Neutrogena shaving gel is pretty nice for beard trimming, good slickness, protection and has a nice scent to it

 

[BigJ]

I have no experience with the product, so take this with (at least) a grain of salt!

IMO, most everything in WET shaving works better with more water! So my vote is more water!!

 

[Scouser]

The gels are designed NOT to lather. For trimming the outline of a beard, you need to see through the gel. That's the whole point - see where you are shaving.

Gillette aerosol shave gel is certainly designed to lather.

 

[Tallships]

A Well Hydrated beard is always important no mater if canned Foam, Gel or Lather is used.

 

[hcoop112]

Gel was horrid for me i got some elegance shaving gel and man that stuff sucked hard...no cushion no nothing i use it for shaving other areas...because i dont want it wasted

 

[DrStrange]

Gillette aerosol shave gel is certainly designed to lather.

wikihow says so too.

Simple Ways to Use Shave Gel: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Much like more traditional shaving cream, shaving gel is designed to lubricate your skin so you can achieve a close shave without any nicks or cuts. You can use it anywhere on your body: face legs, armpits, or even your pubic area. It's...

www.wikihow.com

2
Rub 2 or 3 fingers through the gel in a circular motion to lather it up. When you first squirt out the gel, it will look like a thick, shiny liquid. To lather up the gel, stick a couple of fingers into it and rub them around in a circular motion. As you rub, you’ll notice that the shave gel loses its color and turns white. The shave gel will also foam up and triple or quadruple in size.[6]

• In fact, foamy shave gel closely resembles shaving cream.

3
Continue to lather up the foam for about 15–20 seconds.If you stop lathering the gel prematurely, you’ll be left with a mixture of thin foam and gel. So, keep working 2 or 3 fingers through the gel until it’s all turned into a foamy lather. Stop rubbing when all of the foam gel has turned into white foam.

• Some people prefer not to use shaving gel since, unlike shaving cream, it takes some time to work up into a lather.