Holy wow, how did I use store razors for so long?!

[DougK]

Go West, your totally right. It was the AoS lady telling me to do that though haha, I blame her. Funny thing is I know better from just watching Mantic's youtube stuff. His lather on his face with the Coate's post (Coates Rises From The Dead!), and what she showed me on her hand when she was showing me how to lather were SO different lol. You can't even see Mantic's face, and I could totally see the lady's hand the whole time. As such, you can see parts of my skin the whole time as well lol.

SO, that in mind, I'll pile on the cream. She showed me to put the cream right in the brush though. I did what Mantic does by putting the cream in a coffee cup (totally switching to a soup bowl, my cup is WAY too small to really get after it). Is it right to put it in the brush or the bowl? Seems like soap is what you go for when you want to do straight to the face, and cream is in the bowl to mix up. Is that right?

First off, welcome aboard!

Now, to provide an answer to your question: yes, you can put the cream in your brush if you want to and then build the lather directly on your face. That's what I do most mornings whether I use cream or soap. It's really simple once you get the hang of it and you don't have to mess with rinsing out a bowl when you're done.

There's a couple of threads on face lathering that give good step-by-step instructions with pictures; just enter "face lathering" in the search window.

 

[Saturn]

There's a tutorial here (I think it's Scotto's glycerin soap tutorial) where he says that the three components of lather are soap, water, and agitation, and says that the way to get good lather can be summed up thus:

1) more soap than you think you need
2) more water than you think you need
3) more agitation than you think you need

When I first started out, I just sat around experimenting with making lather until I was able to get it the way I wanted. It just takes practice, finding the right soap/water ratio and the right mixing technique (though it shouldn't take 20 minutes of work to whip up a good bowl). A lot of people struggle with hard water as well, which can affect the ability of a soap or cream to produce lather, so if you live in a hard water area you may need to put a bit more cream and elbow grease into it.

Also, I wouldn't really recommend starting with the Feathers. They're the sharpest and least forgiving of blades. I started out with them myself and now I love the way they shave, but my face definitely paid for it when I was new and my shaving technique was still poor (I bled a lot). While your face is still adjusting and you're still learning to produce good lather, you may not want to be using a blade that punishes you for every little mistake. Or you may prefer that, as it will quickly show you what you're doing wrong and force you to learn faster!

 

[Gryphes]

Welcome!, nice kit you bought there!

 

[krazyken]

Updates: I rocked the lather today, with way more product haha. It was fantastic. I also watched Mantic's stuff, and did what he said about pinching the base of the brush and dragging up and using that awesomely hydrated lather. Was MUCH MUCH better today haha. Still need to give my unfortunately razorburned neck a bit of time, atleast that patch.

I also shaved XTG (that the right term?), and laid off after that, no ATG today. But still, wowee, haha, what a difference that lather makes!

---

Whew, you guys are such an amazing community, I can hardly keep up with all the replies rofl. I figured this post would get maybe 1 or 2 replies and get lost in the shuffle, but this is wild haha.

Ok, gonna try to do my best to get back to everyone haha

@Everyone: Thanks so much for the warm welcomes, jeebus, I've never felt so ushered in on a forum before, and I'm a pretty big computer nerd, it being my career and all haha.

@Luc, @mretzloff, @jayhabe, @ScYcS, @bladeruner, @Gatsby, @Condorito, @Uncle Erik, @Mr. Atra, @MRast01, @Guruschmuru: I read you all loud and clear. My blades are silly and not sexy at all, and I've ordered the Choice DE Sampler Pack from WCS. It's coming with these blades:

- Feather New Hi-Stainless Platinum (10 blades)
- Crystal or "Israeli" (10 blades)
- Derby Extra (5 blades)
- Red Israeli Personna (5 blades) OUT OF STOCK, REPLACED WITH SHARK SUPER CHROME
- Astra Superior Platinum (5 blades)

I also grabbed an Alum Block, and am researching aftershaves (I have a decent aftershave from Whole Foods, but um... it doesn't really help ha).

And holy moly, SO difficult not to grab a leather pouch for all my stuff. WCS definitely has their website up to par with the impulsive nature of most of us I think hahaha. Especially since I'm traveling soon.

@bindibadgi, @Kcaps: Yup, I totally loved the smell of the wet badger, which just smelled to me, like me and my Siberian Husky getting done with a rough-house pile of play and me shoving my face in his coat for some good cuddles haha. Except this time, it also smelled like sandal wood, was super warm, and was piling on refreshing cream hahaha. Call me crazy, but I thought it was great lol.

@oversaturn: thanks for the compliment on the stand! I Completely Love it haha!

@Luc: ooohh, awesome, that wiki is crazy extensive haha!

@peacefrog3375: Thanks tons! I feel like I've got atleast most of the tools I need haha. Yay for good, although blind, starts haha.

@AnB_Daddy & @valmara1971: Haha, your not joking, I feel great walking into work without a horrible razor burn face, and wowee my face is way smoother than any $35 pack of vibrating razors ever were haha. Oh and yes, I am horribly enthusiastic, especially after finding this amazing community. It's so nice to be excited about the once horrible task of getting my bearded face presentable.

@jayhabe: Haha, when that sampler pack gets here, consider keyboard melted lol. Seems like all the good ones people have been mentioning are in it

@Gatsby: Oh I'm so glad that AoS isn't looked down on like I wasted my money, I was really impressed with their quality and store front (except for these merkur blades hehehe).

@Defend Tacoma: Went straight for the stickies after you said that. Holy wow haha, SO much info to digest!!!

@Go West Young Man: Well, she definitely didn't know squat about lathering haha, but she was really cool to pass me on to you guys!

@NBT: Hewray sandalwood!!

@Xezmer: Hahaha, what an awful thing to say, your eyes must have popped out at spending gobs of money on brushes every three months haha.

@GDCarrington: I thought about those exact words this morning while finally not cutting my face ha: be vigilant!!

@ferroburak: Totaallllllly love the brush haha. Reaaally happy with it!

@Mr. Atra: Hahaha, ok I don't feel so bad now

@Go West Young Man & @HyperCamper: I used 2 almonds today. ZOMG! Took me way less time, and I got such a great, smooth, gliding shave this morning haha!

@newera: Don't feel bad, haha, I'm such a gear whore lol. Half the reason I like backpacking hahaha.

*huff huff huff* OK! I think I got caught up hahaha.

 

[Go West Young Man]

You can put the cream in your brush, on your hand, directly on your face, in a bowl, whatever works for you. I'm lazy so I scoop cream into my brush by hand, add a bit of water and go straight to my face with it. Other guys have more complicated routines, whatever feels right for you is the best way to do it.

 

[DunEdinRanger]

Welcome Ken!

You might want to try Clubman by Pinaud as it is a classic Men's After Shave.

 

[Luc]

Excellent!