How do You Vary Your Loading & Lathering Techniques for Different Soaps & Creams?

[Lane101]

@steelwindmachine , Saw your recent posts in the A&E performance thread so it looks like you are getting good advice. Definitely continue to reach out to @RayClem as he has some of the deepest B&B expertise with premium soaps of this type that are softer than the hard MdC you are used to.

One suggestion with a new soap that does not deliver perfect lather on your initial shaves is to experiment with loading up to twice the soap you think you will need with a damp, but not wet, brush and then keep adding small amounts of water slowly until you hit the desired lather consistency. With later shaves you can dial down the amount loaded based on performance. For your A&E that could mean loading for 30 seconds instead of 15 and then dialing down.

I've been going through similar learning processes coming up from the other direction, starting with 99 cent pucks of hard as a rock Williams Soap and working my way up to mid-range commercial soaps like Mitchell's Wool Fat, Tabac and a few creams.

P.S. One approach to see if you are loading enough product is to place some of your lather on a small dish and see how much solid material is left after it drys. The dried remains of a good lather will still have some structure.

 

[Dobric]

I use same soap/cream for a week
Then if I have same brand, I continue with that brand. You can realy fine tune things this way. From time to time I have a "dud" lather, too dry or too wet...it's all part of the fun
If you change soap on daily basis, and you get a dud with a soap, you will continue to think that soap sucks, but in reality could be an amaizing soap

 

[steelwindmachine]

following up...

I bought a Timeless lather bowl, called up my Omega boar brush and have been coached primarily by @RayClem on lathering technique and soap performance assessment.

No surprise, but by lathering in the bowl I can better control the soap and resulting lather as opposed to trying to develop it on my face where I'd be inciting irritation from a lot of brush work.

I had resisted the bowl since I wanted simplicity, but this has been at the expense of sub-par lather and touch and go shave results.

Now, my lathers are better quality (denser, cushier, slicker) and my resulting shaves have benefitted. I am surely loading more soap than is practically necessary, but I find having the excess to start and then adding water an easier way to build into a quality lather.

As I get more experience I'll surely be able to become more conservative with the soap usage. I'm fortunate enough to not have to be overly concerned if a bunch of lather goes down the drain when I'm done if in service of getting the most out of the soap for the intended purpose.

The most distinct difference between the MdC and my Grooming Dept. (Kairos and Kairos SE 2023 bases) and Ariana & Evans (K2e) soaps is primarily in the post-shave moisturization. The more "modern" soaps also have a bit more protective slippiness during the shave compared to the MdC. The MdC provides a high degree of cushion, but it's not anywhere near as hydrating or slippy in comparison.

It's very evident that a few soap makers have evolved this otherwise esoteric product to a level that maybe most of the old guard couldn't or wouldn't.

 

[geneaut]

For the most part, I treat most soaps the same*. I sometimes like to use the Marco method versus my method because making so much wet protective lather is insanely fun.

* Wet but not dripping brush. 30-40 swirls on the soap. Build lather in a bowl.

 

[Merchant Seaman Z]

Between work and home soaps. About 5-7 years. Depending.

 

[Wgg2017]

I use three basic methods depending on the style of cream/soap used. The one constant is that I build my lather in a Timeless shave bowl.

Creams and soft soaps: I scoop product into the Timeless bowl before taking a 10-15 minute shower and then use a damp synthetic brush to start a pasty lather. I add water as necessary until I achieve the consistency I'm looking for.

Firmer and drier soaps (think MdC on the drier and firmer side): I scoop product into the Timeless bowl and add a few drops of water to soften the soap while I shower. I find this helps to build lather more quickly. I use a damp brush to build lather and add water as necessary until I achieve the consistency I'm looking for after getting out of the shower.

Hard soaps: I add a few drops of water to the top of the soap to bloom while I shower. I use a damp, but mostly dry, brush to soak up the bloom water and pick up some very pasty soap. I then move to the Timeless bowl and add water as necessary to build the lather.

 

[deafficianado]

A moist face that’s well hydrated prior to applying lather makes a big difference. I face lather exclusively. For hard soaps I load a wet brush directly on the puck between 5-30 seconds depending on how hard and dry the soap is. For creams I smear some on my face with fingers first. I use rotational strokes to work in the lather initially and then painting strokes for about another 20-30 seconds. Now I’m ready to shave in less than 2 minutes.

 

[Lane101]

A moist face that’s well hydrated prior to applying lather makes a big difference. I face lather exclusively. For hard soaps I load a wet brush directly on the puck between 5-30 seconds depending on how hard and dry the soap is. For creams I smear some on my face with fingers first. I use rotational strokes to work in the lather initially and then painting strokes for about another 20-30 seconds. Now I’m ready to shave in less than 2 minutes.

Absolutely, I wash my face immediately prior to shaving for the same reason. In addition to hydration this also removes dirt and oils that could react with a shaving soap and reduce its effectiveness. Also use my creams the same way. Have also found that occasionally taking a small pea sized dab of cream and smearing it on my face prior to shaving can dramatically superlather a hard soap for a better shaving experience. Use my LEA professional cream for this as it has a mild scent and other than helping the lather quality does not interfere with my shaving soaps.