How to Lather Pre de Provence No. 63

[hairless wonder]

Thanks to the recent Amazon sale, I bought my first puck of Pre de Provence No. 63. I haven't tried it yet because I'm not sure how to lather it. Since it's quad milled, I assumed blooming it would be helpful (if not necessary). But since the soap puck is smaller than the tin, I suspect watering the soap will only make it float and possibly bloom the bottom (and sides) of the soap.

Should I make a lather by picking up the soap and attacking the bottom of the puck with my brush?

Should I take the puck out of the tin and put it in a smaller container that can keep the water on top of the puck?

How exactly do the more experiences users build a lather with this soap?

Thanks in advance!

 

[fast shaver]

PdP is easy to lather. I put the soap in my hand & use a damp brush to lather it. No need to bloom PdP IMO.

 

[RSC]

I've never bloomed PdP and it lathers just fine for me using a damp brush. I start out on the puck then work it up just a little more on the face. I keep the soap in the tin, but I use a small brush. This might not work so well with a larger brush.

 

[Wgg2017]

I bloom it but I only use a small amount of water, just a handful of drops, so that it doesn't run down the side. I think it makes the initial process of picking up soap on the brush just a little bit quicker than lathering from a dry puck.

 

[Atlantic59]

The #1 complaint people have about PdP seems to be the lather is too thin or not slick enough. That's usually because they don't load enough soap, or add enough water. Plenty of soap + plenty of water = plenty of lather. Works every time.

My favorite brush to use with PdP is a large barber boar brush (26mm). It is much easier to load the soap without the original tin if you use a larger brush. You can even hold the soap in your hand. Put the soap back in the tin for storage later on.

These poor guys barely have room to swing their brush. Yes, they can still lather, but you can see how much easier it would be with a larger container, or no container at all.

You can instead put the soap in a larger container, similar to this:

While you can put a bit of warm water on top of the soap, I would only suggest that when the soap is brand new or if it has not been used in a long time. You don't have to do it.

The soap is hard, therefore to get enough soap loaded, you may need to load for a longer amount of time than with softer soaps. A brush with a lot of backbone, such as a firm boar brush, will help. A synthetic brush is fine, too, as long as it has some backbone to it.

You can hold the soap sideways, or even upside down over top of the brush. Take a damp brush, rub lightly on the surface of soap until the lower part of the bristles is charged with a soap paste. Wet the face, apply the soap paste evenly to the beard area. Now, gradually add a small amount of water to the brush and build the lather on the face. It may take two or three additions of water. You are looking for a wet lather that has a bit of sheen to it. Lather that is not runny enough to move on your face, but almost. You are now ready to shave.

 

[sarimento1]

totally enjoy my PDP 63!
I rub the back of the puck on my whiskers and face lather!
Works great for me!
Super scent and lather!
enjoy yours!

 

[hairless wonder]

Thanks for the responses!

If anyone else has any other advice, please feel free to comment.

 

[FarmerTan]

totally enjoy my PDP 63!
I rub the back of the puck on my whiskers and face lather!
Works great for me!
Super scent and lather!
enjoy yours!

View attachment 1233621

Took the words right out of my mouth! (Of course, I pretty much do this with ALL pucks....)

 

[sarimento1]

Took the words right out of my mouth! (Of course, I pretty much do this with ALL pucks....)

Ha! Me too!

 

[hairless wonder]

Took the words right out of my mouth! (Of course, I pretty much do this with ALL pucks....)

I don't know if I should take your advice on anything soap related, after all, you actually like how Arko smells!

 

[FarmerTan]

I don't know if I should take your advice on anything soap related, after all, you actually like how Arko smells!

Love that stuff! Performance is only half the joy of Arko!

 

[hairless wonder]

Love that stuff! Performance is only half the joy of Arko!

What's the other half? Repelling others with the scent?

 

[SharpieB]

What's the other half? Repelling others with the scent?

The headache from the fumes.

 

[never-stop-learning]

Thanks to the recent Amazon sale, I bought my first puck of Pre de Provence No. 63. I haven't tried it yet because I'm not sure how to lather it. Since it's quad milled, I assumed blooming it would be helpful (if not necessary). But since the soap puck is smaller than the tin, I suspect watering the soap will only make it float and possibly bloom the bottom (and sides) of the soap.

Should I make a lather by picking up the soap and attacking the bottom of the puck with my brush?

Should I take the puck out of the tin and put it in a smaller container that can keep the water on top of the puck?

How exactly do the more experiences users build a lather with this soap?

Thanks in advance!

I use the same 'Modified @Marco' process for hard soaps, soft soaps and croaps:

Modified Marco Method:

For hard and medium soaps and croaps:

1. Soak your brush in medium hot water for a couple of minutes..

2. Turn your brush upside-down. I usually give a very slight flick of my wrist, but do not shake. Keep most of the water in the brush. You want a nice wet brush.

3. Hold your soap over the Captain's Choice bowl, slightly pointed down. Start making swirls on the surface of the soap. You have to proceed slowly, without pressure on the brush. Remember that it's very wet.

4. Heavily load your brush for about 45/60 seconds making around 100/120 swirls. Please keep in mind that the loading time and number of swirls also depend on how big your brush is and how much water it can retain. Try to aim the overflow so it goes into the bowl.

5. After the brush is loaded, get any excess lather from your puck into the bowl, set your puck down, pick up your Captain's Choice bowl and begin building your lather in the bowl.

6. Add a few drops of water as needed to get the lather consistency dialed in.

7. Apply the lather to your face.

Note: If you are using soft creams, place an appropriate amount (usually ~1/4 teaspoon) in the center of the bowl. Soak your brush. Partial (small) flick of the wrist. Swirl your wet brush around in the bowl until your lather is the consistency of yogurt.

Full attribution: This is taken from the 'Marco Method' originally posted here:

My lathering technique with Italian soft soaps - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/my-lathering-technique-with-italian-soft-soaps.199887/

I modified it to suit my preferences.

Hope this helps.

Tonight's shave:

 

[Marco]

I use the same 'Modified @Marco' process for hard soaps, soft soaps and croaps:

Modified Marco Method:

For hard and medium soaps and croaps:

1. Soak your brush in medium hot water for a couple of minutes..

2. Turn your brush upside-down. I usually give a very slight flick of my wrist, but do not shake. Keep most of the water in the brush. You want a nice wet brush.

3. Hold your soap over the Captain's Choice bowl, slightly pointed down. Start making swirls on the surface of the soap. You have to proceed slowly, without pressure on the brush. Remember that it's very wet.

4. Heavily load your brush for about 45/60 seconds making around 100/120 swirls. Please keep in mind that the loading time and number of swirls also depend on how big your brush is and how much water it can retain. Try to aim the overflow so it goes into the bowl.

5. After the brush is loaded, get any excess lather from your puck into the bowl, set your puck down, pick up your Captain's Choice bowl and begin building your lather in the bowl.

6. Add a few drops of water as needed to get the lather consistency dialed in.

7. Apply the lather to your face.

Note: If you are using soft creams, place an appropriate amount (usually ~1/4 teaspoon) in the center of the bowl. Soak your brush. Partial (small) flick of the wrist. Swirl your wet brush around in the bowl until your lather is the consistency of yogurt.

Full attribution: This is taken from the 'Marco Method' originally posted here:

My lathering technique with Italian soft soaps - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/my-lathering-technique-with-italian-soft-soaps.199887/

I modified it to suit my preferences.

Hope this helps.

Tonight's shave:
View attachment 1233655

You are the Master now, Sir.

 

[nav]

I don't bloom/soap any of my soaps.

I hold the puck in my left hand and load up the brush. Wipe the puck clean with my finger and pack it away.

 

[corlay]

for "blooming" I think it's best to not overdo it.

I soak my brush, and then just dab some water on top of the soap - a small amount of warm water does the job,
without saturating the whole puck and tin with water.

This sits while I take a shower...

Then when I go to load the brush, I shake out water so the brush is just damp.
With the "bloomed" soap surface, my damp brush soaks up all of that bloom water, and loads with soap nicely.
Then I build lather in a separate bowl.

 

[never-stop-learning]

You are the Master now, Sir.

I can only hope to remain the student and learn how to build better and better lathers with each shave!

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I can only hope to remain the student and learn how to build better and better lathers with each shave!

I must admit that my lather making skills continue to improve over time. I can only imagine how much better they will be this time next year. All aspects of my shaving have really benefitted from shaving daily.

 

[never-stop-learning]

I must admit that my lather making skills continue to improve over time. I can only imagine how much better they will be this time next year. All aspects of my shaving have really benefitted from shaving daily.

We learn more with each shave.