How to load shaving soap

[Vincentchou]

When using RazorRock shave soap, I load soap by swirling a wet brush on soap and there is often some residual water in the jar.
I fear mould grows in the shaving soap.
Could you please advice me some method to load shave soap with less residual water?
Recently I used Cella and Proraso shaving soap and found that they are soft compared with RazorRock.
When using a relatively soft shave soap, is digging some soap and smearing on the face good (just like using shave cream) in lathering?
Thanks for all your advices.

 

[BSAGuy]

The soap won't mold.

If you fear that, just give it a good upside down shake and a wipe with a tissue when you are done. This is not necessary, but if it makes you feel better, by all means do it.

You can smear soap on your face also if you want.

 

[cvargo]

Mold on soap just doesn't make sense to me, I have never heard of it happening, but a lot of people seem to think it will happen. Mind you I live in a very dry climate so I don't deal with humidity. But if you are concerned don't cover your soap, let it dry during the day, and then cover it back up later that night.

I would never scoop out my Cella or Proraso... that would feel like a waste to me.

 

[Musikmann]

I load my soaps with a brush that I have shaken most of the water out. Then I make lather in a bowl to which I have added some water, adding more gradually if it need it. If you face lather wet your face and build your lather that way. If my soap looks wet after I dip the brush in it I leave the top off until it appears dry again.

 

[gwsmallwood]

A lot of us will just leave the tub on the counter open for a few hours to let it dry out. It really depends on the soap for me. Glycerine soaps and some of the harder pucks need the extra moisture anyway.

 

[celestino]

Just go on YouTube and look up 'lathering shaving soap' and you'll find many informative videos and don't worry about mold developing on your soap. Don't overthink things and just have fun!

 

[njpaddy]

A lot of us will just leave the tub on the counter open for a few hours to let it dry out.

This is what I do. Even half an hour is usually enough. If the soap is really wet, I might turn the the tub on its side leaning against something so excess water can drain while I clean the brush & sink. Must confess that wet, dry or in-between it doesn't seem to matter to the soap. Just me.

 

[MrBaz]

I load my soaps with a brush that I have shaken most of the water out. Then I make lather in a bowl to which I have added some water, adding more gradually if it need it. If you face lather wet your face and build your lather that way. If my soap looks wet after I dip the brush in it I leave the top off until it appears dry again.

This.

Shake nearly ALL of the water out of your brush. Gently swirl the brush in the bowl. Remember, you are LOADING, not LATHERING. You are just trying to get some soap up into the brush. I gently load for ~20 seconds. There is only a tiny amount of lather that builds up. No standing water left in the container. Then I can usually build up enough lather for 2+ passes with RazoRock XXX.

 

[PV29]

I have a puck (or cake) of Tcheon Fung Sing in a bowl (Tobacco Verge, Linea Intenso, incredible stuff!). I put some warm water over the top, just enough to cover the whole surface, let sit for a minute or two. Then I pour that water off into my lather bowl so that there is no standing water on the soap. I then take my brush, which has been shaken to remove most of the water from it, and load the brush well. Load for about 15 seconds or so. Then put the loaded brush into my lathering bowl. I'll swipe away any excess lather or water off the surface of the puck with my finger and add that to the lather bowl. Then lather away. Don't need to add much if any water since it's already in there.

I've "borrowed" this method from a member here who posted this in a thread I read awhile ago. This is a great soap that I'm using now and I get enough lather for 3 passes, but could easily do a 4th or 5th if I wanted to (but never do). I've used the same method with pucks of Colonel Conk and my Razorock tubs, it produces good lather and I've never had any problems with mold or any adverse effects on the soap. Just another example of how the info I've acquired from this board has changed my shaving for the better.

 

[Shiloh]

For my soaps that come in containers (e.g, Cella, Razorock, Bebelush) I let the soap air dry for a couple of hours, then re-cap tightly...no mold in sight.

Other soaps in my rotation (Tabac, VDH) I leave in a open bowl, uncovered...just because.

However, for my Williams Mug Soap, I deliberately keep a puck very wet, and keep it in a closed container to be sure it stays that way (Williams likes/needs to be hydrated, so I keep it so)...no mold there either.

Not sure what ingredient in soap would be food for mold...is there a biochemist in the house? (wouldn't surprise me a bit).

 

[spidey9]

I keep all my soaps in airtight containers and cap them up as soon as I'm done shaving. Never had the slightest problem of any sort.

I sprinkle a little water on top of the soap before showering. I wet the (synthetic) brush, give it a couple of shakes, and load the brush for about 30 seconds of vigorous swirling.

Then I shift to a bowl and build the lather, adding water as needed to get a good lather.

This is how I do pretty much all of my soaps, and the only problem I have is that sometimes I end up with more lather than I can possibly use.

Since I have enough soaps to last a couple of lifetimes (and will undoubtedly buy more), I don't really see this as a problem.

--Bob

 

[PMT]

Just go on YouTube and look up 'lathering shaving soap' and you'll find many informative videos and don't worry about mold developing on your soap. Don't overthink things and just have fun!

+1

 

[takeshi]

Never had this problem either but, as stated above, loading is different from lathering and you really don't need so much water on a brush to load that you'd leave that much water on the soap. It won't be a problem for the soap but if it bothers you then you can just invert the container and drain the water.

 

[patten1969]

I think a shave stick might be right up your alley if you are really concerned about it. Based on your concern, however, there is a far better chance of mold growing in a damp environment like a wet brush than on soap. But, in either case, I think chances are very, very remote that mold would be an issue at all, especially if you are using both regularly.

 

[psybako]

I screw the top of the Razorock containers back on at the end of the shave, wet soap, protolather, and all. Never had a problem even only using a given variety ~once a week.

 

[VW_ninja]

Helped me a lot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4zESTQWDuw

 

[Vincentchou]

Thank you all.
Yesterday I shaked most water from brush when loading and let it be opened after shave,
the problem concerning residual water is greatly solved.
I wonder if this method could be used to load shave cream.
I usually scooped out and rubbed TOBS on my face.
Thanks a lot.

 

[Morik]

With rare exception (see below) I:
- Store my pucks without a container on grilled stainless steel shelves in my shower (I shave in the shower).
- Fully soak my brush while I shower.
- Don't shake any water out, just let it drip a bit.
- Hold my chosen puck in one hand and load with the other. When I'm done I wipe the lather that has gotten on my hand onto my face (and any abundant lather still on the puck onto my face as well), then face lather. (Puck goes back on the shelf.)

Rare exceptions:
- If a soap comes molded into a container and wouldn't be easy to get out (Barrister & Mann is the only one of these I have right now), I just leave it in its container but with no lid.


Why do I do it this way?
- I don't care too much if the scents fade a bit. (My wife is super sensitive so my scents tend to either be unscented or very mild scents; having them go a bit milder is no problem to me.)
- The pucks dry real well. (I used to keep pucks in a container, but even with the lid never on, water would get to the bottom & turn the soap to mush down there after a few days of not drying properly.)
- The pucks don't stick to the container as they dry; I use huge brushes so holding the puck to load it is very nice compared to loading from the constrained area of a container.

 

[LMAN007]

I store all my soaps (6 of them) in Ramekins which have vented caps on the lids. After I am done shaving I leave the vent cap open until the soap dries. This only takes a few minutes, once I see that the soap is dry, I close the vented cap, - now I have a air tight container with DRY soap in it - waiting to be used again.

 

[HoosierTrooper]