How to make great lather from a soap ~ Tutorial

[Unrealface]

Jim, This tutorial is great. Just did a test run on my soap and leaps better than what I was doing before I read this tutorial. Thanks

 

[Jim]

Glad to hear it was helpful!

 

[FoxInfinitySunset]

This is a wicked awesome tutorial, it made a huge difference. I was all lined up for a DFS until I sloppily took a huge hunk out of my face on the final ATG upshave.
Great lather out of modern Williams. Looking forward to having a go with my other soaps that have given me grief.

 

[MarkPrater]

@Jim thank you for the great step by step tutorial. I followed the steps and made the best lather yet. I have been practicing for some time now and I think I have it mastered. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[philcatc]

As a recent convert I am slowly working on improving my technique and found your clear instructions, backed up with good photos, a real help.

For years I used Nivea Gel and a Gillette cartridge razor and found shaving a chore. Now I look forward to shaving. I now shave in the evening so as not to feel any time pressure.

 

[BigJ]

The following is a guide and suggestions for the foundation for a great lather.

This tutorial was developed by a group of B&B members in collaboration. A team of struggling new wetshavers worked with more experienced members to learn how to make great lathers with a variety of soaps. They documented their progress, triumphs and setbacks and developed the method shown below. This method of lather making is not the only way to get to a great shave it is however in our collective experience the simplest and easiest to communicate through our chosen medium. We hope with this we can get our new lathermeisters on the fast track to great shaves. Enjoy!

OK lets get started~
If you are using a soft brush it may take up to a full minute to fully load your brush, or as little as 15 seconds with a premium soap brush.

1. Fill sink with hot water and submerge bowl in water.

2. Place brush into bowl and let soak while you are showering- at least a couple of minutes.

3. Place a thin layer of water on your soap and let soak for at least a couple of minutes. (A teaspoon's worth)

4. Remove brush from bowl and squeeze bristles vigorously. Give it a couple of good shakes as well.

5. Dump the thin layer of water off of soap. (Your lather bowl is a good place for this)

6. Begin swirling your brush in a circular motion with light to medium pressure. Add some plunger motions, use the whole brush including the sides of the brush. Continue swirling until a paste-like consistency begins to form on the top of the soap and on the brush.
Bubbles mean too much water. A large volume of lather means too much water.
Continue to swirl until a noticeable audible and tactile difference is made when the brush moves over the soap. When the paste is forming the brush is noisier and seems to drag over the soap instead of smoothly going over the top. The brush will start to drag and feel heavy.

7. Take a look at your brush, do the bristles clump together? If yes, you're done. If no, continue to swirl and load.

8. Now you can build lather on your face or move to a bowl!

9. Add water as needed- a few drips at a time.

Have FUN!

Thanks to Kyle, ALBaron, Daniel,and Thomas !

OUTSTANDING TUTURIAL!! Thanks for posting it here!

 

[Twelvefret]

Thank you for the tutorial. With my Atomic Rocket synthetic there is no need to soak, but I do soak the soap. The tip to rate the lather by not being able to wipe the container clean is something I’m going to watch.

 

[camoloc]

this should be a sticky

camo

 

[viking4976]

Thank you sir.

 

[Vanille]

It's nice to realize that even after more than 20 years of using a brush there is still something to learn

 

[dmshaver]

Excellent sir! I enjoyed the tutorial & learned a few tweeks I'll be making.

 

[Nomad116]

The following is a guide and suggestions for the foundation for a great lather.

This tutorial was developed by a group of B&B members in collaboration. A team of struggling new wetshavers worked with more experienced members to learn how to make great lathers with a variety of soaps. They documented their progress, triumphs and setbacks and developed the method shown below. This method of lather making is not the only way to get to a great shave it is however in our collective experience the simplest and easiest to communicate through our chosen medium. We hope with this we can get our new lathermeisters on the fast track to great shaves. Enjoy!

OK lets get started~
If you are using a soft brush it may take up to a full minute to fully load your brush, or as little as 15 seconds with a premium soap brush.

1. Fill sink with hot water and submerge bowl in water.

2. Place brush into bowl and let soak while you are showering- at least a couple of minutes.

3. Place a thin layer of water on your soap and let soak for at least a couple of minutes. (A teaspoon's worth)

4. Remove brush from bowl and squeeze bristles vigorously. Give it a couple of good shakes as well.

5. Dump the thin layer of water off of soap. (Your lather bowl is a good place for this)

6. Begin swirling your brush in a circular motion with light to medium pressure. Add some plunger motions, use the whole brush including the sides of the brush. Continue swirling until a paste-like consistency begins to form on the top of the soap and on the brush.
Bubbles mean too much water. A large volume of lather means too much water.
Continue to swirl until a noticeable audible and tactile difference is made when the brush moves over the soap. When the paste is forming the brush is noisier and seems to drag over the soap instead of smoothly going over the top. The brush will start to drag and feel heavy.

7. Take a look at your brush, do the bristles clump together? If yes, you're done. If no, continue to swirl and load.

8. Now you can build lather on your face or move to a bowl!

9. Add water as needed- a few drips at a time.

Have FUN!

Thanks to Kyle, ALBaron, Daniel,and Thomas !

Did this with my Proraso red soap and after not shaving with it for. While. Truly enjoyable! I still have more work to do.

 

[dokpm0]

Well, y'all have gone and done it. I think I'm back. My lather skills have always needed work. I gravitated towards creams, and even with those lather building always seemed to take too long, and produce less than ideal results. A couple of years ago a Remington heritage series electric razor caught my eye on Amazon. It's styled after electric razors from the 1950's. Though they ruined the style by using a micro USB connection for the charger. I figured I'd use it on occasion when I didn't have time for wet shaving. Before I knew it, I was using it exclusively. I've never been happy with its results.

I think I've just about convinced myself that it's worth making the time to wet shave. If I can tune up my lathering skills so that lathering takes less time, all the better. I tried the techniques in this thread last night. I think I might have stopped a little short on loading the brush, and/or not added quite enough water, but still got results that were better than I'd gotten in the past with creams. I also think my shaving scuttle might be a little small. So, as I said, y'all have gone and done it. Not only is my interest in wet shaving rekindled, I think I might be a shaving soap convert. I have a Parker 66R on its way to me, and I'm starting to look for soaps to add to my collection. I might consider a brush upgrade at some point too. I have a cheap boar brush, and a pure badger brush from The Lather & Wood Shaving Company.

 

[Nomad116]

Well, y'all have gone and done it. I think I'm back. My lather skills have always needed work. I gravitated towards creams, and even with those lather building always seemed to take too long, and produce less than ideal results. A couple of years ago a Remington heritage series electric razor caught my eye on Amazon. It's styled after electric razors from the 1950's. Though they ruined the style by using a micro USB connection for the charger. I figured I'd use it on occasion when I didn't have time for wet shaving. Before I knew it, I was using it exclusively. I've never been happy with its results.

I think I've just about convinced myself that it's worth making the time to wet shave. If I can tune up my lathering skills so that lathering takes less time, all the better. I tried the techniques in this thread last night. I think I might have stopped a little short on loading the brush, and/or not added quite enough water, but still got results that were better than I'd gotten in the past with creams. I also think my shaving scuttle might be a little small. So, as I said, y'all have gone and done it. Not only is my interest in wet shaving rekindled, I think I might be a shaving soap convert. I have a Parker 66R on its way to me, and I'm starting to look for soaps to add to my collection. I might consider a brush upgrade at some point too. I have a cheap boar brush, and a pure badger brush from The Lather & Wood Shaving Company.

I'm a newbie and am still working on it. Be patient and use more than what's needed. They say nickel, I use about a quarter size or more. I have two Men's Moisturizing creams (5oz) and two proraso (sensitive and blue), so I don't mind testing techniques. I got good results using the Proraso red soap but that's after over a year. Once ya get it down it's a fun hobby.

In the end I hope you find what works

 

[dokpm0]

I think I'm almost there. I tried this technique last night for the second time with some Erasmic soap. I switched from my scuttle to an old soup mug I had used in the past. With the shape/size of my scuttle, lather starts trying to escape before I've built much lather. I was afraid I hadn't loaded enough soap on my brush, but continued efforts didn't seem to be loading any more soap. So, I moved on. But, I ended up with Energizer bunny lather that kept going and going and going. The glide factor might still need a little tweaking. I managed to get three passes on my face, the last against the grain, with no irritation. I stopped after two passes on my neck due to some irritation. I'm just getting back into DE shaving, and my technique is a little rusty. After all of those passes I had lather to spare. I probably could have gotten another full shave or more out of the lather I had left. I guess I'm going to have to start collecting soaps now.

 

[Nomad116]

Ah man the neck is hard for most folks! For me it's the back of my head as I had a condition that gives it lots of bumps so I gotta shave often and clean. Fact you had no irritation tells me that you're muscle memory is coming back!

 

[Lewbeachbob]

Great tutorial, thank you for posting!

 

[ElefManos]

Thank you for your tips.

 

[Fitkari]

The following is a guide and suggestions for the foundation for a great lather.

This tutorial was developed by a group of B&B members in collaboration. A team of struggling new wetshavers worked with more experienced members to learn how to make great lathers with a variety of soaps. They documented their progress, triumphs and setbacks and developed the method shown below. This method of lather making is not the only way to get to a great shave it is however in our collective experience the simplest and easiest to communicate through our chosen medium. We hope with this we can get our new lathermeisters on the fast track to great shaves. Enjoy!

OK lets get started~
If you are using a soft brush it may take up to a full minute to fully load your brush, or as little as 15 seconds with a premium soap brush.

1. Fill sink with hot water and submerge bowl in water.

2. Place brush into bowl and let soak while you are showering- at least a couple of minutes.

3. Place a thin layer of water on your soap and let soak for at least a couple of minutes. (A teaspoon's worth)

4. Remove brush from bowl and squeeze bristles vigorously. Give it a couple of good shakes as well.

5. Dump the thin layer of water off of soap. (Your lather bowl is a good place for this)

6. Begin swirling your brush in a circular motion with light to medium pressure. Add some plunger motions, use the whole brush including the sides of the brush. Continue swirling until a paste-like consistency begins to form on the top of the soap and on the brush.
Bubbles mean too much water. A large volume of lather means too much water.
Continue to swirl until a noticeable audible and tactile difference is made when the brush moves over the soap. When the paste is forming the brush is noisier and seems to drag over the soap instead of smoothly going over the top. The brush will start to drag and feel heavy.

7. Take a look at your brush, do the bristles clump together? If yes, you're done. If no, continue to swirl and load.

8. Now you can build lather on your face or move to a bowl!

9. Add water as needed- a few drips at a time.

Have FUN!

Thanks to Kyle, ALBaron, Daniel,and Thomas !

Hi any tips for face lathering??
Also searching for a Synthetic shaving brush.
Seen in the new Shaving brush guide but couldn't find anything for synthetic brushes.
Any help appreciated

 

[rbscebu]

Hi any tips for face lathering??
Also searching for a Synthetic shaving brush.
Seen in the new Shaving brush guide but couldn't find anything for synthetic brushes.
Any help appreciated

I suggest that you read more than just the OP in this thread. There are other posts in this thread that will guide you in face lathering.

As for synthetic brushes, check out the B&B reviews section. Many are reviewed there.