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How to make great lather from a soap ~ Tutorial

Really appreciate the step by step and detailed instructions, I had gotten a few of those steps from trial and error, but now I have consistency in my lather building.

Thanks again
Doug Sharp
 
Ok so I followed all the steps. I think the lather I made was absolutely better. A silkier softer feeling. Fluffier clouds and smaller bubbles. A superior lather imho. Thank you
 
Pic of my lather
 

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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.


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Have FUN!

Thanks to Kyle, ALBaron, Daniel,and Thomas !:badger: :badger: :badger: :badger:
Thank you so much for this. My lathers have been so so (especially this morning) and I wasn't really sure why. Actually that's not 100% true, I think my problem has been leaving too much water in the brush and using a bowl that's way too small. Based on your recommendations, I think I also haven't been loading enough soap onto the brush.

I have a new lather bowl coming from Captain's Choice that should be here tomorrow so I look forward to using it and your technique when I shave this weekend.
 
WOW, I always had dry lather and it caused so much irritation - it wasn't helping the razor to glide at all and it didn'd add any cushioning either, even if I applied a riddiculus amount.

This method seemed counterproductive but I trid it anyways. Best lather ever! I kept directly to the face and I just kept adding water until I was satisfied. I took two strokes with my mildest razor (Wilkinson Sword Classic) loaded with a Feather blade. I never liked the razor and I never liked the blade but those two strokes were the smoothest ever!

THANK YOU! This litterally saved me as I'm still letting my skin heal from serius burn and irritation after a bad shave with R41 and crappy lather.
 
I’m very glad to have found this thread, since I’d never used a brush before. Today was the first day. I feel like a new man! Gave myself a much needed haircut, showered, then shaved. To be honest, I performed the full 3S regimen, but I’ve been doing the first one on my own for a very long time now, so it’s rather unremarkable 😂

I knew I needed this instructional queued up before the shower, and reviewed it again. I prepped my bowl, soap, and brush before the shower.

The shower was satisfactory. The wife and girls are all at dance, the boy was watching a show. Ah, no interruptions!

On the soap, I have a question- I used the Proraso green; it’s brand new and the top surface was not particularly flat. Seemed like maybe flattening it out some might help load the brush? I’m using a PAA amber aerolite. It’s soft, feels nice on my face, but I suspect it takes a little extra work to get it to load up. Or maybe leveling out the top surface of my soap will help?

Henson mild with Astra blade on 3rd use
PAA amber aerolite brush
Proraso green
Proraso aftershave
Bowl from the kitchen that my little cousin made 😁

Post shave group pic:
26A237AA-EB2A-460B-8452-66FD12A13B01.jpeg



I need to work on my technique, but I must say the shave was quite satisfactory. Many here note the “me time” and ritual as part of the allure of wet shaving, and I really didn’t expect to be moved by that. After all, I have almost no spare time- busy dad stuff with a wife who won’t be able to drive until March! I was quite surprised; while I don’t know that I specifically “relished” the time, I didn’t feel rushed. I was relaxed and rather enjoyed the experience.

I was going on about 5 days growth and along the way lost track of the number of passes, and quit worrying about it. If I still felt stubble, I applied more shave soap with the brush and went after it. WTG, XTG, ATG. Again as needed. No blood, no weepers. I’m still not accustomed to the width of the razor head vs blade, so “coloring inside the lines” around my mustache takes a few extra passes. Chin and lower lip take extra passes, as maintaining the correct angle over that curvature is coming slowly. For these many repeat passes, I just scooped some lather out of the bowl with my finger and applied to the small areas needed.

This razor and blade combo is very forgiving of a new DE shaver. Regardless of the quality of my work, I’m getting very satisfactory results. Feedback from the aftershave was mild, though I think the Proraso is a milder AS than either Old Spice or Aqua Velve. Yes I have all 3 of these mainstays. I’m scared to buy AS online when I can’t smell it first! Old Spice and Aqua Velva are probably tied for my favorite, Proraso is second, but all are good and wife approved.

After my rituals were completed, I cut my son’s hair, he showered, and I asked if he wanted to “try shaving”. He’s 6, and he always asks why Kevin from Home Alone screams after using his dad’s aftershave. He wanted to, but was apprehensive about the blade. So I took the blade out and reassembled the razor. I applied lather to his face (he went ooooh I like that), showed him how to “wipe the lather off” with the razor and rinse it off. Afterwards, he chose the same AS and noted it only stung a little bit but felt nice. I’ll be working to keep him interested in DE razors to avoid the cartridge.

Overall, a successful morning! We’ll see what his mom says about his haircut… I’m much better at cutting my hair that his 😬
 
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.


full


full



full


full

full

full

full


full


full


full



full


Have FUN!

Thanks to Kyle, ALBaron, Daniel,and Thomas !:badger: :badger: :badger: :badger:
It looks like you've whipped up some egg whites to stiff peaks, nice job!
 
Thank you for this straight forward tutorial on making lather from a soap.
I was having a little trouble loading the brush but now am getting along just fine. I will keep perfecting my lather to suit my face and needs. Thanks again.
 
I started making consistent lather some years ago. I "bake" the lather clockwise and counter-clockwise much more time than most people. When it looks ready I stir it for a while more.
When it's very liquid and with bubbles I load a bit more the brush. If too pasty I add some more drops of water and keep stirring. I'll just add some more water when I'm sure it's still pasty.
One has to know also ones brush. The amount of water I let in it after soaking it depends on the type of brush I'm using. With badgers the water I use is in much less proportions than with boar or synth for they hold much more water .
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
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.


full


full



full


full

full

full

full


full


full


full



full


Have FUN!

Thanks to Kyle, ALBaron, Daniel,and Thomas !:badger: :badger: :badger: :badger:
That is a excellent way of making lather, I do not load from the puck I just scoop some soap and press or smear in the bowl but other than that his tutorial is mostly the same way I make lather with any brush type out there and seems to work well for myself and many other folks. Great thread that is over 15 old and still will help many newbies struggling with lather generating lather to their liking or seasoned shavers who are just trying to bowl lather other than face lathering.
 
Yes, I'll try this later on today. As I'll use a Silvertip which has not the greatest backbone and therefore is somehow difficult to load with a hard soap.
Thanks!
 
Great information. I've been struggling along trying to figure out how to do this and get the most benefit from my soap with consistency. Now I have a recipe.
 
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