Just pick up some C.O. Bigelow

[petercle]

Wow all i can say is that this stuff really rocks i love the smell and feel of it, but one little problem, that's probably my fault.. i bought a Van Der Hagen boar brush at a local Rite Aid for $7.00 and it didn't lather up to good. I put the brush in a mug with hot water before i took a shower, after the shower i put a small nickle size drop of C.o Bigelow in a mug and shook the brush that had been sitting in warm water and prepared to leather. I put a very small amount of water in the mug and mixed, but the lather wasn't very rich like i seen in some of the pictures on the forum, did i do something wrong, or is this whats expected from a cheap boar brush...?

 

[BlackBard]

Well, as a dedicated badger brush user, I would say that the first mistake was to not use a badger brush, but others may disagree. I recently tried a VDH boar brush that was given to me. I felt it performed very poorly, so I tossed it out.

It sounds to me like you may have used too much water. Balance and proportion are the critical elements. It is easier to start out with less water and add more, if needed. It is harder to remove water once things get too wet.

Practice. Practice. Practice. And, good luck.

 

[cvac]

You're going to need more than a small nickle sized amount of cream to get decent lather. Try using an amount that's about the size of two whole almonds. Don't forget to shake out your brush after soaking. Add very little water at a time. Rewatch the mantic videos on youtube.

 

[norton]

Agree with the above.

I've lathered Proraso/Bigelow with a VDH boar - the cream doesn't care if its badger, boar or synthetic. The main difference besides 'scrubbiness' between Badger and Boar is water holding ability (badger holds more), and Proraso doesn't need a ton of water to build lather.

Soak the brush in hot, squeeze it out - gently - you don't need to get all the water out. Use a bowl - I use about a 1/4 inch out of the neck of the tube of product - maybe a little more. I might put a 1/2 teaspoon of water in the bowl. Maybe.

Whip the later up in a bowl - a soup mug works well for me - no need to jam the brush all the way down, just lightly whisk it around in a circle. the lather will build very soon - for me - 20 good quick swirls or so - proraso lathers quick.

Too much water and it's runny, too little and it's a paste - err on the little side, you can always add a bit more water.

Also - Do some test lathers. No one says you can't use a bit of cream to get your mix right. There's a lot of product in that tube, and you'll enjoy it more once you learn how to mix it with your hand using your water and your brush in your bathroom.

Test lathering will also soften the boar, and help get rid of any boar smell.

Good luck.

 

[KDKingpin]

I use C. Bigelow with both boar and silvertip brushes. . .it takes a little more patience and awareness of water content but you can generate some nice lather with a boar bristle. Glad to hear you have discovered the simple pleasure that C. Bigelow and Proraso offer! Enjoy!

 

[grump]

Be patient, C.O. Bigelow is a great cream.

If nothing else, try a badger.

 

[VR6ofpain]

I think the van der Hagen boar is a better product that Bigelow cream. I use the boar brush more often than I use that cream.

 

[Cheech]

I can't comment on the choice of brush, but I've had very good luck with Proraso cream. I'd go with the, "little more cream, little less water to start" advice. When you get it right, its far more luxurious than its price would suggest.

 

[auk1124]

Once your VDH boar is good and broken in, it will probably lather proraso or any other cream like a champ. I have one with about 4 months of use on it and it will whip up cream in no time flat.

 

[mretzloff]

The problem is not the brush. A VDH boar is perfectly capable of generating a rich lather. The problem is that you did not use enough product. Use more.

 

[petercle]

thanks alot fellas, i did as you said, and got some nice creamy lather

 

[SRock]

The VDH is definitely a cheap brush. However, sounds to me like too much water is most likely your problem.

 

[cellopudding]

Good on you for discovering the joy that is COB! I love it, especially in a superlather with the oft reviled Williams Shaving Soap.