Lather production in bowl lathering vs. face lathering

[Latherdude]

I find that a lot of the bowl latherers on this forum like to whip up a big ol' load of lather, enough that the brush can be swirled around in it and look like an ice cream cone.

I've recently taken a liking to face lathering, as I find the combo of my broken-in Omega 48 and Cella to be absolutely heavenly. I find, however, that while I do make some very slick and thick lather with it, often the base of the knot looks as if no lather has come close to it. It's not as photogenic as a bowl full of lather and a twisty cone brush, but it enables as good a shave as any good lather.

Now, bowl lathering certainly has it advantages, such as the ability to hold such an abundance of lather and the ability to keep that lather and the brush warm, compared to face lathering with a brush and setting it on your countertop in the open air between passes. It's also a great way to test-lather new product before actually shaving with it (the same could be said about palm-lathering). But I find that if you know how your brush and your cream or soap work together, face lathering may save some time, effort, and product in comparison to bowl lathering.

YMMV of course. What do you guys think about all that?

 

[Latherdude]

One note about my face lathering method is that I rinse my face between passes but leave it wet. I find that this helps compensate for any drying that may occur in between my latherings. While this doesn't maintain the warm lather many desire, it's still slick, hydrated lather, and the bottom line is that it works.

 

[armorrich]

Well....i'm just a new guy around here but personally, i like the bowl method. After years of using the canned jiz, the bowl & brush come as a real novelty for me. I use Poraso green tea & aloe from which i get a very nice lather which feels pretty nice going on warm. I also like to re-lather after completing the first full face shave in the downward direction and then make another in the opposite going up. I don't have a really heavy beard but whats there is fairly course and this works perfectly for me.


Personally....i think this is more about what works for you and not about right and wrong. I like learning about new products and techniques but in the end, its what pleases youself that really matters.......best, rich

 

[sylynce]

To some extent, this is very YMMV. Technique, brush, soap/ creme, timing etc play a big part. If you find something that works, you enjoy the time, scent, and experience, then I think you have landed with a perfect solution.
Best of luck!

 

[gus1942]

I think bowl lathering is a fun and cool thing to do, but it offers no advantages for me. Sure I see beautiful photos of lather literally "leeping" out of bowls but I can do that with cool whip. The transfer of warm lather from bowl to face also doen't do it for me since I cold water shave. I don't mean to be cynical because I do understand the esthetic experiance of bowl lathering. I just got over it.

Gus

 

[mdevine]

I find it easier to get the exact consistency of lather that I'm looking for when I face lather. The tactile feel on the face makes it easy to get it right. There were time, when I used to bowl lather, when the lather was a bit airy and not as protective as I like. To keep the brush warm when face lathering, I use a small scuttle.

Mike

 

[Vlad]

I was a bowl latherer at first. I liked the idea of "mixing up" some lather, and I had a pure badger brush which was too rough for extended face-lathering. But once I saw the light, there was no going back. I think the extra agitation of the beard makes lather quicker, and better. The more time the lather is on the face, especially rubbed in with the brush, the more the beard is prepared for shaving. The cool whip overflowing the bowl doesn't look as good to me as the wet, dense, yogurty lather you see on face-lathered brushes.

And you don't have to sacrifice warm lather, not one bit. Two words: brush scuttle.

 

[lt114]

It was easier for me starting out to bowl lather. After a few months I switched almost exclusively to face lathering.
I find it easier to get the lather just right when I face lather, and it provides superior face prep.

 

[cb91710]

I find that I use more product when face lathering.
I bowl lather at the sink, but head/face lather when shaving in the shower.

One bowl holds enough for the entire shave. I don't have to go back to the puck for the 2nd/3rd/buffing passes.
Also, I'll dip my fingertips into the bowl to find (and lather) areas needing a touchup/buffing... that requires a relather when not using the bowl.

I also have a few creams that I like, but they don't work so well without bowl lathering.

 

[Renato1]

While one is face lathering, and lathering, the minutes are ticking by during which the lather is doing it's job prior to shaving.

So usually, it seems to me a bit of a waste of time mixing the lather in the bowl because, when one has that mountainous lather ready to go - well, I guess one can start whistling for more two minutes, while one waits for it to work after applying it to the face.

On the other hand, I do have a bowl handy though. Small chunks of my Erasmic stick fell off it's base, and they are sitting in the bowl ready to be whipped up.

And, some of those soaps (Sir Irisch Moos to name one) seems trickier to lather up properly on my face than Erasmic was. A bowl may be a highly desirable for such as those, in order to avoid nicks.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Oblique Human]

I'd never give up bowl lathering. I have so much product, that is the only way I can put a dent in it and the lather is infinitely better. The only time I would consider face lathering would be if my plane crashed in the middle of the desert and my bowl broke, but then shaving wouldn't probably be at the top of my list since I'd need the water for more pressing demands, chiefly life.

 

[Mick]

For over 40 years I was exclusively a face lather person. Then A/B&B I started bowl and scuttle lathering. Lately I am back to face lathering but using a brush scuttle to keep the brush/lather warm.

I used to like a thinner lather, then a santa claus beard thick lather, now back to a thinner lather.

I guess it all boils down to what product I am using. Shave sticks I tend to face lather 100% of the time. Soaps I tend to 50/50 bowl/face lather. Creams I tend to 80/20 bowl/face lather.

In the end... It all works just fine for me and I find that I don't really have a preference to either method.

 

[ladykate]

And you don't have to sacrifice warm lather, not one bit. Two words: brush scuttle.

I have a Dirty Bird travel scuttle and I face lather. The scuttle is perfect for the brush and, in a pinch, could be used to make a lather. Fill the base with hot water and put the brush in the top - it stays warm for the whole shave.

Face lathering is the easiest solution to lather and to thoroughly wetting your beard - IMHO. Making an ice cream cone of lather just means you have to transfer it to your face. May as well spend the time making those whiskers soft.

 

[Vickers]

Face lathering is more fun.

 

[Luc]

I face lather to shave. I bowl lather to test new products.

 

[Slash McCoy]

I don't shave the bowl, so I don't need to lather it. Face lathering does more than just make a lather. It softens the beard, too.

 

[Neognosis]

I find that a lot of the bowl latherers on this forum like to whip up a big ol' load of lather, enough that the brush can be swirled around in it and look like an ice cream cone.

I think that the photos of huge amounts of lather on brushes are weird and it is strange that people do this.

 

[shuasdad]

I've done both, but more out of convenience than anything returned to bowl lathering.

Pondering trying more face lathering, thanks for posting.

 

[Chief Brody]

Like a few posts have already said I personally prefer face lathering as said before because I seem to get better results with how much water to add and the consistency of the cream seems to be for me better than when I tried it in a bowl. Whatever works for you is a good thing.

 

[CrotalusHH]

I do both. I face lather and leave it on my face while I finished the lather in my G5. Then while still wearing the lather I strop.

Do the first pass, splash water on my face and use the scuttle lather to paint my face for pass two and three.