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My lathering technique with Italian soft soaps

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
I've been using Marco's Method for years. It is absolutely the easiest way to get great lather, especially from Cella. It doesn't have to be messy. Just use a mug or soap container big enough to handle the sudsy prelather. I admit that the little red Cella tub and Proraso tubs aren't quite big enough and can get a little messy. Personally, I don't care - I'm in a bathroom, not my formal living room and I'm going to get wet anyway.
 
I've been using Marco's Method for years. It is absolutely the easiest way to get great lather, especially from Cella. It doesn't have to be messy. Just use a mug or soap container big enough to handle the sudsy prelather. I admit that the little red Cella tub and Proraso tubs aren't quite big enough and can get a little messy. Personally, I don't care - I'm in a bathroom, not my formal living room and I'm going to get wet anyway.
Spot on, that works for me. I tilt the Cella tub over my bowl while I load. The lather slop just drops in.
 
Spot on, that works for me. I tilt the Cella tub over my bowl while I load. The lather slop just drops in.
Thanks for the tip. I'll give this a shot in tomorrow's shave. I've been trying to get a slicker lather for straight shaving and have been losing a lot of moisture when I keep the tub over the sink.
 
This is such great information, thanks so much Marco, your a scholar and a gentleman!

Shaved this morning using the “Marco Method”. My soap today was Soap Commander Endurance. Usually I tend to load too much soap, and often my first pass is subpar because I can’t seem to get enough waters mixed. Using The Marco Method added that extra water for the first pass, which was as slick and wonderful as my third pass. It definitely works as well with the hard pucks as it does with soft ones!
 
This is such great information, thanks so much Marco, your a scholar and a gentleman!

Shaved this morning using the “Marco Method”. My soap today was Soap Commander Endurance. Usually I tend to load too much soap, and often my first pass is subpar because I can’t seem to get enough waters mixed. Using The Marco Method added that extra water for the first pass, which was as slick and wonderful as my third pass. It definitely works as well with the hard pucks as it does with soft ones!

I second this.
Randy
 
Holy ballsacks.

My scuttle is in trouble. It’s happened, I think I’ve just crossed the face-latherer threshold, finally.

I could just never get it, so loved my bowls and scuttles but some soaps like any of the 4 scents of Le Pere Lucien I own sometimes would just take too long to develope no matter the water amount - but I always used to shake the brush of excess water before loading. It is drippy. But I may start face lathering a hell of a lot more now.

Tried this with an omega boar brush and LPL Traditionnel (the soap that gave me the most trouble) and within 2 minutes my face was razor ready.
Tried it with a badger brush and Col. Conk. Again awesome.
Tried a third pass with a synthetic brush and a Fine puck. Awesome.

Georgetown may have just lost a purchase there... for now.
 
Holy ballsacks.

My scuttle is in trouble. It’s happened, I think I’ve just crossed the face-latherer threshold, finally.

I could just never get it, so loved my bowls and scuttles but some soaps like any of the 4 scents of Le Pere Lucien I own sometimes would just take too long to develope no matter the water amount - but I always used to shake the brush of excess water before loading. It is drippy. But I may start face lathering a hell of a lot more now.

Tried this with an omega boar brush and LPL Traditionnel (the soap that gave me the most trouble) and within 2 minutes my face was razor ready.
Tried it with a badger brush and Col. Conk. Again awesome.
Tried a third pass with a synthetic brush and a Fine puck. Awesome.

Georgetown may have just lost a purchase there... for now.
They're still nice to have in order to keep the soap warm between passes.
 
Well, I tried the Marco method today with my Badger brush and a tub of Declaration Grooming Icarus base and had great results. I did the gravity drop plus one pump and that worked very well with about 120 swirls. Thanks @Marco
 

Marco

B&B's Man in Italy
Well, I tried the Marco method today with my Badger brush and a tub of Declaration Grooming Icarus base and had great results. I did the gravity drop plus one pump and that worked very well with about 120 swirls. Thanks @Marco

You are very welcome, Sir. ;)
 
I tried this method on my last shave with an Omega boar brush soaked for a couple of minutes in a mug (I find that I have to give the brush a firm squeeze while submerged to release the excess air) and the remaining inch of a tub of proraso white. With some skepticism in my mind I resisted the urge to flick any water from the brush as I carefully moved it over the tub of soap and started swirling, reminding myself to slow down and just rest the brush on the surface. What began as a watery liquid slowly became milky, before finally turning creamy and then I witnessed that amazing experience described earlier in this thread, the lather dam! With just a hint of vigour, I stopped loading at somewhere around 120 swirls. In fact, the assertion that you will simply know when the loading process is complete rang true and I proceeded to face lather with a slightly bubbly mixture that soon turned into a beautiful, shiny, wet lather. With a new Gillette 7 o'clock, green I had what was the most comfortable shave I have ever had, full stop.

And finally, a couple of myth busters. You will not use your soap more quickly using this method. The fact that very little downward force of the brush is required to achieve the correct loading actually means that you have greater control over how much product is used, as opposed to forcing the brush into the soap using the dry/paste method, possibly overloading and subsequently having to use an enormous quantity of water to acheive a decent lather. Secondly, this method does not produce a gratuitously large amount of lather, but rather enough slick, protective lather for a 3 or 4 pass shave. As Marco stated, lots of product + lots of water = a slick, protective lather and in this, consistency of approach is the key.

Thank you for sharing this invaluable knowledge Marco, you are a gentleman and a scholar.
 
I can also confirm that this method works well. I have plenty of success going into any kind of soap with just a damp brush and adding water later in the process, but since I'm trying to break in my new Semogue Owners Club and I was due to use my beloved Proraso Red, I thought I'd go "full Italian" and try this method for fun. I soaked the brush during a shower, and other than one small downward shake, left it full of water. I went in easy circles without applying any real pressure other than to keep the brush in contact with the soap, and loaded for over a minute. The brush was full of soap and created a great face lather. The brush performance is also getting better after a break-in and two uses; the face feel was great, with terrific backbone. Starting to become a big fan of this boar brush.
 
Marco,

Thank you for telling your story of how you were introduction to Cella shave soap. Warm and instructional, I smile when reading and lathering. Cella is a classic shave soap.
 
I have to pile on here. I too had trouble with Cella giving me a wet, thin, and not slick lather. I tried the Marco Method (more or less…I was going on memory) and enjoyed a great shave. I love the Cella scent, and now I get a great lather to match.

As others have mentioned, it was a bit sloppy (so what:biggrin1:) and I too let the soap drop into the bowl until I loaded the brush. (Not a boar, but no problem.) I swirled some more lather, loaded my face, and enjoyed a great shave.

All praise to Marco!:thumbup:
 
Greatings from Portugal,
Today i tried this technique, that i didn't knew yet, used the derby soap in a cup,
and what an excellent lather i got!
Thank you so much for this post![emoji108][emoji108][emoji108][emoji108][emoji109][emoji109][emoji109][emoji109]
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First I take a tablespoon or two off my kilo of Cella and put in a nice deep wide bowl, rewrap Cella and put back in fridge. I slightly variate with Marcos method, I soak my by boar brush, shake once and swirl brush on soap for over a minute adding drops of water as needed, making a fairly thick lather, finish up with a wonderful face lather. I do the same with even hard soaps with slight adjustments.
 
The method he teaches works and the kind regards for him are earned. I remember him when I use The Method, lather Cella, Dolomiti, or hear the famous aria that Figaro sings.
Thanks Mario!
 
I've been wondering, What other soft soaps that's as good as Cella that is at the same price point per kilo? Not that I'll give up Cella
Try the Portuguese Mogno from Ach Brito, to me is a very good soap. I Just love it and the scent is fabulous... to me ofcourse [emoji16]

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Pannacrema Nuavia's instructions for my first go at Verde yesterday were similar in nature advising a 15 minute brush soak time (went w/ 10) and along with 40 swirls of the brush. Wow, what an excellent soap all the way around!

I will augment my next shave a bit based on the OP's method. Thanks, @Marco!
 
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