My Wet Shaving Experiences

[rsaltonstall]

I have been a wet shaver ever since I started shaving in the mid 1980s, and until I joined B&B a month and a half ago, I exclusively face lathered; in fact, I never heard of bowl lathering until I came upon B&B back in early May. Until recently I thought face lathering was the only way to wet shave; this is how my father and his father shaved, so I just followed suit.

Today, by and large, I bowl lather creams and face lather soaps. What I have found is that bowl lathering, at least for me, produces a more luxurious lather. I'm glad that I have learned about bowl lathering; it has taken my shaving experience to another level. Time constraints, however, have forced me to keep the bowl lathering to creams, except on weekends.

Does anyone else out there have a similar experience? Did you start off exclusively face lathering and then move onto to bowl lathering? For those who started shaving in the 40s, 50s, or 60s, did you start as face latherers? I ask these questions after reading a post on another thread that stated bowl lathering is a modern addition to wet shaving.

 

[Luc]

I wasn't born un the 60s so I can comment but I started with a bowl and then went to face lathering. I find that the bowl will give me more lather but the face is better IMO.

The lather seems bigger in the bowl because you will have ~3 passes worth of lather in there. When you face lather, you only see the loaded brush and some lather on your face. I think you have the same quantity. It's a matter of perspectives.

 

[miamimoe]

+1 on Luc's comments. I prefer face lathering because I get to really work the lather on my face which is where the lather will be doing the work, not in a bowl. Two minutes of face lathering after a hot shower with an olive oil soap wash is a great pre-shave routine for me.

 

[bikermonster77]

I started face lathering because that's the way I was "taught" by AoS, but after coming to B&B and doing research, I bowl lather with a scuttle.

 

[DE Shaver]

I'm a bowl latherer. As others have commented, more lather seems to be generated when using the bowl. Another plus for me is that I can regulate the adding of water (if required) a bit better. However, use whatever method that works for you.