For Christmas I received the VDH shave set with a boar brush and the smaller tube of C.O. Bigelow (proraso) shave cream. I am new to using non-aerosol shaving cream and a brush so my first couple attempts at making lather weren't so great. On my first attempt about a week ago I placed the brush in the mug for about five minutes to soak. I then emptied the mug, rung out the brush, and squirted in a little bit of co bigelow. I then whisked the shave cream. The lather wasn't thick and came out the consistency of aerosol cream that had dried after being on my face too long. My next attempt yesterday went worse. This time I didn't ring out the brush at all after soaking it and I left a small bit of water in the bottom of mug when I squirted the shave cream into it. It came out like soup. I emptied the mug and added more shave cream and tried wisking it again. Even though it was still soupy I was still able to shave with it but the soap made my hands very slippery. I kept having to stop and rinse my hands and razor. I think my problem is the temp of the water I'm soaking it, how long it's soaking, amount of shaving cream i'm squeezing out of tube, etc. What is the correct way to make rich thick lather with co bigelow and a boar brush?
Need help lathering with C.O. Bigelow
- Thread starter DE-Noob-at-39
- Start date
I bowl lather because it's easier to see what you're getting as you experiment with the cream/water ratio. I put an almond sized dollop in the bowl and take the dripping wet brush to it and have at it. C. O. Bigelow is an excellent cream; with experimentation you should get the lather you want.
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Making good lather is trickier than you'd think, and worth plenty of practice. In fact, I recommend making practice lathers when you're NOT about to shave and thus don't feel any special pressure to just get it done.
From what you described, it sounds like your first attempt involved too little water and too much air (all the stirring without adding more water). The second sounds like too much water all at once (it's often better to add more gradually). An easier way to go is to start with a less-wet brush and add the water bit by bit. So, with your boar brush, after letting it soak for several minutes in hot (but not scalding) water, shake it out, maybe even give it a light squeeze so it's damp but not dripping wet. Then add an almond-size (or maybe Brazil nut-sized) amount of the cream to the brush or the bowl. Start swirling. You should create a sort of thin paste. Then begin the process of adding water, just four-to-five drops at a time, and mixing it in until the big bubbles are gone. It's: dribble some water, mix well; dribble more water, mix well. You do this until you've got something resembling creamy yogurt, with a bit of a sheen to it. It should look more "wet" than canned shaving foam. You'll also see some peaks when you pull the brush away from the lather.
Once you get that down, you'll be able to try other methods where you start with a wetter brush. But this way you'll be able to tell how much water the product can take, and when. And also what a good lather looks like.
I myself have had times where I'm very frustrated creating a good lather, and some of that has been because different brushes hold different amounts of water. Just practice, and you'll soon get it down!
From what you described, it sounds like your first attempt involved too little water and too much air (all the stirring without adding more water). The second sounds like too much water all at once (it's often better to add more gradually). An easier way to go is to start with a less-wet brush and add the water bit by bit. So, with your boar brush, after letting it soak for several minutes in hot (but not scalding) water, shake it out, maybe even give it a light squeeze so it's damp but not dripping wet. Then add an almond-size (or maybe Brazil nut-sized) amount of the cream to the brush or the bowl. Start swirling. You should create a sort of thin paste. Then begin the process of adding water, just four-to-five drops at a time, and mixing it in until the big bubbles are gone. It's: dribble some water, mix well; dribble more water, mix well. You do this until you've got something resembling creamy yogurt, with a bit of a sheen to it. It should look more "wet" than canned shaving foam. You'll also see some peaks when you pull the brush away from the lather.
Once you get that down, you'll be able to try other methods where you start with a wetter brush. But this way you'll be able to tell how much water the product can take, and when. And also what a good lather looks like.
I myself have had times where I'm very frustrated creating a good lather, and some of that has been because different brushes hold different amounts of water. Just practice, and you'll soon get it down!
This is a good tutorial Try it and report back. Making lather is not difficult, just practice and be patient with yourself.
Welcome to B&B. If haven't alreadydone so take a look at the wiki on lathers. Also, this post may help you.
It's always easier to add water little by little
- Thread starter
- #8
OK after trying to make lather for weeks I'm about to give up on the small tube of co bigelow and try a soap puck from vdh or col conk with my badger brush, or just go back to canned shaving cream and my hand instead. I've followed all the advice here and I just can't get it to make a decent amount of lather that is thick and white on application to face by brush. I also got the best results shaving with the co bigelow the very first time when I made it soupy. that was the only time I felt like I had a good amount of shaving cream on my face and it the blade glided easily (and fingers were super slippery) and you could really smell the scent of the shaving cream and feel the coolness of it on my face. I'm starting to wonder if that's how co bigelow (aka proraso) is supposed to be made.
I find bigeow to lather very easily. It does take a bit more water than other creams though.
Are you using enough cream? Don't be stingy. When starting out, I recommend using a lot of product. It makes learning to lather easier. Then when you get the hang of it, you can dial it back to the right amount for you.
The common recommendation is an almond sized amount. I use twice that for every shave, at least, when I'm using creams.
Are you using enough cream? Don't be stingy. When starting out, I recommend using a lot of product. It makes learning to lather easier. Then when you get the hang of it, you can dial it back to the right amount for you.
The common recommendation is an almond sized amount. I use twice that for every shave, at least, when I'm using creams.
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- Thread starter
- #10
I'm just using an almond size amount and adding in a few drops of water at a time and whisking. It just doesn't seem to make enough and doesn't apply to face as well as it did the first couple times i made it soupy.
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Try a snurdle.
De-noob-at-39, you might consider using a basic shaving bowl for working up C. O. Bigelow lather. I use Old Spice (Lime) cream every 5th day of shaving with a salsa bowl which I roughed up interior using a Dremel tool and router bit. Using about 2/3s of a large melon ball scoop of the OS cream, I get a rich creamy lather.
I made this quick video of me lathering CO Bigelow. I"m primarily a face latherer so I'm out of practice getting the water right while bowl lathering.
I worked it until it looked good, then palm lathered, and it is a bit thin. That was deliberate to show you that it needed more water. I continued and added more water and it got much better, but I may have added a bit too much.
I worked it until it looked good, then palm lathered, and it is a bit thin. That was deliberate to show you that it needed more water. I continued and added more water and it got much better, but I may have added a bit too much.
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- Thread starter
- #14
Ok i tried again. This time with a wet boar brush and two to three almonds worth of a squirt onto the brush. I found the faster and harder i wisked the brush in the bowl the better the lather came out. It was really white and fluffy in the bowl and on the brush but still looked thin and crappy looking when i applied it to my face with the brush. Unlike previos attempts i could feel the coolness and smell the scent on my face but the lather wasn't as slippery as when i put too much water the first time. I was wondering if anyone uses that lather machine you can get at sallys beauty for 300 bucks for in-home use. I remember seeing one at the barbers as a little boy but never saw it used.
For lack of other materials, I have been using a coffee cup for lathering. When I am using Bigelow in the rotation, I run hot water through the brush - maybe let it presoak time permitting - and give the brush a moderate shake-out without wringing. Put about 2 cm product into the cup or bowl. Maybe swipe it around so it does not start in one big lump. Stir with brush, alternating clockwise and counterclockwise, 60 to 120 seconds. It is important to allow that time. Periodically run water over your fingers and flick a couple drops into the mix if and as needed while lather builds. You can keep adding water, but as you have found you cannot subtract it once it is in.
So far that same method has worked equally well with AoS, Bigelow, and Arko. Tubed creams seem to build a quicker lather than the semi-dry AoS that comes out of a tub.
I have also used Bigelow with a synthetic brush for away-from-home shaves. I stir it a bit with a wetted and gently shaken synthetic travel brush (L'Occitane de Provence, now about $30) in my free hand. At first it goes onto my face as mostly water, but if I keep stirring and pressing the brush into the face, the lather builds and I can still get a good shave even without the comfort and luxury of the shave den.
So far that same method has worked equally well with AoS, Bigelow, and Arko. Tubed creams seem to build a quicker lather than the semi-dry AoS that comes out of a tub.
I have also used Bigelow with a synthetic brush for away-from-home shaves. I stir it a bit with a wetted and gently shaken synthetic travel brush (L'Occitane de Provence, now about $30) in my free hand. At first it goes onto my face as mostly water, but if I keep stirring and pressing the brush into the face, the lather builds and I can still get a good shave even without the comfort and luxury of the shave den.
