never used a DE shaving cream before

[Ender78]

I will soon get myself a tub of Castle Forbe's lime shaving cream (Finally!) .
I realized that I had not used a shaving cream of this type yet and I am unsure on how to use it. Do I mix it with any water? should I wet my face first? any tips would be greatly welcome.

 

[Flintstone65]

I haven't tried any Castle Forbe's yet, but here's what I do with the dozen or so other creams I use:

1. I wet my brush -- I prefer synthetics with my creams, but I've used my boars and badgers with them as well. With my synthetics I get them wet, then I ring them out so that the bristles are damp but the brush isn't really holding any water.
   
   
2. Splash water on my face.
   
   
3. Get a dollop on a finger -- usually about the size of an almond, maybe a bit more when it's the first time I'm using a cream -- and I spread it on each cheek and throat.
   
   
4. I start working it on my face with the brush to make a lather, and I slowly add (drip) water to the brush as needed to get more lather and/or a better consistency.

I know on step #3, some people put the cream on their dampened brush instead of a finger.....that works too. And perhaps there are some best-practices when it comes to lathering up CF products, and undoubtedly someone will be along to address those.

Hope that helps and keep us posted on how you like the cream!!!

 

[RayClem]

There are some shaving creams that are designed to be used brushless and will make a real mess if you try to lather them with a brush as they do not contain soaps or detergents. Jack Black is one such cream.

Other creams are designed to be used brushless, but the contain sufficient soap or detergent so you can lather them with a brush. Cremo is detergent based and can be lathered.


Many creams, however, are soap based and are intended to be lathered with a brush. Castle Forbes is one such cream.
Since creams are generally soft, it is easy to overload your brush if you try loading directly from the tub. It is best to scoop out a small amount of product (about the size of an almond) using a small spoon or the tip of your finger and applying the cream to your brush.

 

[Black Adder]

Think of it as concentrated soap. All the advice above is good. You really don't need much; when I use a cream I make my lather first. I use a quarter of a teaspoon (measured!) or less, and use the brush to build the lather with as much water as needed. I build the lather in the scuttle, and I'm also working this lather continually while applying it to the beard area.

I think the problem with creams for first time users is that they use too much. Treat it as a concentrate that is part of the formula for a good lather, which is basically soap, water, and air! Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Don

 

[RayClem]

Think of it as concentrated soap. All the advice above is good. You really don't need much; when I use a cream I make my lather first. I use a quarter of a teaspoon (measured!) or less, and use the brush to build the lather with as much water as needed. I build the lather in the scuttle, and I'm also working this lather continually while applying it to the beard area.

I think the problem with creams for first time users is that they use too much. Treat it as a concentrate that is part of the formula for a good lather, which is basically soap, water, and air! Good luck, let us know how it goes.

Don

I think I know what you are getting at, but calling a cream a concentrated soap is not quite accurate as the water content of creams is normally a lot higher than soaps. A triple-milled soap has very little water, so it qualities as a concentrated soap.

However, just because creams have extra water does not mean you have to use more product. Your quarter-teaspoon measurement is a good starting point, but it really depends upon how much lather you intend to produce. My typical shaving routine is to do three regular passes, a clean-up pass and then a bonus application of lather for face conditioning. If you do a one pass or two pass shave, you won't need even that much.

 

[sdimartino]

I load directly from the tub with a damp brush, then build my lather in a bowl. I don't worry about using too much. The more lather the better, AFAIC. But then, I also shave my head along with my face, so I need more lather anyway.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I really like the Castle Forbes 1445 I purchased recently. I use a just damp synthetic and load directly from the tub. I’m not bothered about using a lot of product, I like lots of lather. I go straight to my face with this one, works great.

 

[Chandu]

I really like the Castle Forbes 1445 I purchased recently.

I really like lavender and had a sample of their lavender and 1445. If / when I buy some CF, it's going to be the 1445. That is such a wonderful scent.

Castle Forbes is a harder cream so loading from the tub would be fine. My TOBS on the other hand is so soft you'd overload by a ridiculous amount if you put the brush in there. For TOBS, I get a pea sized dollop on my finger tip and spread on the brush and then go to my face.

 

[mph14205]

I basically treat cream like I do with soaps. I use metal tongue scraper to remove some (unless it's in a tube) put it my bowl and whip up a lather. If it isn't good I add more cream or water depending on the consistency issue.

 

[RayClem]

I really like lavender and had a sample of their lavender and 1445. If / when I buy some CF, it's going to be the 1445. That is such a wonderful scent.

Castle Forbes is a harder cream so loading from the tub would be fine. My TOBS on the other hand is so soft you'd overload by a ridiculous amount if you put the brush in there. For TOBS, I get a pea sized dollop on my finger tip and spread on the brush and then go to my face.

The overlap between creams and soaps is really strange. I have seen some creams that are harder than soft soaps. Caties Bubbles sells a product they call a Luxury Cream Soap. What is that supposed to mean?Does it make any difference whether something is called a cream or a soap?

 

[Chandu]

The overlap between creams and soaps is really strange. I have seen some creams that are harder than soft soaps. Caties Bubbles sells a product they call a Luxury Cream Soap. What is that supposed to mean?Does it make any difference whether something is called a cream or a soap?

Any difference? In the end, I don't think so. I expect a soap to be firm if not hard, but overall I rather like Jarrod of The Superior Shave's very descriptive term - Lather fuel.

 

[RVshave]

I'm with Flintstone65 in I use my finger to apply to my cheeks and throat, get a brush and go to town. Had some CF Lime a long time ago and did lather straight from the tub as it was firm enough for it. I hadn't started doing otherwise till a couple years later.

 

[Roy]

After a couple of years I have bought the C.Forbes line cream. Wow, what a good cream. Lather creamy and the shave is extremely close and comfortable. I just swirled a damp brush over the tub. Then face lather adding more water as I need it.
Are there any other creams that give a similar shave?