New Bee :: Bowl Lathering Face Lathering, Any Lathering - Help Please

[Avi]

As many of the experts in the room have alluded to, one of the obvious places that are likely to be going wrong is creating a lather. I was initially trying face lather (as it seems to make sense) but I have noticed I would either end up with a bit of residue on the blades or I accidentally turn it so foamy it flies off my face. With regards to the residue on the blade, I noticed this when cleaning up the razor afterwards (so my guess is not lathered enough for the former case?).

After that series of rather dumb escapades, I've been trying bowl lathering and I seemed to accidentally make foam.

Thinking perhaps I've been too miserly with regards to "swirling" the brush in the cream, this morning I took this random "almond unit of shaving cream" that seems to be quite popular and affectionatly beat the f**k out of it and that actually seemed to work quite well but created quite a mess and to be honest these shaving "mugs" feel a bit too deep to really "go at it".

At this point in the illustrious career of "not sucking" I thought I'd use the powers of google and noticed there is seems to be some inconsistency with regards to how much one uses. I am going to use CF here since that is what I am using (and basically the only thing I've been using) by way of example:

They are using the famous almond sized unit of shaving "stuff" for a 3 pass shave:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Wetshaving/comments/bprtrq
If one stares at this video, I guess he is using about an almond unit smeared about, perhaps even more?

but if you look at this "one single swirl is all you need", clearly that is a startling different approach and a startling different quantity:

Initially I had been "swirling" in the tub for 5-20 seconds (as per random instructions) so far much more like the last video but perhaps the right approach is using a 3/4 teaspoon or quantity on in a bowl etc might be closer to reality ? (or maybe half that on a face?) . The last videos approach would yield a 2 year supply of creme per tub I would guess its so sparing.

Any way are these Imperial Almonds or Metric Almonds? Inquiring raw faces want to know!!

Regards
Avi

 

[Invicta]

If you are using creams I would reccomend an almond sized amount {known as a snurdle} loaded onto brush if face lathering or into bowl if bowl lathering. Cream is soft and too easily picked up and overloaded by dipping the brush into the bowl of cream.
If you are using soap, then load on the puck for a given amount of time and face or bowl lather as you prefer. Hard water takes a lot more product to produce the same amount lather compared to soft water. I usually start with a large almond sized snurdle when using cream as I have hard water.
Always start with a wet brush with the water squeezed out and load your product, build lather adding water as you proceed; that is how I do it. Looking at how others lather does not give you an idea how much water is in the brush to start with so you really have to experiment yourself. Hard soaps and soft soaps take different amount of time to load and the brush also makes a difference.
Some start with a very wet brush and load the product to suit.
The Shave Wiki should help you achieve a good lather; Lathering | Badger & Blade

 

[Avi]

If you are using creams I would reccomend an almond sized amount {known as a snurdle} loaded onto brush if face lathering or into bowl if bowl lathering. Cream is soft and too easily picked up and overloaded by dipping the brush into the bowl of cream.
If you are using soap, then load on the puck for a given amount of time and face or bowl lather as you prefer. Hard water takes a lot more product to produce the same amount lather compared to soft water. I usually start with a large almond sized snurdle when using cream as I have hard water.
Always start with a wet brush with the water squeezed out and load your product, build lather adding water as you proceed; that is how I do it. Looking at how others lather does not give you an idea how much water is in the brush to start with so you really have to experiment yourself. Hard soaps and soft soaps take different amount of time to load and the brush also makes a difference.
Some start with a very wet brush and load the product to suit.
The Shave Wiki should help you achieve a good lather; Lathering | Badger & Blade

Thank you @Invicta . I will give up on the twirl it about theory and start squeezing out the brush. I think initially I was squeezing out the brush but the CF cream honestly was as hard as an ivory bar so I switched to simply "flicking" the water off. 3 or so weeks later its now much softer from residual water, so I can pull out "snurdle" quantities on my finger. With that my only variable is water and there is no issue of underusing product on accident so seems tractable. Will give it a go, super appreciated.

Regards Avi

 

[thombrogan]

What worked for me; first in bowl-lathering and, now, in face-lathering; was following advice from brucered. here

Can‘t reference his name to give props. Maybe I’m quasiblocked?

He and many others gave me help here as well.

I‘ve only used two soaps so far (will be trying four more starting in a few days), so most of my experience has been with bowl-lathering shaving creams to make a slick, runny, semi-protective layer for close shaves that let me know where my technique needs to improve, but that first tutorial got me using shaving cream for a face lather like a grown up. A grown up who didn’t add enough water later (and later is where it’s added or the lather doesn’t start).

Our well water is creepy hard (taste the iron! Absorb the calcium! Feel the manganese! AAauugh!!!) and the tutorial worked for me for face-lathering KMF and bowl-lathering KMF, Cremogena Plus*, and Nivea Sensitive (well, changing it from dummy thicc to slick, runny awesomenes).

Yeah, so I’m a first-hand fan of that of that tutorial.

*Cremogena Plus is a concoction devised by @ShaverAZ that is formed by combining a tube of Cremo, a tube of Neutrogena Men’s Sensitive Shaving Cream, and a small amount of glycerin into a container and gently mixing. The two, slick, protective, non-lathering creams make great lather when combined and the glycerin adds more slickness. Alternatively, single doses can be made by adding 15ml of each cream to a bowl/face/brush by themselves for Cremogena or with 5 drops of glycerin for Cremogena Plus. I’ve only made with the ‘Classic’ and ‘Bourbon’ Cremo scents.

Face-lathering with an Arko shave-stick is wicked easy. Though, if you like scents like Pomegranate Grapefruit or Bourbon, the Ivory soap with patchouli is a radical departure

 

[BP348]

You have to experiment a little as far as the amount of soap or cream to use.

I'm fairly new to wet shaving and I like to bowl lather and I found that when I first started i wasn't building the lather for long enough. For me the lather in the bowl starts foamy with a lot of air bubbles and not knowing any better i was stopping there. After watching a few videos I decided to keep going for a while longer and I got much better results. I found the type of soap/cream makes a big difference as well. Proraso creams lather up pretty good for me while Proraso soap in a tub doesn't perform nearly as well. I do get great results from my Arko stick and my A&E and B&M soaps. Good luck

 

[Avi]

Thanks @thombrogan @BP348 I think the idea of using too much stuff rather than too little and also not stopping in the first 15 seconds ( which keeps being my natural tendency ) is something I’ve got to work on.

two questions :


i can not really imagine an almond amount of stuff directly lathered on the face, that must be for bowl lathering right?

also one can’t over beat right?

regards
avi

 

[Ace the Masta]

I try and get my lather to a point it doesn't have bubbles, kind of like a yogurt consistency takes me around a minute to whip up a lather in my hand or on my face.

Took me around 3 months of using a brush but I feel like I'm getting some luxurious lather now. I did quite a few practice lathers & feel like it helped me avoid some bad shaves.

 

[BP348]

I've seen videos where people add about an almond of shave cream to the brush and then start face lathering from there.

 

[Avi]

I try and get my lather to a point it doesn't have bubbles, kind of like a yogurt consistency takes me around a minute to whip up a lather in my hand or on my face.

Took me around 3 months of using a brush but I feel like I'm getting some luxurious lather now. I did quite a few practice lathers & feel like it helped me avoid some bad shaves.

I think that is the smart thing to do. I have not done this - and am definitely not going at it a whole minute. I think initially thought I could just wing this, but these hard creams and soaps aren’t just glorified shaving cream from the get go as Ive come to learn.

regards
avi

 

[Avi]

I've seen videos where people add about an almond of shave cream to the brush and then start face lathering from there.

hmmm

 

[BP348]

FYI, there's a decent face lather vs bowl lather thread in the shaving soap section.

 

[Ace the Masta]

I found that starting with less water is what really helped me. I soak my brush then shake it till no water comes out, then I start whipping up a lather. Seems I just need a few drops after that for my creams and a little bit more for my Arko soap.

Also I probably use half an almond sized amount of cream but I also only do 1 pass with a touchup. Always seem to have enough extra lather for another pass if I wanted.

 

[Avi]

FYI, there's a decent face lather vs bowl lather thread in the shaving soap section.

I was reading that trying to decide if I am more informed or more confused

actually while my preference is face lathering I think I have a path with the bowl as it’s easier to stare at and ponder

regards
avi

 

[BP348]

Give bowl lathering a try and see how you like it. You can use any type of bowl you already have. I've seen several guys use cereal bowls from their kitchen.

 

[thombrogan]

i can not really imagine an almond amount of stuff directly lathered on the face, that must be for bowl lathering right?

That will work for face-lathering. With my starter badger brush, I have to start with a dry brush and then slightly wet the brush after the first round of scritchy circles and repeat, repeat, repeat, but it works.

also one can’t over beat right?

Boredom or joint pain will happen first.

 

[Avi]

That will work for face-lathering. With my starter badger brush, I have to start with a dry brush and then slightly wet the brush after the first round of scritchy circles and repeat, repeat, repeat, but it works.



Boredom or joint pain will happen first.

To be honest the real reason I have not been "practicing" ( @Ace the Masta ) is the answer to the invariable (wife) "whattf are you doing in the bathroom for 30 minutes" being "practicing beating my lather" just isn't really one of those conversations I wanted to get into

(An almond amount seems crazy for just a 1 passish face lather (not head) : but I think CF is a bit dense, with an official almond unit of shaving cream, I can create maybe 200 ml of volume or so (half a coke can) )


Regards
Avi

 

[thombrogan]

Explain you’re trying to increase your residual slickness and all will be well…

 

[Ace the Masta]

You gotta sneak one in, you certainly don't wanna get caught!

 

[thombrogan]

I‘m imagining the intense discussion about finding stray badger hairs or Plissoft fibers with the perfume of that tramp, Castle Forbes, on them.

 

[BigJ]

Welcome aboard!

The optimal soap to product ratio depends on the particular soap/cream and the characteriscics of your water. For me, any new product requires a bit of trial and error to figure out the ideal apprach.

That said, I generally need a bit MORE PRODUCT than I initially thought and a bit MORE WATER. The key is to start with a damp brush, then add a few drops of water at a time until I get there!

The main thing is to expect that it will take a bit of experimentation to get things right!