Proraso Lathering Issue

[dmcconnell]

I am having a challenge getting my Proraso (sensitive / white tub) to lather effectively. I am pretty new, so it is certainly user error. I am using an EJ Best Badger brush which is working very well. I have also had good lather from EJ Sea Buckthorn, MWF and Tabac so I'm not completely inept. I am soaking my brush in warm water for about 1 minute and not adding any water to the Proraso. I shake my brush out 3 or 4 times, load the brush with maybe 5 or 6 swirls and lather vigorously in a stainless bowl. I get some decent looking lather, but it disappears pretty quickly and doesn't perform well on my face. I had a tough shave which was probably not helped by my lathering challenges.

Is there a trick to this stuff?

 

[MoJoe]

Never used the white tub but with the green what I have found is that you need to do exactly what you did to start. Then you need to add about a table spoon of water to the lather and continue to mix. You'll get a better hydrated lather with similar consistancy but will last longer in the bowl. This method gives me enough for 4+ passes, not that I'm going to do 4 or more passes but you get the idea.

 

[cvac]

Soften up the soap before loading with water. Dump that water out.

Load way more soap on your brush. 5-6 swirls? Not nearly enough for any soap I can think of. Load that sucker until all the bristles clump together with a thick paste. Then add water slowly a little at a time until you get the right consistency. You'll get more lather than you need that way, which is certainly better than what you've got now.

 

[dbconlin]

I don't think you need to add water to the tub with a soft soap. More swirls are in order; I like to hold it upside down and swirl that way so the soap can "fall" into the brush. In my experience, Proraso requires a LOT of water to lather optimally.

 

[dmcconnell]

Thanks very much guys, I'll give that a go.

 

[dmcconnell]

More water and more soap worked, I had a great shave with Proraso this morning. Thanks again.

 

[Drubbing]

Yes, I agree, Proraso is so soft it doesn't need puck watering - it's more of a hard cream, very much the odd man out of soaps.

 

[Luc]

Proraso is very good, give the green tub a try!