Shaving in Shwoer Lather question

[tcallen69]

Hi guys -- I'm new to the B&B forum but have been reading for a while. A lot of great advice here! I've been DE shaving for about 5 months now and it gets better each week. For the first few months I shaved at the sink, whereas previously I was a shower shaver. I wasn't getting the results i wanted so I started DE shaving in the shower, and this has worked out great, as the moisture and heat helps keep the shave smooth for me.
One of the problems I have had is that I bowl lather, and I mix the lather and set it aside while I first shower. Then I wet my face really well, and apply the lather with a brush, scrubbing it on for 30 seconds or so, then painting it. The problem I am having is that while the lather is "perfectly mixed" in the bowl, when I start applying it to my wet face, it thins out and doesn't maintain it's thick creamy consistency. I can't figure out if it's because my face is too wet, or if maybe my lather isn't as "perfect" as i would like to think.
Can your face be "too" wet before applying lather? Would I be better off drying my face first? How wet do you guys keep your face before applying lather with a brush?
By the way, i did try face lathering for a while but never got the same results (for me) as bowl lathering.
Anyone else experience this or have any ideas? thanks!

 

[StuMcB]

OK, a life long shower shaver here. You can count on one hand the amount of bowl lathers I've done. Right. Now this is all MHO and not gospel. And a lot depends on your set up, brush soap etc.

1) Creams, alittle rubbed in the face and then a little on the brush, face lather.

2) Soaps as with creams, rub the puck on the face and then as normal with the puck 'n' brush

3) Croaps, see above

Shave sticks are possibly the best way to get back into shower DE shaving as you can just grab and apply as offten as you like. There's a shave stick post on B&B so have a look.

Also for shower shavers IMHO two band badgers and boars both shorter lofts though, are the best for working the lather up. You have to take your time and move the shower head to the side a little.

AS I said at the start a lot depends on your set up, so what ya using?

 

[jb4647]

I got something like this: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=16836001&RN=864&

I keep my bowl/lather on the top shelf while shaving and it keeps the water from getting on it during my shave. I have it positined on the opposite side of the showerhead. Lots of space for all my gear.

 

[tcallen69]

Thanks -- I do keep the lather bowl away from the water so that isn't the issue. I also turn the water off when I am actually shaving, to conserve. the main issue seems to be that I apply the shave cream to my face when my face is nice and wet, and it doesn't hold its firmness, it kind of thins out. Maybe I need to mix up the lather in the bowl a bit on the dry side and take advantage of the water on my face to find the right balance? I was trying to figure out how wet your faces are when you actually lather up.

 

[Charlie NJ]

Shower shaver here too, I also face lather 99% of the time. Lately I've been using sticks a lot, either in conjunction with other soaps or just the stick. I never have a lather problem in the shower. Try rubbing tabac stick and loading the brush with another soap like MWF wow

 

[STLMike]

I shower shave sometimes during the week. Sometimes I end up using something like King of Shaves Alpha Gel or Nivia Moisture Shave and forgo my trusty bowl and brush. If I do brush I use the bowl and mix the lather a bit on the dry side and finish up face lathering with it until the consitancy seems right. I've had better luck not apply the cream to both sides of my face and only putting the cream on right before I shave that particular side.

I've had better luck with creams in the shower then soap but as always YMMV.

 

[jb4647]

Thanks -- I do keep the lather bowl away from the water so that isn't the issue. I also turn the water off when I am actually shaving, to conserve. the main issue seems to be that I apply the shave cream to my face when my face is nice and wet, and it doesn't hold its firmness, it kind of thins out. Maybe I need to mix up the lather in the bowl a bit on the dry side and take advantage of the water on my face to find the right balance? I was trying to figure out how wet your faces are when you actually lather up.

Yeah, sometimes I have the same issue. Depending on the cream shake out my brush to get more or less excess water before I mix it in the bowl. Seems to help.

All trial and error sometimes.

 

[JSMC88]

Shower shaver here. I only lather in my bowl for a few minutes not using much water. I then move to my face and continue to lather, it is usually wet from the shower and provides the final water ratio.

 

[StuMcB]

I was trying to figure out how wet your faces are when you actually lather up.

Not too wet, kinda just washed and rinsed the soap of wet. Bit of a shake off.