Slick when Face Lathering

[AmsterDan]

Hi guys and galls!

As I'm practicing some face lathering techniques for my upcoming holiday, when the lathering bowl stays at home, I noticed that there is a 'slick' or 'film layer' left on my skin when washing of the shaving cream after a pass which I don't get with the shaving cream derived from bowl lathering.

First I thought it had to do with the shaving cream brand but dropped that theory rather quickly as I get the same effect with a different brand.

First of all, do you recognize this?
Second, if you do, there must be a significant difference between the two types of lathering, out of which face lathering should give you a better shave as there is more of a lubricating layer noticeably left on the skin.

What are your thoughts?

 

[exxmxxf]

Hey Daniel, I and a lot of members have also noticed this phenomenon. I don't know if it has to do with loading a more concentrated amount of the product directly to the shaving area (face) before building the lather with the brush but face lathering seems to produce great results.

 

[Strokin04]

I too, have been having better results with face lathering with both creams and soaps. I just figured it was because I am a newbie to the wet shave game and having figured out bowl lathering.

 

[celestino]

Hey Daniel, I and a lot of members have also noticed this phenomenon. I don't know if it has to do with loading a more concentrated amount of the product directly to the shaving area (face) before building the lather with the brush but face lathering seems to produce great results.

+1 i just the love the application of the soap by the brush and the feel of the whole routine. The side effects are a bonus! Keep it up and you will never go back to bowl-lathering.

 

[wquiles]

Same here. I started with the bowl, but then after a few weeks tried face lathering, and that was it - there is no going back to the bowl

 

[Go West Young Man]

I can't tell the difference between bowl and face lathered shaves.

 

[jamesspo]

It's been so long since I bowl lathered, I really don't recall. If there is such an effect, it might just be from having more product on your face to start with, and some of it not being brought into the lather on your first passes. Subsequently when you wet your face down there's some soap left around that's can take some work to rinse off (especially if you have soft, or softened water). This sort of assumes you're using soap..which is pretty easy to over apply, especially if you've got some growth.

 

[oldbluelight]

AmsterDan technically I'm a bowl latherer - But, I spend some time working the fully developed lather into my beard on each pass. I suspect it's about the same amount of time that I would spend if I simply face lathered with a cream product. My soaps are VDH Deluxe and Luxury and the brush is a VDH boar. I find the same residual slickness you mentioned with each rinse and in most cases it's sufficient for a quick one or two stroke touch-up of stubborn patches without additional lather. Perhaps that residual lubrication is an effect of working/building the lather on the skin and can be achieved by either means. Just wondering how much time you work the lather on your face after you've created it in a bowl? Is it approximately the same amount as when you face lather or is it less?

 

[noahpictures]

Hi guys and galls!

As I'm practicing some face lathering techniques for my upcoming holiday, when the lathering bowl stays at home, I noticed that there is a 'slick' or 'film layer' left on my skin when washing of the shaving cream after a pass which I don't get with the shaving cream derived from bowl lathering.

First I thought it had to do with the shaving cream brand but dropped that theory rather quickly as I get the same effect with a different brand.

First of all, do you recognize this?
Second, if you do, there must be a significant difference between the two types of lathering, out of which face lathering should give you a better shave as there is more of a lubricating layer noticeably left on the skin.

What are your thoughts?

That's why I mostly face lather. The slick film protects the face. In my experience face lathering especially when using a tallow shave stick delivers the best lather.

 

[ThomasB98908]

That's why I mostly face lather. The slick film protects the face. In my experience face lathering especially when using a tallow shave stick delivers the best lather.

Agree - the slick film does protect the face and lets the blade glide effortlessly across your skin. I don't RINSE off my face between passes, just re-wet and for touchup I just moisten my face and use the film of soap thats on there for the little areas. Works great. Pretty much always been a face latherer.

 

[AmsterDan]

Just when you thought you had it all figured out eh? Thanks for the pieces of advice and Thomas, I'll try your 'watering' technique next.

 

[phillylion]

Sounds like you're a good candidate for the B & B Face latherers Club.

 

[AmsterDan]

Yesterday I face lathered again and I gotta say ... why bother using a mug any longer? Still getting three passes plus touch ups with the same amount of soap/cream used, with the 'watering' technique rather than 'washing off' technique I got a flawless shave without irritation and the quality of the soap/cream seems to present itself better when face lathering.

I actually did use the bowl yesterday when my girlfriend wanted to shave her legs and didn't have a canister of shaving cream. Here I was lathering up some shaving cream for legs haha. Anyhow ...

Sign me up for the Face Latherers Club!

 

[ThomasB98908]

Glad to hear that it all worked out for you. Excellent.

 

[wquiles]

Sign me up for the Face Latherers Club!

+1