Soap/cream contact time
- Thread starter HDPaul
- Start date
If you feel your prep isn't softening the hairs enough, you should likely try a pre-shave item. Leaving your lather on your face with just dry it out and probably cause you problems near the end of your first pass.
I face lather, and once the lather is where I want it to be, I continue to scrub for a minute or two, to a) soften the beard, and b) because a Rooney Finest just feels heavenly!
I don't let the lather sit, but I do apply a hot cloth to my face for 2 minutes before lathering. That seems to work well for me.
I disagree.
I let the lather sit on my face for 1-2 minutes prior to shaving every day. This practice has been recommended for years and years. If you read the instructions that came with a Superspeed or a Fatboy or whatever, they all said to leave the lather on your face for at least one minute prior to shaving.
The reason is that the lather does, in fact, soften the hair by prolonged contact.
If you have clepped a proper lather, it should not dry out.
as a prep, I lather up, let it sit for a minute or two, rub it in, rinse it off, re-lather & shave.
I could never manage the logistics of applying a hot/wet towel on top of that first lather (as some here do & recommend).
works for me.
I used to prep with Proraso pre- or with Noxzema. Both worked really well, but using my lather instead, I save a few minutes, I suppose... gives me an excuse to play with lather production for a little bit longer, too!
I could never manage the logistics of applying a hot/wet towel on top of that first lather (as some here do & recommend).
works for me.
I used to prep with Proraso pre- or with Noxzema. Both worked really well, but using my lather instead, I save a few minutes, I suppose... gives me an excuse to play with lather production for a little bit longer, too!
Yes. I comb my hair and apply my deodorant while it sits. I then freshen it up with the lathered brush before I start my passes.
- Chris
- Thread starter
- #8
Exactly what I like to do. If I need to change any blades, or strop a straight or any other little thing like that I'll do it after lathering up as well. If I lathered correctly, it doesn't dry up much at all and just a quick once over or two is all that is needed to get the lather ready for shaving.
I find leaving the lather sit on your face for a few minites makes a much better shaving experiance and even on some creams/soaps this is recommended!
I always thought the idea was to let it set on your face a minute or two to soften things up. I use the time to apply deoderant and clean my glasses with a towel. Been doing it that way for as long as I can remember.
Now I also stare at my little collection to decide which one to use during that time.
Now I also stare at my little collection to decide which one to use during that time.
In theory, you want to clean the face before wetting it to remove oils and dirt that interfere with getting moisture into the beard. Also in theory, soap or a high pH help to open the water phobic hair cover and let water seep inside, making the hair swell and easier to cut. So, in theory, you want to clean the face and beard, then keep it wet with water or rather a highly alkali (high pH) solution. Scrubbing with a brush is supposed to be ideal for cleaning. The shaving soap in water solution gives the high pH.
Putting this all together, I try to find the most efficient shaving method. What I do is make a very wet lather with no body at all--as few air bubbles as possible. It's rather droopy this way, and not very luxurious feeling. The key is to balance so that it's thick enough to give a protective feeling, but not spend much more time on it. I build an initial lather on my face because the scrubbing cleans the face. At that point I might rinse and do a normal 2 minute soak and build a normal microfoam lather because I do enjoy the luxurious feeling of a nice lather. More often, I rinse and immediately build a second soaking wet droopy lather and let it sit on my face for two minutes or longer.
Either way, during the shave I relather immediately after doing a small area to make sure the beard stays wet constantly. Since either lather tends to dry out after a while, I might redo other parts of my face when I'm reapplying the area. Just a quick swipe is enough. In reality, only a thin outer skin dries out with a thick lather, but I often work rather fast and use a really thin layer that will completely dry out pretty quick. Since I'm not trying to build a real lather each time, this all goes pretty fast. Sometimes, to speed this up, I keep the brush in one hand and the razor in the other.
That's my utilitarian approach to going as fast as possible. It works very well for me. Like I said before, this isn't the most satisfying shave, but it is comfortable. There's a spectrum between this and the traditional thick lather, slow satisfying shave. Depending on my mood and available time I'll go anywhere along this spectrum. The key thing for me is to keep the beard thoroughly wet constantly starting from two or three minutes before the shave straight through to the final post-shave rinse, while also having the protection and grease from the shaving soap to get a comfortable shave.
Finally, I do take shortcuts. There's no reason to make a lather for the two minute soak. Just making a soapy solution is enough to clean the face, so this first lather can be a real dog, as long as the face stays wet and there's enough soap to clean the face. I do this especially when I do a full proper shave. Dog of a lather to clean, then rinse, add some more fresh dog lather, apply the towel, and so on. Some people would probably object to using their brush for cleaning the face, but it's really ideal for that purpose. If you like, get a second cheaper brush for the cleaning part.
It's not clear to me whether a microfoam or droopy lather is better. There are some properties of a foam that might account for a better shave. From what I can understand of the test papers I've read, it all depends on the speed and pressure you shave with, and the micro-bump and related friction properties of the skin and blade, as well as blade material and geometry. A lot of it is related to the electrical (i.e. friction) properties at work at the atomic level as well as the thin-layer properties of the lubricant--shaving soap--and its interaction with the blade and skin. Really complicated stuff, so that noone really knows the answer, or at least those that do aren't telling. I do feel a difference between a microfoam and a droppy lather, but it's not the kind of difference where one is better. They're different. And in practice it depends a lot on whether I'm shaving fast or slow. Foam seems better for a slow shave, and droopy for a fast one. From what I read in the papers, my brain wants to come to the opposite conclusion. It seems to me that lower friction should be better, but apparently that's not the whole answer. I probably cut physics class that day. Seriously, though, noone seems to know for sure, so you have to try things for yourself.
Putting this all together, I try to find the most efficient shaving method. What I do is make a very wet lather with no body at all--as few air bubbles as possible. It's rather droopy this way, and not very luxurious feeling. The key is to balance so that it's thick enough to give a protective feeling, but not spend much more time on it. I build an initial lather on my face because the scrubbing cleans the face. At that point I might rinse and do a normal 2 minute soak and build a normal microfoam lather because I do enjoy the luxurious feeling of a nice lather. More often, I rinse and immediately build a second soaking wet droopy lather and let it sit on my face for two minutes or longer.
Either way, during the shave I relather immediately after doing a small area to make sure the beard stays wet constantly. Since either lather tends to dry out after a while, I might redo other parts of my face when I'm reapplying the area. Just a quick swipe is enough. In reality, only a thin outer skin dries out with a thick lather, but I often work rather fast and use a really thin layer that will completely dry out pretty quick. Since I'm not trying to build a real lather each time, this all goes pretty fast. Sometimes, to speed this up, I keep the brush in one hand and the razor in the other.
That's my utilitarian approach to going as fast as possible. It works very well for me. Like I said before, this isn't the most satisfying shave, but it is comfortable. There's a spectrum between this and the traditional thick lather, slow satisfying shave. Depending on my mood and available time I'll go anywhere along this spectrum. The key thing for me is to keep the beard thoroughly wet constantly starting from two or three minutes before the shave straight through to the final post-shave rinse, while also having the protection and grease from the shaving soap to get a comfortable shave.
Finally, I do take shortcuts. There's no reason to make a lather for the two minute soak. Just making a soapy solution is enough to clean the face, so this first lather can be a real dog, as long as the face stays wet and there's enough soap to clean the face. I do this especially when I do a full proper shave. Dog of a lather to clean, then rinse, add some more fresh dog lather, apply the towel, and so on. Some people would probably object to using their brush for cleaning the face, but it's really ideal for that purpose. If you like, get a second cheaper brush for the cleaning part.
It's not clear to me whether a microfoam or droopy lather is better. There are some properties of a foam that might account for a better shave. From what I can understand of the test papers I've read, it all depends on the speed and pressure you shave with, and the micro-bump and related friction properties of the skin and blade, as well as blade material and geometry. A lot of it is related to the electrical (i.e. friction) properties at work at the atomic level as well as the thin-layer properties of the lubricant--shaving soap--and its interaction with the blade and skin. Really complicated stuff, so that noone really knows the answer, or at least those that do aren't telling. I do feel a difference between a microfoam and a droppy lather, but it's not the kind of difference where one is better. They're different. And in practice it depends a lot on whether I'm shaving fast or slow. Foam seems better for a slow shave, and droopy for a fast one. From what I read in the papers, my brain wants to come to the opposite conclusion. It seems to me that lower friction should be better, but apparently that's not the whole answer. I probably cut physics class that day. Seriously, though, noone seems to know for sure, so you have to try things for yourself.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #13
Yes kinda sorta. I like to lather up and then put my washcloth that has been soaked in the hot water in the sink on my face for a while twice as a prep. Sometimes I lather up and then massage the lather into my face for a while . . . either way makes a vast improvement from just starting as soon as possible. I think whiskers do take some time to soften. And soft whiskers for me results in a better shave.
- Thread starter
- #15
Good to hear, Paul...that's what (most) of us are here for! Well, that, and razor porn and The Clown House...
I'm a big believer in letting the lather sit for a couple minutes. I use the time to brush my teeth.
This 1957 Science & Mechanics article was the basis for my conversion to the lather-and-let-it-sit camp, and it caused a marked upswing in the quality of my shaves. The hot towel on the lather, or Kyle's prep, is as good or better, and might be more luxurious, but it's also more of a chore. I follow the routine in this article, and it's paid off for me.
The instructions for the 1904 Gillette Doublering start out like this:
"1st, get the best soap that money can buy. 2nd, Soften the beard thoroughly before using the razor. Give the lather time to act and rub it in well, taking care not to irritate the skin. Remember that the barber rubs the lather in for several minutes - for he knows that no razor, no matter how sharp will shave well until the beard has become well softened. Hot or warm water causes the lather to act more quickly than cold water. Do not condemn any razor until you know what it will do when the face is in proper condition for shaving."
Great advice one hundred and six years ago, great advice now.
Even the knuckleheads at the Proctor and Gamble shadow of Gillette advocate three minutes of water before letting their canned goo sit for a minute.
This 1957 Science & Mechanics article was the basis for my conversion to the lather-and-let-it-sit camp, and it caused a marked upswing in the quality of my shaves. The hot towel on the lather, or Kyle's prep, is as good or better, and might be more luxurious, but it's also more of a chore. I follow the routine in this article, and it's paid off for me.
- Wash face with soap and water, rinse and leave wet
- Lather up, let sit for two minutes
- Shave
The instructions for the 1904 Gillette Doublering start out like this:
"1st, get the best soap that money can buy. 2nd, Soften the beard thoroughly before using the razor. Give the lather time to act and rub it in well, taking care not to irritate the skin. Remember that the barber rubs the lather in for several minutes - for he knows that no razor, no matter how sharp will shave well until the beard has become well softened. Hot or warm water causes the lather to act more quickly than cold water. Do not condemn any razor until you know what it will do when the face is in proper condition for shaving."
Great advice one hundred and six years ago, great advice now.
Even the knuckleheads at the Proctor and Gamble shadow of Gillette advocate three minutes of water before letting their canned goo sit for a minute.
The Proraso tube instructs the user to let sit apx 3 minutes in order to soften the beard
Before making the lather I usually rub some cream on my face and let it sit. I rinse it off before lathering. Maybe next time I'll try letting the lather sit too.
I'd think just using cream would be far less effective than lather, since you haven't added water yet. There's quite a few variables in effective prep, but water is probably the most important one. When I'm using creams, which I have to admit isn't a lot anymore, I'll start the first application to the face before the lather has really formed, while it's still pretty much just cream and water. Then finish the whipping and lather for the shave.
