Warm soap lather?

[RayClem]

I love warm lather. There are multiple ways of getting there. A shaving scuttle is the traditional way of keeping lather warm. I use a different method.

I purchased a Glade electric candle/wax warmer. It is designed to melt wax at about 120 degrees F. That is a good temperature for shave lather. To allow for optimum heat transfer, you need a shave bowl or mug with a flat bottom. Many have a ring around the outside. I use the mortar bowl from a mortar and pestle set. The inside of the bowl is textured as the bowl is designed to grind spices. That textured surface is great for developing a lather. I can normally produce a lather ready to be applied to my face in about 30-40 seconds. It will take much longer with a smooth bowl.

I have my wax warmer on a timer so that it will cut off automatically when my shave is done. Since you will be using the candle warmer within a few feet of your sink, be sure the outlet is protected by a GFCI in the event the electric appliance comes in contact with water.

I love this method as it maintains the lather at the same temperature throughout the shave. One drawback of this method is that the hear will cause moisture to evaporate from the lather during the shave. Thus, you might need to add a few drops of water to the lather as you progress from one shave pass to the next.

 

[CCS]

Would a bowl on a candle warmer work?

Maybe a repurposed fondue pot??

 

[razorboi]

Would a bowl on a candle warmer work?

How 'bout a chafing dish...with cognac?
Savon flambé, Monsieur?

 

[Old Hippie]

(Also, curse you for bringing this to my attention. Is there no end to the rabbit holes?)

Our brother @KQY61 would say yes, but it's up to you to pull the brake.

I have noticed that it's pretty much all rabbit holes so I have been selective and limit myself to just a couple. One of them, and the deepest, is slant razors.

Yeah, lather scuttles are cool. An alternative is a brush scuttle, that simply keeps the brush warm. I discovered that in winter particularly, warm lather tends to make my skin easier to irritate. In summer cold lather -- particularly a nice strong minty soap -- feels really good.

Cool lather and a cold-water rinse which is bloody cold straight out of the well in winter seems to work well enough for me.

O.H.

 

[RouxBlade]

I ended up not getting a scuttle, at least not yet. Picked up a granite bowl that I soak in hot water while I shower. It keeps the lather warm.

Just got it today. That's not enough time to decide how the warm lather performs compared to cool or cold. But it sure did feel nice.

I'll post a pic of the bowl sometime in the near future. My new omega synthetic brush also came today. It was a big day for shaving.

 

[Oregon]

I've recently spent some serious time on the internet looking for a shave bowl with a lid. I want to leave it on my countertop so, my requirements are that it look nice and cover the soap I leave in the bowl. Found a marble bowl with matching marble lid on Amazon that is sold in black or white as salt and pepper shakers. Even comes with a spoon. I bought the black one. It's really nice, but a little small for a full size puck. There are several stainless steel bowls that come with a lid, but I'm going to try the marble one for a while and see how I like it. Stainless steel just seems like something I would use to mix a salad. Also found a number of wooden bowls with lids. A wooden shaving bowl is not for me.

 

[CCS]

I think the longer one shaves, the more one finds that cold things with regards to knives against skin are better. My first pass with lather is always warmish to warm because I warm my brush first. EVERYTHING else following is cold - following passes, razor, rinses, etc. Well water cold. I'm convinced it's what allows me my daily BBS shave without looking like I fell off my bike on my face.

 

[Eric_75]

My first pass with lather is always warmish to warm because I warm my brush first. EVERYTHING else following is cold - following passes, razor, rinses, etc.

I pretty much do that as well.

 

[DEgeezer]

I think the longer one shaves, the more one finds that cold things with regards to knives against skin are better.......

Well I've been wet shaving for over 60 years, and have always liked my lather warm, and coffee hot. But to each his own.

 

[CCS]

Well I've been wet shaving for over 60 years, and have always liked my lather warm, and coffee hot. But to each his own.

Indeed although I personally don't shave with coffee or allow it in a bathroom. I love the British saying about horses for courses.

 

[Robert6891]

I've tried many ways of warming my lather, from the simple, to the fancy, to the absurd. I find my scuttle to be easiest and most convenient, though it takes a bit more work to build a good lather in. I'm working with a friend that does pottery to come up with a slightly different design that I feel will build a better lather, and be a little easier to use.

 

[OkieStubble]

I’m pretty old skool’ and am a face latherer. Usually, the first lather with the brush is warm. The trouble many have, is after their first pass with the razor and they pick the brush back up to re-lather.

I can just put whatever bowl or mug I’m using that day on top of a potpourri warmer.

Or, drop my brush full of lather upside down into a gravy warmer.

Or you can just buy a shave scuttle.

 

[flask28]

This video made me laugh, he's so excited about the warm lather! After watching this I'm counting the days till I get a scuttle.

Boom, Lather!

 

[doctordial]

For those of you that might prefer warm lather, how do you achieve it?

I came across this marbel shaving bowl on Amazon. It's $35 and I've made myself promise not to buy it or any more shaving products for a while. (The new shaving soap and aftershave balm arriving tomorrow don't count.)

https://a.co/d/7oRSD6r

Among other things it claims that the "Bowl will naturally retain the heat and warm up your shaving lather for a more comfortable shave."

It got me to thinking that my soap is always cold when it gets to my face. And for all I know, that might be the way I prefer it. It's refreshing at times. I also wonder if the cool soap might close my pores. And so help me I can't get warm lather. And so help me it sounds nice.

I definitely prefer soap to cream and lathering in a bowl. I've tried warm and hot water but it doesn't make a difference.

Right now I'm loading to brush and transferring the soap to a bowl about 3 times to get enough lather for multiple passes. No way would the small amount of water I'm using keep the soap warm for that long.

Maybe I should use more water? Or are you suggesting I buy the bowl and try it? If so thats hard to argue.

For those of you that might prefer warm lather, how do you achieve it?

I came across this marbel shaving bowl on Amazon. It's $35 and I've made myself promise not to buy it or any more shaving products for a while. (The new shaving soap and aftershave balm arriving tomorrow don't count.)

https://a.co/d/7oRSD6r

Among other things it claims that the "Bowl will naturally retain the heat and warm up your shaving lather for a more comfortable shave."

It got me to thinking that my soap is always cold when it gets to my face. And for all I know, that might be the way I prefer it. It's refreshing at times. I also wonder if the cool soap might close my pores. And so help me I can't get warm lather. And so help me it sounds nice.

I definitely prefer soap to cream and lathering in a bowl. I've tried warm and hot water but it doesn't make a difference.

Right now I'm loading to brush and transferring the soap to a bowl about 3 times to get enough lather for multiple passes. No way would the small amount of water I'm using keep the soap warm for that long.

Maybe I should use more water? Or are you suggesting I buy the bowl and try it? If so thats hard to argue.

I use a brush scuttle and set it on a coffee warming pad. It tends to dry out the brush a little so I just dip the tip of the brush in some water to bring the the lather back to life and swirl my brush on the soap again.

 

[DEgeezer]

This video made me laugh, he's so excited about the warm lather! After watching this I'm counting the days till I get a scuttle.

Boom, Lather!

I've watched this guy a couple of times, and he looked as clean shaven before shaving as I do after shaving. I'm missing something, I'm sure.

 

[bailsur]

The heat and steam open your pores and softens your facial hair to allow a closer shave without irritation. Once your hair is softened it is easier to cut meaning the blade stays sharp longer and you get a consistently smooth shave.

 

[musicman1951]

There are quite a few machinations you could perform to get warm lather, but none is as easy or effective as a scuttle.

I use a Georgetown G12 for a few reasons:
It's small enough to fit in my left hand while building lather.
It has a stopper, which keeps the water from losing a lot of heat.
The second pass is warmer than the first and the third is warmest of all.
It's very pretty.

Before you consider your shopping choices I suggest you raid the kitchen and try different sized bowls for a few days. You might like a bigger bowl that sits on the sink, rather than holding (although holding makes more comfortable angles possible). You might clank the brush handle on the sides of a too small bowl (something I personally find irritating).

I use fairly (read "too") hot tap water in my scuttle (135-140 degrees) and it does not bother my lather (MdC, SV, WK, Haslinger). But back in the day I had a monstrously large scuttle that would dry out the Proraso cream a little, but sprinkling a few drops of water and a few swirls of the brush and I was right back in business. Some shavers really heat the water for the scuttle, and I'm sure it's possible to get it hot enough for some drying. I have absolutely no problems.

I dabble in face lathering, and in the winter that cold brush on the second pass (yes, I start by warming the brush with that 140 degree water) is startling. Truth be told it's not cold, it's just a great deal colder than what my scuttle provides.

FYI: I have read quite a few forum members purchased Georgetown Pottery seconds for substantial discounts and have a hard time finding any flaws.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I fill my sink with an inch of hot water and rest my lather bowl in the sink. Works great.

I do something similar.

We have a double sink setup in our bathroom. I warm up my wife’s sink and have my brush in my shaving bowl while I’m showering. After I’ve made the lather, I keep the bowl, brush and lather in that sink while using my sink to rinse my brush, etc.

I did try an electric cup warmer but it got the lather too hot.

I have tried cold water shaving. I got great shaving results but I didn’t enjoy the shave as much.

 

[Big Jim]

You want a scuttle:

Scuttle

...

www.badgerandblade.com

+1

 

[MilkCrate]

I mostly face lather and to keep the brush/lather hot for every pass, I use the PAA Brush Warmer. It does a great job and is inexpensive.

I also have a GP scuttle that I use for samples or simple bowl lathering. It also works great. Nothing beats a hot lather shave.