Water hardness vs lathering technique -- correlation?

[Shavely Manden]

I lately moved from an area with quite hard water to an area with really, really soft water. (I mean really soft -- I even brew tea with unfiltered tap water sometimes.) This's changed a few of my shaving preferences: e.g., before moving, I loved MdC for its latherability, but now I prefer my bowl of Vitos Cocco, since drying is suddenly more of a problem than being able to lather.

The biggest change, though, has been in my lathering technique. With the hard water, I was a bowl-lathering devotee -- any time I tried face lathering, it invariably lead to disappointing results, and only with bowl-lathering could I get right the several minutes of loading, whipping, and gentle sprinkling to get a workable lather. Now, a good lather springs from the brush almost immediately, no matter what I do -- and my bowl has gone unused for weeks. Indeed, I think soft water has made me a face-latherer. That got me wondering if the same was true for everyone else -- so, what sort of water do y'all have, and do you face-lather, bowl-lather, or something else?

 

[josh_k]

The water where I live is very hard. I've never even tried face lathering because I'm pretty sure it would get me nowhere. Perhaps I should try it sometime if I travel to someplace with softer water.

 

[ackvil]

I have soft water thanks to a water softener and bowl lather. However, when I visit my brother-in-law they have hard water and I use a shave stick and face lather.

 

[Mr5x5]

I have hard water. I got around that by buying a gallon of water from the big box mart. I can heat some water in a bowl to soak the brush or put it in the fridge if I want a cold water shave.

Isn't Art king of water hardness?

 

[BlackBard]

I always and only face lather, whether I have hard or soft water. I've been doing it that way for over 45 years in many different locations. Certainly soft water makes for easier lathering, but it does not dictate my lathering method. Since I could not vote for more than one choice, I did not vote in the poll.

 

[Rylos]

I definitely can find the sweet spot for my lather better when using a bowl vs face lathering. The water in my community is pretty hard and I don't like lugging a jug of distilled water around to make lather. I try every now and then to face lather and it allows for a decent shave, but I tend to get my best shaves when using a bowl to lather.

 

[danjared]

I live in the Southwest (southern NM to be more specific), which has the hardest water in the US. If I leave even a drop of water in a mug, there will be a white spot there when it dries (doesn't take too long in the desert). I do not notice any difference in how easy it is to lather in a bowl versus on my face. Adding water to the brush for face lathering is a matter of adding water to the brush, which is pretty easy if you set the faucet to drip slowly. However, I do notice a difference between using cold water and using hot water. The hot water takes a greater toll on my brushes (more deposits left on the base of the knot and shorter life for the hairs) and my razors (more water stains). The heat from the water helps with lathering perhaps, but the extra minerals don't.

 

[T-Dog]

I installed a water softening unit in my home just last week (no kidding); we had very hard water before that! I have already noticed that face-lathering is easier, and that good soaps leave my face soft and moist.

 

[bkfist]

I installed a water softening unit in my home just last week (no kidding); we had very hard water before that! I have already noticed that face-lathering is easier, and that good soaps leave my face soft and moist.

I suggest you give your brush(es) a good vinegar soak... Your newly found soft water will *slowly* remove the mineral deposits from the brushes, but until those are, gone, they will actually affect your lather, less as time goes on, obviously, but a good cleaning and vinegar soak to remove the minerals will help a lot.

Another thing is your hot water will continue to get softer and softer as some of the looser minerals in your hot water heater dissolve into the soft water, making it *slightly* harder than it should be, unless, of course, you also replaced your water heater.

Once you get your brushes good and clean, you likely will never need to clean them again. I've been using the same badger brush for about 17 years now and I've *never* cleaned it, and it has zero deposits around the base. I just rinse *well* by plunging it up and down it a bowl of water, shaking out, plunge again, repeat until the water is clear after "pumping" the brush up and down in the bowl of water.

 

[BrianL]

The best appliance purchase ever by far is my water softener. I face lather and when I go on vacation if they have hard water I will usually start the lather on the side of the sink as to not overwork my face.

 

[k2clones29]

When I started I face lathered. I never got into bowl lathering. I moved to an area with exceptionally hard water. I got an electric kettle and now heat distilled water just to keep face lathering.