This issue never came up with Van Der Hagen, Col. Conk or Proraso - but for some reason my puck of TABAC gives me very airy lather. Whether the brush is wet or dry, I can't seem to get a substantial lather. I don't know if I need to learn how to do this, but from what I've heard TABAC is very easy to work up. So why is it giving such subpar results?
What am I doing wrong with TABAC?
- Thread starter salisburyyates
- Start date
Try loading the brush more. That's the only explaination.
As was said, load longer. Don't use a three second-spin. Shake your brush gently until it is not quite damp, then take it to the puck and begin loading. No need to soak the soap. Don't force, don't let the brush just barely touch the surface either. At first there's a bit of airy stuff, which should quickly be replaced with a thick white creamy mass. Keep on folding that onto the soap, pump gently to soak it up at times, and continue loading. You cannot 'overload' because there's only so much soap which can dissolve in the moisture of your brush. You should be done in about 45 to 60 seconds, depending on the moisture level in the brush.
Then continue building elsewhere, either on your face or in a bowl, adding water as necessary. With practice you can reduce the loading time by using a drier brush; in order to get to know the soap it's probably best to make large amounts in order to gain confidence.
if the damp tips of your brush aren't clumped together in a mass with a light covering of soap slag on them, the brush isn't loaded enough. get it loaded...add just a drizzle of hot water on top and go to town.
Triple Milled = drier soap = puck needs to be dampened and get a good swirling to load properly.
I find it difficult **not** to get a good lather with tabac! I agree with the others, and load it longer, and drizzle a small amount of hot water on top while you do your prep.
- Thread starter
- #7
I did a little test lather last night and sure enough, after some extra swirling I got that opaque white consistency. I was just worried about over-stirring and wasting soap, but I guess that's not a big deal with triple-milled.
It's not a deal with any soap whatsoever. You need to use what you need to use. Economising on soap to the point where you make crappy lather, or not enough to obtain a comfortable 2- or 3-pass shave (which always involves making more as the brush will hold some lather too), is not a good idea. It's a puck of soap, not some expensive medicine or anything.
Even with soaps that aren't triple milled it takes a long time to go through them - especially once you pick up a few and are rotating among them. Even my tub of Cella and my Speick that's been milled down into a bowl just seem to last forever.
This is absolutely right. Even if it's a twenty-dollar puck of soap, loading way too much soap on the brush is wasting the equivalent of something like a nickel.
I don't even like to think of it as waste. You will enjoy those delicious mountains of lather!
Don't be afraid of overstirring.... Soaps explode even more when done so...
I'd say you are only likely to waste 1/100th of the soap, but the results will be a much richer, denser and slicker lather and consequently a better shave!
I'd say you are only likely to waste 1/100th of the soap, but the results will be a much richer, denser and slicker lather and consequently a better shave!
What are you doing wrong? Using it.... okay get out the tar and pitchforks
When I first got Tabac, it was like any else I've never tried before. I find each one different. I think it's like learning to ride a bike. Once you get the hang of it, it's neat, but then trying to explain the 'how' is more difficult?!! I'd say from all advice so far you can rest assured you'll get it going soon! I really enjoy the Tabac, so hang in there! Soon you'll probably think, oh yeah, easy, and tons of lather! Enjoy!
I agree. I was just going to tell the guy to stop wasting time and post in on the BST.
What would you suggest instead? Williams?
YEP! Especially the vintage pucks.
- Thread starter
- #16
It's too early in the game to see if I would rebuy it. It's definitely a quality soap after a good lather. Then again I've got Williams and (soon) 6 sticks of Arko so I'm set for some time.
Using the soap alone I have found having similar issues, many tries, many techniques, etc. Alone just not for me, but when i combined it with a cream it is awesome. Try putting a small dap of a cream on the puck when you go to load, the combo makes amazing results.
Put some warm water on the puck and let it soak while you shower or whatever, give it about 5-10 minutes. No more problem.
The only wasted lather is bad lather made from a good soap
EDIT: See someone revived a 2 year old Tabac thread..... not sure that was entirely necessary....
