What am I doing wrong?

[sisk]

Ok, confession time. I use super lather not because I want to but because every time I try to shave with just soap I end up with a frothy, bubbly foam instead of a proper lather. If I try to use it it evaporates almost as soon as its on my face. I've tried squeezing my brush out better, loading it longer, loading twice, using more water, soaking the soap and watching and rewatching just about every lathering video I could find. I've been thinking I'd get it eventually, but I'm really beginning to get frustrated with soaps. I want to use a soap, I really do, but this is driving me nuts. I'm close to giving up and just using Proraso all the time.

I know a good lather can be had from soap because I've accomplished it once. What am I doing wrong?

 

[cmyoung19]

I've struggled with this myself recently. The biggest thing that I found to be my problem was not whisking the soap quickly enough. With the cream (Bigelow for me), I can get a good lather by basically just stirring it around the bowl. Soap requires a more intense effort, sustained over a longer period. The reward for the extra effort is a thicker, slicker lather than I've been able to obtain from cream.

 

[EPMD]

Do you face lather? I find the instantaneous feedback on my face really helps.

 

[mjemec]

When loading soap it's good practice to count to 30 or more in your head. That way you truly are loading for 30+ seconds. I know when I started using soaps I loaded for too little time (i.e. 10 - 15) when I thought I had loaded for longer. Couting in my head helped fix this and it now comes as second nature.

 

[JBLA]

Which soap are you using? Different soaps take slightly different techniques.

 

[kiwimike]

What soap are you using?
Heres what i do-
Soak the puck, dump the water, shake the water out of the brush, load briskly but lightly for a full minute, wet your face, and face lather.
Start out using light pressure and gradually increase it so that the breach of the brush is opened to release the water.
Really work the brush on your face and dip just the tips of the brush in the sink water to add small amounts of water at a time until you get a nice shine to the lather.
Now a really good way to tell if your lather is good is by rubbing it between your thumb and forefinger.
It should be slippery but still provide a cushion between your fingers so you can't feel your finger prints.
Do this test regularly throughout the lathering process until you get both the cushion and glide that works best for you.

 

[HerrWalters]

I am not an expert, but I have had similar troubles. I think you may have either too much water or not enough soap. I switched to a cream and my life is better as a result. However, I still practice building a lather in my spare time with the soap. My main goal is simply making sure that it does not evaporate or disappear by the time I have shaved a quarter of my face (it did when I first started). Now it actually stays on there for a few minutes (yes I have stood in my bathroom building lather and just applying it to my face without the need for a shave). While making my lather I add a few drops of water at a time. I simply stick my hand in the basin and get it a little damp and tap my hand on the bowl 3-5 times. And I continue to build more lather, pumping every so often as I go. The one thing that has helped me the most was getting a better brush. My first badger definitely had some major improvements compared to the VDH Deluxe I was using before. Again, I am not an expert, but I have been noticing improvement. Lathering up with cream is easier so I use a cream (AOS unscented) when time is of the essence. However, I still work on my soap (VDH deluxe) lathering to build the skill. Hope this was of some help.

 

[martym]

This is how I do it (I bowl lather) and it works every time:
I pour a little water on top of my soap in my bowl and leave my brush dry. I then start working my brush in a circle until my brush starts "dragging" on top of the soap and my lather looks like melted marshmallow cream. If I put in too much water, then in just have to work it a little longer. If I put in too little water, I just have to add a bit more water.
I apply my lather with my hand so that I have a feel for it on my face. If it is too dry, I wet my hand and work it to a wonderful slickness on my face. If it is too wet, then I didn't work it enough in the bowl. Each soap is different but you will get to know what each one wants.
I hope this and the other suggestions help.

 

[aimsport]

Put a layer of water on your soap as you soak your brush. (You can skip this step as you get better. It is just an aid).
After soaking your brush, squeeze it out so that it is damp not soppy.
Pour off the water.
Load soap five times longer than you usually do or until you are sure you have made "cake"... a creamy paste like load of soap. If you get excessive bubbles then you still have too much water.
Then put a little water in your bowl or splash on your face and lather.

As you get better you will learn how to skip or shorten steps and still get the lather you need.

If that fails try a different soap or use a bottle of distilled water.

Please do not give up. It is worth it.

If you are following these steps the only way you could get the same bad results is if you are trying to make a go with Herban Cowboy shaving soap. If so, make that a shower soap and get another soap.

 

[deruitem]

Cut back on water or add product. Also give it more mixing time. Most of my soaps I start with what looks like to much water but give it another 30 seconds of mixing and I have it just like I want it.

What product are you using?

 

[ackvil]

Cut back on water or add product. Also give it more mixing time. Most of my soaps I start with what looks like to much water but give it another 30 seconds of mixing and I have it just like I want it.

What product are you using?

+1. More soap and more mixing time = perfect lather.

 

[shave/brush]

To start with you should soak your brush good, then before you start to load the soap shake all the water out of it. The brush should be just damp when you start to load the soap. After loading your soap you go to a lather bowl. I rinse my lather bowl out and dump the water and what is left (about a half of a teaspoon) use to whip up your lather.
If it seems you need to add water, just add a few drops of water, 5 or 6, at a time. That should do it.

 

[Strapps]

I found that soaking the puck with some soaps leads to an instantly bubbly, thin lather that is difficult to get up to par. In that case I have better luck soaking the brush, squeezing the water out and then loading the dry puck until pasty. From there, the difficult part for me is having the patience to slowly bring in more water, as sometimes I just need to get rolling, add too much water too quickly, and thin it out too much.

 

[Hinano_Paul]

As many have referenced load it like you hate it! Add water slowly. I get great results 99% of the time.

But also depends on your water hard vs. soft. I have pretty hard water so I just use bottles of distilled. Once I switched my water my lathers became 200% better. and take your time soaps do require more work.

Best of luck!

 

[weizemanner]

Nothing wrong with using cream. Nothing wrong with superlathers either...

I would try using bottled/distilled water first. It is the easiest change and rules out one of the three ingredients of lather. Soap, Water, You.

We can't rule out anything regarding your soaps until you tell us what you are using.

 

[General__Specific]

I just want to throw this in here because it's an issue that can be really hard to figure out. If your brush has been exposed to oil of some kind that will kill your lather almost as soon as it's made. Preshave oils can do this as well. So, just as an experiment wash it out really well with some dish soap. Dawn or Palmolive is fine. If it doesn't help, no harm done.

 

[Matthijs]

For me it was: more water, more product. I have quite soft water, that will make it easier.
Also, check this thread, it has helped me a lot http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/21136-How-to-make-great-lather-from-a-soap-Tutorial
It summarizes a lot of the great advice already in this thread and it has pictures as well for comparison

 

[Eeyore]

Do you face lather? I find the instantaneous feedback on my face really helps.

Ditto!

In general, I would say; not enough product, adding too much water too soon, or a lousy soap or creme.

For easy lathering soaps, try the Palmolive or Arko sticks.