What causes a good lather to dissipate?

[Rosseforp]

I had the same problem until I switched to using bottled or filtered water. Make a !00% difference.

 

[Ivo4u2]

I find my lather dissipates if I use any preshave oil, or preshave cream such as Proraso, and found neither added any benefit to my shave so have long since stopped using them. I used up the Proraso as a menthol body moisturiser - very refreshing.

Try paa cube pre shave soap if needed you can even shave with it.

 

[Fukushima Daiichi]

I have not experienced my boar brushes choking lather since I started soaking them in RO purified water or distilled. I also use the dreaded Semogue OC and Semogue 830 which are well known for disappearing lather. I also get three passes of lather off one load from a shave stick Arko, La Toja, Palmolive or Razorock. I also exclusively face lather.

 

[Noodles]

In recent experiments, I’m trying to build a very wet lather which is more on the thin side. It’s a bit shocking how much water I can add and still have decent lather. My theory is more wet is more slick is less irritating (stolen from @AimlessWanderer). And, counterintuitively, more cushion does not mean less irritation. But, it may mean more dissipating lather.

The only product where I have experienced dissipating lather was MWF. I don’t think I added enough water in retrospect. I will try again with MWF after 3017ing some others. I’m using water softened water, so starting from a good place.

 

[OkieStubble]

I would suggest you try a new brush. I have two Semogue boar brushes and have difficult getting a great lather with both of them. I have a Omega 10098 Professional boar which does a great job with hard soaps like Tabac, but I would never consider using it with creams and softer soaps.

I find that synthetic brushes are highly versatile in lathering both hard soaps and soft soaps. Thus, when lathering a new soap I have not tried before, I use a synthetic brush until I figure out if another type of brush will work better.

Hard water can be troublesome, especially with some soaps. Some soaps are specifically formulated to be user friendly in hard water. Tabac contains EDTA which is a chelating agent that should help with lathering in hard water. Adding a pinch of citric acid powder, or a squirt of lemon juice to the water used to build you lather might help as well.

I use high quality soaps and build my lather in a bowl. A ten second load with many artisan soaps will generate enough lather for five passes and still have soap left in the bowl and the brush. I will add a few drops of water to the bowl between passes to keep the lather from drying out.

Good post. I have owned and used many the badger, boar and horse brush. I am a face latherer and the intial lathering of any brush on the first pass has always been a phenomenal lather. But I have found, that most hair brushes, when they sit full of lather, waiting for the first pass to be completed, Since the hair brushes retain more water then synthetic brushes, the hair brushes imo, tend to help the lather in the brush on following passes, dissipate, thin out and in my experience, even lose more warmth and gets colder faster then a synthetic brush.

I only use synthetic brushes now.