What is Cushion?

[Phoenixkh]

Cushion is a very specific lather ruining property, which mutes awareness of what's happening with the sharpened piece of hardened steel traversing across your face. It's purpose is to lure gullible shavers into buying more stuff.

To produce effective cushion in your lather, you have to use far more soap than is needed for a good shave, and beat far too much air into it, using a superfluous shave bowl, and ideally, an overly large brush. This greedily rich and highly aerated garbage, should then be trowelled onto the face at an excessive depth. It's rumoured that any surplus lather can actually be used as cavity wall insulation.

If generated correctly, the cushion renders tactile feedback through the razor to its lowest practical level, to give the razor operator an illusion of smooth performance. All the while, the now disguised shave dynamics are lulling the poor misguided soul into thinking they need more aggressive razors, preparatory substances and rituals, and a myriad of other purchases, to get a close shave, and overcome the ensuing calamities, suffered from shaving through eye wateringly smelly cake icing.

The inability to feel what's happening on the face, allows the shaver to destroy his blades quicker, by disguising poor angle, incorrect cutting height, and inappropriate pressure. Even if used at the correct height and pressure, the lower lubrication inherent in the lather, can make still sharp blades seem dull, so the shaver still swaps the blade sooner and buys more.

The grossly excessive density also needs more pressure on the razor to get the blade to skin level than the well hydrated, thin and slick layer of supreme slickness, that is necessary for shaves that are actually any good. This allows heavy handed oafs a smaller transition in pressure reduction from the ham fisted application of a cartridge razor, compared with the transition to a featherlight kiss that a skilled traditional shaver would utilise, on proper thin and slick lather. The quick transition to an illusion of competence, creates a gateway for the instant gratification crowd, by hiding the fact that there is actually a skill to be learned in order to shave well.

All the above specifics, cement the idea that the hapless numpty driving the face plow, is not the one at fault for injuries caused. The idea that it's a coarse beard and highly sensitive skin that are leading to bits of their face to fall into the sink, can therefore be enjoyed in blissful ignorance. Of course that false pretence also justifies yet more spending for the all problems "not of their causing" to be mitigated. As such, the sales of balms, alum, styptic pencils, sutures and superglue are also increased by this wonderfully multi-facetted marketting gimmickery.

Therefore the "cushion deception" has thus fuelled the credit card owner to fund more razors, bigger brushes, more blades, porcelain items designed to be dropped from wet soapy fingers onto tiled floors, and a myriad of ancillary lotions, potions, and blood clotting pharmaceuticals. This is the engine which keeps many dozens of people around the world in gainful employment at traditional shaving suppliers, potteries, and kitchen sink soap makers. Additional economic benefits can be had in the locality of inept shavers, through plumbers clearing out pipes clogged up with superfatted soaps, and plastic surgeons sewing lips back on.

The rewards for the shaver, to offset the inordinate expense and frequent epidermal assaults, include the feeling of wearing a meringue on your face for thirty seconds before the shave, and the additional thickness and density making the lather turn pink less quickly. The latter allowing the shaver to classify arterial wounds as weepers.

As for the lather "lifting the hair", well that's just nonsense.

I tried that Greek yogurt lather once. I immediately added more water and got rid of that razor clogging mess and never tried it again. I’m sorry to say, I don’t understand the lathering problems we see here quite often. You can shoot me if that bothers you but I get great lather, on the wetter side, no matter the soap, brush and/or bowl I use. I do have medical skin issues so I use predominantly unscented soaps, so it’s likely I’ve avoided the more difficult soaps out there. I don’t face lather for the same reason but it shouldn’t matter unless you are trying to duplicate the YouTube videos and making lather that takes half an hour and doesn’t work.

One man’s opinion.

 

[ateace]

The term "cushion" might be misleading. With certain products, the consistency of the lather can be very thick and creamy and
may lead to the feeling of "cushion" as you shave. Still, as others have said, the blade must come in contact with the skin for a close shave.
To me the more noticeable sensation is the lack of "cushion", say with a non-lathering cream.
With those products, you need a lot of slickness and glide to have a good shave.

 

[Lane101]

Although Johan explains it well….

I’m still perplexed. Does “cushion” exist? Is it simply “thickness” of a lather?

Is cushion a dream chase of the ultimate shave - close yet non-irritating?

Some have said cushion is a myth. Others swear they hold it in their hand. Let’s put an end to this once and for all!

Does cushion exist?

Although @AimlessWanderer explains it well my more succinct definition of "cushion" as it relates to shaving lather:

Cushion: A marketing term sometimes used to further extol the the qualities of various shaving soaps and creams that is actually meaningless and made up. In reality what matters is the ease of lathering, lather stability, thickness, moisturizing ability and residual slickness during a shave. Any shaving product that actually left a significant residual cushion would keep one from realizing the desired close shave. Note some refer to cushion as the pre-shave lather thickness while others equate it with the post-shave stroke residual slickness film.

Term is used in contradictory marketing copy such as one product that offers an "ultra-close shave" with "Triple Cushion technology, with three protective layers of Macadamia Nut Oil, Glycerin and Soybean Oil". How can a blended shave cream offer the implied three separate after all the ingredients are mixed together? Note that this product could still be high quality, just the marketing copy makes no sense.

 

[brucered]

Although @AimlessWanderer explains it well my more succinct definition of "cushion" as it relates to shaving lather:

Cushion: A marketing term sometimes used to further extol the the qualities of various shaving soaps and creams that is actually meaningless and made up. In reality what matters is the ease of lathering, lather stability, thickness, moisturizing ability and residual slickness during a shave. Any shaving product that actually left a significant residual cushion would keep one from realizing the desired close shave. Note some refer to cushion as the pre-shave lather thickness while others equate it with the post-shave stroke residual slickness film.

Term is used in contradictory marketing copy such as one product that offers an "ultra-close shave" with "Triple Cushion technology, with three protective layers of Macadamia Nut Oil, Glycerin and Soybean Oil". How can a blended shave cream offer the implied three separate after all the ingredients are mixed together? Note that this product could still be high quality, just the marketing copy makes no sense.

I won't shave with any less than "Quad Cushion technology".

 

[Lane101]

I won't shave with any less than "Quad Cushion technology".

Likely the protection offered by "Quad Cushion" shave cream technology is most useful when shaving with the Mad TV Mach 20 razor (see Youtube video spoof ad). Raises post-shave survival rate from single to double digits.

 

[steveclarkus]

Although Johan explains it well….

I’m still perplexed. Does “cushion” exist? Is it simply “thickness” of a lather?

Is cushion a dream chase of the ultimate shave - close yet non-irritating?

Some have said cushion is a myth. Others swear they hold it in their hand. Let’s put an end to this once and for all!

Does cushion exist?

In my opinion, no.

 

[luvmysuper]

I never believed it before, but I'm a believer now!
I bought some canned foam to use, and once I put it on my face - it felt like the blade wasn't even touching my skin!

Spoiler