Sorry, for the late response.Any tips? Let it bloom? Start wetter, drier?
I bloom the soap and soak brush for 5-10 minutes, or however long it takes me to shower. I squeeze the water out of the brush by hand, then squeeze the brush again with a dry towel. I leave the bloom water on the pick and start loading the brush. I use a very small amount of water for blooming, about 8 drops, just enough to require using my fingers to spread the water over the rest of the puck. Sometimes I need to add water as I go. It is still a work in progress, but that is my current method. I actually like experimenting with how I load various soaps. Trumper's hard soaps take the most effort with my water.