Either my face eats lather, or. . .

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by Jasman, Aug 8, 2013.

  1. Jasman

    Jasman Well-Known Member

    There's something wonky about my lather creation technique, or LeisureGuy's repeated mantra of "you don't need much" somehow doesn't apply to me. I have read and watched with care several different tutorials on lather creation, and what they're getting for lather is but a dream for me in both thickness and longevity.

    I face lather with a glycerin-based soap; I find the sensation of the brush working up the lather on my face to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the shave. I hope I do not have to change that in order to produce good lather. I find I need to load my (boar) brushes for up to 45 seconds to have sufficient product, with "sufficient" here meaning I don't need to return to the puck for the first lather cycle, and - if I'm lucky that day - the second lather cycle. Some time between the second and third time lathering up, I am obligated to go back to the puck, and often need to re-lather my neck during the second and/or third passes with the razor.

    Any suggestions?
     
  2. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Try *this* - it's how I lather all my soaps. Always enough for 4-5 passes.
     
  3. Jasman

    Jasman Well-Known Member

    Unfortunately, your guide to lathering TSD products was included among the "several different tutorials" I mentioned; following your listed procedure to the best of my ability still requires me to reload the brush before the 3rd pass, if not during the second.
     
  4. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    A difference, don't know if it's much, but that was for bowl lathering, not necessarily for face lathering. Personally I don't like to create the lather on my face, but that's me. I much prefer the bowl.

    hmmm... so many factors play into what works for me and what works for others:
    - size of brush
    - type of brush
    - type of soap or cream
    - hardness/softness of water
    - how much is "shake out most of the water"
    - how hard is that "shake or two" made
    - how damp is "damp"
    - how much pressure is put on the puck with the brush
    - how long is "for a while"

    The only thing I can offer is to practice by varying as much of the above as you can. You'll get! May take a while, but hang in there. We believe in ya!!
     
  5. CJames

    CJames Well-Known Member

    :signs011: Products certainly vary in their ability to produce a quality stable lather as well. If all of the above varying techniques fail, I would have someone you know who doesn't have the same issues come over and try a few lathers with you present. I have done this on different occasions with a couple friends. Most of this we found out was due to serious operator error, which doesn't seem to be your issue, but who knows. SWMBO was also having major lathering issues, but we found out hers were due to the brush...She uses a WD Silvertip @ 30mm, which holds a ton of water. She just had way to much water to ever produce anything but a thin lather. Good luck to you...Life's too short to settle for inferior lather - Keep at it!
     
  6. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    What is the brand of soap you are using? Not all brands lather equally well. (Also,, is it a shaving soap or just a regular glycerin soap?)
     
  7. Jasman

    Jasman Well-Known Member

    Ginger's Garden glycerin shaving soap.
     
  8. Erik Redd

    Erik Redd Lizabeth, baby, I'm comin' to join ya.

    Here's some good videos you might not have seen
    http://wetshavingproducts.com/shaving-brush-lathering-videos/

    You might try hand lathering to see if you can duplicate what's on the video. If you can't, you should try with a different soap and see how it is.

    I don't seem to get glycerin soap lathers to last very well either and as a result, I rarely use them. I just like the italian soft soaps too much.
     
  9. Leo K.

    Leo K. Well-Known Member

    I'm a bowl latherer so I can't comment on the face lather process, but I'm hoping you find the solution soon, I'm rooting for ya! Have you tried a tallow based soap yet? When I started lathering I had problems getting enough lather too, in the end I just added lots more water and the lather exploded.
     
  10. offroad64

    offroad64 a shoulder to cry on

    How hard is the water in your area? That can be a major factor. :signs002:
     
    jaystone likes this.
  11. gzp

    gzp Well-Known Member

    Is this your first and only soap so far? It might be worth trying something inexpensive and local to see if you get the same results. I believe Kiss My Face has a good reputation for latherability, you could try it alone or add a little to the glycerine soap. Trying some different things can help narrow down whether it's the soap, the water, you or something else.
     
  12. BigT

    BigT Well-Known Member

    It could be hard water. To find out just get you a bottle of distilled water an try it to make your lather.
     
  13. Jasman

    Jasman Well-Known Member

    As my SoTD contributions indicate, I've used VDH soaps, both the unscented and scented varieties. While the amount of time I take to build the lather varies a bit with each, the longevity of the lather has continued to be an issue, whether I've done it in the Eastern United States or in the Pacific Northwest.
     
  14. Ryan B

    Ryan B Knight of the Soapocracy

    Try loading the brush for 45-60 seconds. Then just dip the tips of the brush in water to add as much as you need.
     
  15. Jasman

    Jasman Well-Known Member

    I mention this as my default technique in the opening post.
     
  16. Weeper Warrior

    Weeper Warrior Well-Known Member

    Have you tried a badger brush? I face lather and find boar will not hold enough lather for all passes. IMHO
     
  17. Jasman

    Jasman Well-Known Member

    No, as of yet I have neither invested in a badger, nor been lucky enough to get one in a PIF. I am curious as to whether it's the general consensus that boar brushes are not suitable for face lathering.
     
  18. Weeper Warrior

    Weeper Warrior Well-Known Member

    I don't know if it is or not. I have never seen a Boar for sale with the comment "great face lathering brush" but have seen plenty of badgers with it.

    How long do you soak the boar before you use it?
     
  19. BigT

    BigT Well-Known Member

    I only use boar brushes and can tell you it is very difficult (for me ) to face lather unless the boar is very well broken in.
     
    Weeper Warrior likes this.
  20. Erik Redd

    Erik Redd Lizabeth, baby, I'm comin' to join ya.

    I face lather with an Omega 49 that does an excellent job. It's a big brush and I make sure it's heavily loaded, which may be one reason I have more success with italian soft soaps, but then I have plenty of lather.
     

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