I'm new to wet shaving, will do my first shave this weekend when i have plenty of time. In the meantime i did two practice runs of making lather. I'm curious as to what consistancy I'm looking for? I have west coast shave soap,ocean,smells great. Both trial runs i got nice thick lather that clinged to my brush reall well. Didnt see any bubbles. I'm surprised at how far just a little soap goes. Mixed it in a coffee cup the first time, second time was a much larger cup almost like a soup bowl with a finger handle. Second run i used a little more water,as i read a review that particular soap likes more water. Upon reading great reviews about stirling soap, i ordered 3 samples, and an after shave. I feel like i need options to compare things with.
To me this is the Holy Grail of lather consistency. What I call "Super Goop". Basically what your looking for is a nice sheen on the lather.
Lather is variable and somewhat personal. Some like very thick lather, but I personally like it slicker with more water. You’ll find your preference after a few shaves. I would recommend that you stay with the same brush/soap combo until you get consistent results before introducing other variables. Don’t overthink it. Lathering soap is one of the easiest parts of traditional shaving
I struggled with what to write here yesterday, and didn't do so. This here is way better than I could have put down. Right on!!
Between these two posts, you might as well turn out the lights and lock the thread on your way out. Question answered.
This is akin to asking what vehicle is right for me.... Multiple different answers, and none of them will compare to what YOU think it should be. When I use my TOBS creams, I want a lather that looks as if I dipped my face in a Lemon Meringue pie, however when it comes to Williams Soap, a thin almost watery lather is perfect. There is no right or wrong answer, and there isnt a constant you can base it on. Its simply what coats the face and provides the best protection. That depends on YOU.
Soap is cheap, so play until your happy. I personally like it like mayo or yogurt. Don't need a lot to have great shave.
Lather is simple, weather you like thick or thin lather, it must contain two factors, it must be slick to glide razor while cutting beard and it must stay hydrating, in order to keep beard wet to let blade cut easier. If you feel playful and have the time, you can make those big clouds of lather you see in Ads, don't help the shave but is fun showing off to the wife when she is watching you shave.
This video shows the method that has worked the best for me. I wish I had seen this when I first started out. But, as others have written in, produce the lather that works best for you! Make practice lathers trying different methods. Scrub them on your hand to imitate face lathering or work it up in a bowl. I practiced lathers A LOT when first starting out. Sounds silly but it worked to make them better.
