I had not considered getting the soap wet and letting it dry might affect the quality of subsequent lathers. I shall consider this information. The earliest reference to Soap Blooming I've read stated it was to open up the scent and had little to do with softening to assist loading a hard puck. I tend to enjoy strongly scented soaps and like hard pucks for their perceived value. It's like buying dried beans for pennies or ready to eat drive thru for dollars. Takes a couple of minutes to make the hard puck work but I've got the time.

I make a distinction between opinion, advice, and actual information. How you deliver the message can change the students attitude. I'm guessing with The Voice of Command (like used with a trained dog) you can get your meaning delivered. When sharing opinions we've left open space for dissension and disagreement.

Thank you, Joe!

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Super lineup and shave, Joseph!

Great setup, Joe!

Thanks, Joe!

While wating for the pharmacist to come back from lunch in 10 minutes.....

I filled the bottle 1/3 with menthol crystals, then I just covered them with 151 proof everclear. Warmed the bottle in hot water and shook till all the crystals were desolved.
tp

Well, you are absolutely correct! With that said, I am going to stir up the hornet's nest and say everyone blooms and every one of us does it differently.

My answer to your comment is that I don't waste the lather that is left on the puck and the bloom water. I use the water and the residual lather as a preshave. I then turn the tub upside down to dry the soap.

Thanks Perry!

I guess we are going to break the 8000 mark with ease!

See all the talk about lathering and loading soap did help. Just kidding. Great shave report and photo Joe.

Thank you Joe.

Milling soap removes water. Blooming it replaces that water and dilutes the soap and its constituents. Whilst the un-blooming experienced during dry out removes that water, it removes volitiles in the soap and reformulates what is left to some degree. The soap that is left behind is no where near as dry as it was when originally milled.

All those minerals and stuff in hard water which make lathering difficult remain in the soap!

I would rather not.

Thanks Clint! Lol!

The only thing that "un-blooms" is the water. The fats and fragrances don't.
Red-Herring...Creams are essentially "pre-bloomed" soaps.
You don't lather up your dry body with a dry bar of bath soap, do you? Hard, triple-milled soaps are created with water in mind.

Thank you, Joe.

I disagree. According to your logic, you are only "destroying or changing" the concentration of the soap ingredients when blooming. Well, you are doing it regardless of the hydration method. So, bloom away.

Honestly, you are way over thinking this. A teaspoon of water on top of a soap for a few minutes is no different than using a wetter brush. You need to find a way to load more soap onto the brush. Bloom or don't bloom it doesn't matter. It's your shave so enjoy it your way. You have proved that your current approach is not working. I would suggest that you experiment with a different loading approach. In the end, its not the soap, the brush or the water that matter but the technique. I wish you luck.

I don't bloom my soaps, but I certainly don't have an issue with people who choose to. I will say that in my experience, a brush does not make much of a difference for soap. Don't get me wrong I have my favorite brushes and ones I don't like, but I can take the most floppy Badger brush I have ever had and load the hardest triple milled soap I have without any problems. I think it does come down to some technique. If you do stick with the theme of this thread for a while, you will find that equipment doesn't really have near as much impact on a shave as people like to say. Once again, everyone has their preferences, but pairing specific blades with razors and such doesn't keep you from having or make you have good or even great shaves. With good technique, any equipment that is not faulty (even stapling a DE blade between two popsicle sticks) will give good results.

I've been there, too.

It was pretty embarrassing as a 40 something.

In all seriousness, we have had kids do the same. I'll be praying you get through without too much frustration, but this phase will pass.

I use this method a lot. It's been posted here many times.

August 30th

Proraso PS Red
WWB handle/Zenith Boar
PAA SSS SS
J.A. Henkels INOX 6/8 Friodur 472
PAA SSS AS

Things slowing just a little....at least enough to enjoy a mid day shave and post about it. Still working the straights and kamisoris, as well as software y'all have seen before. Added in a couple adjustable shaves with the Merkur Progress last weekend while traveling.

Received my Friodur back from @gssixgun this morning. Sent it to him for new scales and honing. FANTASTIC work. Images can't do it justice. It's like NEW. Originally...the purchase was slightly disappointing, as the seller didn't quite elaborate on the extent of the warped scales (those angles left out). Live and learn. But, it's all better now! The restoration info is here Friodur Rebuild/Restore

3 pass DFS+ today. Everything worked beautifully. No nicks, weepers, nada. Smooth smooth shaving. The WWB handle w/Zenith boar put together a great lather with the PAA Supreme Sandalwood Science SS. This is another PAA CK6 blend (bloomed with a tbs of hot water while getting ready to shave). Today's lather....gooey sticky (stringy?) at first while loading the brush, then mounds of thick yogurty bliss swirled up in the shave mug. Had the new digs and freshly honed Friodur swiping effortlessly. Followed with matching PAA AS, no feedback. This is an awesome prominent sandalwood aroma (thanks for the enabling!).....to my nose, it's 100x the Hulk of ToBS Sandalwood, with barely a hint of the ToBS sweet 'barbershop' smell.

Tonight...first football game and marching show. Volunteering for drum line duty (moving 30+ 5 gallon jugs of water, pit equipment, and more). At least I'll be smelling good when we start!

Hope everyone has a Fantastic Friday and weekend.