What is the best mug that is good for soaps and creams? I want to buy this one http://muehle-barbierit.ro/index.php?rou...uct_id=204 or this one http://muehle-barbierit.ro/index.php?rou...ct_id=242. The first has a 10 cm diameter and a 7.7 height. The second has a 12 cm diameter and a 5.6 cm height.
There is no "best" mug, just a mug you like. Some prefer a bowl shape with a bottom that rounds up to the sides. Personally, I use chowder mugs that have the bottom meeting the sides at a 90 degree angle. Some insist on a contoured bottom saying it helps build lather. I have a couple of those and don't see any difference from a smooth bottom mug. Part of the fun of all of this is the hunt for that "perfect" razor/blade/soap/mug/brush/aftershave/cologne combo that works for you! Happy hunting!
I have found that any bowl will work fine with a good quality soap and a little practice. Raid your kitchen cabinet for a cereal bowl. I like a $.99 plastic salsa bowl from the dollar store. It's exactly the right size for my hand and has small feet that help me grip it in the shower. There are lots of fancy bowls but you can build great lather in a coffee cup.
Yeah, there's no "best". The lathering vessel is a personal thing. Find something that fits your own personality or lack thereof and make it yours.
Choose what ever tickles your fancy and fits your budget. Besides what Steve said about contours, there are also different bottom textures and with or without handles or protrusions. Currently I'm using a SS Chinese bowl from ebay with the same dimensions as a VDH ceramic bowl I find I like how it fits my hand, it's the correct the depth for my brush, and of course the price was also right.. I'm thinking of trying a palm bowl next, while I'd love one in horn, for the money I'll probably start with a wooden(acaia) one from bestshave and if I find I like it then I'll splurge and get a horn bowl. The only thing I worry about is the longevity of the horn
Choose what you like. BAD will set in and you will have bowls galore. I keep soaps in my bowls since I face lather.
The best bowl I had for mixing was a stainless steel, flat-bottomed pet food bowl. It was able to float and the squarer bottom made it really good to mix, as it didn't need any other contours. The reason I replaced it was that I wanted to find something which held the heat better, as opposed to the direct heating from the bowl floating in the sink. It was affecting the lather too much doing it this way and I wanted a warm lather. They are unbreakable and cheap though. I also used a soup bowl with a handle, good insulator but too smooth inside to be very good at lathering. I'm waiting on a couple of dollar store salsa bowls, courtesy of a very excellent member, so I'll see how they go, as I'm planning to modify it inside to lather better. Cheap and pretty unbreakable, maybe not so much of a temperature variation, and the feet should ensure it floats. As for the best bowl for you, I'd recommend a custom bowl if you can find a local potter to work with. I know exactly what I am looking for so that when the time is right, I'll be getting one made for me. I would settle into your regime and brush(es) and get one that does what it is you want, at the right size. I'd also take your bathroom and significant other into the equation. There's no point it not fitting or sitting where you want, and you really don't want to listen to, "Could you not have got that in green" or whatever. Aversion therapy is the quickest route to never using something ever again!
I went into the kitchen, looked into the cabinet, and found a salsa bowl. I also bought a nice ceramic bowl, which I use, and of course I have a Georgetown G12 scuttle.
I use a cooper mug from the antique store. Picked it up for 5 dollars and works great. I also use a small bowl my daughter made in pottery class in middle school.
Wal-Mart sells nice salsa bowls for $1.50....cpl different colors. I have a black one that I "scuffed" up a bit with sandpaper I use every day. Works great.
Just put in vintage shave mug in Ebay and you'll get a thousand listings. Or, try the dollar store. I've found some pretty good mugs that I can stuff soaps into and get really good lathers out of.
Paid a whole quarter at a yard sale for a chowder mug with chili peppers printed around the outside. Works for me.
I got a nice wide Ikea mug at Salvation Army for a buck and a half or so, also a big wide coffee cup from TJ Maxx for a couple bucks. Neither get used since nowadays I face lather all the time. I've also seen very suitable vessels for very little money at places like Homegoods, Cost Plus World Market, etc. No need to shell out big money for something that's actually labeled a shaving mug or bowl (unless you find one that you really like!)
I agree and have found that face lathering, for me, works better when using hard soaps. The best is a cream, whipped up in a hot scuttle, pure warm luxury!
