I sometimes do it with hard soaps in the amount of time it takes me to shower or prepare me shave. I don't think its wasteful unless you puck lather or load aggressively. I find it helps loading especially with a softer floppier brush on harder soaps. BTW I've heard of blooming the brush (soaking it in water and the knot sort of opens up when you take it out & shake it off) & bloom water (the water where the brush was soaking usually on top of the soap) but not the term blooming with water on the soap alone.
Ha! Remove co(n)text and theres plenty to pun on. Being such a mature person, I will, however, refrain from doing so
I bloom my hard soaps but I don't soak them -- instead I just put several drops of hot water on the surface and let it bloom while the brush is soaking. It is probably un-necessary for most soaps (I use shave sticks frequently and never bother to bloom them) but I've developed the blooming habit and I feel like it is beneficial to some degree. I think it's a bit like the hot, wet cloth placed on the beard prior to the shave -- pleasant and beneficial, but not really necessary.
Very interesting and entertaining thread. I add a few drops on top of MWF or Tabac before showering to create lather easier and faster. It works for me.
