I am new to wet shaving, just a few weeks in. I am doing fine creating lather in a bowl, but doing so directly on my face seems a lot tougher. I can get a thin, even coating on my face, but not any kind of thick, cushiony lather. Shaving with that thin layer works, but it doesn't feel as good. If I build the lather in a bowl, no problem. This is across a variety of soaps and creams: Arko, Razorock, C.O. Bigelow. I guess it's not a big deal, since I can get a good lather in a bowl, but it seems weird. Are there any techniques or tricks to getting face lathering right?
Are you loading product directly to your face? Step 1 : Try applying more product to your face. Step 2: If you have lathered for bit and the lather is not getting rich enough for you. Lightly dip the tips of the brush in water and lather a bit more. If you still are not getting a good lather repeat dipping to add a bit of water. Are you loading the brush from a puck or putting cream directly on it? Step 1: Load the brush for a bit longer. If you have started lathering to your face and the lather is wrong for you. There is nothing wrong with loading it again if you feel it necessary. Step 2: Same as step 2 above. When it come to product there is something you hear alot, " I used more and it worked ". It sounds simple but the simplest thing can be a revelation. When you are over thinking .
Me too, I think Weeper Warrior nailed it. Also, as you mentioned, you get good lather from a bowl. I know, I know, being able to use all of these new found methods is part of the fun. In any case, just enjoy it and have fun. No need to let a stumble detract from the experience. It is just shaving after all
I found bowl lathering easier at the beginning too. Now I pretty rarely use a bowl. With soaps, I find most of the ones I like seem to prefer being lathered right on top of the puck so I just do that. I find this works great pretty much every time since it's really easy to get the soap/water ratio right and if I'm not getting enough soap in the brush, I can just add some water and swirl some more. When the brush is full and the lather is the consistency you want, you're ready. Some people say doing it this way wastes soap and I do have a little left over when I'm done but the quality of my lather is much better than when I try to make sure not to get too much soap so I don't worry too much about it. A stick of Arko smashed into a puck will still last me 5-6 weeks doing it this way so I don't think it really wastes all that much. With creams like CO Bigelow, I just put a couple small dabs on my face and lather that with a wet brush. Using too much cream can be a problem here. I find it's better to start out with less cream and if the lather's thin, it's easy to add another dab.
Two likely problems are not enough cream (or soap) and/or starting with a too wet brush. CO Bigelow makes a very good face lather if you start with enough cream. Here's an excellent tutorial thread you should take a look at http://theshaveden.com/forums/threa...-shavesticks-in-a-bowl-and-on-the-face.15278/
Good advice, but I'm a bowl latherer and proud of it! I don't like to face lather; like you, I don't get a very good lather. I don't like to use shave stick, which is basically face lathering. I have grated my sticks into a bowl. But.... It's your shave. Enjoy it your way.
Face lathering from a puck does require a lot of semi-dry brush loading, and then a lot of face swirling (dipping tip of brush into water as needed). I find this approach gives superior prep value, but it does take extra time to get it right. One way to speed this process is to apply some soap stick or a little cream to the face first (just a tad will do it). Then bring the puck loaded brush to the face to get a thick, rich lather explosion almost immediately. I find this works with any of my brushes.
It took me a while to get the hang of face lathering. With a bowl it's easy to see if you need more water or, or more soap, or more work. On your face you have to go more off of feel and instinct. Eventually you get the hang of it and it becomes a much more enjoyable process. I still lather new products and most superlathers in a bowl, but everything else is face lathered. Face lathering is faster, more fun, and it also cuts down on my clean up time...and who doesn't want to spend less time cleaning up?
Wow, lots of good ideas here to try. Thank you. To try to answer your questions: My brush right now is a synthetic, the Ecotools Kabuki, which is recommended for beginners on /r/wicked_edge. With Arko I load it onto my face. If I decide not to be satisfied with the thin-but-adequate lather I can get on my face, I'll then scrape as much as I can into my bowl with the brush and my hands. I usually start Bigelow in the bowl, where it works great, but once tried rubbing it on my face and lathering from there. The Razorock soaps I load in their container and then either take to my face or the bowl, which much better results in the bowl. Sounds like I can try more product and/or more water and/or be more patient and spend more time on it. Or just decide to be happy with the nice lather I can get in my bowl.
I'm not sure of the kabuki brush. I've only ever tried it with a bona-fide shaving brush. The kabuki may be making it a bit different than what I have personal experience with. Not saying it can't or won't work, it probably just needs more experimentation on your part to get it figured out.
I'm with swarden43 on this subject. I've tried face lathering several times with no luck. I do use Arko Stick but I chop it up and use it in a mug.
I like face lathering with a boar or badger, but not too much with a synthetic. The synthetic doesn't seem to hold water, and when I wet the brush to add water and continue lathering it drips on me. I'd like to say it drips on my manly chest, but most often it's my belly.
Howdy! I've never had much luck with face lathering with or without a brush. I use a few drops of glycerin with shave soap or cream in a scuttle for lathering. Plus, I like my lather warm. I've tried some of those non-lathering creams, but I did not do well with them. Best of luck! Always, Gene
I started out as a bowl latherer but eventually took up face lathering. I feel like face lathering is better at getting the water/soap/cream ratio just right. Also face lathering requires additional scrubbing with the brush, which is better with exfoliation and lifting the hair from the follicle. I find that soaking your brush in hot water while showering and shaking out the water and start lathering with a dry brush and gradually dip the tips into the water will help build the lather on the face. Never start with a wet brush, start with a relatively dry brush that has been soaking. If the water drips when you hold it then you have too much water. I still bowl lather sometimes however. Nothing at all against it. I get great results which ever way I go. However, my usual rule of thumb is to bowl lather creams and face lather soaps.
Once you load the brush and start to face lather, are you spending the same amount of time (or more) lathering on your face as you would have in the bowl (and adding water as needed)? The soap/lather is spread out a little more on your face than it is in the bowl, you may just need to spend a little more time working it. As others have said, a little more product, a little more water may help.
Good advice and I agree with you. Soaking a boar or maybe a badger for awhile does help performance. But soaking a synthetic is only going to make the brush warm. It doesn't hold water in the "hair".
Although I whip up my lather in the bowl, when it comes to slathering that lather on my face, I do my fair share of "scrubbing" with the brush. I do not simply "paint" the lather on from the get-go; I do plenty of swirling, much the same way a face latherer does. Once I get the lather on, then I will paint just to smooth out the lather and lay it on just a little bit thicker.
