Just realized I don't know what makes a good lather

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by SlaveShaver, Apr 26, 2017.

  1. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    Nah. You're young enough (under 50), so your face WILL heal up. Think of it like a sunburn.
     
  2. SlaveShaver

    SlaveShaver Member

    Is there some way of knowing if I have been burning my face? Also, I understand if it's of a certain degree burn that it doesn't heal properly.
     
  3. david of central florida

    david of central florida Rhubarb Rubber

    Yep, use cold water for a week. If the symptoms cease, you were burning your face.
     
    George X and swarden43 like this.
  4. SlaveShaver

    SlaveShaver Member

    If the symptoms go away I was burning my face? Do you mean because if the symptoms stay it must be something else?

    It just really didn't feel like it was burning. I don't get this at all.

    Wait, so when you see those barbers pressing the hot towels to the clients faces before they start the shave, are they burning their faces?
     
  5. Screwtape

    Screwtape A Shaving Butterfly

    If you had literally been burning your face to any degree (like people talk about second and third degree burns), you would know. For one thing, any depth of true burn - the kind that can lead to permanent damage if it happens too often or goes too deep - results in blisters on the skin. If your face hasn't been peeling and blistering, then no, you haven't been burning it. Doesn't mean you haven't been tenderizing it and irritating the heck out of it though. But if you stop, it should settle down again, probably within a week or two at worst.

    Something to remember about the old-style barbers with their hot towels -- that was usually a weekly or even bi-weekly shave. So they weren't doing it every day and also the customer generally had a short scruffy beard between the towel and their skin. That makes a difference to how hot the towel can be.
     
  6. George X

    George X Well-Known Member

    I saw this post yesterday and had a few thoughts but revisiting today I see most of my thoughts have been addressed.
    What works for others may not work for you. Before I ventured into wet shaving I researched for 2 months and read about different styles (hot/cold, razor/blades/soaps). I knew going in I needed to find what worked for me. I took a stab in the dark...bought a new merkur, a badger brush some Taylor of Bond Street sensitive skin shave cream and Geo Trumper skin food. I also bought some pre shave oil. I showered and ensured my face was clean and prepared. After creating a lather I splashed pre shave oil and warm water on my face. 3 passes and I was good but irritated. This was due to technique and using too much pressure, too much blade and not enough cap. Search for Riding the Cap. I always rinsed with cold water and apply a moisturizer. I don't use alum as it dries my skin out and causes a rash. I figured out how to make a good lather and don't use pre shave oil anymore. I also found that cold water shaving provides for me the best most comfortable non irritating during and after shave.
    To each their own.
    Since you have been at this for a while and still not experiencing that zen after Shave moment, maybe it's time to discover different ways to shave. Don't change it all at once. Change the simple things and take note of it is better, the same, or worse.
    I wish you good fortune chasing the perfect shave


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    Screwtape likes this.
  7. SlaveShaver

    SlaveShaver Member

    I don't understand why that is such a strange question; it is a completely logical question to ask given that:

    1. Someone said that I may be burning my face by using a hot water towel.
    2. I am using the same technique as barbers by wetting a towel with hot water, squeezing it out and applying it to the face.
    3. Therefore, it is completely follows in a logical way for me to ask whether or not those barbers may be doing the same thing.

    Why is it such an issue for me to ask that question?

    OK, thanks. I don't think I experienced any peeling other than what I may have got from dermatitis from using hot water, and I definitely didn't have any blisters.

    Yeah, the difficulty is keeping everything else completely consistent when you make one change. I find it hard, for instance, to soften the hairs in exactly the same way each time or to prepare the same consistency of lather or to make sure that I have the exact same amount of moisture on my face, so if I change just one thing (blade, cream) it can be hard to know whether any different outcome (e.g, more irritation) is definitely a result of that change that I have made.

    I am trying to follow a suggestion someone has already made by measuring the exact same amount of shaving cream each time using a spoon. But even if I do that, I do not necessarily work up the same consistency of lather each time. It seems wildly inconsistent and I don't know how to get it the same each time.
     
    Screwtape likes this.
  8. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    You present an abnormal case. There's a path to the Average Shave Journey.
    learning curve you are here.png
    The average new shaver has several reasons to try wet shaving. Usually an escape from the high prices of carts, or dissatisfaction with the quality of the shave. Your case presents issues many of us have never dealt with. The suggestions are our best guess. Ultimately it's between your face, your MD, & the Dermatologist. Best guesses based on our collective experience may not be the answer, Sir!
     
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  9. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    I'd suggest just focusing on one area of wetshaving at a time.
    Razor & blade OR shaving cream & brush.
     
  10. SlaveShaver

    SlaveShaver Member

    Sorry, that comment that you responded to was a response I made to some other comments by people that have been removed.
     
    RyX likes this.
  11. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    Yes, that was in the past and we aren't going that direction.
    For your future shaves do you see the possible variables?
    Joanna's answer is the best suggestion I know. Don't change everything because you can't tell what helps or hurts. Make one change like a different blade, or even a different razor OR a different soap or cream. It's the old Scientific Method. Reduce variables to only one so you can objectively evaluate positive or negative effect. When you find a positive change keep it. Incrementally you will improve your results.
     
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  12. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    Yes.

    Load the soap or cream on the brush. Then create your lather in the hand that isn't holding the brush.

    Continue doing so until there are no big bubbles. At this point pause every 15 to 30 seconds to rub your fingers together. When the lather is slick, almost greasy feeling, and there is resistance, almost like squeezing whipped cream... you've got the correct lather.

    My advice is to skip the towel and just shave immediately after coming out of the shower.
     
    DaltonGang likes this.
  13. dbersh

    dbersh Well-Known Member

    OP, you have multiple threads all basically addressing the same issue.
    It appears to me your technique is lacking.
    You have a nice razor. IMO you need to sample different blades. Once you find a blade that works, work on the 30 day focus/challenge.
    Extreme skin sensitivity appears to be an issue as well.
    Get a nice Natural scent free soap, Mikes Natural comes to mind.
    And practice. Don't make any changes to anything until your technique improves from making later to proper angle of razor to shave.
    After 30 days of using the same products then change 1 item at a time be it Soap or blade.
    It's unfortunate to read all your threads with the same issues. Many folks have provided many good suggestions. I HIGHLY recommend going back to the basics and get your technique down. Everyone is different on their reactions to soaps and blades but if technique is poor, nothing we suggest will help. Just my .02.
     
    DaltonGang likes this.
  14. Queen of Blades

    Queen of Blades Mistress of Mischief Staff Member

    Moderator Supporting Vendor
    My full suggestion is to use the razor you have, get a variety of blades to try, and pick up a latherless shave cream.

    That will allow you to focus on learning what blades work for you, and how to properly use a DE.
     
  15. Norcalnewb

    Norcalnewb Magnanimous Moos

    It was mentioned earlier, but try participating in the 30 Day Rule thread here. The guys there are very helpful in this kind of area.

    But, it sounds to me like you may have some technique issues, namely the angle of the razor. You'll see a term around here quite a bit to "Ride the cap." Check the thread out here.
     
  16. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    Some of us found we get closer irritation free shaves with an injector or even a straight. It sounds like you've a fair amount of experience with the de, which is why I'm throwing this out there.
    Personally I haven't used a de for well over a year now, nor have I had irritation.
     
    Bama Samurai likes this.
  17. LevelupShaves

    LevelupShaves Well-Known Member

    Definitely still sounds like technique issues most likely blade angle


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