Thread: is there a wrong way to lather

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Dear "Slippery Brush",

Clearly, your brush is having an affair. Try talking to your brush. Everyone needs to be held, even brushes. If it keeps slipping out whenever you try to hold it, that's a sign of something in your relationship that isn't quite right. Are you being too clingy with your brush? Do you need your brush more than it needs you? Do you hold on too tightly? Brushes need a little space sometimes.

Remember, shavers are from Mars, brushes are from Vulfix.

Aunty Jimbo.

Heya, Bruce! That was single most funny thing I've read all day! Thank you ever so much!

Originally Posted by jimmyray

I also don't rinse off the soap after making my lather. It's just more soap for next time!

How about not rinsing the face - does it save on water and aftershaves?

I've had this debate with a few other people. Yes, I do leave the residual lather in the bowl. I see nothing wrong with letting it dry out and using it again. To anyone who thinks this is not hygienic, I will simply ask, do you use a fresh bar of soap every time you shower? If not, I see no reason to object to re-using lather.

I scrape all residual lather from my brush onto the rim of my lather bowl as well. Over time, an accumulation of soap builds up on the rim but it just adds to the lather when I'm building it. Occasionally, maybe once a week, I don't bother getting any soap from the soap bowl but instead build the lather just from the residue in the lather bowl.

I am always amazed when I read comments about their soap lasting for weeks. I don't scrimp on my lather at all but I usually replace my soap only once every 5 to 7 years!!!

How's that for cheap?

I was kind of trying to make a joke, I guess it went over like a wet soap puck.

I buy the Williams online, in bulk, and get it for, well, like $2.00 a bar. It's OK stuff, doesn't have any frilly flowery smells, which I kind of like. Also, I have developed a skin sensitivity to some of the other soaps, and so far, no problem with Williams.

It works up a decent lather, thought it is improved by the Aloe.

I still want to try a bowl instead of a mug and see if the puck will dry better so I don't have to rinse it


I like to use lots of lather. The more of my fact I can cover up, the better I look in the mirror.

Originally Posted by Utopian

I am always amazed when I read comments about their soap lasting for weeks. I don't scrimp on my lather at all but I usually replace my soap only once every 5 to 7 years!!!

How's that for cheap?

Dude, that statement is pretty amazing.

1. If you can, please post a picture of your bowl so we can see your arrangement.
2. Let us know what brand soap this is. I am not doubting you, I just want to try to reproduce your results. I'm thinking my whole method is wrong, I am just getting the soap too wet.

Paul

I'll to get back to you on that. I'm going to be out of town for a couple of days.

I have used a variety of soaps, including Williams years ago, with the same results so it is not specific to the soap. Because of reading this forum I had to try a couple of other soaps so I now have three pucks of soap that I use depending on my whim. That means I'm not going to be buying any more soap for a couple of decades! My favorite, which I learned of from this forum is Tabac. Another is a Crabtree and Evelyn Sandalwood that I'm not thrilled with (nothing wrong with it, just nothing special) that I bought simply because I was buying a C&E brush. Finally, a Caswell-Massey Sandalwood that I bought over 10 years ago. That one has the shaving quality and sandalwood smell that the C&E is lacking.

The puck I used prior to those 3 was also a Caswell-Massey. I bought the 2 C-M soaps simply because they were on a clearance rack and were really cheap. Prior to the Tabac, I have pretty much figured that there was little difference between soaps and given how long each of my soaps last, I have had little opportunity to do much comparison shopping.

I suppose the main point is that you CAN make your soap last a lot longer if you want it to and in my opinion that longevity is dependent upon your methodology, not your choice of soap.

I'll try to come up with pictures in a few days.

Originally Posted by jimmyray

I also don't rinse off the soap after making my lather. It's just more soap for next time!

I hope you are at least cleaning out your brush....talk about a stinky badger....ewwww

Originally Posted by Utopian

I've had this debate with a few other people. Yes, I do leave the residual lather in the bowl. I see nothing wrong with letting it dry out and using it again. To anyone who thinks this is not hygienic, I will simply ask, do you use a fresh bar of soap every time you shower? If not, I see no reason to object to re-using lather.

I scrape all residual lather from my brush onto the rim of my lather bowl as well. Over time, an accumulation of soap builds up on the rim but it just adds to the lather when I'm building it. Occasionally, maybe once a week, I don't bother getting any soap from the soap bowl but instead build the lather just from the residue in the lather bowl.

I am always amazed when I read comments about their soap lasting for weeks. I don't scrimp on my lather at all but I usually replace my soap only once every 5 to 7 years!!!

How's that for cheap?

Ummm, this might be below the pale, but you are um.... changing undies more often than every 5-7, right?

As a slight i'd like to enquire.... how long is it considered to be before a brush is too old to use? I mean everything must have a shelf life, right? The reason I ask is because I recently bought a job lot which will soon be delivered. It includes 5 razors (approx) and 2 brushes. But the brushes look OLD. I suspect I will just chuck them out, but dont know what state they are in (as they are yet to arrive) and dont know how long a brush stays good for.

What are your thoughts? And I welcome sensible comments as well as 'Jimbo' comments.

Originally Posted by sidneykidney

As a slight i'd like to enquire.... how long is it considered to be before a brush is too old to use? I mean everything must have a shelf life, right? The reason I ask is because I recently bought a job lot which will soon be delivered. It includes 5 razors (approx) and 2 brushes. But the brushes look OLD. I suspect I will just chuck them out, but dont know what state they are in (as they are yet to arrive) and dont know how long a brush stays good for.

What are your thoughts? And I welcome sensible comments as well as 'Jimbo' comments.

I'm still using the brush my grandfather used when I was a young man (~40 yrs ago). I have used it for over 5 yrs. No telling how long he used it. Still works. It's just a lather applicator....