Thread: Lather

Can someone help me with learning how to build a good lather?

I'm using a glycerin cake shave soap and a badger brush in a mug. I've tried more/less soap, hotter/colder and more/less water and different motions with the brush and all I can get is soapy water of one consistency or another.

I've seen some threads wherein soap was combined with cream and some glycerin oil was added, etc. I'm not ready for more information overload. What's a good starting procedure on which I can build?

Thanks in advance.

Hi there!

Lathering is a dificult thing in my own view... and one of the most important things to learn. I've had trouble myself... and still do when I try a new soap or cream.
I'll tell you what I do: I sart by pouring hot water from the tap in a bowl and leave by brush soaking in it. I also put a film of hot water on the soap. After that I take a shower and meanwhile the brush soaks up water and the soap gets moist. After that I shake the brush in order to have wet bristles but not as much as to leave it dripping; the water of the soap is disposed of. Then I put the tip of the brush and rotate and swirl aroud in order to get the tip of the brush loaded with soap and proceed to lather on my face... The trick is to do this a couple of timesin order to know the soap and thus the soap/water ratio. One other thing that's very important is to have a GOOD cake of soap... if it's not good nothing good will happen...

Hope this helps...

Originally Posted by lawman2

Can someone help me with learning how to build a good lather?

I'm using a glycerin cake shave soap and a badger brush in a mug. I've tried more/less soap, hotter/colder and more/less water and different motions with the brush and all I can get is soapy water of one consistency or another.

I've seen some threads wherein soap was combined with cream and some glycerin oil was added, etc. I'm not ready for more information overload. What's a good starting procedure on which I can build?

Thanks in advance.

Those threads can be dissected and used with either soap or cream alone, and will produce more than adequate lather....
There are only a few variables in the lather process, but the most important one is the amount of water... Remember it is always easier to add the water then to take it away.....

Easy fool proof lather.... soak brush in hot water, put a 1/4 inch of hot water on soap wait 1 minute.... shake brush completely out, dump out water off soap, swirl brush vigorously on soap 30 seconds or until clumpy with lather... dip brush tips quickly in sink full of hot water, lather on wet face, not creamy enough??? dip and lather again... thats the start of it, only gets better from there....

YouTube - mantic59's Channel

The vids this guy made helped me a LOT on a lot of subjects.

You didn't say what brand of soap you have and if you have hard water or not. Both factors will make a huge difference in lather creation. A quality soap and soft water and lathering is a snap. Sometimes you have to match the soap to your water type.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You didn't say what brand of soap you have and if you have hard water or not. Both factors will make a huge difference in lather creation. A quality soap and soft water and lathering is a snap. Sometimes you have to match the soap to your water type.

Yup! What soap/brush are you using?

Brush: Altesse Badger - wife got at a Brookstone store.

Soap: Classic Shaving Mug Soap from Classicshaving.com

I've used classic shaving soap and find it lathers pretty easily. Even a generic Badger should give good results. It could be you have hard water. If so get a small jug of water in the store and see if it makes a difference. Otherwise Try using some more water and use some more swirling of the brush in the soap.

Build the lather for at least twice as long before in the mug with the soap. Don't stop until you can clearly see a loose whip cream like consistency on the puck and brush.

Give your brush two vigorous shakes to remove water, and hit the soap with quick swirls. When it looks and sounds sticky, pass your brush tips though the water running from the tap. Start swirling on the soap again; some back and forth strokes are fine here too.

Next, move to finishing building the lather on your face. Take some time to really work it all over. You should have a thick, opaque lather. If it seems a little dry, drip a few drops of water into your brush, and work it over again. Add water slowly until you've got what you want.

Good luck!

Here is a soap tutorial that I found very handy: How to make great lather from a soap ~ Tutorial - Badger & Blade