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Thread: Soap vs. Cream
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07-15-2009, 05:13 PM #1Comrade in Arms
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What razor are you using?
Originally Posted by rockysopus
In the past I have used some pre-shave oils with good results but I am not a big fan myself. Please keep in mind that the skin of every person is different so my results and yours could be completely different. However, the Art of Shaving cream seems to irritate the skin of several people, including mine. I have very sensitive skin and I find that out of the commercially available products, Mitchell's Wool Fat and Castle Forbes, excell in conditioning of the skin. You cannot go wrong with either. One thing that I found to be critical in preventing irritation is to use lather of the proper consistency. Lathering is a skill, which is often overlooked among wet shavers. This process can be divided into 3 stages:
1) loading the brush; 2) building the lather; and 3) hydrating the lather. It is important to pay careful attention to each stage.
When lathering, the most important thing is to be sure of finding the peak of the soap/cream (the point where no more lather can be produced). Both dry (before reaching the peak) and too wet (over the peak) lather can be problematic. Dry lather looks similar to cake frosting and can easily be detected by passing your brush over. If the brush leaves grooves, the lather is too dry. Lather has been obtained with too much water (past the peak) vanishes almost immediately after it touches the skin and can appear dry. These are very common problems among new and seasoned users. There is a good section in the wiki about lathering, if you have not done so already, a visit is in order:
Category:Lather - Straight Razor Place Wiki
Also, I think this that you may find this video useful:
Regardless of the lathering method you use, another important point is to hydrate the lather after the peak is reached. You may want to take a look at this thread:
Having a hard time creating decent lather
This should give you a head start. If you have more problems, do not hesitate to ask. Happy shaving.
Al raz.
Reply With QuoteThe Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Alraz For This Useful Post:
BeBerlin (07-15-2009), FTG (07-16-2009), rockysopus (07-15-2009)
07-15-2009, 06:44 PM
#2
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some things to try
pre shave oil: I like to make my oil 75percent olive oil with 25 percent vitamin e oil.
Creams are easier to build a good lather, but using glycerin with soap works good too.
The most important thing though is to use light pressure, you are only trying to cut hair right. Skin prep before and skin stretch is very important. One pass on the neck may also help when you are learning.
I hope this helps
Crom
07-21-2009, 08:20 PM
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+1 on olive oil... Every now and again I wash with KMF olive oil soap and its great stuff, and I wouldn't hesitate to use real olive oil on my face. I don't need preshave though.
Something I just learned this weekend is full-blown face lathering, and it may help/eliminate your preshave oil. Rub the bar of shave soap directly on your beard as if washing your face. Once you have a good amount on, wet your brush and lather up. I saw this done with what is called a "shaving stick" but I bet you could use any puck soap or thick cream.
