Quote Originally Posted by UAcowboy View Post
So I am still chasing a good lather but on thing i have had issues with is that i get halfway through my shave and have to reapply to the other side of my face due to it drying out. I live in Southern AZ where humidity is pretty much nada for most of the year. is that part of the problem? also we have hard water and that can kill the lather but will it also cause it to dry out?
I live in Phoenix (I am a U of A alum), and I have the same issues with soap drying out. For some soaps, using more water helps keep the soap from drying out too quickly. Also, making sure that you face is a little moist before applying the soap (by either swirling a wet brush on your face or just splashing it with water) keeps the soap from drying out. In particular, I find that splashing a little water on the face between passes improves the 2nd pass quite a bit. The issue with the second pass and the dry climate is that the soap in the brush or bowl dries out between passes, so if you apply such lather without adding more water, you will get a drier soap on the 2nd pass than on the 1st pass.

You might also find that shaving immediately after a shower can help as the shower can increase the humidity in the air for a bit.