Thread: Why do you like to face lather instead of using a bowl?

Originally Posted by BobH

Some people do use them and enjoy them for what they bring to the table. You really don't need fancy brush handles of ivory and exotic woods stuffed with high end badger knots either to get a good lather.

Bob

Agreed,just like you do not need a $1200.00 custom razor to get a great shave or a ferrari to go to the store to get a loaf of bread

I face lather for one reason-my beard needs the lather, the cup or scuttle does not.

Originally Posted by Jack0458

Can I get some tips for face lathering as well as the why you like face lathering from you face latherer's? I'm going to try to find some videos of face lathering but I'd like as much info as I can get. Thanks in advance for any help.

Just watched Lynn Abrams face lather. He wore his shirt for the demo. I tried face lathering once a few months ago and had soap and water everywher. On me, counter, sink, I think some go on the walls. Just kidding. Looks pretty simple. I was considering face lathering because I'm taking a trip in a few days and was considering not taking my scuttle. But, Lynn used a scuttle, or he said he normally does for keeping the brush warm. There goes my reason to learn face lathering. Maybe I can get away without it while I'm gone.

Lynn said he was using a cream. Are creams or soaps better for face lathering or does it matter?

I've always been a face latherer. From Day One, I could not see any rhyme or reason to add an additional step to the process (and a preparatory one, at that). What's more, I realized that in either case I was going to use a shaving brush, so why interrupt the loading-to-lathering procedure? Not that I didn't try bowl/mug lathering -- it just never felt more than a waste of my time. On the positive side of the coin, I enjoy the feel of brush-on-beard, and the time I spend generating the lather in situ increases my enjoyment that much more. As for "how-to" tips, I have several:

• Use a damp brush, not a dripping one.
• Don't over-load the brush with soap or cream -- you can always add more.
• Add water from the tap, in very small amounts -- drops, really.
• Take time to develop the initial lather, and then rub it in with your fingertips.

With regard to soaps vs. creams, I find that creams generally universally produce a much better lather than soaps. Insofar as type of cream, I much prefer a "hard" cream (Castle Forbes and Cyril R. Salter, for example) to a "soft" cream (Simpsons), but this is solely due to my propensity to over-load the brush -- easy to do, with a "soft" cream, much more difficult (but not impossible) to do, with a "hard" cream.

Smooth shaving!

WRT to using soft creams, there are at least two ways of doing it. You can put a dollop/snurdle, call it what you will, on the tip of your damp brush and lather. You can also scoop out the same peanut sized amount on your finger and spread it around your face and then start to lather.

Bob

Interesting video....I guess I'm in between the two methods. I start with a moist brush, load, but not nearly as much as in the video, and face lather using cold water until I get a nice thick cushion. I lather in between each pass and usually only need to add a bit of water to the tip of the brush, and very seldom will I have to actually go back to reload the brush.

Occasionally, with a new soap, takes a few times to get it right. For instance, I found the Barrister and Mann to be a bit thirsty, and the creams in the bowls like T&H, a few taps in the cream with the end of the brush is more than enough...but face lather is the only way for me to get a nice scritchy scrub on my face, which to me, is a lot of the point of using a brush to begin with.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Occasionally, with a new soap, takes a few times to get it right. For instance, I found the Barrister and Mann to be a bit thirsty, and the creams in the bowls like T&H, a few taps in the cream with the end of the brush is more than enough...but face lather is the only way for me to get a nice scritchy scrub on my face, which to me, is a lot of the point of using a brush to begin with.

Phrank hits a couple of points:

• Even with years of experience - a change in soap/cream/brush/local water and you are going to have to adjust. The years of experience will help shorten the curve but there is a "dial it in" phase - hang in there
• Scritchy Scrub - would be interesting to see if the Face vs Bowl crowd is tilted to Badger or Boar...I'm a Scitchy-Piggy fan myself

My change came when I started using a Palmolive Stick on the road. No bowl with me, stick to the beard and then wet travel Boar and in a few minutes I'm thinking I need to change...

Smooth Shaving..

How do you guys feel about using hot or cold water? I shaved using cold water and it was ok. I have always used hot water and never even considered using cold. Some swear by using a hot towel for a couple minutes prior to shaving. I've been thinking heat was preferable for a smooth comfortable shave.

Is it personal preference or are there some written in stone pros or cons regarding using cold vs hot water? (shrug) Cold seems easier and seemed to work fine.

Almost nothing about shaving is written in stone as much as some would have you believe. Personally lengthy/fancy preps and using hot water did nothing for my shaves so I don't prep or use hot water anymore. If prepping and hot water actually make your shaves better use it by all means. It is a personal choice. I use cold water year round, even when it is -30C or less here.

Bob

If there were any hard and fast rules about hot vs cold then this thread would be pages longer than it is due to each camp fighting for supremacy. It is like almost everything connected with shaving, a matter of personal preference. Cold water works, hot water works, lukewarm water works. Some days I use refrigerated water for as cold a shave as I can get - helps soothe my sensitive skin on warmer days. Generally I use cold tap water. Never hot because lukewarm and cold doesn't irritate my Rosacea and other wise sensitive skin. Try the variations and decide the method that works for you.

I face lather now. When I started wet shaving all the equipment was needed lol.... It just depends on what you like to do and how much time you want to spend at the sink.
A hot towel, warm lather in a scuttle, pre-shave oil, a good soap and cream can make for a very relaxing shave. But the reality is you have to clean all that up and that takes up a lot of time.
So I settled on face lathering, it's simple, effective, and minimizes the mess and time it takes. I would suggest maybe once in a while taking the time to indulge yourself and use a hot towel, warm lather in the scuttle and just take your time, it's like kicking back and relaxing by the pool, the beach or mountains - it's a break from the everyday grind.