Thread: Face lathering troublesome cream

I have been bowl lathering ever since I started shaving with a straight back in January but I tried face lathering for the first time this morning.
I have a shaving cream that doesn't seem to agree with me, but before throwing it out or giving it away I decided to try and face lather with it to see whether that makes any difference.
I was able to produce a very impressive lather with only a very small amount of shaving cream and it didn't seem to dry out on my face like my lather usually has a tendency to do. All in all my shave was significantly better than what I've previously achieved with that particular cream although it was still not quite as good as my usual bowl lathering with other creams.

How are your experiences with face/bowl lathering? Do you find that some creams work better with one method than the other, and do you see any difference in how quickly the lather dries on your face?

Never noticed a big difference on how a cream/soap provided lather from bowl or face lathering. That is so long as you have your technique tuned to that particular cream/soap. So long as you have the right water to product ratio the lather should not dry out on you either way.

Bob

I've tried more water to product ratios than I care to think about and they all seem to dry out on me, I think it has something to do with the water.
I usually just lather the part of my face I'm about to shave, but I will definitely try face lathering with my other creams as well if that somehow lets me lather up my entire face without the lather drying out.

If you do not load enough product and put in too much water you get a thin lather that dries out or too much product and too little lather for a pasty lather that dries out too.

To face lather a cream this is one way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvV0W1Wv7C8

Bob

For me both methods work the same. The differences are probably related to water/product ratio as others have mentioned. Maybe when face lathering, you put less/more product or water, and it seems to be related to the method, but in reality it is not.

I've found no differences either method. Personally I prefer face lathering.

Towards the end of the shave when the lather might be running out in the brush, I find adding some water to the brush I can extract a tad more life out of the lather by a little bowl lathering as opposed to trying that on my face.

I always face lather anymore with exception of hard soaps. Then, I use a mug a bit, then face-lather.
The trick is, to not soak the brush. You need backbone to face lather. Most brushes will work fine face-lathering, but if it is a wet mop, forget it.
I dip the tips in water, on to the soap, going at it. Depends on the soap or creme you are using. Soft stuff will take a few swirls, harder ones, 20 or more. As I get my brush lightly loaded on the tips, I dip into the water a bit, and go at face-lathering, dipping and stirring until it is right. By then, the brush is loaded and will give me 2 hot-towel loads and 3 passes.
You want the brush loaded with lather, not water. You can always add a bit of water by dipping the tips. Too much water? Dry the brush and start over! JMO