Thread: Lathering Issues

Drying happens for only two reasons: taking too long to shave, or having a soap without enough glycerin and/or stearic acid.

Stearic acid is acidic only in the sense that it's make from a fatty acid: in this case, cow fat. Tallow. It hardens soaps and it makes lathers stand up thicker and firmer and dry out more slowly.

Glycerin aids foaming and helps retain moisture.

Without enough of those two, your soap dries faster. The melt-and-pour, high-glycerin soap sold by ClassicShaving has a moisturizing lather that lasts a fairly long time. The soap I make is real oil-and-lye soap with liquid glycerin added and stearic acid beads melted and blended into the mix. I find I get a slightly longer-lasting foam with this than I get from the Classic Shaving stuff, which contains no stearic acid.

Lots of creams contain stearic acid; in fact, that's what gives them the pearly look. If you're getting a nice creamy lather that isn't drippy or full of big air bubbles, and it's from a good commercial cream, you shouldn't get the lather drying on your face unless you're taking a long time to shave.

If you're slow right now, fuggedaboudit. You'll get faster.

I got some glycerin from a local pharmacy, and added it in last night. I must say, it was a huge improvement in creaminess and drying prevention. Uberlather should be made mandatory for all shavers, IMO.

Originally Posted by wolfcobra

Uberlather should be made mandatory for all shavers, IMO.

Well, you know what is being said about opinions, and quite rightly in this case IMO. I don't know what is wrong with your creams or soaps, but the ones I use (CF, DC, EJ) actually deteriorate with this method.

What kind of soap did you start off with? If it comes from the bottom shelf at Wal-Mart or Walgreen's it's the wrong kind. Buy online or from specialty shops. Make sure it says "glycerin" somewhere in high up in the description. And, as mentioned earlier, it's good to look for "stearic acid." That's in most of the high-dollar creams. It's basically the same thing as tallow.

Originally Posted by Sigurd Aaset

I agree.
To me überlather seems like just another way to overcomplicate shaving. I think newbies just need to find a good soap or cream they like and learn to use it.

Agreed. Besides, you have to learn to make good lather first, before you can learn how to make it better.

Tests are all very helpful, but the only real one is what the lather is like to shave with.

Some things just take a bit of time, patience and practice. Sometimes there really is no substitute for your own efforts, mistakes and experience.

I think sometimes we make things harder by reading and watching so much stuff and overloading with information, when 95% of it is in gathering some basic info, and adding common sense.

Wolf,

I've been using just my C&E shaving soap and a few drops of glycerin. I finally ordered some Truefitt & Hill unscented shaving cream from SRD at Obie's recommendation. It's expensive, but wow, what a difference. My lather was really good before I bought the cream, but now it's "over the top". The difference is amazing. Sorry for the blurry picture - I didn't have time to do a re-take. Do I have to go to work, or can I just stay home and shave?

I can already see that telling my wife that using a straight razor represents financial savings over Gillette Fusion blades is definitely not going to work. I think I'm developing every AD conceivable. I guess I'll just have to remind her of how nice my BBS face feels. Yea, that's the ticket...

BTW, my English Bridle strop just came in from SRD. It's awesome! It's a work of art. Used it for the first time this morning - so much easier to use than my smaller strop (which now officially is my travel strop).

Greg

QUOTE=wolfcobra;588067]I got some glycerin from a local pharmacy, and added it in last night. I must say, it was a huge improvement in creaminess and drying prevention. Uberlather should be made mandatory for all shavers, IMO.[/QUOTE]

Ok here's 2 cents worth.

I always seem to raise eyebrows (that's a polite way of saying I catch hell ) when I say this, but I am a minimalist. I don't believe soaps and creams need to cost a week's wages to do a good job. Now don't get me wrong. If you've got the budget to afford it and that's what floats your boat, then by all means please indulge yourself.

As for me I use Williams shaving soap at about $1.25 a cake or Van Der Hagen soap at about a buck from Wal Mart. With that I add about an almond sized drop of Musgo Real cream ($9 from Amazon.com) and a squirt from some $2 a bottle glycerin.

I'd stack my lather up against anyone's. It's like using Dream Whip topping.

Pelkey

Thanks for the input Bob - you won't "catch hell" from me. If I weren't looking for advice & opinions I wouldn't be posting questions on the forum.

Although I'm new to SR shaving, I'm not new to wet shaving. Years ago when I first switched from using electric I tried a can of cheap foam and a safety razor. My skin couldn't take the irritation. At first I assumed that it was the razor, but when someone pointed out that it may be the foam and not the razor. That's when I happened into a Crabtree & Evelyn shop in my hometown and found some plain shaving soap with almond oil and started wet shaving. The difference was amazing - no more razor burn.

I'm definitely not opposed to branching out, but sometimes I'm a creature of habit. The C&E shaving soap, although slightly more expensive worked and lasted a long time. Since I've had a hard time finding the almond oil soap recently (I have 1.5 cake left in my drawer) I bought some of the C&E scented (Sienna). I was fearful of trying it as I was scared the scented soap might be different enough that it would irritate my face, but it didn't. I'm pleased with the T&H shave cream, and feel like I got what I paid for; however, I'm not married to it.

All that to say this: I'm a fan of the K.I.S.S. principle and although I can afford some of the finer things in life, like anyone else I'm not opposed to saving a buck or 2 or 3 here and there. That is, providing it yields similar results. Since you say the Musgo does provide similar results, I'll take your advice and try some next time. I'll likely stick to my soap since the cost differential doesn't bother me as much on it.

Thanks again,
Greg

Originally Posted by bobpell

Ok here's 2 cents worth.

I always seem to raise eyebrows (that's a polite way of saying I catch hell ) when I say this, but I am a minimalist. I don't believe soaps and creams need to cost a week's wages to do a good job. Now don't get me wrong. If you've got the budget to afford it and that's what floats your boat, then by all means please indulge yourself.

As for me I use Williams shaving soap at about $1.25 a cake or Van Der Hagen soap at about a buck from Wal Mart. With that I add about an almond sized drop of Musgo Real cream ($9 from Amazon.com) and a squirt from some $2 a bottle glycerin.

I'd stack my lather up against anyone's. It's like using Dream Whip topping.

Pelkey