Made my best lather yet on accident

Hello,

I've had a sample pack of mama bear's soap for a few days now and I've been experimenting with different techniques. I wasn't getting very good results and started getting frustrated. I ALMOST WENT BACK TO BARBASOL... My soap was producing a decent amount of lather but it wouldn't last very long and the glide was bad. Then today I was in a rush so I turned on the hot water, soaked my brush, let the water drain off of it without shaking, loaded my brush with soap for about 25 seconds and went straight to lathering my face. After about 30 seconds I had a lot of lather and what I think with my limited experience great glide. I was awesome! I don't have my str8 razor yet so I used my disposable but I think Im getting the hang of my pre shave prep. It saved me time and I had one less thing to clean up. Is it common to make your lather directly on your face and skip the bowl/cup?

Thanks,

Chris

Very Common, I very rarely use a bowl.

Good job! There is no "just one way" to make a great lather. There are general principles to follow, but everyone has their own way of doing it. Make your lather however you want, mug or face lather. They both work great!

yup,,7 out of 10 times i lather directly on the face. when i use soap i lather in a bowl,,,cream straight on the face ,,,,since i really like proraso and i use it way more than anything else it obliges me to lather staright on my face.
so in all.....lathering for me depends on what im using.

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Originally Posted by socalkid

Hello,

I've had a sample pack of mama bear's soap for a few days now and I've been experimenting with different techniques. I wasn't getting very good results and started getting frustrated. I ALMOST WENT BACK TO BARBASOL... My soap was producing a decent amount of lather but it wouldn't last very long and the glide was bad. Then today I was in a rush so I turned on the hot water, soaked my brush, let the water drain off of it without shaking, loaded my brush with soap for about 25 seconds and went straight to lathering my face. After about 30 seconds I had a lot of lather and what I think with my limited experience great glide. I was awesome! I don't have my str8 razor yet so I used my disposable but I think Im getting the hang of my pre shave prep. It saved me time and I had one less thing to clean up. Is it common to make your lather directly on your face and skip the bowl/cup?

Thanks,

Chris

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You have discovered one of the fun parts of shaving.

Wet shaving with a well crafted lather even with
a disposable blade can be a real joy.

A brush used to rework Barbasol can prove
to be a grand improvement over a superficial
slather of goo.

In other threads we often drop a hint that
tinkering and experimenting with "lathering" can
teach a lot for almost no expense.

Face lathering is tried and true...

Enjoy

I still think face lathering is the better option, as it gives the soap more time to work itself into your skin and whiskers, but I'm much more proficient at lathering in a bowl, instead. Mostly because that's what I started doing, really.

Have you checked out Mantic59's youtube videos on lathering? Excellend composition and wonderfully intuitive. He cover's all different types of lathering, whether on your hand, face, bowl, puck, cream, everything. Covers all bases so you know what you have to look for in making consistent, proficient lather. Really great videos!

While I have very little experience with face lathering
it's one of the skills I will be working on
Right now I'm working on bowl lathering skills
among others :)

I also agree with DerekC - Mantic59's you tube videos are very good
Picked up some great tips from them already
I know I will go back again for more tips

Keep up the experimenting socalkid
It's all good experience

Rick

I do about 50/50 face and bowl lathering, but even when I bowl lather I still kinda face leather. Slightly less vigorous than just face lathering, but more vigorous than just applying after bowl lathering. I apply an extra layer after lathering up though, because I usually make too much lather anyway and it makes my face smell nice. Lovely fluffy sensation, too.

Great.. Directly to your face?.... Well clean up your affairs my friend you have about three days before turning into part of the zombie force.....God speed...

Naw, not really... I think finding the "technique" that works for each person is part of the fun... Now you can make a video on it and thousands of people will argue whether you are criminally insane for doing that way, or preach that your way is the "lost" answer they have been looking for.

Hello, Chris: You have a fine soap in Mama Bear, and I have found face-lathering an ideal match for the soap. Or any soap, really. With creams, however, I make lather in the scuttle. Either way experimentation and improvisation will set you on the right path.

Hello,

I have an update to my lather trial and error... Well I tried lathering on my face a few more times and it never turned out as good as that first one :-( Sooooooo I was in the kitchen looking for Vanilla extract, I was making vanilla and cashew pancakes, and to my surprise I found some vegetable glycerin:-) After breakfast I had to try it out. So I put my cheap boar brush in some warm water, shook off most of the water, gathered some of mama bears soap for about 30 seconds, put about a quarter size amount of glycerin in my bowl, and a nickel size of Nivea sensitive post shave balm. After about 45 seconds I had a great lather! I did it 3 more time to make sure it wasn't a fluke, worked every time.

Keep'em sharp,

Chris

Quote:

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Originally Posted by socalkid

Hello,

I have an update to my lather trial and error... Well I tried lathering on my face a few more times and it never turned out as good as that first one :-( Sooooooo I was in the kitchen looking for Vanilla extract, I was making vanilla and cashew pancakes, and to my surprise I found some vegetable glycerin:-) After breakfast I had to try it out. So I put my cheap boar brush in some warm water, shook off most of the water, gathered some of mama bears soap for about 30 seconds, put about a quarter size amount of glycerin in my bowl, and a nickel size of Nivea sensitive post shave balm. After about 45 seconds I had a great lather! I did it 3 more time to make sure it wasn't a fluke, worked every time.

Keep'em sharp,

Chris

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Have you read about Überlather yet? Or are you actually just discovering it naturally? You've got to try it!
In my experiance 'cheap' boars' hair brushes do just as well as more expensive brushes for certain purposes, such as face lathering. I find my Badger hair brush too soft and 'splayed' for face lathering and for mixing soaps or Proraso cream (which to me seems to be 1/2 way between a soap and a cream). The main reason I DO face lather is for exfoliating and just a different (possibly) more 'traditional' experience; that's the way it always seems to be portrayed in old movies. The main reason I DON'T is mess; I tend to splatter it everywhere when face lathering!
The different creams and soaps and mixes are really cool; you need at least 7; one for each day. But I've changed to letting the DAY decide which cream, soap or combination I use. I did actually write a 'schedule' but I decided against it on day two...

BTW glycerin seems to make anything explode. I'm finding Musgo Real a bit stubborn, but with glycerine wit or without a soap mixed as an Überlather it develops more 'ooomph' with glycerin...

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Have you read about Überlather yet? Or are you actually just discovering it naturally? You've got to try it!
In my experiance 'cheap' boars' hair brushes do just as well as more expensive brushes for certain purposes, such as face lathering. I find my Badger hair brush too soft and 'splayed' for face lathering and for mixing soaps or Proraso cream (which to me seems to be 1/2 way between a soap and a cream). The main reason I DO face lather is for exfoliating and just a different (possibly) more 'traditional' experience; that's the way it always seems to be portrayed in old movies. The main reason I DON'T is mess; I tend to splatter it everywhere when face lathering!
The different creams and soaps and mixes are really cool; you need at least 7; one for each day. But I've changed to letting the DAY decide which cream, soap or combination I use. I did actually write a 'schedule' but i decided against it on day two...

BTW glycerin seems to make anything explode. I'm finding Musgo Real a bit stubborn, but with glycerine wit or without a soap mixed as an Überlather it develops more 'ooomph' with glycerin...

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carlmaloschneider,

Yes sir I did a little reading on Überlather but I kinda winged it my way. The videos on Überlather seemed like just a little to much work for me to do everyday.

Thanks,

Chris

Yeah, it LOOKS like a lot of bother, but it's not really. It looks that way because of the explanations. I sometimes just add glycerin, though not yet a balm; I have considered adding pre-shave oil (but I think it may 'burst the bubbles' if that makes sense?).
I think half the anticipation factor is deciding what cream/soap/mix, and then it's what razor, and then what pre-shave, and what post shave, and what splash or AS...it just goes on and on. It's like ordering at Subway, a choice about EVERYTHING, what sandwich? foot long or six inches? what bread? toasted? toppings? cheese? cheese type? sauce? sauce type? anything else? cookies? have here or take away? drink? drink type ? drink size? savings or credit? have a nice day.

Carl

Quote:

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Yeah, it LOOKS like a lot of bother, but it's not really. It looks that way because of the explanations. I sometimes just add glycerin, though not yet a balm; I have considered adding pre-shave oil (but I think it may 'burst the bubbles' if that makes sense?).
I think half the anticipation factor is deciding what cream/soap/mix, and then it's what razor, and then what pre-shave, and what post shave, and what splash or AS...it just goes on and on. It's like ordering at Subway, a choice about EVERYTHING, what sandwich? foot long or six inches? what bread? toasted? toppings? cheese? cheese type? sauce? sauce type? anything else? cookies? have here or take away? drink? drink type ? drink size? savings or credit? have a nice day.

Carl

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Carl,

Im Lovin the Subway analogy! Im going to explain it like that from now on when people ask about my shaving obsession/routine. Tomorrow morning Ill be having some mama bears hydrogen scented soap with a side of glycerin and just a little Nivea Creme.

Have a good one,

Chris