Problem with face lathering & shave stick

I've been at this for a few years now. I usually make my lather in a bowl and get great results with Mama Bear and Ogallala soaps. I am getting ready for a vacation and to keep the kit smaller, I ordered a couple shave sticks from St. Charles Shaves. I rub the stick on my wet face then work up lather with my pretty soft and fluffy "finest badger" brush.

I don't know if it is my technique, the soap or a combination, but I get very sticky lather that dries out quickly. My fist reaction was to add water to the brush. I hold the brush tip down and run a little water into the non-soapy bristles. The brush is so wet there a puddles around it when I put it down, but the lather on my face doesn't seem to fluff up or get much wetter.

I've used Kiss My Face and Proraso creams putting a little on my wet brush. It takes a little rubbing, but I usually bring up a much more moist and longer lasting lather with them than I seem to get with the shave stick.

Any pointers would be much appreciated.

I too struck out with St. Charles shave sticks. Personally I recommend you get yourself a EU Palmolive, Arko, Speick, or Wilkinson Sword stick and try one of those. The SCS soap just would not give me a good lather at all no matter what I tried, so I emptied the tube and grated my MWF in it and have been happy with that replacement.

Try giving just the tip of the brush a dip in water when you want to add more water to your face lathering. Shouldn't lose any soap doing it this way and gets the water where you want it in the brush.

Coloshaver,
I am spending a week away from home. My shave soap is a stick of Lea, a Spanish product I find quite good, and my brush an Edwin Jagger pure badger. I have four shave soap sticks in my stash at home: D.H. Harris, La Toja, Lea, and Palmolive. All give me excellent lather. I, too, wet my face and then rub on a good amount of shave soap. I give the brush a couple mild shakes and begin to leather, dipping the brush end in a cup of hot water, or holding the tip under the faucet. Throughout the shave I add water if necessary, and if necessary, I give my face another rubdown with the soap stick. In your case, I can only assume it's the soap, since you have been at wet shaving for a while and obviously know what you're doing. Try any of the soaps I mentioned; they might work better for you.

Thanks to Obie & Theseus.

I guess St Charles is pretty picky with how much water. I tried adding very little water to the tip of the brush (duh :gaah:). I definitely got wetter and a little fluffier lather, but on my touch up pass the soap to water ratio must have fallen off because lather became too thin and watery.

I'll keep playing. Thanks again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by coloshaver

I definitely got wetter and a little fluffier lather, but on my touch up pass the soap to water ratio must have fallen off because lather became too thin and watery.

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That's only natural. If you think about it, when using a shave stick you are loading your face with soap, not your brush. So your brush is not going to hold as much lather as it would if face lathering the "regular" way. When your lather gets thin just give the stick a couple more swirls around your face and you should be fine. And, as you've already figured out, it's best to add water slowly via the tips of your brush. That helps to avoid lather that is either too dry or too runny.

Let us know how it goes....

I've figured out patience with honing and shaving. I should have given more time to face lathering with a shave stick. It takes me a minute (i.e. 60 seconds) to make lather in a bowl. I don't know why I expected face lather to appear instantly. :gaah: Too much water too fast made a sloppy wet mess. Adding a little water at a time to the brush and working up lather slowly on my face was the key. Working up to a wetter lather more slowly worked way better today and left more useable lather on my brush for later passes. I am much happier with St. Charles soap today.

Thanks for your help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by coloshaver

Thanks to Obie & Theseus.

I guess St Charles is pretty picky with how much water. I tried adding very little water to the tip of the brush (duh :gaah:). I definitely got wetter and a little fluffier lather, but on my touch up pass the soap to water ratio must have fallen off because lather became too thin and watery.

I'll keep playing. Thanks again.

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Sounds like too much water per addition but
not enough water when done.

Try adding a couple of dribbles of water
at a time. Work it for a bit then more water but
only a little at a time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by coloshaver

I've figured out patience with honing and shaving. I should have given more time to face lathering with a shave stick. It takes me a minute (i.e. 60 seconds) to make lather in a bowl. I don't know why I expected face lather to appear instantly. :gaah: Too much water too fast made a sloppy wet mess. Adding a little water at a time to the brush and working up lather slowly on my face was the key. Working up to a wetter lather more slowly worked way better today and left more useable lather on my brush for later passes. I am much happier with St. Charles soap today.

Thanks for your help.

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Congrats. As with all things wet shaving, making great lather takes time and practice no matter the soap/cream. Just keep working with it and you will be making consitant, rich lather.

I spent two weeks visiting my daughter in Costa Rica (shameless plug --> Montezuma Eco Hostel | Costa Rica | Luz en el Cielo). I used my St. Charles Shaves "Wake Up" shave stick, Edwin Jagger travel brush and my travel straights every day. Refining the technique of adding just a drizzle of water to the tip of the brush, rubbing it on my soaped face and repeating 3 or 4 times got great lather every morning. There was enough on the brush for 3 passes plus some touch up.

I now really like my SCS soap and would recommend it.

Thanks for all your help.

Nice.

I use the DR Harris stick when I travel with similar results. So easy to pack with a nice travelling brush and great suds every time.

Have fun.

I find that a small tube of shaving cream, as part of a travel kit, provides more consistent results and does not take up any more space than your average size shave stick.

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Originally Posted by TartanJim

I find that a small tube of shaving cream, as part of a travel kit, provides more consistent results and does not take up any more space than your average size shave stick.

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Can you explain more consistent results? What sticks have you tried?

Thanks

Lynn,

What I mean by that is that is the amount of soap you transfer by directly rubbing on your face can vary depending on the amount of stubble you are currently sporting, how soft the stick is/how long it has been soaked. With a tube of cream you can be sure of the same amount every time. If you are travelling then the hardness/softness of the water may vary, by using a cream you are only changing one variable at a time.

I have only tried T.O.B.S. Sandalwood and Palmolive shave sticks, which I have had good results with, but I don't necessarily find them to be more convenient for travel.

Hope that makes sense.

Jim

Two words: Valobra...

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Originally Posted by Lynn

Nice.

I use the DR Harris stick when I travel with similar results. So easy to pack with a nice travelling brush and great suds every time.

Have fun.

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Yes, I agree with the noble Lynn. I have traveled with a variety of soaps (in tins) and creams (in tubes) and all have been convenient. I have yet to find anything more convenient than the shave stick, especially one that includes a storage tube. The D.R. Harris stick is the top of the line. Good stuff.

I've only been wet shaving again since August, SR shaving about a month. Soaps, creams, now sticks. Love 'em. Tried Arko (smells weird, works well), Irish Moos is AWESOME, and I've got some Palmolive and a couple others I'll get around to. Have fun, keep at it.

I have yet to try any of the more expensive shave sticks yet, but I am having a great time working with the cheaper ones. Currently I have Arko, EU Palmolive, Speick and Erasmic sticks. All of these lather as well, if not better than some of the more expensive soaps and creams I have tried.

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Originally Posted by Theseus

I have yet to try any of the more expensive shave sticks yet, but I am having a great time working with the cheaper ones. Currently I have Arko, EU Palmolive, Speick and Erasmic sticks. All of these lather as well, if not better than some of the more expensive soaps and creams I have tried.

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I couldn't agree more. Weird that a $5 ARKO stick lathers and shaves as well as a $30 tub of TOBS cream. Smells even weirder.