Thread: Can't get a lather

Hi everyone.*

I can't get a good lather. It'll be this very puffy almost aerated stuff instead of a nice thick lucious creamy texture.

I was using a synthetic cheapie Omega because I couldn't find a proper badger brush around here. I have L'Occitane shaving cream but doesn't give me a good lather in my scuttle. It'd be this pasty thing until I added water. Then it'd puff up nicely but apply thinly on my face. It'd be translucent as opposed to lush and thick. So I assumed the cheapie brush wasn't up to creating a good lather and finally found a Crabtree & Evelyn Best grade brush. What's frustrating is that I got the same exact results!

Goopy then runny/watery and translucent. I always make sure to add a tiny bit water. Drops at a time. I'm also making sure not to pump the brush when scrubbing.

I made sure to let the brush soak in warm water in the scuttle while I showered.*

I go in circular motions with minimal pressure. I did this in about 2-3 minutes.*

Whats going on :huh: :sad:

Thanks!


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Solution


Success!!!!

Turns out I'd done everything appropriately except the water part.

I'd start out dry and then add water when it became paste-like. Here's the thing, I was adding too much water.

This time when it got pasty I added literally 3 drops. Then whipped it around for a good minute then added another 3 drops.

Previously I must've added a good 20 drops. Makes sense.

I was a bit drier this time but I can manipulate that easily.

I like to put the soap under water while I shower to soften it. Then I load the brush with soap for perhaps a minute of swirling, then I lather with no water except what remains in the brush after 4 shakes.

You may need to add a few drops to get the right consistency.

If you have hard water, you will have a tougher time getting good lather...and soaps are just plain tougher to get a good luscious lather with in my findings.

Perhaps you should try a cream from a tube...I am using Prorasso and finding it to be ridiculously easy to lather

Originally Posted by unit

I like to put the soap under water while I shower to soften it. Then I load the brush with soap for perhaps a minute of swirling, then I lather with no water except what remains in the brush after 4 shakes.

You may need to add a few drops to get the right consistency.

If you have hard water, you will have a tougher time getting good lather...and soaps are just plain tougher to get a good luscious lather with in my findings.

Perhaps you should try a cream from a tube...I am using Prorasso and finding it to be ridiculously easy to lather

I should've added that I'm primarily using the shacing cream for now. Until I can get a firmer brush to tackle the soap.

So disregard the soap part.

You have great creams & now a badger brush.

Watch your water input; "circular motions with minimal pressure" ain't gettin it !

You gotta get in that bowl & Whip It !!
Whip It Good !!!

hard water?

+1 to Hirlau, It's like trying to whip heavy cream into, well, whipping cream Try this, put about the size of two almonds in your mug, instead of letting it sit in water, turn on your faucet, hold the brush under the water, and when it starts to sag give the fibers a light squeeze, hold it a bit longer under the stream, shake it until it isn't flinging water. Now take the brush make some swirls to break up the lump of cream, then mash the brush flat and continue swirling until the cream is bubbling up some. Now take it to your face and do up and down strokes with moderate pressure coating your face. Now start circling counter clockwise and push down until the bristles flair out, you don't want the handle grinding into your face, but the bristles should fan almost completely out. Alternate from counter-clockwise and clock wise until you get the consistency you want, if its goopy keep going, if it's drying some, don't dip the brush just a quick swipe under the faucet and keep going. I have hard water here, and had the same problems with soaps and creams until I started doing this, now I just face lather with this method. Sorry it's long, but it should be detailed enough to get you started.
Regards,
Josh

Originally Posted by unit

hard water?

Originally Posted by tiddle

+1 to Hirlau, It's like trying to whip heavy cream into, well, whipping cream Try this, put about the size of two almonds in your mug, instead of letting it sit in water, turn on your faucet, hold the brush under the water, and when it starts to sag give the fibers a light squeeze, hold it a bit longer under the stream, shake it until it isn't flinging water. Now take the brush make some swirls to break up the lump of cream, then mash the brush flat and continue swirling until the cream is bubbling up some. Now take it to your face and do up and down strokes with moderate pressure coating your face. Now start circling counter clockwise and push down until the bristles flair out, you don't want the handle grinding into your face, but the bristles should fan almost completely out. Alternate from counter-clockwise and clock wise until you get the consistency you want, if its goopy keep going, if it's drying some, don't dip the brush just a quick swipe under the faucet and keep going. I have hard water here, and had the same problems with soaps and creams until I started doing this, now I just face lather with this method. Sorry it's long, but it should be detailed enough to get you started.
Regards,
Josh

Thanks Josh. Maybe it's hard water. Will soaking the brush in mineral drinking water remedy this? I'd really prefer to lather in a bowl.

If you go that route I would do spring water, mineral water has added Ca, Cl, and Na kinda like smart water. I would give the above a try first. Now you can still build the majority of your lather in the mug or bowl this way. You are building up your lather in the bowl or mug, but you will get your final uhhh...poofiness and cushion once you start applying it to your face.

Sounds to me as if it's more a question of being too gentle--not that the water quality is having no effect, but our water is hard too and I don't have that problem. +1 to the advice given above: wet the soap and let it sit for a few minutes, wet your brush thoroughly (once it's saturated, I give it one good squeeze), bear down with the brush on the soap when you're loading up, make sure you load up good, and lather on your wet face. By all means do use some pumping of the brush. And like Hirlau said, whether in a bowl or on your face you gotta whip it!

Ohh let me clarify. I whipped it like hell. But I was conservative on the pumping.
I think pumping too often would result in bubbles which is air which in turn will give me a puffy but empty,so to speak, lather because it won't be creamy and full (volume) it'll get built up based on excess air from pumping.

Otherwise I whipped it till my wrists felt like they'd fall off.

Maybe Posting a video is better?