Question about Shaving Cream

I'm only about 5 shaves into this whole experience. But every shave I've noticed the shaving cream dries out rather quickly. I'm using AOS shaving cream with lemon essential oil, I like the smell. At first I thought maybe the drying was normal, but after reading a few of ya'lls threads on lathers, I'm thinking it may not be. Anybody have any experience with this shaving cream? oh yeah, I use an AOS badger hair brush. Is it my technique with getting the lather, or is it the quality of the cream? Normally I run the brush under hot water, then put a dab of the cream in the middle of the brush, and then on to my face. I work into the lather on my face, something about exfoliating I think. Anyway, I hope someone can shed some light. Thanks.

Is the lather on your face drying out, or the lather in the brush?
I usually have to re-lather my face a few times during a shave. I soak the brush in water during my shower, then put a small blob of cream into a bowl then whip it up. Then transfer to my face.. when it starts to dry I just stir around the bowl a little more and get fresh lather..

Yeah, I re-lather as well, many times in fact. It just keeps drying up on my face. Like I said, I just wonder if its the quality of the cream, or if I could do something better.

The first question is how long does it take for you to shave? AOS is quality stuff. You might try using more water or if it's taking you a long time to shave you might just have to refresh the brush with more soap or water.

If it's just your face drying I wouldn't worry too much. I've been shaving for 5 months now and still re-lather halfway through, and sometimes 2 or 3 times total.

You're probably ok. I sometimes have to rewet the lather if I'm taking a little longer. Another thing that sometimes helps, while I like to wet my face with the hottest water I can stand (or even a hot towel if I'm feeling like it) the lather itself is not quite as hot. The hotter the water is the faster the lather will dry up, so there is a little bit of finding the happy medium, also. Scalding lather rarely lasts long, so normally I'll just go for hot lather, not *very* hot lather.
Hope this helps.



John P.

I had a lot of trouble with this when I started out using Williams soap. I have moved on to better products now I don't have much of a problem with it drying out. I make uber lather now and it holds up well. I also tend to shave my face in sections ie I divide my face into three sections and only lather the section I am shaving. This way the lather doesn't sit on my face as long.

Mike

I use Williams pucks and get a good lather. Face really wet and lather up one side, neck, chin and 'stache. Shave. Wet the other side real well and then repeat the above.

I just watch my later. If it is a little dry then between passes, when I wash my face, I leave it wet and then lather over it. If it is a little wet then I dry my face with a towel before lathering.


R

I've noticed that lather tends to dry out when I build the lather on my face. I'd try building the lather in a bowl. It takes a while to get the lather right. Experiment with it. Try adding more water. Might also help to post a picture of the lather.


Patrick

I started out using the AOS sandalwood with an AOS Brush and my method has given good results:

Soak the brush in hot water for the duration of my shower (about 10 mins)
Place a snurdle of cream in the lather bowl
take the brush out of the water and LIGHTLY flick it once or twice. The object is to have a brush heavy with water that doesn't drip.
Whip the lather up.
I would say you aren't getting enough water in the mix from the sound of it.

Hope this helps!

-Rob

I had a similar problem when I used T&H creams, having it dry out. I found adding a little vegetable glycerin helped the lather to retain moisture longer, lasting longer before drying out. I found the glycerin I got at a local health foods shop.

Do you have any way to control the humidity in the area you shave in?