Thread: Lather building newb question

I have a question that i can't seem to find an answer to elsewhere. When reading about lather building techniques the usual reference to a mug with soap in the bottom is to just use it to load soap on the brush and build lather directly on the face or in a separate bowl. now my question is why is it not advised to build the lather directly above the soap, will there be an excess of soap loaded onto the brush as well as the lather or is there a harmful effect to the soap itself like over exposing it to water. Thank you in advance and I'm sorry if this question was asked already.

It is possible to build the lather directly on the soap.
But normally you'll need more soap if you build the lather directly on the soap. Building the lather in a separate bowl helps to save soap, which is good especially when you have more expensive ones.

Furthermore, if you buy a soap that comes with a wooden bowl or something to keep it in, the bowl is a bit to small to build enough and proper lather. So you would end up with more lather in your washstand than in your bowl.

My last soap was a very very cheap one. There was no wooden bowl with the soap, so I put parts of the soap in a big mug and built the lather directly on it. Worked very good, but the soap didn't last very long.

Thank you so much for your response. I intend to try many different techniques to see what I like I just didn't want to try anything that might ruin a perfectly good soap puck.

I keep each of my soaps in their own dedicated, covered mug of a size very comfortable to build lather and to hold in my hand. Get them cheap in the kitchen section at Wal-Mart. They are also easy to toss in a pan of hot water to make hot lather if I feel like it. I make all the lather I need, any extra just stays in the mug for the next time. No problems what so ever with glycerin soaps, tallow soaps can get a little moist but then I just leave the top off for a day. Takes up a bit of bathroom space but I just like using them this way.

Similarly to Kahunamoose I keep each one of my soaps in a separate bowl but do not cover them, I think that they dry better that way and since I keep using them, they do not dry too much. I also build my lather in a separate bowl, you can imagine what my bathroom looks like now... ;-). You can also build lather on your hand or face. I tried both but I like using a bowl for it. I also add glycerin to my bowl when I build my lather and often combine it with a soft soap (cream). I always heat up my bowl and brush with warm water before I build the lather.

Al raz.

i guess you could keep doing the soap thing in the 'wasteful' containery.... that way you would be able to try more soaps!

i tihink i'm gonna do creams... they make fluffy lather beter than soap discuses

For years I used Williams soap in an old coffee mug and I just lathered up on top of the soap. I never had a problem. The last few years I've been using the soaps in a wooden tub. There's not enough room in the wooden tub to make a lather, so I started using a small bowl for making my lather. I load the tip of my brush with soap from the tub, pick up the small bowl, and work the brush in the small bowl to make my lather.

Then I found a big latte mug at the grocery store. I fill that with hot water and place my small bowl of lather on top (it's a perfect fit) after I've made lather. This keeps my lather and brush hot for the entire shave.

Dave

thank you,

i had the exact same question and had looked and looked around and there really isnt anything i could find saying one way or another.

follow up question though,

if im lathering on the soap (leaving it in my shaving mug) should i rinse it off when im done or just leave the remaining lather? im not shaving really often, every 4 days max some times pushing a week (lazy college student that has to shave all the time for highschool). is that long of a break between ok still?

thanks
-matt

You're better off rinsing the soap/container off after using. The lather that dries is just gunk and serves no useful purpose. Check out these videos to get great lather .

I do not use a separate bowl or mug. Nor do I build lather on top of the soap.

I simply squash the soaked brush around on the soap puck in its mug or bowl for about five seconds and then start squashing it around on my face. Advantages:

– the lather is very hot, because the time from the brush coming out of the basin and hitting your face is about five seconds. 'Reheating' your lather is as simple as dipping the soap-charged brush in the basin

– you don't waste any soap, yet you don't need another bowl

– altogether very simple operation, with a minimum of fuss & extra gear

Disadvantage:

– it takes about two seconds for the lather to start building on your face; during those two seconds runny hot soap will streak down your face and neck

I have never understood lather-building videos and tutorials. Soak brush, squash hot brush on soap, squash soapy brush on face – 'sall you need to know.