Thread: Making lather directly on the soap

Hello gents...
I have a question about making lather directly on the soap puck...
For quite some time, I've been making my lather in separate bowl, since I have a Tabac soap in it's original ceramic bowl... I've been following the Illustrated Guide To Making Basic Soap Lather from Wiki here and the lather was superb...
But sometimes, when shaving in the morning, whipping lather in separate bowl just takes too much time, so I ordered some soaps which I intend to put in shaving mugs and eventually build lather directly on them...
I've tried this before but either my lather was too thick and too dry or I got some lather soup flying around the bathroom...
Any tips or tricks that could help me improve my lathering technique?
Thanks...

I don't like thin lather. Some soaps always produce a thin lather and seem incapable of getting to the density that I prefer. So I prefer to start with a puck of soap that will make a thick lather. I'm not going to name soap brands, because I have hard water in my area and what works with my water may not work with soft water, but the principal still holds.

I always lather my soap in the bowl supplied with the soap. I fill the brush with warm water and wet the surface of the soap with the same warm water. Then swirl away over the sink until the brush is full of a nice rich lather. I also have a lot of froth flow over the bowl, but into the sink. Eventually this stops. Then the brush is full of the good stuff. If it is a little to thick on the brush (and usually it isn't its just perfect) I just wet my face heavily and it seem to take care of it.

I've never seen the need for a special lather bowl unless you wish to add to the soap extra glycerin or something.

I must admit, the soaps I buy seem to me to be just perfect as they come out of the box. The Tobac soap you have used is what I would call a good soap but it can dry out quickly on the face if you make a heavy lather with it.

I make the point about thin lathering soaps not because I think they are bad. I think a soap that make both thick or thin lather is more versatile. The soaps that make the thinner lather seem to last longer.

Once the lather on the soap starts getting too thick, then this is a sign that you need to move to your face and lather up. You can thin it a bit by wetting the tip of the brush and working it up on your face some more.

I like thinner lather with my Tabac, and I make lather directly on the soap and it works great!

Originally Posted by Robert1988

Hello gents...
I have a question about making lather directly on the soap puck...
For quite some time, I've been making my lather in separate bowl, since I have a Tabac soap in it's original ceramic bowl... I've been following the Illustrated Guide To Making Basic Soap Lather from Wiki here and the lather was superb...
But sometimes, when shaving in the morning, whipping lather in separate bowl just takes too much time, so I ordered some soaps which I intend to put in shaving mugs and eventually build lather directly on them...
I've tried this before but either my lather was too thick and too dry or I got some lather soup flying around the bathroom...
Any tips or tricks that could help me improve my lathering technique?
Thanks...

Glad to hear that the Illustrated guide have helped you.
Here is my suggestions. Follow again the Illustrated guide until you reach a step 7. Instead of going to bowl go to direct face lathering but notice these things.
- just before face lathering rinse your face to get the neccessary amount of water on the face
- use only a warm water
- with face lathering you don't need so much soap in the brush bristles
- if your lather feels too dry take your another hand and take a little water on to your hand bowl. Now dip your brush tip in there to add more water in the bristles. This is the way how you don't add too much water in your brush. You can swirl your brush in your hand too to check out the progress.
- if you dip your brush under the running water or in the sink try to do it fast because otherwise it takes too much water and after that your only chance is anymore to add more soap.
- three finger grip helps to prevent too much water absorbation
- do not splash water straight on to your face after first lathering the only result is soap on the floor

I do almost exacly as English Described I think hot water hot enough for the lather to stay warm is key. But what he said was spot on for me as well.

Matt

Make sure the mug or whatever you use as a vessel is about 4.5 inches across (pretty wide) and at least 3.5 inches deep – high enough so you have lots of room for your lather to reside as you incorporate more soap or more water as needed. It’s also easy to set the whole thing in an pan of hot water if you want hot lather for your whole shave. Look in the kitchen section at Wal-Mart, Target, etc., you will find all sorts of ideal containers with lids.

I use the same method as English. This is the way my Grandfather taught me over 40 years ago.

If works as well or better as any other method. I use Institut Kerite Soap in an old Marvy rubber mug, it holds the heat and the lather does not dry on my face.

I use a Simpson pure badger brush.

This method is fast and produces good results.