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I could use some guidance here. I've been using SRD soaps (love 'em), but today my birthday present to self (one of them) arrived, which was a new Omega Boar brush and a sampler of GFT products, which included about six or seven of their shave creams. I've yet to try a cream, and since they're samplers, I want to get the most out of each one.
What is sort of the text-book way to whip up a lather using a cream based shaving product as opposed to the hard soap type of product?
Scoop out a small amount of the cream (somewhere between pea-size and almond-size) into your mug (after soaking the brush, of course). Begin to whip away with a damp, almost dry, brush, slowly adding a little water at a time. Since you have experience with soaps, you should know what a good lather looks like and how to add water until you get a lather that looks right. For the first shave or 2, try using the ones you don't really like the smell of first, so if you screw up you won't have wasted half the sample of your favourite scent.
Good idea with test driving with the unwanted ones first. I personally use creams most times. I add hot water to my brush, as I build lather, at the knot. That way the water goes down to the tips and into the lather. That was a tip Lynn gave me. Also, don't smush the bristles flat in the bottom of your scuttle. It only pushes the lather you're trying to make up and out the sides of the scuttle. I also use Glycerine. About six drops to the mix. You can get this at a drug store or Walmart for about 1.25$. It may take some wrist grease to get it right, but it's great when you finally do.
Nice sample kit. Category:Lather - Straight Razor Place Wiki should provide you with all the information you need.
Regards,
Robin
I hope nobody will mind if I post a link to a very brief tutorial (with pictures!) on another forum? It'll take about a minute to read.
The Shaving Room • View topic - Face lathering with Creams
This is roughly what I do, as an inveterate face latherer.