Thread: Watery, Thick, or just right and how do you get there?

Do you like your creams watery, thick, or somewhere in between and how do you get them that way? I'm thinking of ditching the water into the brush routine (since I can't see water in the brush anyway) and putting some water into the bowl instead. I can easily see a measured amount of water and can learn what works best for each cream (I have a large variety). Whatch guys think ???? ...... and how do you do it?

Not sure how too well it would work without a wet brush, but maybe worth a shot. As for me, I just pay attention with the first few swirls. If there's too much water, I can tell right away and I'll pour it out before I make white soup. If not enough water, then you can always add a few drops as many times as you need. The thing that gets me is switching creams from day to day. They're all different consistencies. The Castle Forbes are very thick in the tub and need a bit more water and swirling to get them going. Taylors and T & H seem a little thinner, and Trumper's somewhere in between. Then there's incinsistencies between the same tubs with different batches. THEN they're all a bit thinner in the tubes than the same cream in a tub! One more curveball, if you have more than one brush, that's makes getting the "hang" of it even more challenging. I just accept the fact that I cannot "nail" it every single time and just watch the first couple swirls. Either that or stick to soaps. D.R. Harris and T & H soaps rival any cream out there for my nickel anyway.

Jeff

I think a better approach is to soak the brush and remove the excess and then subsequently add water as you need to. A dry brush isn't going to hold the lather at all IMO.

Practice, practice, practice. I do soak my brushes in hot water before starting in on the cream/soap du jour. You do get a feel on how much water to leave in the brush for each product once you've played around with them a while. Different brushes will introduce yet another variable, FWIW.



Wayne

I just saturate the brush and let the loose water drain off and start swirling. each soap is different so to try and get the lather the same across all soaps is impossible and unnecessary. You don't need 3 inches of lather on your face just enough to lubricate and set up the hairs. Go with the soap that gives you the lather you prefer. My favorites are haslinger and trumpers.

In my experience, the creams need less water, the soaps need a little more to get the same type of consistency between them.

For now I use two soaps (classic and Tabac) and two cremes (Taylor and The Body Shop). I get great lather from them with the same amount of water. Your initial water amount will depend on the brush type and size. My father with his brush (cheap boar) and technique (flicks ALL the wather from it!) gets nothing but thick paste from my soaps and his cremes, and is fine shaving with that. Now, my procedure is this: I fully saturate my pure badger (22mm) brush, flick jeeest a bit (maybe half teaspoon) and procede working the soap in the bowl. I swirl about 10 circles and procede adding the leftower water onto brush from the bowl as I go. This is by design of my bowl, the water doesen't mix right away, it falls down. When latering creme, I put the wanted amount of creme (almond size) in empty soap bowl, and mix it with the same amount of water in the brush with few swirls, and procede lathering on my face. Remember, lather has everything to do with the water quality in your house. Try using bottled water for your next shave and see what diference it makes.

nenad

Thanx guys...I'm not sure I'm being clear but I'm not really having any trouble getting lather. I have pretty good water. My first issue is whether any of you prefer a watery cream or, if like your Dad, you prefer a dryer cream. Second I have 6 different creams in my cabinet and like to rotate them (which I may have to stop doing) Hence, I can't remember how much water each uses. You'd think they'd be close to each other but that stinkin' Trumpers throws everything off.

I'm also really a tight wad (despite having all these expensive creams) and I hate using extra cream and more cream and more cream because I bought an expensive brush that holds too much freakin' water....thats another gripe I guess.

What I started doing yesterday is just knocking out all the water from the brush and building a paste instead of a lather and then touching the brush to the sink water, slowly adding water to the bowl. I do this mostly so I don't ruin the small amount of cream I put in the bowl and have to add more.

I'm also looking for your techniques on how you get there, and I appreciate all the comments. I'm might try adding an equal amount of cream and water to the bowl and see how that goes for a few days. I can always keep doubling it (the water that is). I would think that if you put cream and water in a bowl and started mixing it up with a brush that you'd get lather...? Even if the brush was dry.....we'll off to the lab...err I mean bathroom.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

I'm might try adding an equal amount of cream and water to the bowl and see how that goes for a few days. I can always keep doubling it (the water that is). I would think that if you put cream and water in a bowl and started mixing it up with a brush that you'd get lather...? Even if the brush was dry.....we'll off to the lab...err I mean bathroom.

Originally Posted by supafly

I put the wanted amount of creme (almond size) in empty soap bowl, and mix it with the same amount of water in the brush with few swirls, and procede lathering on my face.

err... my bad, blame my poor english. What I ment was that I use the same technique and amount of water as in making lather with my soaps, that is fully loaded brush - one tiny flick, and I mean tiny, so not necesary. But remember, my brush is smaller (22) than your average silver monster. Then I bring the brush into bowl and mix with the creme, with 5-10 swirls(?). This is not building lather, it just mixes the water with creme so it won't drip when I start lathering on my face. With this technique (and amount of creme) I am able to make lather for 2 passes, which is nice and thick, just like lather or foam from the can. But with my larger brush I get nothing! not even tiniest amount of lather. Maybe I gotta learn that brush...
Oh, and I also started to hang over my dad's neck, when I catch him shave, and preach, "ok, now add some more water, that's good, now some more... more... more... ok, I'll get out of here " But he seam to like added amount of water in his lather. I bet he will be surprised when I get him nice new Merkur HD, and some badger brush...

post your results,
Nenad

Nenad,
First of all let me say your English is great, a hell of a lot better than I can speak any other language.


With creams I just soak my silvertip badger brush then shake it out and dip it into the tub of cream then lather it on my face. It ends up with enough on the brush for a second or third pass. I have to learn to take less cream. But I get a beautifully firm lather, like whipped cream.

With soap I lather in my scuttle or wooden tub that came with it and then apply it. Never as full and creamy as the shave cream but it does the job.