Thread: Beginner Q: Soap vs Cream? Which is easier to lather?

Ok...to answer the questions here...

I keep the soap puck on a wooden dish and I use a handled soup bowl for making the lather. I'm pretty sure my drying issues from the last time were because I just didn't load enough soap onto the brush, and also because I used too much water. It seems that while cream is easier, it's also pretty much a negligible difference, so while I'll probably try some shaving cream at some point, I'll stick to the soap for now. I'll probably try the Van der Hagen too once this puck runs out.

I did try lathering right on my face and I didn't like it. I'd prefer to have it in a bowl.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. Because my straight is still out being honed, I'm stuck using mach3...and even though my soap shave was LEAGUES better than when I used foam, my face still needs a few days to recover.

Ok so I had another go-round with the soap puck. I did a little better. Soap still dried pretty quickly on my face, so I lathered and shaved in areas rather than the whole face at once. Shave was closer than last time, but the Mach3 still ripped my neck into a bloody mess. Can't wait to get my straight back from honing. When I was done shaving I practiced my lather-making again and it was the best yet, but there's more to go. I'm still not really happy with the soap lather I'm getting, so I'd like some feedback on my methods if anyone is willing to help out...here goes.

I soak the brush (boar) in hot water while I'm in the shower (if I'm not showering, I soak 5-10 minutes). I put a little hot water on the puck too, and soak for the same length of time. Then I drain my bowl, wring the water out of the brush and dump the excess water off the puck. Then, I swirl on puck...45 seconds (I was only doing about 20 seconds before, and on my latest try I doubled it with much success). I then beat the lather in the bowl, like I would with eggs, adding drops of water periodically if the lather looks too thick. I do this for about 20-30 seconds. Then I apply to my face in a swirling/painting motion.

I was able to scoop some out and roll it around my hands and it felt nice...creamy, slippery and thick, but not too thick, IMO...I was already done shaving so I don't know how it would have done on my face.

I'm also wondering how much lather should I produce? For some reason I have the idea that I need to fill the bowl, but what I'm getting amounts to a handful, I think.

Any thoughts? Am I doing anything wrong?

You want to FILL the bowl? What are you going to DO with it, wash the dog and cat as well? :-)
I end up washing 1/2 my lather down the sink anyway, when I make a good lather, which is pretty much everyday. Today I used just Windsor and it was RUBBISH, really, really thin. The shave ended up OK though.

I would say your method sounds perfect (as perfect as it gets).

Have you tried another soap? To be honest, I've only used two (Windsor and Crabtree and Evelyn Nomad; I'm still pretty new to straight razor shaving (3 mths) and used Palmolive with a disposable for YEARS, so take what I say with a pinch of salt, but the difference between these two is astonishing. Maybe try another soap? I can't obviously recommend anything other than the Nomad.

I think if you're bleeding after using a Mach3, then there's SOMETHING amiss! But your description on the soap sounds good, you seem to have plenty of it, and it sounds like it 'feels' OK. What else might be wrong, if not the soap?

I ask about volume because every video or pictorial I've seen seems to create more lather than I do. So I wasn't sure.

It's good that my method sounds ok...I feel like it might be too dry, which is why it's drying out so quickly. It feels fine in my hand, but it just melts away on my face, which I've read may indicate too little water. I'm going to stop at the store today and maybe pick up a cream or another soap, although I do really like the soap I have now.

I'm a recent defector from electric shaving. The cost of that became prohibitive so I switched to mach3. Besides the fact that my face doesn't like those blades, I can only use them once before the blades go too dull, because I have a tough beard. I don't want to spent $400 on a new electric, and I don't want to spend $400 on cartridges every year, so here I am dawdling with straight razors. I'm hoping to have my straight back from the honemeister this week so I can begin in earnest. But I've put together a decent beginner's kit for about $75, so I'm pretty happy so far and my face is happier with each passing day.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

I have not used the soap listed above, but some just do not have it in them to turn in to the super duper i'm walking on sunshine on a cloudy day lather.

If you have a bath and body works near you, stop by and pick up a small tube of C.O. Bigelow for $5 and see if you have better luck.

btw, have you tried face lathering? For some reason it was always easier for me.

I love that Bigelow shave cream from Bath and Body. It's made by Proraso and it says so on the tube; Obie introduced me to it. I like mixing it with some left over AOS. Bath and Body has a large tube of Bigelow for $10.

I use an empty shaving soap container with a screw on lid to create lather in. If I make up more lather than I use, the container is great for saving it for the next day's shave - no waste. But any resealable container is good.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I think if you're bleeding after using a Mach3, then there's SOMETHING amiss! But your description on the soap sounds good, you seem to have plenty of it, and it sounds like it 'feels' OK. What else might be wrong, if not the soap?

I was thinking the same thing, Are you using too much pressure? or do you have bumps, areas on your face that make shaving challenging?

Originally Posted by zib

I was thinking the same thing, Are you using too much pressure? or do you have bumps, areas on your face that make shaving challenging?

Seriously here, perhaps you might want to see a dermatologist.

I've never heard of the soap you're using. As others have said, try something else. I've found some local soap makers who sell "shaving soap" but it flat out sucks for wet shaving. Maybe if I just rubbed the puck on my wet face it would work well. The Bigelow/Proraso stuff is good. If you have a Rite Aid nearby they usually carry a brand called "The Real Shave Co". It is a cream and is $5-$6. Not stellar but it produces a good lather, quickly. The scent is also mild. I tend to use it for mixing with soaps that I like the smell of that just don't lather well. Other easily affordable options include the SRD and Mama Bear soaps. Great stuff, either way. They'll fill your bowl if that's what you want them to do. TOBS can also be found on Amazon for around $12 a tub from time to time. The VDH soap, while nothing amazing is only $3 a puck and works halfway decently.
Personally, I'd rather spend the extra few bucks for something better but if you combine it with your soap it may work wonderfully.

If you want to fill your bowl with lather you can, but you'll waste a lot of it. If it dries out on your face you can also wet your face first.
I've got a pretty spartan routine that I enjoy-
Soak Brush for 5 minutes in cold water.
Shake it once or twice then rub my face lightly with the wet brush.
With my TOBS, I swirl it 4 times in the tub and start making lather. I usually add 5-6 drops of water to it as the lather forms up.
For soaps each one is different but I load it up until I like how it looks. Add water to lather bowl if needed. If you have too much soap it will dry out too quickly so mess around making lather and not shaving with it.
Then I lather up for a minute or so and really scrub it in
Strop. 30 on Webbing, 50ish on leather.
Shave. If my lather is starting to dry I add a few drops to the bowl, mix them in and paint my face again.

I have a Rite-Aid near my house so I'll try to pick some of that up tonight. I like your idea of mixing it with the soap, because I really like the smell and it's done wonders for my skin. Next time I'm at the mall I plan on picking up the Bigelow stuff.

As for the bleeding, I have a patch of skin on my neck that's really sensitive. It's just below the chin, down the entire the middle of the neck. My beard is also thick, so 2 or three passes of a triple bladed razor is just too much for it to handle. And if I use just one pass, the stubble looks like I took a weedwhacker to it because the blades get immediately clogged and don't cut anything. I barely use any pressure but those blades still cause all these little bleeding pinpricks. Fun times, folks.