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

The challenge of making lather in a mug that has the soap puck at the bottom is that the soap to water ratio is constantly changing. As you are swishing your brush around making lather, you are constantly brushing against the soap puck, bringing in more soap to the ratio. It can be done, but it takes practice. If your lather doesn't work for you, rinse the lather out and try again - soap is pretty cheap. Shaving cream, on the other hand, can start to get expensive.

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.

jerrybyers' question is really important. I understand that one loads the brush on the soap puck (with an almost dry brush (after soaking and wringing)) and then makes the soap in another cup, where one can control the mix of soap and water. If you try to make the lather on the puck, the soap/water mix changes constantly. However, to actually answer the question, I find cream easier, though I think shortly I'll branch out into only soaps for a while.

I ALWAYS shake my brush, after soaking, for five shakes (No more, no less). I then start to make the lather, and mix in only a few drops of water at a time, dribbled from my hand (I never dip the brush). I actually go to the probably extraordinary length of ensuring I shake the water off my hand after dribbling a few drops of water in the bowl; just in case some water drips down my hand into the bowl. I do this as I find there is a really very fine line between too dry, just right and too watery.

I believe, in my limited experience and knowledge, that boars hair brushes are actually quite good. The other day I came across horse hair brushes for the first time on the 'net! Horse Shaving Brushes | Gifts And Care

Überlather, of course, IMO, gives the best of both worlds.

I'm of the opinion if you have to uberlather to get good results from a soap/cream, it goes to /dev/null. A soap or cream should be able to stand on its own.

Long before I ever picked up a straight razor, I used the Mach type razors. I also used a mug of Williams soap and a boar brush reliqously. I face lathered, and had no trouble. I don't know of Dirty Deeds Beer soap, maybe someone does, and will chime in, but if you lather right from the puck to your face, I.E. Put it in a mug, wet it, and the brush, shake out excess, and whip away, you should get some lather. To answer your question, Yes, Creams tend to provide more lather. Also, Target and Wal Mart super center's usually have Van Der Hagen soap. A lot of the member's rave about it. Give it a try.

To me it's a non-issue because if you can lather, well maybe it takes a few seconds longer to do a soap but that's not an issue. Kind of like someone buying a frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwich rather than make one themselves.

But to the question, yea creams are easier.

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

I'm of the opinion if you have to uberlather to get good results from a soap/cream, it goes to /dev/null. A soap or cream should be able to stand on its own.

Is that a Unix comment? I'm not saying I HAVE to; I also use soaps and creams on their own, but I like the frothiness of Überlather. I guess we could all dress like Kim Jong Il, too, but it's nice to mix and match :-)