How should I use my soap samples?

I have a few small sample chunks of shaving soap. One is a small pat of menthol soap and another is a couple of small chunks of bald frog. I'm not sure how to use them. I know what I would do with a tub or puck of soap, but there's no way I can lather a tiny piece of soap in a way I would a puck or tub. I have a small shaving bowl that I use for my cream.

So how do I use these?

Somewhat odd story: I'm a teacher and my class and I were learning about a short story called "Lather and Nothing Else" that's basically about a tyrannical Mexican captain who comes to a barber shop for a shave...straight razor of course. In it, the barber is depicted as having a bar of shaving soap that he cuts off small shavings of and lathers with water in a mug. Is that even a viable way to lather soap? That was the method that popped into my head about these samples, but I also know it's a work of fiction and such things are rarely fully realistic.

I would put the pieces into a mug or cup and use that to load and/or build lather.

I would think that you could use a cheese grater or something and put some shavings in the bottom of your lather bowl and then begin your lathering.

Another option is to get a small container and heat it up so that the soap melts to shape. I actually use this method with the bald frog soap. I use a Mr. Coffee mug warmer and a small glass sugar bowl from wal-mart.

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I would put the pieces into a mug or cup and use that to load and/or build lather.

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Before I even read above post, I was thinking the same thing.

I thought of that too, but my concern is that they are irregularly shaped. I'm not sure how I can load up my brush (generic boar) on with some non-stationary bits of soap. I guess I could build the lather in the mug with the soap in it, but I'm pretty bad at that right now.

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Originally Posted by U2Bono269

I thought of that too, but my concern is that they are irregularly shaped. I'm not sure how I can load up my brush (generic boar) on with some non-stationary bits of soap. I guess I could build the lather in the mug with the soap in it, but I'm pretty bad at that right now.

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After you use it once, the soap will probably mush down and, with the help of excess lather, stick to the bottom of the mug. That said, if it doesn't work, you can always wet it and press it down firmly so it does stick, or explore a grating type solution.

I like melting samples into a container. Pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds depending on the size of the sample, stir with a toothpic and then let cool. Load a brush from your newly cooled soap and lather in a lather bowl.

I know some guys get fancy and melt their soaps or grate them to be pressed into a container. But you can also just use a finger or two to stabilize the soap while you swirl away. Yes, it's a bit messy but it works fine.

Depending on the type of soap, you could always use the sample like you would a shave stick. Wet the face, rub the soap on your face and then use your brush to face lather.

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Originally Posted by Mastershake

I like melting samples into a container. Pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds depending on the size of the sample, stir with a toothpic and then let cool. Load a brush from your newly cooled soap and lather in a lather bowl.

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+1 this. 5-10 seconds is all you need. Works well. Then I cut/scored the top of mine with a knife to give the brush a place to grab. Probably will just grate the next ones.

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Originally Posted by medicevans

+1 this. 5-10 seconds is all you need. Works well. Then I cut/scored the top of mine with a knife to give the brush a place to grab. Probably will just grate the next ones.

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That's a cool idea with the scoring of the top, I'm gonna try this on a couple of my bowls, thanks for the idea!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by holli4pirating

After you use it once, the soap will probably mush down and, with the help of excess lather, stick to the bottom of the mug. That said, if it doesn't work, you can always wet it and press it down firmly so it does stick, or explore a grating type solution.

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This is how I would do it. When I got a few samples of mama bear's soaps I just pinched off a chunk and pressed it into the bottom of the bowl.

Small chunks... Use a grater
i.e. use your man grater.

If you wet your whiskers then rub the chunk on
your face you will transfer/ grate more than enough
soap to face lather.

You can also hold them in your hand
and work a brush on them to get a
lather going.

When they get too small for that toss them in
the bottom of a mug with just enough water
to get them soft enough so they stick to the bottom.

If they are really fragrant you can toss them on
top of a mild inexpensive soap like Williams or better
on top of one of the fragrance free hypo allergenic pucks that
some of the sites we talk about have.