Thread: brush filled with lather or bowl filled with lather?

Do you aim to produce your lather so that it makes lot's of lather outside of the brush and then you pick that up with the brush and apply to face?

Or do you use the lather that gets loaded inside the brush to build up a coat on your face, anything that's in the bowl/scuttle/mug just stays there?

-----Michael

In other words, do you bowl lather or face lather?

I'm primarily a bowl latherer. I feel I have better control of the soap/water ratio that way, so by the time the brush hits my face the lather is already perfect (or near perfect). JMHO of course, there are a lot of members who prefer face lathering for various reasons.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

In other words, do you bowl lather or face lather?

I'm primarily a bowl latherer. I feel I have better control of the soap/water ratio that way, so by the time the brush hits my face the lather is already perfect (or near perfect). JMHO of course, there are a lot of members who prefer face lathering for various reasons.

No, not bowl vs face.

After I lather in a bowl the brush is literally full of lather. One can also generate additional lather in the bowl that doesn't stay in the brush.

My question is regarding the lather in the brush vs the lather in the bowl.

-----Michael

I always make more lather than I need, I see no reason to skimp on it. Here's from a recent shave using modern Williams:


By blix72 at 2012-01-26

personally i have found that you create easily twice the lather you probably need. the brush alone contains enough to last 5 shaves without the bowl. lathering by bowl and loading up the brush is entirely inefficient but that is how i normally do it. a little goes a long way if you are concerned about usage every day try cutting your amount in half and find the point where it just is not sufficient. i just put a finger scoop of cream or a good 15 seconds loading the brush in with a tablespoon of hot water and make more lather then anyone could ever need and toss it out in the end. with over 30 soaps and creams in the den i am not too concerned about efficiency.

otherwise if i miss interpreted your question i am not sure there is any way to lather in a bowl and in the process not completely load up the brush as well. the only way i know to lather and not have a brush full is face lathering which is probably more efficient but suffers for the ability to reach the 'perfect' blend of soap and lather without real skill.

I usually bowl lather and once my brush is saturated with lather, then any (extra) lather produce stay in the bowl. I kind of think that the lather (deep) in the brush is of better shaving qualities, but that's more a personal impression.

Originally Posted by Blix

I always make more lather than I need, I see no reason to skimp on it. Here's from a recent shave using modern Williams:

whoa, you actually got such a nice lather with a williams soap...? I'm impressed, I've never obtained something that close to a nice lather with it...

Originally Posted by christophe

whoa, you actually got such a nice lather with a williams soap...? I'm impressed, I've never obtained something that close to a nice lather with it...

synthetic brush? i have heard gives a better lather easier. hard water? i bet this is the least common denominator of everyone's ability to create lather. grate the williams into a cup and try letting a brush full of hot water soak into the soap while you are in the shower. pour the soapy water in your scuttle and load a relatively well shaken brush with the now soft soap. doing it this way seems to always give me a great lather regardless of soap.

Originally Posted by christophe

whoa, you actually got such a nice lather with a williams soap...? I'm impressed, I've never obtained something that close to a nice lather with it...

Yeah, I get that lather every time with Williams, it works quite nicely for me. I used a Semogue SOC boar brush that day. We have very soft water here, that may help. No grating, no soaking..

Originally Posted by mjsorkin

No, not bowl vs face.

After I lather in a bowl the brush is literally full of lather. One can also generate additional lather in the bowl that doesn't stay in the brush.

My question is regarding the lather in the brush vs the lather in the bowl.

-----Michael

I see. In that case, what I do is use the lather from the bowl for additional passes. Then, for my final ATG touch ups, I squeeze the rich lather from the brush and apply that to my face.