Thread: Making lather: Mama Bears Soap

I have a puck of mama Bears shaving soap. Am using a boars hair brush. How do you make lather with this soap ( usually face lather). I have watched the directions on their website: Handmade Shaving Soaps, Mama Bears Soaps.
It looks like they use a fair amount of water. I tried leaving a fair amount in the brush and scrubing the puck until I start getting lather. Also with no water in the brush and adding latter. It looks good, but it seems to dry out fast. What am I missing. How long should lather last on the face?

Thanks

I'd like to help but I dont think I can. I have been using soaps and creams to lather with for years but cannot seem to get a good lather at all from the mama bear soap I have. I read recently somewhere on here that it was possible there was a few batches of bad soap. It is a glycerin based soap and does require a good amount of time and water. I'm sure others will speak up on this.

Mama Bear's is one of my favorites; use plenty of hot water and use your time. Watch the video on her web-site.
Once you figure out how, you will consistently get great lather from it.

i don't know what your prep is but i put a layer of HOT water and then put the lid back on while i shower and start building with the "melted" soap on the top and it seems to work GREAT for me

Originally Posted by BenjamanBarker

i don't know what your prep is but i put a layer of HOT water and then put the lid back on while i shower and start building with the "melted" soap on the top and it seems to work GREAT for me

You took the words out of my mouth. This seems to build a much better lather.

binder,

If your lather is drying out too quickly there's a couple things you can do. First, when you reach the level of hydration you think is ideal, add some more. This will usually ensure hydration for at least a full shave. Second, and a good trick for face latherers, when your lather goes dry dip the very tip of your brush in water and give it a few swirls around the dry areas until a desired consistency is reached. It sounds like you're on the right track, but a bit more experimentation is in order.

BTW - How long does your lather last before it starts to dry up?

I agree with all the remarks about having plenty of water. Would like to add that I have better luck with a badger brush when working with Mama Bears soap. It doesn't have to be an expensive badger either, but it just seems like the badger brush is more dense and can absorb more water and lather.

OK so everything that has been said above definitely will help you. That being said, I have two pucks of Mamma Bears. One lathers perfectly, The other well...that dog don't hunt. I don't know what it is, but the one scent is amazing and perfectly lathers in a mug or on your face and the other sears my skin and has the worst lather I have ever dealt with. I will definitely try more of her soap's, but had to throw my 2 cents in about different performance with different scents.

Originally Posted by alb1981

OK so everything that has been said above definitely will help you. That being said, I have two pucks of Mamma Bears. One lathers perfectly, The other well...that dog don't hunt. I don't know what it is, but the one scent is amazing and perfectly lathers in a mug or on your face and the other sears my skin and has the worst lather I have ever dealt with. I will definitely try more of her soap's, but had to throw my 2 cents in about different performance with different scents.

I haven't had any problem with lathering any of her soaps but did have one that burned on my skin (Beau Brummel). The burning sensation is the scent added to the soap. Others have reported burning sensation with various scents. For whatever reason, you must have stumbled across a bad one that doesn't lather.

BIG +1 on the badger's superiority over a stinkin' boar. Here's where I am on that issue: boar's inferiority requires bowl lathering, with multiple loadings of the brush into the bowl for enough lather to last multiple passes. So for this face latherer of an OP I say go for badger! I haven't had any large boars but the mediumish one I have seems to have a solid enough knot, it's nothing compared to my cheapo tweezerman badger brush! Major loading of the brush and obviously generates a hell of a lot more quality glycerin-soap lather with just one loading (I'm a bowl latherer but if I were face lathering I would also prefer using a badger!!!).

Ditch the boar and go for a badger.