Thread: I have a question about lather. I'd love to hear your advice.

I am pretty new to straight razor shaving and I've had a problem with my lather. I have 2 creams. Pacific shaving company all natural shaving cream and Bluebeards revenge. The issue I'm having is that it drys out on my face really quickly. I have to reapply lather whenever I switch to the other side of my face. It makes for an unpleasant shave from time to time. Thanks

Try using a slightly wetter lather? and out of curiosity how long does it take to shave? I found when I started and having to spend roughly 45 minutes for a shave the lather dried up on my face after a while. It was a little awkward but I started just lathering half of my face shaving that bit then lathering the other half and shaving instead of just lathering up my full face. I done that for probably a month or a little more until I built up enough speed to lather all my face without it drying. If using a wetter lather doesn't work perhaps try this approach?

Should probably also note I don't have experience of those creams so I can't comment on the lather produced by them

There are a couple of things it could be.

If your new you might just be taking a really long time to shave so your lather will dry out on face if that is the case.

Or it could be that you are not using enough water in the mix to begin with.

A couple things you can try is making you lather like you have and when you have it where you normally like it add three to five drops of water off your fingers and mix that into the lather. That will most likely take care of not enough water to begin with.

Next if you are just taking a very long time to shave you can try lathering in sections. Lather one side of your face then shave. After that lather the other side and shave. Do that with all three passes. You can do that till you get more proficient and faster at shaving.

I'm moving this to Soaps & Creams for better exposure...

I had a similar question about a particular soap just yesterday. You may find the responses there helpful:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/soaps...ng-lather.html

When I first began shaving with a straight razor I had been using a puck and brush to make lather for 25 or 30 years. So it wasn't the lather ...... what caused my lather to dry out on the one side before I finished the other was my ineptitude at shaving with a straight. Took me 45 minutes to shave the first couple of weeks and I was getting the really hard parts with a DE.

I don't know about anyone else's situation but that was mine. As time passed my speed increased and wasn't long before I was getting it done with a straight alone, no DE, in 15 to 20 minutes ..... and getting DFS. So keep practicing and don't worry about how long it takes. Speed will come.

Sonic:
I find two reasons for your problem: you need more water in your lather, and you are naturally slow. Speed comes with experience, however, so don't push the razor. Try making your lather moist first.

I agree with everyone above. This weekend I learned that I was definitely not using enough water when making my lather. Don't be afraid to add more water, the worst that could happen is that your lather is to watery and you have to start again.

Also, as someone said above, try lathering only one side of the face and then go to the next.

OC

Do you make lather in a bowl? If not, that is ok try this. Get a bowl that is fairly small and load up your brush. Set the facet so that it just barely drips and start making lather. Really whip the brush like you are making whipping cream. Add water a couple of drops at a time. There will be a point where the lather just kinda "explodes" add a couple more drops and you should be good to go. As you shave it may be necessary to add a little more water to keep it moist.



Later,
R

Thanks, that was very helpful.