SMF

I am considering trying some soaps in addition to the creams I already use. I have seen people on here post about storing them in a deep Tupperware bowl with a screw-on lid. Can anyone tell me the size of these and where I can obtain them? Also, do you simply load the brush in the soap bowl/container and then move to another bowl to build the lather or do you do everything in the same bowl?

I like these ones as they are not only deep and have a screw top, but they are more sturdy than your average disposable-wear. I got mine from Wal-Mart (Canada) for under $4cdn for a 3 pack. I swipe the brush on the soap in the bowl and then move to the scuttle to build a warm lather.

I use the Rubbermaid 1-cup with the red lid, which I buy at the supermarket. Perfect fit for Honeybee Sue shaving soaps, which I heartily recommend. Try her Mocha Coffee.

Mama Bear soaps, QED soaps, and Saint Charles Shave soap all come in their own containers. Those soaps are good, too.

A quick summary of lathering directly on your beard: I started with building lather in a bowl, but now I prefer to lather on my face. Lathering on the face is pretty much the same whether you use shaving cream or soap. It goes like this:

Run lots of hot water over your brush, then shake it two or three times. Charge this wet brush with a certain amount of soap or cream (which you’ll learn by experience) and rub it thoroughly all over your wet beard. Then run a little hot water over the corner of the brush, and rub the brush over the soap or cream that’s on your beard. The lather will begin to form. Continue this process—working the lather up, adding a dab of hot water to the brush, working the lather some more—until you’re satisfied with the lather you have. The brush itself will be full of lather for the later passes.

For shaving cream: twirling the wet (but shaken out) brush in the tub of cream will coat the tips with cream, and when you work the brush over your wet beard you’ll create a thin layer of almost pure shaving cream over all your beard. As you add water to the brush and continue to work it, the lather will build. If you’re using cream from a tube, just squeeze a small amount (about the size of an almond) onto the brush tips and work that over your wet beard.

For shaving soap: rubbing the wet (but shaken out) brush briskly around and over the top of the shaving soap will rub the soap into the brush. In just a little while, a lather will start to form. At that point, the brush has picked up enough soap. Rub that over your wet beard to coat the beard with soap, and the lather will start to form. Wet the corner of the brush with hot water and continue to work up the lather.

For a shaving stick: rubbing the stick against the grain all over your wet beard puts plenty of soap on your face. Rubbing that with the wet brush will quickly build the lather. Add a little hot water to the corner of your brush as it’s needed.