Face-Lathering: How long do you spend?

TRBeck · Post by **TRBeck** » Wed May 28, 2008 6:46 pm

I've recently started experimenting with some face-lathering, and I'm wondering about the time frame for each pass. For me, the initial lather takes about two minutes from the time I put brush to soap: load up brush, lather onto face, dip brush in water and scrub a bit on face, probably add more water to brush and scrub/swirl once more. This leaves a good bit of lather in the brush, and then I probably spend 45-90 seconds per pass scrubbing up and painting lather, and, on the third pass, adding just a touch of water as the lather stored in the brush begins to dry out (not so much drying out with the very large EJ Super as with some others).
When I don't face lather, I spend probably 20-30 seconds per pass painting lather on and then shave away. I don't mind the extra time for face lathering; in fact, it feels terrific. But. I wonder if I should be spending more time or if I'm just basking in the shave too much and spending way too long (highly unlikely).

Anyone want to walk through the face-lathering time/step sequence?

Thanks and regards,

jww · Post by **jww** » Wed May 28, 2008 6:52 pm

It's all ymmv. You seem to have found something that works well for you - so stick with it. I agree that there is something that makes me want to spend more time face lathering than when I bowl lathered. If you are happy with the quality and life of the lather, and ability to provide a good shave, then I wouldn't change up anything. For variety, you might watch Mantic's lathering video - there's some good content there if you haven't seen it yet.

With The Grain · Post by **With The Grain** » Wed May 28, 2008 7:20 pm

while face lathering I build up the initial lather (and what will be held in the brush from there on) to the point where the second and touch up passes require very little "extra building". I have not used a bowl to build lather from creams or soaps in quite a while, but I do not think I was quicker with that set up than I am now going straight to the face. I'm starting to believe that as experience builds most gents just ditch the bowl as it is a waste (of lather and time actually), unless they desire the warm lather/scuttle effect, but that's a bit different.

edit to answer the question

:
with soaps i use this:

and load up a healthy amount of soap, letting the excess water drip off and down to where the brush is lying in the picture, this leaves the brush semi dry but well loaded... then it is on to applying to my wet face and re-dipping into the excess water as needed. I'd guesstimate that Ive got the lather I desire in under two minutes for sure. For creams, the cream goes directly into a semi wet brush and then to my face (to avoid the splatter of a soaking brush) with water later trickled into the center of the brush as needed.

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Wed May 28, 2008 9:01 pm

It's not a long process for me (but I have soft water and an easy-lathering brush, so no wonder). I too find that second pass or after doesn't take much "building" or whatever, and is more like "painting". Of course if you like the extra brushing or if it helps your shave, then continue.

b612 · Post by **b612** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:38 am

I spend ~1.5 minutes on that first lather, for the second and third passes a lot less time.

TRBeck · Post by **TRBeck** » Thu May 29, 2008 8:55 am

Okay, so I'm going a bit longer than most on the second and third passes. I probably wouldn't need to, but if you've had an EJ Super massaging your face, you know why I linger a bit on lathering.

Regards,

Post by **ichabod** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:23 am

An unexpected benefit for me of face lathering was saving time.

When I lathered in a mug I would build the lather in the mug, and then apply the lather to my face, and then let it hang out there for a while (I experimented with up to five minutes, but two minutes was the norm) before shaving.

Face lathering, with my mug replacing the lathering mug, by the time the lather is built I'm ready to shave, so I save the time of applying the lather and the time to let it sit and work.

For a three pass shave I'd say I spend a total of about two to three minutes lathering.

RJ · Post by RJ » Thu May 29, 2008 9:23 am

I was face lathering for 3 minutes at first. I think there is a point where to much scrubbing can mess up the texture. I have soft water and a soft brush and have found that 45 seconds to a minute gets me a perfect lather for my skin. Going longer sort of caused a thickening. When I added more water to thin it out, it just wasn't as good as lathering for a shorter period. My lather is not overflowing like some of the pictures, but it coats my beard perfectly and provides adequate slickness and cushion.

Since I started reducing my time face lathering, I have noticed a dramatic reduction in irritation.

Scrapyard Ape · Post by **Scrapyard Ape** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:26 am

I think Michael(Bargepole) posted somewhere once that one must spend at least seven minutes face lathering.

But then..... his ramblings sometimes make ME look like a grounded and sensible member here.

ScottS · Post by **ScottS** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:30 am

Once the brush is loaded, maybe about 45 seconds.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Thu May 29, 2008 11:46 am

I always lather directly to the face, and I guess the time it takes to lather depends what product I am using. Some are quicker than others. I'd say on average about 1.5 mins.

drumana · Post by **drumana** » Thu May 29, 2008 7:02 pm

I'll agree with Gareth on this one in that it depends a little on the soap I'm using. But generally around what I'm guessing is 2 minutes - I've never timed it. I tend to lather a little longer with Institut Karite. For some reason it's very luxurious...like a spa treatment or something

giammi · Post by **giammi** » Thu May 29, 2008 11:26 pm

I am usually between 1-2 minutes.
Today I went up to 5 minutes as a test. I did not find any improvements
in the shaving quality, lather quality.

I have the feeling that my face was more sensitive after the shave - maybe because of the longer treatment with the brush (best badger).

jww · Post by **jww** » Fri May 30, 2008 8:56 am

giammi wrote:I am usually between 1-2 minutes.
Today I went up to 5 minutes as a test. I did not find any improvements
in the shaving quality, lather quality.

I have the feeling that my face was more sensitive after the shave - maybe because of the longer treatment with the brush (best badger).

+1

I find that there tends to be a point where the lather doesn't get any better, and in fact, marginally declines in quality if I take too much time lathering to my face. While I have never timed it, my guess is that this happens around minute 2.

a-cut-above · Post by **a-cut-above** » Fri May 30, 2008 11:52 am

Around two minutes. Some soaps like DRH and Tabac develop quickly and MWF takes closer to the two minutes to develop.

Post by **ichabod** » Fri May 30, 2008 11:53 am

Being a total geek, I took note of the position of the second hand on my watch during this morning's shave.
Lathering is less time than I thought - about a minute at first, and then 20-25 seconds for each of the next two passes. The three pass shave was in the 9 minute range, and lathering was 1'45" of that.

Jonnieboy61 · Post by **Jonnieboy61** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:22 am

I'm a face latherer, probably largely due to the fact that I use tubes of cream and not pots and its easier just applying the cream straight to the brush.
I usually dip my brush for 10-20 secs in hot water, give it a flick then apply cream to brush and lather up in circular motions for about a minute. Then paint E-W & N-S, then shave. Never really timed myself lathering, but the entire shave process takes between 9-12 minutes all up.

ThePossum · Post by **ThePossum** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 4:51 am

I don't face lather that often. It is usually when I use a soap. I just get a better lather from soaps when I face lather. When I face lather I don't seem to find any difference in the time it takes to build the lather between face and mug lathering.

Have been experimenting with face lathering using creams. Have gotten mixed results. Yesterday I got an Old Spice Mug which is too small to build lather from a cream in. So I put the cream in it as always but used the mug just to get the cream into the brush and face lathered from there. Kept the brush in the mug and mug in hot water while making my passes.

I need to get the face lathering with creams down as I am going away for a few days in two weeks. Not a lot of room to pack stuff (breakable stuff) in Dopp Kit so I will be forced to take the Old Spice Mug.

drumana · Post by **drumana** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:12 am

I only face lather, and I pretty much only use soaps these days... I do notice that face lathering is a little more difficult when I occasionally use a shave cream. It's not a big deal, but getting it started is more of a pain because you have to load the brush on your face (instead of on the soap puck)... I guess if I preferred creams, I might just use a bowl to get the brush loaded and the lather started and then move on to the face...

a-cut-above · Post by **a-cut-above** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:13 pm

ichabod wrote:Being a total geek, I took note of the position of the second hand on my watch during this morning's shave.
Lathering is less time than I thought - about a minute at first, and then 20-25 seconds for each of the next two passes. The three pass shave was in the 9 minute range, and lathering was 1'45" of that.

Dominic,

I am humbled. Nine minutes!? I can't get out in less than twenty minutes. You either have good technique or have been shaving with a butter knife all these years.