SMF

I'm new to wet shaving (less than 10 shaves) but I'm still having the concern that my foam is not of the consistency of yogurt. It's foamy, and lathers, but it's more foamy than having a thick consistently and is light in spots when applied (I can still see my skin through the foam). So, I think I'm going about this improperly, especially since my foam rises up and clings to the lip of my cup.

My question is how much soap do you use? How long should you swirl the brush in the cup? Is a yogurt consistency a must? How much is a dollop of shave cream (or the right amount) to put in the bowl from a tin? How do use an arko stick? Also if the shave is a cream, do you need a brush and should it be of yogurt consistency after being whipped?

Really can someone walk me through how to literally take the product out of the tin, place it in the cup (how much and how) and how log should you swish the brush and what should the consistency be. I'm truly concerned, so if anybody can help with a creating shaving foam properly tutorial (its ok to talk to me like a five year old because I need to learn proper techniques before I get further along and ingrain so bad habits).

Thanks in advance.

Helpless in Houston

As they say: a picture is worth a 1000 words.

Before I try t describe something that is hard to describe and would better be seen, why don't you try YouTube and search for "shaving for beginners" or "shave with brush"?

This way you may grasp the concept much easier than by trying visualize a description in words.
A word of caution though: YouTube is still the Internet and people sometimes post(ulate) blatant nonsense, so it may be advisable to watch a few videos on the subject to distill the underlying idea.


Good luck.

B.

Brutus wrote:As they say: a picture is worth a 1000 words.

Before I try t describe something that is hard to describe and would better be seen, why don't you try YouTube and search for "shaving for beginners" or "shave with brush"?

This way you may grasp the concept much easier than by trying visualize a description in words.
A word of caution though: YouTube is still the Internet and people sometimes post(ulate) blatant nonsense, so it may be advisable to watch a few videos on the subject to distill the underlying idea.


Good luck.

B.

Thanks!

My answer to thin lather has always been More Soap. No time to economize. After you get a good lather, then you can try cutting back a bit. Don't start with expensive products. Many cheap soaps have been recommended in this forum. That way you won't feel that you're wasting money.

I'm not sure about the "yogurt" consistency part. I prefer a wetter, slicker lather than that. At the same time, you want a tight structure. If it is sudsy, you could be starting with too much water in the brush (or, as Pete said, you aren't loading up enough soap).

You might start by shaking most of the water out of your brush, adding driblets of water, as needed, to load the brush and build the lather.

Mark/Mantic59's instructional videos should be very helpful: https://www.youtube.com/profile?user=ma ... iew=videos
I found that actually seeing someone make lather in a video made all the difference in the world.

Also, go to the top of the ShaveMyFace University sub-forum and click on Useful Videos in the Announcements section.

- Murray

I describe it as a "yogurtlike" consistency also.

Austin, if you're getting foam you definitely don't have usable lather. Lather should have bubbles so tiny that you need a microscope to see them; they might be so fine as to be iridescent. It should be thick, wet (definitely not dry), and when on the fingers will be slick when the fingers are rubbed together as well as providing a degree of film strength to prevent the fingers from actually touching under light pressure.

I think Murray wrote it, few lather problems can't be cured by using more soap. If you have hard water that makes any lather problem worse because it requires far more soap. Using a good cream makes it much easier to use more product and actually see what you're using. Because of all of the variables involved we can't give you a formula. But someone standing next to you can show you. We aren't there however.

FWIW, while it's possible to make lather in a mug, IMO it's far easier to judge lather quality if it's made directly on the face. Add a smidgeon of water to the lather and one immediately feels the change. It also has the added benefit of acting as the pre-shave to soften the whiskers for removal. I highly recommend face lathering, and don't be in a hurry. The optimum time to face lather is about 3 minutes. That gives one plenty of time to make the ultimate lather.

Thank you guys. My 8th shave was great due to the prep work. As they say the proof is in the pudding or better yet, foam...getting better.

So thankful for all of your positive advice and supportive feedback.

It's hard to tell from the pix. Does it possess the qualities I described? In addition, brush some onto an arm. It shouldn't dry out for at least a few minutes. Ideally it shouldn't dry out for as long as it takes for one complete pass in order for it to be hydrated enough. But since you're new to this I'll just say a few minutes, since your pass may take a bit longer right now. If it does dry out there's no rule that says you can't go back to the bowl to renew what's on the skin.

I find that if I make lather that isn't fully aerated I get the best sort of lather. One doesn't need a pint of lather to shave, just great lather. It just takes a microscopically thin coat of lather to get the job done, the rest is there because it's easier to just leave it be, and it does help to prevent premature evaporation. Do a search for ultralather on the 'net to find out how to make it. A search on this forum might also turn something up, I just don't remember if it will. You're looking for threads by sharpspine aka Brian Sharp.

With a good shaving soap it isn't too hard to get to the right consistency, which is better described as whipped cream than yoghurt (ain't it fun to use food metaphors? Anatomical pathologists love them. "Bread and butter" pericarditis, anyone?) The brush you use will make some difference, but only in how long it takes to get there, not in the final result. This last few months I have used an Omega boar brush, despite having all sorts of high end badger brushes. I dip it in the hot water and don't drain or squeeze out any water. Then I do around fifty swirls on the soap in a deep bowl. Almost always I am using my home made soap (which is made to be as close to the old P.160 Tipo Morbido—of which I still have a couple of kilos lying around—as possible. Have a laugh at this if you will.) As the lather builds, it starts with larger bubbles and is runny and wet. At some point it quite quickly thickens and individual bubbles are no longer visible. It will 'peak' as you lift out the brush. It's just like whipping egg whites for a soufflé omelette. This is my ideal lather, but you can shave perfectly well with thinner lather. Thinner lather results in a closer shave from each pass, but less comfort and more risk of nicking yourself. On the other hand, lather with less water dries out quickly, and the worst thing a beginner can do is to let the lather dry on his face and end up trying to cut hair that has given up moisture to the drying lather.
So, take your time. Mix up lather just for practice. Prepare your beard properly with soap and very hot water, spending a couple of minutes to get the beard hair fully water-logged. Apply lather with lots of brushwork on your face, but don't take too long as the lather is drying and the tiny bubbles are popping as soon as the brush is taken from the bowl. Feel free to apply more fresh lather as you go on if you see the lather on your face is beginning to go dry and crispy.
Eventually, you realise that the reason why tallow in soap is regarded so highly is that it makes all this much easier, by allowing a wet but fine lather to be made easily. Palm oil and detergent based soaps and creams don't compare: you can use them successfully with much practice, but it's harder to do and the whole idea is to have a luxurious and even decadent experience.

Chris

Have a laugh at this if you will.)

worthy cause....i hope someone buys it

clive

fallingwickets wrote:

Have a laugh at this if you will.)

worthy cause....i hope someone buys it

clive

No matter how worthy the cause; this is so outlandish and over the top that whatever charity is supposed to benefit from it may have to wait a long time after this soap has all dried up or gone rancid.

Which in a way defies the purpose, doesn't it?


But in any case: I am considering to offer a (lightly used) black Montblanc Meisterstück ballpoint pen for $65,000 - proceeds going to a local SPCA dog shelter of my choosing.
Anyone interested??



B.