Shaving cream soap lather

ScumLord

I've watched as many videos as I can find on youtube about lathering but it's hard to tell what kind of texture they're trying to achieve. I had a bad result shaving yesterday and I think it may be because it was too wet.

I'm using Proraso shaving cream that comes with the basic starter kit on shaving.ie.

The videos I saw on youtube they are using mainly the hard soap not cream, does it take less water to create the lather when using cream? They spent quite some time collecting the soap and then lathering that up and I'm assuming it should take a lot less time with the cream as it's already more liquid.

What am I trying to do when lathering? Am I supposed to be putting air into the soap making it foamy or or keeping it a fairly thick cream? On some videos I saw the lather they create looks quite light and foamy.

I would have thought it should be quite thick to give good lubrication?

What kind of feeling would either to thick or to watery lather have on your skin? In my last shave I think it was too watery and I didn't get a good shave the razor didn't pass easily over the skin and got caught up easily.

I know I'm only beginning and there's a lot of trial and error involved for personal preference but I'd like to know what to look out for.

MediaTank

Whipped cream is about what you are looking for. When starting out I would recommend an English style cream rather than Proraso as they are easier to lather with. Start with an almond kernel sized amount of cream and add a 1/2 teaspoon of water at a time while working the brush to build the lather. You should not need to add more than 2-3 of these 1/2 teaspoons depending on how much water is in the brush.

run_Forrest_run

can I jump on board here and ask something.
I have the Taylor Soap and what, do I scoop out a small bit using a spoon or something into a cup and then add the water and work up the lather then?

oscarBravo

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

can I jump on board here and ask something.
I have the Taylor Soap and what, do I scoop out a small bit using a spoon or something into a cup and then add the water and work up the lather then?

I mostly use soap (wool fat). I leave the brush soaking in warm water while I shower, then after the shower, I dunk the bowl with the soap into the warm water while I apply pre-shave cream (less than a minute). Then I pour the water out of the soap, shake most of the water out of the brush and just whoosh the brush around in the soap to work up a lather.

MediaTank

run_Forrest_run wrote: »

can I jump on board here and ask something.
I have the Taylor Soap and what, do I scoop out a small bit using a spoon or something into a cup and then add the water and work up the lather then?

Give the very tips of the wet brush a 1 second swirl across the top of the cream. And without adding any more water to the bowl/cup begin swirling. The water in the brush will be sifficient to get started, then add 1/2 teaspoon as needed to build the lather. When I say wet brush, I mean soak it for a few minutes the cup/bowl in hot water, then flick out any excess (don't want it dripping every where or dilluting the cream) before use.

When you are start out it's easier to use a tube and squeeze jsut the right amount into the bowl/cup.

Note that you'll be surprised how little cream is needed to make lather.

MT

run_Forrest_run

MediaTank wrote: »

When you are start out it's easier to use a tube and squeeze jsut the right amount into the bowl/cup.

I've just realised this now, after I've ordered all my new stuff, all soaps in a bowl, nothing from a tube
Thanks for the tips.