Bowl-lathering and prep

[chrisbell]

Just a quick question on a topic that's been flitting around my mind recently. I feel a bit stupid asking a question after 11 months of DE shaving, but console myself with the thought that we're always learning.:icon_rolleyes:

I tend to favour bowl-lathering creams; I seem to be able to get consistently good lather and enjoy the process. However, I usually wash my face with glycerine soap (leaving the suds on for a few minutes while I start lathering in the bowl), then rinse my face, finish making the lather and then using the hot flannel. My problem is that I get concerned about my lather collapsing in the bowl or drying out while I use the hot flannel (which I need to use for 2-3 minutes as I have coarse stubble). This causes me to feel rushed and I tend to cut those 2-3 minutes down to about a minute total, excluding re-wetting the flannel, which seems to be inadequate to fully soften the whiskers. My question is; in your experience, how long do thoroughly prepped whiskers stay soft? In other words, could I prep my face, make my lather, re-wet my face and apply the lather without the stubble hardening again?

Cheers.

 

[GOLDCREST]

I wouldn't see a problem with that...think how long it takes your hair to dry from wet if you didn't rub it dry with a towel..or even if you rub it dry with a towel for that matter.....hair/whiskers are tubes..think straws.....so I suppose they'll hold a certain amount of residual water inside them and stay soft.....my whiskers are like steel wire as well...I use the same technique as you...the Hot wet flannel to soften 'em....even if I've just had a shower....

How long do you whisk your shaving cream in the bowl?.....I usually whip mine until it looks good enough to eat with no visible bubbles at all.......until it will form a soft point like whipped cream....and this stays just right with no degrade 'til well after I've finished shaving.....

 

[chrisbell]

I wouldn't see a problem with that...think how long it takes your hair to dry from wet if you didn't rub it dry with a towel..or even if you rub it dry with a towel for that matter.....hair/whiskers are tubes..think straws.....so I suppose they'll hold a certain amount of residual water inside them and stay soft.....my whiskers are like steel wire as well...I use the same technique as you...the Hot wet flannel to soften 'em....even if I've just had a shower....

How long do you whisk your shaving cream in the bowl?.....I usually whip mine until it looks good enough to eat with no visible bubbles at all.......until it will form a soft point like whipped cream....and this stays just right with no degrade 'til well after I've finished shaving.....

Thanks William.
I find mixing time for lather varies between creams. I admit to being a perfectionist so I tend to fiddle with my lather until it's spot-on. I can do it fairly quickly with Palmolive, for example, but others, especially those which seem to take less water, have me adding water tentatively and this means I take longer. When I face-lather soap, of course, this dilemma doesn't arise - I just do my prep, work a "paste" into the brush from the cake of soap, and then start building the lather on my face, dipping the tips as I go to get the right consistency.

 

[Johnus]

What I find that works well is that I combine cup and face lathering. I place the cream, out of the tube, on the brush and brush lather my face; and then take the brush with the remainder and whip it up for my next passes in a cup.

 

[chrisbell]

What I find that works well is that I combine cup and face lathering. I place the cream, out of the tube, on the brush and brush lather my face; and then take the brush with the remainder and whip it up for my next passes in a cup.

I'll have to try that - thanks for the tip!

 

[Helveticum]

I've foud out the hard way that a barber prep (hot flanel) doesn't work for me at all for some reason, but again I've got a sensitive skin. I get better results just having a shower as a prep. Plus, I use a hair conditioner on the stubble while showering (mine is Body Shop, good stuff), and that does much more justice. Also, if you're ever using a pre-shave oil (I've made my own blend), use it IN the shower, not after.