Lather - how do you like it?

Fido

Fido

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6,286
Location
New Forest, England.
I end up some days with lather quite thick, not so thick, masses of it, not so much. Not surprising because I rarely use the same soap/cream/brush combination or product/water ratio.

But I rarely have a poor shave.

I've seen videos with guys looking like Father Christmas and others with a thin smooth layer of lather. So just about anything probably works.

As for me, I like a fairly thick layer of lather for my first pass and settle for a little less for my second and third passes. I squeeze out what's left in my brush for a mini Father Christmas tidy up. I don't like my lather to be light and fluffy and I don't like it to be too thick - something between the two is what I aim for.
 
I agree Fido.

I find with Tallow soaps, when face lathering & I see the glistening/sheen on the lather it has the right amount of water & is good to go.
 
I do like the 'luxury' of that classic creamy thick lather but I also find that, as long as I use a decent soap or cream, that the quality of shave is not dependent on the type of lather. Like Peter my second pass is never as thick as the first. I am going closer to the skin on my second so this kind of proves that dense lather isn't essential to a great shave. Decent prep and technique seem to be at least as important. The more efficient you are at swiping off those hairs the less you are messing with your skin therefore less chance of irritation.

Anyway I've rambled. Lather? Thick, warm and creamy please, but not the end of the world if not.
 
I do have lather issues every now and then and have found this to be the main reason when I do not get a good shave.

It is probably the very frequent rotation of soaps and brushes that is causing that, in my opinion.

I generally prefer creamy and rich lather, medium to warm temperature is fine.

Generating well hydrated lather and letting it stay on the skin for a minute or two is, in my opinion, the most critical factor in preparing the face for an excellent shave.
 
I only use 1 soap and do not like the Father Xmas look face lather to a nice smooth lather then thinner for next pass. 3rd and last pass I squeeze out the brush to use all the lovely lather that is left, just smoothing on by hand.
Pete
ps Provence Sant'e is the soap
 
I aim to make my lather like beaten egg whites. I start of with less water then add a bit at a time because you can put it in but you cannot take it out and it helps to warm the lather through.

Also I have started squeezing out the brush on my final pass because it makes the brush a bit quicker to clean.
 
I'm about the same as Peter: substantial lather with plenty of body for the first pass, a bit thinner thereafter. It's that glossy look which is the best indicator of a really good lather I reckon. Oh yes: warmish please, but by no means hot.
 
Pictures say a thousand words, when i use my Lime Soap, i like it rich and thick (just like my women !!) if my GF sees that comment, i'm a dead man walking !!!

Lather4.jpg


Lather2.jpg


Lather1.jpg


Lather3.jpg
 
I don't seem to make it as thick as most, I quite like it fairly runny with plenty of water, it ends up very shiny and glossy. The "peaks" are soft and fold over on themselves so it's obviously less stiff than Sunbury's above.

I do squeeze out the brush at the end for all that creamy goodness.
 
"Thick, warm & creamy" for P.Cat ; "Rich & thick" for Steve ............... You guys really are a terrible twosome ain't ya !

I know how I like my lather, just wouldn't know how to best describe it.

JohnnyO. \:icon_razz:
 
sunburyboy93 said:
Pictures say a thousand words, when i use my Lime Soap, i like it rich and thick

Lather3.jpg
Click to expand...

I must agree with you here.

Smooth and creamy like that doesn't dry out on the face, and it holds the moisture in where it matters.

That's why I gave up using aerosol foams quite some while ago now. They result in dry bubbles before the first pass is completed. In other words, they are just not doing the job.

Rod
 
I like a texture slightly looser than Sunbury's photo; somewhere closer to well-whipped cream rather than meringue. I too go a lot by the appearance; either glossy or a pearlescent sheen seems to indicate readiness. I also rub a pinch between thumb and forefinger.
 
I like my lather fairly thick in texture. I soak the brush in warm water, then shake every last drop out of it. I then use just the tip of the brush for lathering up. I usually end up with a thick texture, but the layer is around 1 1/5 mm thick. It seems to be that what is actually on the skin is where the action is, and any cream peaks just get washed away.
 
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