#11
It has made a big difference for me especially in a few tougher soaps
#12
(07-10-2015, 12:04 PM)rogue13 Wrote: Hi to all. I have just heard of a thing called blooming and you use your soap to do this. I would like your personal views & opinions on this. What does it really do,how you bloom your soap & if it has any benefits or not to your shave. All your veiws will be appreciated. Cheers, enjoy your day.

I'm a bit of a language Nazi, aka a usage nerd, and I think part of the reason some people get confused about "blooming" is because it's a needlessly fancy and misleading term. The puck doesn't sprout little pucks, it doesn't grow or change shape. Instead of "blooming" let's call it what it is--soaking. 

By soaking a puck in water, you are hoping to soften the surface to make it easier to get a lot of soap on your brush. That's about all there is to it. If ever you've left a bar of soap in a water-filled soap dish, and noticed that the bar's bottom is now soft, that's what you're doing here but not for nearly as long. 

I find no need to soak soft soaps like most of the artisan soaps--Catie's, Soap Commander, Tiki, etc. They later fine as they are. 

I have tried soaking Mitchell's Wool Fat and Saponificio Varesino but didn't find that it made a big difference. If I have a hard soap that's tough to lather, I'll shave off a few bits and put them in the mug and then lather. Works great. Got the idea from PaulHfilms on youtube. He did it with Mitchell's and got a stupendous lather. 

Anyway, as with everything, try soaking and do it if you like it. Don't if you don't. Be sure afterwards to let the soap air dry.

Dipesh, ExtraProtein and SharpSpine like this post
#13
(07-14-2015, 01:19 AM)stroppinglad Wrote: I'm a bit of a language Nazi, aka a usage nerd, and I think part of the reason some people get confused about "blooming" is because it's a needlessly fancy and misleading term. The puck doesn't sprout little pucks, it doesn't grow or change shape. Instead of "blooming" let's call it what it is--soaking. 

By soaking a puck in water, you are hoping to soften the surface to make it easier to get a lot of soap on your brush. That's about all there is to it.

Well, the scent "blooms" into the room, and, as some have mentioned above, that's a key reason some of us do it.

All Things Sharp likes this post
-Chuck

"No one wants advice, only corroboration." -John Steinbeck
#14
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blooming

Quote:—used to make an angry or critical statement more forceful

—used as a generalized intensive <blooming fool>

I sometimes SOAK hard soaps to make lather more easily. I never BLOOM or INSULT them.
#15
I only soak triple milled soaps and only if I'm going to use a soft brush like a Plisson.

ExtraProtein and carvelo like this post
#16
Personally, I don't think it is all that necessary for most soaps.  All but the hardest soaps seem to load fairly well without it .  However, I do it just for the scent.  Scent is a major factor on what soap I want to use for the day and I will bloom the soap to bring out the scent.  In Fact, I have gotten into the habit to do it almost every time.  Unless I am in a hurry, It gets bloomed.
#17
(07-14-2015, 03:14 AM)Walter Wrote: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blooming

Quote:—used to make an angry or critical statement more forceful

—used as a generalized intensive <blooming fool>

I sometimes SOAK hard soaps to make lather more easily. I never BLOOM or INSULT them.

Yes, no blooming reason to call it blooming.
#18
Hi, I tried my Edwin Jagger aloe vera hard soap & here is what I found. The first time I didn't bloom. It lathers well with my boar brush and the scent well there not much of scent. The second time I did bloom & I found that the scent came alive not much mine you but enough to notice. Now when I went to lather that was impressive it was easier, richer,thicker it was great.. I will bloom or soak this soap from now on. As to calling it blooming or soaking. The soap scent & lather bloomed but as they say To get a flower to bloom just add water. Cheers
#19
I only do it on very hard soaps.

ExtraProtein likes this post
#20
I don't usually put any water on the soap, just water from the brush. This helps keep the soap dry. I did however soak a puck of SV Felce Aromatica this morning because this was the first use, and it may help loading with hard soaps.

One habit of mine is I like to do my rinses with the "soap broth" or "brine" this way it adds some slickness, and you can check the slickness of a particular soap much easier. Does anybody else do this, or am I just weird?


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)