Lather: The Answer to All the World's Problems?

So I live in Austin. On what most call the hill country side of town. The hills are made predominantly of limestone and I have between 8 and 12" of topsoil prior to hitting the cap of the Edward's Aquifer. Makes mundane things such as planting shrubs and reportedly shaving interesting due to stone and hard water.

Odd thing, I have never had trouble shaving. All the usual suspects: MWF, Mystic Waters, etc. just explode with lather, provide hugs for my face and leave me feeling ready to tackle anything the world throws my direction.

Can't help but wonder why with my calcium rich water.

Loading. I don't scrimp, time or otherwise limit my load. More soap the better. Rich, thick proto lather clogs my brush before I hit the face. One of my visuals early on, as I started with creams, was to load from a puck the equivalent "almond" size amount and the visual stuck. And seems to work.

As I convert friends from chore to hobby my first advice to all is when you believe you have loaded enough, load more. Make sure your brush is moist enough (but not too moist) to actually pick up soap. Have that creamy, dense consistency you get from a tub and gradually add water as you build your lather.

Then, have a great shave!

What is your experience?

I have to second what Kevin is saying especially since we are practically in the same location. He might be exaggerating on how much top soil we have though.

I have never had trouble getting a lather. Sometimes, on some more stubborn soaps, it took me practicing to get the right technique down. Never a real problem.

I have overall adopted the method about like what Kevin described. Damp brush...not too wet. Load until brush is clogged full with thick soap (not thin watery soap). Then gradual add of water to where I, or sometimes the soap, wants the lather to be.

/Monte

He might be exaggerating on how much top soil we have though.

Hey Monte, I live on a ridgeline just outside Bee Cave- no exaggeration but it is rockier than some of the lower elevations (ask the guys that put in my pool!).

Nonetheless, Sounds like we have a similar technique and most of those that I speak or write with that are struggling would eliminate issue by the "mega-load" and gradual water approach.

Great input.

This is the same technique I use fellas. Never had a problem with Mystic Water or other soaps that are supposedly "finicky". Except for maybe modern Williams, which I haven't used in so long. Maybe now that I have my technique down, I'll give it another shot.

I started off with hard water (we hadn't been checking the salt in the softener. Oops.) My experience was similar. I didn't have trouble getting a lather out of anything, but I did have to load for a long time.

When the softener is working as expected, it's definitely a simpler, faster process, though.

I might have the hardest water on the planet.... Well water rural SD and it's loaded with minerals. Water softener isn't enough I have to blast CLR through the washer and dishwasher and pump it through the water heater often. Some soaps take longer than others, but I set aside an hour in the morning to shave.... I'm up before my boys and wife and it's my time. Sometimes I'll take a fourth pass on my head for the hell of it, I rarely rush nor do I want to. Longer lather times are fine by me. after the dome is done and frank Sinatra is playing I'll drain the sink and I'll get ready for my face..... My water makes lathering some soaps take longer but it's no nevermind in my routine.... Morning shaving is about the only hour of peace and quiet i get all day. I'm not interested in making it go faster.

Kevin, I also have hard water. It took some time but I eventually got to the same place -- all the lather I want or need. A couple of the guys on the forums, Brian and Bryan, came up with a thing they called uberlather. That's a good word for just as you say, load until you think you have enough and then load some more. As I've grown accustomed to my individual soaps, I've kind of figured out how long each one might take. Sometimes its as short as 15 seconds, and often, it's two or even three times that long. As you also said, I can tell by looking at the protolather when it's ready to go. Thanks for posting this.

Tried this last night and made a quantum leep forward. First time in my life to get the type of lather that people describe in videos as yogurt or creamy. Thank you, thank you, thank you! This will really help me.

Brent

Just like anything else, all it takes is time and practice. Pretty soon it won't matter what soap or cream you use, you'll be able to tell if it needs more water or is just right based on face feel. Glad to see your getting the results you want! It only gets better from here.

Tried this last night and made a quantum leep forward. First time in my life to get the type of lather that people describe in videos as yogurt or creamy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!  This will really help me.

Brent

Good job Brent and happy that you are getting good results! As you continue to create great lather look forward to any tips and tricks that you may pick up as well.