soap vs cream

[Bezoar]

Being a new comer to DE shaving what are the fundamental differences between using a cream or a solid soap.

A lather is a lather is it not?

lather is a mixture of soap or cream, and water. And some air technically. However not all lather is good lather, as not all lather will provide the proper lubrication and protection for you skin type and beard type. However, what works well for one may be slightly better then using vanilla pudding for the next guy.

the difference between soap and cream is a really more interesting conversation.

 

[Padstar]

I live in Poole, which is just down the road from Ringwood, water type is a bit harder where I am. I use an almond size(ish) amount of TOBS cream in a bowl. With that I get enough lather for 2 passes and some tidying up. Hope that helps.

 

[Bezoar]

I live in Poole, which is just down the road from Ringwood, water type is a bit harder where I am. I use an almond size(ish) amount of TOBS cream in a bowl. With that I get enough lather for 2 passes and some tidying up. Hope that helps.

for me that amount just makes greyish colored water on my brush.

 

[Steve Bowles]

for me that amount just makes greyish colored water on my brush.

Stop using grey water. It's unhealthy.

 

[Sgt Barnes]

I think you may find that the use of A/S and balms was not all common in the 50/60s, in fact A/S application was probably used only at weekends. More recently the use of such Items has been
promoted by the cosmetic industry, and become a major industry.

These days I use A/S after each shave, but I could quite easily not bother , as I am sure many others could do too.

Well, exactly. I'm in my 50s and probably of the first generation of British men for whom using skin moisturisers was acceptable. My father, quite a liberal chap, certainly regarded it as effeminate and would no more have used an aftershave balm than shaved his chest.

With very few exceptions, I find that moisturisers do make my skin feel more comfortable, so I use them. Not much more to it than that, really.

 

[Daily Shaver]

Hi phil-b

I see you've made a few posts requesting assistance. I'm guessing that you're learning a lot these past few weeks, and I hope you'll allow me to chime in here.

For me, one of the major differences around a soap and a cream is this. I use a stiffer brush (like a boar or horse hair) for soaps and a softer brush (like a badger or synthetic - plisson) for creams. AND, generally I will do a face lather for a soap and a bowl later for a cream - as per the advice from "Shave to the grave" above.

And, here's my top tip for creating an awesome lather with a shave soap. Bloom the shave soap and soak the brush. Then, empty the bowl or cup (or whatever you're soaking your brush in) and then pour the "bloom water" into that bow or cup and put the brush back in and then work the bloom water into the brush for a about a minute. Then flick out the excess bloom water and then lather from the puck and do a face (or bowl) lather. I seem to get a much better lather with this technique.

All the best.

 

[phil-b]

Hi phil-b

I see you've made a few posts requesting assistance. I'm guessing that you're learning a lot these past few weeks, and I hope you'll allow me to chime in here.

For me, one of the major differences around a soap and a cream is this. I use a stiffer brush (like a boar or horse hair) for soaps and a softer brush (like a badger or synthetic - plisson) for creams. AND, generally I will do a face lather for a soap and a bowl later for a cream - as per the advice from "Shave to the grave" above.

And, here's my top tip for creating an awesome lather with a shave soap. Bloom the shave soap and soak the brush. Then, empty the bowl or cup (or whatever you're soaking your brush in) and then pour the "bloom water" into that bow or cup and put the brush back in and then work the bloom water into the brush for a about a minute. Then flick out the excess bloom water and then lather from the puck and do a face (or bowl) lather. I seem to get a much better lather with this technique.

All the best.

Can you please explain "bloom the soap" .

As you guessed I'm pretty new to all of this

 

[Driftwood]

Let the soap puck soak for a few minuets with a light covering of warm water. When ready to start your shave empty the bloom water (or you can use it as a pre-shave) then just lathering up

 

[phil-b]

Cheers I will give it a try

 

[Bezoar]

put your puck in its bowl, sprinkle a table spoon of hot tap water on it, then walk away for a few minutes. your soap is bloomed.....

works with older, dried up creams as well that come in a tub. Sometimes certain brands of creams in a TUBE will dry out in the tub, so it can be useful to put the amount of that tube cream into a bowl, and drop a table spoon of hot tap water on it for a short soak.