Face lathering don't overdo it?

[Fido]

I got carried away once trying out several new brushes in one session. My face was red raw and I sat through a lunch looking as bad as the lobster.

These days I mostly bowl lather. For the first pass I paint on the lather then give my face a good scrub with the brush with circular motions before smoothing over. I then gently paint on for subsequent passes. The scrubbing ensures my skin feels soft after the shave but I avoid overdoing it after that pre lunch disaster.

Thought it might be useful to learn about the experience of face latherers. Do you ever experience any issues if you use scrubby circular motions for more than one pass?

[antdad]

Similar...I face lather as normal for the first pass then go to the bowl with what's in the brush and bowl lather for the same reason. I don't want to be scrubbing freshly shaved skin trying to generate lather plus the bowl warms everything up.

[FrankieG]

I get skin irritation when I face lather, so I use a bowl and paint it on. I do take my time working it in the stubble though.

[Helveticum]

I see where you're coming from - it did get a little bit sensitive once when face lathering with a boar brush. However I usually do with my Muhle synthetic and it's a joy.

[Blyth Spirit]

Face lather every morning.

Circular swirls each pass (3).

Brush de jour is a Wee Scot, nothing detrimental to report.

[flip-68]

"These days I mostly bowl lather. For the first pass I paint on the lather then give my face a good scrub with the brush with circular motions before smoothing over. I then gently paint on for subsequent passes"

this is my technique too - after the 1st pass most of the stubble is gone so the painting does the trick for the rest of the shave. I've never used more than one brush tho

[Louis]

I had an experience like this yesterday. I used a vintage bakelite-handled Culmak brush that came with a 1940's (it had a fat-handled Tech in it) shaving set. I spent most of the rest of the day looking very embarrassed!

Today I palm-lathered and this was a lot better. I'm hoping this brush will soften up a little with use though as I like to face-lather - anyone have any experience with these old brushes?

Lou

[GOG]

I have only bowl lathered once, couldn't get on with it. I only ever face lather now, 3 passes, and a touch up. Although I have only ever used the one brush at any one shave. Any how my skin is like cow hide, so no worries

[John]

If I use a scratchy brush then I will get irritation (lobster chops) but with a softer brush no problems at all thankfully.

[IanM]

I tend to build lather in my palm and on the brush, then apply to my face.

This morning I used a shave stick in the normal shave stick manner, and my face feels very slightly irritated.

Ian

[Gairdner]

Generally I'm ok but I only use circular motions at the start of lathering just to get things going then switch to painting for the majority of the process. Each pass is usually the same, circular on each cheek or just one then painty paint. With my Simpsons Colonel it's an absolute joy, the Omega boar feels a tad rougher but not detrimentally so and the little Coates slightly scrubbier still but fine unless I go at it like a rottweiler on a postman. Too much roundy round hurty face and make red like beacon.

[WiffWaff]

I'm fairly new to face lathering, so I'm quite happy to take these tips on board. Sounds like a very good idea to me to do the circular motions on the first pass then switch more to painting on with subsequent passes... I was beginning to figure that out for myself. Boar brushes don't appeal to me at all... but then again, there's a lot of stuff that didn't appeal originally that I've subsequently tried out.

[Dr Rick]

Always face lather. Subsequent passes are just wipe on, unless I actually need to generate more lather (v rare).

[Bechet45]

From the posts before this one, I'm reading 'scrubbing' and irritation on the one hand and 'circular motions' and lack of irritation on the other.

I use circular motions for each of three passes because I generate lather, or want to make it wetter, for each one but smooth it over with painting strokes before applying the razor. I use this techniqque with all my brushes - of whatever hair - and do not suffer irritation. I have sensitive skin.

[shavecraft]

I pretty much 100% face lather. Circular motions to generate lather and then painted to smooth it over for the 1st pass, painted on for passes 2, 3 and touch-ups. I get enough for 3 passes + touch-ups that way on my day-to-day brush - a Vulfix Bodger. I find this works for me without causing irritation. Like a lot of guys I though I had sensitive skin before I started DE shaving.