- Joined
- Thursday September 26, 2013
- Location
- Halifax, Republic of Yorkshire
Trumper's Eucris is a wonderful scent for those who can stand it ... not at all musty coffins and decomposing funeral flowers; deep earthiness, floral and powdery, then fruity and green.
Anyway ...
The soap. It gets a bad rap for being a tough one to lather and not without reason. It is, basically, and when you put the brush into the soap it just foams up, giving a weak lather which can practically disappear within a few minute.
Well, I've found a method that works well for me and I hope it will for you ...
Loading the brush
1. Use an almost dry brush. Soak the brush in hot water and flick out all the water. You don't have to be over-zealous with this, just make sure all the water held in the brush is out. I don't have a badger brush, just a synthetic, but I imagine the principles are the same, just that the badger will need an extra good shake out.
2. Roll the brush around the soap clockwise and anti-clockwise. I go with 10 in each direction three times (so, 60 swirls). Again, not having a badger I am not sure how loading will go but I imagine the extra bloom over synthetics will load up more, possibly quicker. I'd be keen to hear.
Face Lathering
1. Perform a first lather - this is not the lather you'll shave with, but the first step in making the lather shave worthy. Wash your face in the hot water and get most of the water off. Water should not be forming drips on your chin. Lather up and perhaps add a drop or two as you go. The lather will appear good, but it gets better ...
2. Put the brush aside and wash the lather off. I'm not sure what happens when you put the brush aside, but in a few minutes when you lather again it will be substantially better.
3. Wash your face in hot water and repeat the lathering method from step 1. This time, the lather is much thicker and you can build up layers quite well. It should be noted that the brush will appear quite dry - mine has that tell-tale "hole" in the middle indicating that the brush wants more water, but don't succumb to its tempting ways! Drop at a time. Drop.
Bowl Lathering
1. Immerse your bowl in hot water, remove and drain. While still hot and ever so slightly wet, whisk your brush around the walls of the dish vigorously. Perhaps add a drop of water, and I mean a "drop".
2. Set the brush aside, as in the section above.
3. Several minutes later, add a further drop of water and start to build your lather as normal, adding water in VERY small quantities every so often. If you get a hint of it foaming up, stop, push it back down and perhaps leave it a moment before proceeding. Again, do not read the brush - it will tell you it is too dry. Add drops at a time and don't over-water the soap.
I have not tried these methods over pre-shave treatments.
So, it would appear that simply putting the loaded brush aside is what makes the difference. Time? Perhaps 3 or 4 minutes? What happens is a mystery. Don't spoil it with science, eh? Let's leave it as a mystery
On the face, that Eucris scent is there but not in the same full majesty as the EDT; berries and green is the main push, to my nose.
You might say, "why bother" when there are so many soaps that just work. Well, isn't traditional shaving itself quite a beggar about when you could just squirt of some gel and run a modern Gillette over?
It comes down to whether the juice is worth the squeeze and with Eucris, I think it is.
Anyway ...
The soap. It gets a bad rap for being a tough one to lather and not without reason. It is, basically, and when you put the brush into the soap it just foams up, giving a weak lather which can practically disappear within a few minute.
Well, I've found a method that works well for me and I hope it will for you ...
Loading the brush
1. Use an almost dry brush. Soak the brush in hot water and flick out all the water. You don't have to be over-zealous with this, just make sure all the water held in the brush is out. I don't have a badger brush, just a synthetic, but I imagine the principles are the same, just that the badger will need an extra good shake out.
2. Roll the brush around the soap clockwise and anti-clockwise. I go with 10 in each direction three times (so, 60 swirls). Again, not having a badger I am not sure how loading will go but I imagine the extra bloom over synthetics will load up more, possibly quicker. I'd be keen to hear.
Face Lathering
1. Perform a first lather - this is not the lather you'll shave with, but the first step in making the lather shave worthy. Wash your face in the hot water and get most of the water off. Water should not be forming drips on your chin. Lather up and perhaps add a drop or two as you go. The lather will appear good, but it gets better ...
2. Put the brush aside and wash the lather off. I'm not sure what happens when you put the brush aside, but in a few minutes when you lather again it will be substantially better.
3. Wash your face in hot water and repeat the lathering method from step 1. This time, the lather is much thicker and you can build up layers quite well. It should be noted that the brush will appear quite dry - mine has that tell-tale "hole" in the middle indicating that the brush wants more water, but don't succumb to its tempting ways! Drop at a time. Drop.
Bowl Lathering
1. Immerse your bowl in hot water, remove and drain. While still hot and ever so slightly wet, whisk your brush around the walls of the dish vigorously. Perhaps add a drop of water, and I mean a "drop".
2. Set the brush aside, as in the section above.
3. Several minutes later, add a further drop of water and start to build your lather as normal, adding water in VERY small quantities every so often. If you get a hint of it foaming up, stop, push it back down and perhaps leave it a moment before proceeding. Again, do not read the brush - it will tell you it is too dry. Add drops at a time and don't over-water the soap.
I have not tried these methods over pre-shave treatments.
So, it would appear that simply putting the loaded brush aside is what makes the difference. Time? Perhaps 3 or 4 minutes? What happens is a mystery. Don't spoil it with science, eh? Let's leave it as a mystery
On the face, that Eucris scent is there but not in the same full majesty as the EDT; berries and green is the main push, to my nose.
You might say, "why bother" when there are so many soaps that just work. Well, isn't traditional shaving itself quite a beggar about when you could just squirt of some gel and run a modern Gillette over?
It comes down to whether the juice is worth the squeeze and with Eucris, I think it is.