Thread: Good lather?

so, I've been using mug soap and a brush even before I get my straight razors shave-ready, and it has made an immense improvement in the quality of my shave.

but I'm just wondering if I'm lathering enough. I got a cheap kit off of amazon, and it seems pretty good to me... its better quality than I thought I'd get for the money.



on the face (yes, I'm rocking the college goatee.. say what you will)


this is the kit I got, btw:

Others will correct me if I'm wrong but it looks much too watery. Keep working it until it thickens up and the bubbles go away.

I agree, that looks watery and thin, not very cushioning for a straight shave. With a good soap/cream and the right technique your lather should look like meringue on your face.

I'd try more product, less water. It's better to start out too thick than to have watery lather. If I'm not mistaken, that's Van der Hagen (not available in Canada)? I don't mean to sound condescending, but you can do better than that.

You are getting there. You have what a friend of mine would call proto-lather. A little more work and you'll get there. The vdH will not produce the greatest lather in the world, but will be acceptable for now and will help you learn.

I use the VDH soap, and a buddy of mine has the very same set. 7 bucks at cvs why not. I think it looks too thin. Using that soap I can get a nice full lather. It isn't the best soap out there but it will lather up much more. I will post a pic of my lather when I shave in a bit. I also use a different mug. A nice big mug I picked up at the craft store for $1. I also posted 2 lather making videos on another thread a few days ago. Those videos helped me a ton.

here is a link to the other thread. Watch those videos. they help. totally not my videos BTW

Suggestions please?

Gentlemen: Yes, that lather is too watery. Notice the relatively large bubbles in the soap. From what I can gather in the photograph, two things are happening here. The brush is not being loaded enough and the water content is too high. Granted, VDH is not exactly an Oscar winning soap, but it can still produce passable lather. So, then, a little more soap on the brush and a little less water in the lather.

thanks for the tips. I thought it felt too thin, but I wasn't sure, so I thought I'd ask. I'll go for the meringue look tomorrow when I shave.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I don't mean to sound condescending, but you can do better than that.

I know I can, but not on my budget. it was the cheapest way to get a mug, brush and soap. I've got another bar of soap (diff't brand) and I can go snag a coffee mug from the kitchen... I'll try the other brand of soap in a couple of days.

Originally Posted by 96firephoenix

I know I can, but not on my budget. it was the cheapest way to get a mug, brush and soap. I've got another bar of soap (diff't brand) and I can go snag a coffee mug from the kitchen... I'll try the other brand of soap in a couple of days.

Don't worry, it's understandable. While the VDH can get you through the next little while, just put a couple bucks aside each paycheck so you can treat yourself to a nice soap like T&H, DR Harris or MWF. I think Tabac is something like $14, and that's an outstanding soap.

Originally Posted by 96firephoenix

I've got another bar of soap (diff't brand) and I can go snag a coffee mug from the kitchen... I'll try the other brand of soap in a couple of days.

What else did you get?