Thread: useing lather as a pre shave preperation

I have tried to find the thread where I originally found something like this mentioned but I have been experimenting. I heat water for coffee in a kettle and after it cools from the boil for a bit I fill my scuttle before bathing. and soak the brush. The soap in my scuttle is Col. Conk lime glycerin soap and it lathers fairly well when its warmed up.
-I lather my face with the Col. Conk soap and use whats left in my brush and make uberlather with a snurdle TOBSt cream in a bowl
-Hot towel on the face or just a hot water splash and then re-lather from the bowl
Seems to help get all the whiskers standing up. Has anyone else done something similar?

My prep is pretty much always massaging some lather into my beard for a minute or two before I start shaving, works very good for me.

I know all the Proraso fans will be upset with me because although expensive it seems to be everyones favorite. I like Proraso pre-shave too. However, Barbasol has more stearic acid (beard busting softener) than just about anything you can buy for less than one dollar at Wal-Mart. And one can lasts a year. I thin layer is what I use right after my shower while preparing my brush, cream and stropping the straight. About ten minutes later I wash it off and go for it. The whiskers can't get much softer. The more time you leave it on the better.

I usually lather up and let the lather sit on my face while I strop and do a few other things.

Head shave in the shower,lather head and face,shave head,rinse,dry,go to sink,relather face, shave.
Works for me.

When I was growing up the barbers used to apply lather, then wrap a hot wet towel for a couple of minutes.

Originally Posted by Gammaray

I know all the Proraso fans will be upset with me because although expensive it seems to be everyones favorite. I like Proraso pre-shave too. However, Barbasol has more stearic acid (beard busting softener) than just about anything you can buy for less than one dollar at Wal-Mart. And one can lasts a year. I thin layer is what I use right after my shower while preparing my brush, cream and stropping the straight. About ten minutes later I wash it off and go for it. The whiskers can't get much softer. The more time you leave it on the better.

This is really an inexpensive option too!

I agree. You can use lather as a beard prep. I use it occasionally, but like the menthol in my Proraso or Vitos pre-post shave cream.

The Robeson Straight Razor Co. recommended the lather option--along w/ bay rum--to prepare the beard for shaving in the early 20th century in their promotional literature.

Disatisfying soaps or cream can be utilized as body soap (maybe just the soaps), combining with other sub-par products (not an uberlather but a surviceable hybrid), or as beard-prep softeners. I could soap up my hands with hand soap for the shave prep but if I've got the soaked brush and lathering bowl out already...

This is a little off topic, but I find that applying regular hair conditioner right before I get out of the shower works nicely.