I usually face lather and get consistently good results at this point.

However, when I get a .5 oz. or less sample I’ll smush the soap down into a thin, even layer using one of those collapsible slow-feed pet bowls. Every time I get a foamy bullshit lather.

I’m unsure how to get an equally wet and slick lather with the bowl. Do I just need to keep adding water? Move to the face sooner? Give up and grow a beard?

  • gcgallant
    3·
    9 hours ago

    I usually face lather. I treat samples as pucks of soap, but in the wrong container. To lather with a sample I take about 1/4 teaspoon of soap and spread it thinly in the bottom of a Captain’s Choice lather bowl, or if I’m traveling, I use a curved portion (dry and clean) of the sink that I’m shaving over.

    I take the brush that’s been soaking, squeeze most of the water out, then start building a soap paste with it in whatever container I’m using. I only add water if a thick paste is not forming. When a paste has been created from most of the sample, I take what’s not in the brush, put that on the brush, then just face lather; adding water as necessary to build the wet, slick lather I want.

    So, basically, I always face lather.