[ Post a Response | Razor and Brush ]
Posted by Murray
on November 5, 2009, 12:39 am, in reply to "Help me understand bowl lathering"
I'm starting to become a little concerned about what Zach might find next, poking around in the dark recesses of my mind! 
When I first came to these forums, lathering in a bowl was taught and still popular, though the tide quickly changed to face-lathering.
My issue with face-lathering has been sensitive skin, and I have bought a number of brushes hoping that each would be the key to lathering on top of my own whiskers. It never worked, however, as the skin quickly became sore long before I had anything remotely resembling lather.
I'm of the impression that face-latherers tend to do most of the lathering work on the jaws and chin, where the skin is the toughest and a solid surface is presented for the job. I trim my beardline at the cheeks with nothing more than a film of water and a Bic Metal, but I would never do that on my neck. My neck is very sensitive to both friction and pressure. I'm also of the impression that the neck, by itself, is not an ideal lathering surface.
So, I started with the lathering bowl and I stuck with the lathering bowl. I like the aesthetic of it and it works for me. A member of SMF, who has always felt that face-lathering was the manly thing to do, recently decided to try lathering in a bowl, and he has been marveling at the results. 
Face-latherers talk about getting a better shave because they work the lather more into the beard. It seems like this would be true, but I question the validity of the argument. The friend from SMF mentioned above found this not to be the case. I find that the more I work the lather on my face, the less lubricity I have.
So Zach, this is my take on lathering. 
- Murray
--Previous Message--
: People who take a long time to work lather
: into a foam, and then simply paint it on
: their face with paintbrush strokes; help me
: understand that.
:
: Here's what's inside my brain:
: I don't enjoy the process of creating foam,
: this seems like work to me. If I wanted a
: big foam I'd just buy a can. What I enjoy is
: the experience of creating a thick lather on
: my face, it's like pampering, really. And
: the richer the soap, the cleaner the scent,
: and the more luxurious the giant splay of
: the huge boar, the more it's pampering,
: something that's meant for a King.
:
: If I had to guess what's inside Murray's
: head, it would be this (written as Murray):
:
: We both enjoy the ritual of shaving; it's
: something we do for ourselves. Since I have
: a full beard and only shave my neck, I don't
: mind the process of making lather, I
: actually have come to enjoy it a great deal,
: and for me, it's the main part of the
: ritual, since the rest is over rather
: quickly.
:
: And to that I would say "OK, I can see
: that"
:
: Then there are the people whose face can't
: take the rigors of face lathering; well, OK
: I suppose. All skin is sensitive, but some
: perhaps more than others; I have an olive
: complexion and thick skin; I don't burn in
: the sun and I don't have many problems in
: this arena. I still think that a majority of
: people who don't face lather because they
: say their skin can't take it probably can
: but just don't want to; yes, I am thick
: headed as well.
:
: But what about you, the guy who's clean
: shaven and doesn't have sensitive skin, YOU,
: what's your story?
: Why do you bowl lather?
:
:
:
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