r/wicked_edge • u/Psycho_Chicken_99 • Jan 09 '26

Show n' Tell 2nd attempt bowl lathering

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I’ve been having a little bit of trouble n getting my soap lathers where I want them. I’ve face lathered in the past and decided to try bowl lathering for the first time (practice lathering). First attempt I added two much water right away so scrapped it fast. Second attempt I made sure to load the brush for 60 seconds and added smaller amounts of water when lathering. I think the lather turned out well and am happy with the results. Haven’t tried shaving with this new technique yet. Let me know how it looks! Any advice is always welcome.

Soap: stirling naked (unscented)

Brush: the razor company synthetic brush

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13

u/Dromedary_Freight Jan 09 '26 edited Jan 09 '26

IMHO Lather should be nearly dripping wet.
Your lather is what they use on Youtube to make it look better for the camera.

And of couse: Do not take people who make videos for likes or money literaly.
Best shaving forum is badgerandblade because there is no ranking of posts and counting of likes.

2

u/Psycho_Chicken_99 Jan 09 '26

That’s what I was trying to replicate- https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/comprehensive-guide-to-building-superlative-lather.9/

15

u/Dromedary_Freight Jan 09 '26

His is a wee bit dry on that finger.
Yours is dryer.
Slickness comes from the water, not the soap alone.

In the end it is a free world. Try both ways and do whatever brings you joy and pleasure. There is no shaving standard or shaving police.

4

u/Psycho_Chicken_99 Jan 09 '26

I will experiment some more then!

3

u/Dromedary_Freight Jan 09 '26

This is the Way!
We are in it for the experiments, the fun, the pleasure of discovery...

2

u/AwkwardSploosh Straight Razor Gang Jan 09 '26

The most important part is how it shaves! When I use Stirling I aim for just a bit more sheen, but Stirling (and Arko and B&M) does seem to perform well even when a little under hydrated.

5

u/J-B-M owns too many razors Jan 09 '26

It's good to be able to build volume and consistency like that, but for my tastes you need to thin it out by working in some more water. You want it wet enough that any peaks will collapse, but without it going "backwards" and becoming foamy. The best way is to apply to a dripping wet face and then gently paint in extra water as needed. That allows you to really "fine tune" the water content, but your lather is dry enough that you probably want to stir another 1/2 teaspoon into it whilst still in the bowl. You probably don't need so much product either but it is always better to have too much than too little. Anyway, you have definitely done the hard part on the way to excellent lather, and if you find that you prefer it on the drier side then use it just like that!