Shaving foam made easy

A first-timer in wet shaving wonders how to use a brush to create just the right lather from shaving cream. There are many different bowls and cups sold for lathering, but how do you know when the lather is just right? On the other hand, it's often asked what kind of lathering bowl is good for beginners. Here is my experience for wet shaving newbies.

Wet shaving refers to shaving or trimming a beard with a razor, shavette, or knife. In this context, it doesn't really matter whether you shave with a disposable razor or a handmade Thiers-Issard knife. The idea is mainly to find an easy way to make usable shaving foam.

The first step is to thoroughly wet the brush and shake off the excess water. Then, load the brush head with shaving soap from the shaving cream. About ten swirls are enough if it's a hard soap, and just a few swirls if it's a soft cream. As long as there is clearly visible soap on the brush head. Now the brush is ready for use.

Then to the lathering itself. I started making the first lathers in the lathering bowl, but I often wondered why the lather dries on my face and had to investigate a bit. My rule of thumb is that the lather is too thin if it dries on your face during shaving. You notice this when you feel like the lather has dried onto your face and it feels like there's no shaving foam at all. You might think that the brush was dry. At least that's what came to my mind. But the real problem is that the lathering hasn't been done sufficiently, so the lather is too thin and dries quickly.

The right foam feels in the hand like properly whipped thick cream. A good method for beginners is to lather shaving foam in the hand. So, make a cup with one hand and whisk the brush in circular motions. The foam will flow over your hand, but you can wipe it back to the center with the brush. In any case, when lathering in the hand, you can feel the texture of the foam best all the time. Another advantage of hand lathering is that it's a more economical option than a lathering bowl. Note that although foam appears immediately after just a few swirls, it is not yet thick foam but thin, which dries on the face. Proper lathering takes at least a few minutes, and a good thing about proper lathering is that it requires surprisingly little shaving cream.  

One way is to lather the shaving cream in its own bowl. In my opinion, this is a bad method because it unnecessarily uses up a lot of soap or cream. Instead, if the bowl has a separate lid, it can be used for lathering. However, lids are usually completely smooth, so lathering happens slowly. When lathering in the palm of your hand, the creases in your hand significantly speed up the lathering process.

 Then just drive!