Thread: Lather help...

I have been trying to achieve a good THICK lather. I can easily do this with cream (prorasso) but when I try on soap (vanderhagen and williams) I come up with uh, suds, very light and airy bath type suds. I have tried variating my water and can occasionally get thick creamy lather but not consistently at all. BTW, I am using a bristle brush...

It could just be bad soap. I use a brush that has been wrung out and then add water as I go. For more "cream' I'd use a little brush swirling with a heavy hand and then let loose with the pressure. A bristle brush huh?

You soak the soap a little first?

boar bristle, sorry

yes, I do soak the soap for a few minutes before starting. the williams i have never gotten a good lather with, i have heard it likes a lot of water, i make it really soupy most of the time from using too much water...

Is there any soap that does work for you?

cram works well, but the hard soaps only lather well occasionally. i can go and make like 5 bowls of lather and maybe one will be on par.

Do you press the brush in forcefully to get the soap into the bristles?

Do you add water as you go if needed?

Do you normally make too wet a lather or too dry?

yes i press the brush in, i have even tried getting all of the soap out of my brush into my bowl then going back for a second dip. this seems to help. I think maybe somehow I am not getting enough soap. I scrub the soap vigorously for about 30-45 sec, while pumping it from time to time and pressing down so the bristles spread out and swirl it around.

yes i add water when i feel its necessary. I kind of try to experiment, more water less water, no water, a LOT of water.

too wet, to dry?? i am not really sure, i know its too wet when its really soupy but i try not to do that too often.

it almost seems like i dont have enough soap, and i agitate it too much, if thats possible. But everything I have read makes me feel like i have too much soap as it is, but less definitely doesnt work...

I am also thinking i need to grab a nice badger brush, I think they might hold considerably more water and soap than my boar bristle, which would lead me to believe I have too much when in fact I do not have enough. Does that make sense?

Originally Posted by mongrull006

I come up with uh, suds, very light and airy bath type suds.

This sounds like too much water / not enough soap. I would suggest giving the brush a good squeeze before you touch the soap. I usually lather soap directly on my face but, if you have not seen it yet, this is a good tutorial: http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136

Hope this helps.