The answer to so many questions and observations. ..dry, razor skipping...and here are the answers in a short, to the point, easy to understand and clearly stated objective of "slick" regardless of coverage or foam amount. Thank YOU very much
Great instructional lesson on the two methods. You get an A+ on you effective lecture & demonstrations. Most pleased with your time and attention. Keep on keeping! You make the difference.
Dude, thanks for this video - i just got a straight razor with soap/etc and when i was looking at the soap I was at a complete loss... now i know what to do lol.
More water! Just what I needed to build the right lather with Mama Bear's soap! Michael very good of you to make this video on the basics. No clutter, just the facts!
Thank you Michael! I'm new to wet shaving and my last shave was with a rather dry layer of lather, surprisingly I still got a decent shave but it just didn't seem quite right, so I searched here to find a tutorial on how to get it right. I'll be due again for a shave tomorrow and I'm looking forward to your "wet technique." *THANKS AGAIN!*
I hope it all ended well, nothing worse than a dry pasty lather when all you want is a glorious, wet, shiny, slick lather -- and all it takes is MORE WATER!
Sick of regular razors. Wanting to make a change towards straight razors and I'm looking for a better shaving experience. Thank you for this video. Learned a lot.
i just got a Merkur DE, a puck of Institut Karite, and a Vie Long horse hair brush and wanted a good tutorial. Yours, my friend, is strikes the best balance between thorough and concise. Thank you, sir!
Great video! I had heard the "Dry loading" term before and this was the only spot I have found with an explanation. Turns out I have been dry lathering my brush all along and never knew it. Keep up the good work!
This guy does and excellent job of explaining and demonstrating the two methods of using the brush, but he could also give Alan Alda (Hawkeye Pierce) lessons on good foam! He is to be congratulated for not foaming his open mouth! I don't think I could have managed that as adeptly as he does. I used a mug and brush years ago, but quit when the suds dried out too easily to comfortably shave well. My new, green plastic, mug ( I dropped the old one!) from Amazon is deeper and foams up very well. I learned the dry brush way - less messy - Yet I still learned from this man that a few drips on the brush can change every thing for the better. Thanks for the great job.
just lathered my Sterling soap with the dry method you showed WOW! best lather i've made with it yet adding water slowly made it better thanks for these two demos both these styles seem almost foolproof now that i've seen them done properly BONUS, i get to revisit some of my soaps that didn't do a great job for me in the past
Vince DC, very glad to hear this helped, and yes, totally make another pass through soaps you might have been struggling with before...you might find another favorite rescued from obscurity!
Michael Freedberg seeing you improve both the dry and wet lathers and working them to the "nice, sleek, smooth, shiny, protective lather" stage has shown me what to strive towards on my face no more thick and pasty with hard soaps and runny with creams, lathers for me
Excellent video guide! Thanks for clearly explaining proper lather consistency. I was not adding enough water before, but now my shave has improved greatly.
This is truly excellent. I'm a longtime wet shaver, but long out of practice with soaps (as against creams). Ready am I now to tackle a soap again. I pity the 56 lost souls who've voted this down.
if you do end up seeing this - i never knew what a "close shave" was until today after getting a good lather. i used a new blade, effective lather and a quality soap and got the best shave i've ever had today and i'm sure it goes up from here. you definitely played a part in that too, so thank you very much. made my week.
Attempted a shave this morning with an incorrect lathering technique and nicked my neck area quite a bit. Attempted the dry method this evening shown in this video with much greater success. Thanks for the lesson
Thanks a lot. Just tried the first method with arko soap stick and I was surprised of how much soap I charged into the brush. After that lathering was something out of the world using your method. Thank you again
So glad that worked for you! It's funny how often new wetshavers try to use as little soap as possible, but it always ends badly :-) I hope things are going well for you, enjoy your new lather!!
Thank you sir so very much for this excellent tutorial. My wonderful sister gave me a Crabtree and Evelyn sienna shave soap for my birthday last year. I had to buy a good brush so as to use it. After watching your video I am truly enjoying my old school morning shaves!! Who knew shaving could be so much fun?
Fantastic lesson Mike. All Your tutorials are not only enjoyable but also very clear and up to the point. Great job. I watch Your lesons repeatedly. if possible please give a lesson on shaving trouble spots on the face like chin and jaw lines. Aleays having trouble with that.
Thanks for this informative video! My wife surprised me with a silvertip badger Xmas present after 30+ years of gilette disposables and aerosol shaving cream. What a delight!
Really helpful video Michael. Thank you. Really enjoy your presentation style. No BS just the straight talking. Looking forward to many more videos. All the best M.R.
One of the best tutorial, the first "dry" tecnic is awesome, way better than the "messy" one. But I build the soap (green Proraso, italian) in a container, not directly on the face. Thanks for the video, great work!
+Raoul Comoretto Building the lather in the bowl is fine, these same two options will work either way. The wet brush option is kind of fun, but yes, you need to be ok with a bit of a mess :-) Have you tried the Cella soap yet? If not, and you like the Proraso, give the Cella a try!
It was the very first video that I saw from your channel. After watching this instantly I subscribed. It is amazing how you start with veeeery foamy lather spilled all over the container and magically you suggest MORE WATER to make the lather more dense and creamy. And it worked. Its difficult for a rookie to understand this because he thinks that you already have a wet brush and a thin lather, so adding more water you will vanish it and make it more runny and watery. I prefer this method especially with croaps.
"if you do this, lather may go flying" Check! I've started lathering with a brush about 1.5 years ago and I watched this video then. I just came back to it because I switched soaps and have been having trouble getting a good lather. I just had one of the best shaves I've had in a while after watching this again. Thanks!
See its vids like this that have drawn me to the traditional shaving method I have asked for alot of shave supplies for Christmas and can't wait to try my have at a safety razor
A micro touch one and my shaves have been ok I think it's just gonna take some time before I'm able to get a perfect shave cuz I find my self falling on bad habits with it
I would like to start off by saying thank you for teaching me the proper way to lather a shaving soap. I was just about to toss my shaving soaps because I could not get a great lather and got horrible shaves. I stumbled a crossed your video tried the dry method and OMG!!! I had purchased artisan shave soaps that I hated, now thanks to your video they are the best in my line up!!!! Thanks to your technique I get the most amazing shaves from my shave soaps and truly love them now. Thanks again for a great tutorial! You saved me!
gogostyle33 Ha ha, very glad to hear you did not give up, nothing more satisfying than a person who steps back from that cliff edge! Enjoy your soaps, and spread the good word...
I really mean it, on this video you show us how actually you move the shaving brush on the soap and how to add more water and other tips, this video is not just about showing how to lather the face.
Thanks for the video Michael, I used to use the wet brush method, but after seeing this I tried the dry brush method, it works great for me and I've never looked back :)
+Dave C Every new soap you get, try each method and see what you get! You may find that one soap that just LOVES the wet brush and you would otherwise never know! Tragedy...
I almost despaired with the badger hair brush, I just couldn't get a solid foam. Thanks to your video it works perfectly now. Thank you very much, you helped me a lot.
You are very welcome, I hope you get the lathers you are looking for! If you are still having issues, just reply to this comment and I will do my best to help.
It's amazing in the second method you did, how you start building the lather on your face and in the beginning it is very foamy and dripping and airy, and when you keep lathering and adding more water it comes together and finally you have enough dense slicky lather for 3 or more passes! Perhaps you are the king of lathering??! George
The "wet" method is very similar to the Marco method you often see referenced on Badger & Blade. I know it seems impossible that you need to add water to the already quite wet lather, but the extra water helps to form a denser, more consistent lather *even though it started off very wet*. I like to lather, I will not lie!
I've been having problems getting any kind of protection from a new soap (a harder soap than I was using before) and it's left my face in tatters; this video covered so many points where my technique was off, will definitely be using the dry brush this evening, thank you.
Christian, just be sure you are really loading enough soap of you are using a hard soap and then just keep adding water and build that lather you have been looking for!
Try it and see if it works for you - the key is to keep adding drips of water as you build the lather, and in fact you can add drips of water as you load the brush as well. Hope it works for you!
Thank you very much, i did it that way and i like it, the only thing that doesn`t like is the brush was dropping a lot of hair jeje and if i keep ding that way sooner i have to buy another brush because it is gonna get bold soon jeje but it is a good way to lather. Thank you again!
THank you! After viewing this I attempted the wet brush method and obtained a BBS shave with an Isreali blade (from the grocery store) and it was the 3rd use of the blade , 3 passes each shave...not bad, not bad at all. When I finished it looked like I got mugged by Mr. Bubble. This has made a difference +++. I've been wet shaving now for 2 months.
You are very welcome, glad one of these two options worked out for you! As you get used to how much water to use, you will find your lather will improve over these first few...keep it up and welcome!
Yes, take your time building the lather, it helps to prep your skin *and* your beard, and you will find you can shave just as quickly - just with much better products (and results)!
Antonio M be prepared for a bit of a mess, but it is well worth it. Make some practice lathers and get a feel for how the lather comes together. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Thanks! This was just what I was looking for. I just started using soap and brush to shave and I wasn’t sure what to do. Great job with the tutorial for newbies.
Great video - my technique tends to be a touch wetter than your "dry brush" method, but nothing like as wet as your wet-load technique. I always find (living in a hard-water area of the UK) that your reference to heavily-loading the brush is vital.
Chris Bell, I have hard water as well. Not enough soap loaded in the first place leads to all kinds of issues, and soap is pretty cheap in the scheme of things, so load up! Thanks for watching!
I have the same issue here in my part of Colorado. I have recently starting loading the brush much more heavily than I have seen others do and it has improved my shaving lather immensely. I am practically almost building my lather in the mug before face lathering.
I've been using a Leaf Shave Razor for almost a year now and love it, recently though I thought I'd try a shaving soap as an alternative to my gel, and before I saw your video before my shave today, I couldn't seem to get the soap to lather in my shaving bowl despite my best efforts, but today after watching your video, I got a perfect lather and it didn't dry out rapidly like before too 👍 So thank you for doing this video, you really helped me out 👌 Usually I'm awful at shaving in the Afternoon/evening/night but tonight I actually managed to get a really good shave in the afternoon/evening for once haha 😂
Michael Freedberg The one my sister got me is Henry Cavendish Himalaya Shaving Soap with Shea Butter & Coconut Oil. Long Lasting 3.8 oz Puck Refill. Himalaya Fragrance.
San Fran Sam I did once include a bowl lather in one of my videos, I believe it was the review of the Tcheon Fung Sing soaps. I may come back to do one, but there are already a number of good ones out there. Would mine be better? Maybe :-)
You’re a true veteran shaver fun to watch and learn, even tho I’ve been shaving much longer than you I still learn new ideas. I wish you’d do a SLAM shave again, that’s my favorite DE...if I have any secret it’s in my pre shave routine, as a man ages his face becomes more vulnerable hence fewer passes are required. My pre-shave method almost guarantees me a one pass SLAM plus clean up. A great razor imo.
SLAM shave? Do you mean the SLAB (Shave Like a Boss), or "shave like a man"?? I never bought one, unfortunately, it was a very good razor. Thanks so much for watching!
Your vid showed me that although I have been wet shaving for about 3 years, I don't use nearly enough water when building my lather. I went from Gillette blades to Feather blades and now I know I need to use more water (using a hard soap). I guess I'm going to be learning this art for some time.
+Ed Stanley that is the beauty of UA-cam, always something new to learn! Come back in a month and let us know how things are going, hopefully you will be getting some excellent lather out of your hard soap.
Good job. I tend to use the "dry brush" approach, and I go to the bowl from there. I like to be able to see it to decide how much water to add. But I don't like to start with that foamy looking stuff that emerges when the brush is too wet.
Like I said, if you don't like a bit of a mess, the wet brush method may not be for you! It does work well and you may find that it gives you better results depending on the soap you are using. Thanks for watching!
I've been making my lather in a bowl and then removing most of the lather from the bush into the bowl. Ends up like a "paint brush" method. I've tried 3 different types of soaps, but never changed the lather technique. I will definitely have to try these two! Thanks for the tutorial!
Michael Freedberg I've watched this video a few times since you'd uploaded it. Dozens of people have bought this exact soap based on my written comments and impressions so it's good to link them to videos like this that may help them get the most out of it by actually 'seeing' what I've often tried explaining in plain text. Someone mentioned it today so thought I'd come back for a revisit. Thought I'd toss in my two cents this time just in case it helps like your videos do. Worth a shot. RazoRock KOTC Essential Oil of Lime was my very first artisan soap. It remains in my top 5 favorites and I've noticed some do not get the most from it simply due to poor brush loading, improper hydration, even trying too hard to make bowl lathers resembling online forum pictures. When it comes to lathering this in particular [as is the case with most soaps used] I've tried everything from the 'dry' brush method to full-bore bowl lathering and it's always a good shaving experience when done right. Perhaps the best results came when I'd poured a couple tablespoons worth of hot water on it, let it soak while washing my face, then after dumping out the water into a brush mug re-wet my presoaked and gently squeeze-'dried brush' with cold water before loading. The hot water softens the soap a bit more, makes loading the brush tips easier, while the cold water in the brush seems to 'temper' the soap just enough for it to hold fast to the brush hairs/bristles until getting a good paste on the skin. Once a layer had been established dipping just the brush tips into the soapy water poured off into the mug, then working the paste on the skin into a slick shiny protective lather is the reward. I've found this method keeps this soap from drying too, where when I used hot towels, hot water, even hot bowl lathers all felt really good at first but this soap can dry rather quickly upon the face especially with overly hot water. I have the HARD puck version of this soap too and that really needs attention to hydration and likes the hot to cold water transitions, hot only and I've had the HARD soap literally dry out half way through a shave making a flurry of tiny white soap flakes swirling around as they'd pop off my skin with the slightest movement of my head and neck [actually kinda cool to watch as they float around, like wispy micro snowfall, at least for me it was kinda cool living in Florida and not seeing a real snowfall in decades. Not recommended for best shaving results obviously]. The soft soap [and HARD] smells like fresh cut limes, not artificial, the ingredients like Argan oil leave my skin feeling soft, smooth, rejuvenated post-shave and doesn't dry out the skin like some soaps can. I have found some strong scented soaps react badly with my facial skin, to the point of serious chemical burns coming close to needing emergency medical care, yet as strong a fresh lime as this has it's been nothing but kind to me. If anyone has had trouble getting a good lather with it I highly recommend these lathering tips and a revisit to this soap, or any they might think they'd otherwise enjoy if only they could get a good lather. These tips work!
New to wet shaving...having a hard time getting a good lather when using Kiss My Face shaving cream [fragrance free]...not sure why...when i tried using a shaving bowl [old ceramic soup bowl] the lather was sooo cold although somewhat thicker than just putting the shave cream directly onto shave brush[synthetic]...would appreciate any suggestions....i do like a hot later to be put onto my face.
I'd never heard lathering broken out into "dry" and "wet" methods. Just sort of added water or more soap/cream as necessary during the process with a damp (but not dripping) brush. Approaching it like this, though, I think I'll be able to evaluate different soap/cream brands better. Good stuff.
It just gives you two different approaches to building the lather. The "dry" method lets you add water up front and slowly, while the wet method lets you start off a bit "sloppy" and bring it all together. Some soaps, like Cella, do very well with the wet method; if you have ever heard of the "Marco" method on Badger & Blade, this is just a variant of that option.
Gotcha. Haven't been on that site in a while, but I just looked up that method, and will try it in the morn. Mainly use assorted RazorRock, TOBS, and a bunch of Arko sticks I've been working through for the past 5 years when I first got into wetshaving and went crazy with creams and soaps, so the different approaches will help. Again, good stuff, Michael! Thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial. I bought the soap and brush almost 2 years ago for my husband (that puck is almost gone). I usually shave his head and face as he looks mutilated if he does it himself, which is actually the reason I bought the soap. But I never got that lather I was hearing about. It still was more slicker and better closer shave than canned stuff but the lather would be gone within minutes. Will definitely work the brush and soap longer.
I would also recommend you make some practice lather in your free hand, just to get a good feel for just how slick you can get the lather. If you have been using a single puck for two years, you are ABSOLUTELY not using enough soap 🙂
Michael Freedberg he shaves just once a week but yes, I definitely didn't use enough. I didn't know the lather needs to be worked longer. I tried after I posted this and got nice rich thick lather. Not just liquidy with big bubbles like before. Anyway thank, I learned something.
It has been great! I haven't had the skin irritation I'd been dealing with from electric and cartridge razors, and I've really started to enjoy shaving!
I would look to use a shave stick, then, and you have lots of great options. Very easy to pack, easy to use, and no issues building a great lather with little work. Good luck, and let me know if you need any recommendations!
Thanks, glad to hear that helped! Make some practice lathers before your next shave, so you get a good feel of what the lather should feel like: wet, slippery, a bit shiny, and SLICK!
Thumbs up! At first I thought I was watching Jack Webb showing how to lather! LOL Great video guy, I needed this as I am a beginner and my very first shave did not lather....now I know why! Thanks!
That was brilliant. I tried for the first time this morning with brush and soap and it was a DISASTER. So I knew to google it and your video was the first to come up - I needn't go any further. THANK YOU. oh did I yell that.
Very nice tutorial Michael, thank you for posting it. After discovering Arko (or maybe just shave sticks in general) I knew my lather building with soaps that aren't in stick form needed work. Didn't realise just how much work until I just finished my best shave yet with Proraso Green soap.
How do you get such a neat flat soap to work with? When I transfer a handful of soap into a bowl, it's just a hard lump. Perhaps you lather the soap in the products container, although doesn't that dilute what remains for the next shave?
Great explanations--thanks so much for the vid! I've always done something like the dry method. With wet, what is done in the soap dish afterward? Try to take as much lather out as possible when finishing loading the brush... or try to pour out excess water... or just leave it? Does the soap soak up water or is it just fine closed up soaking wet?
Great video, thank you for the explanation. Very succint and down to the point. I just got a straight razor, soap, mug and brush. My soap comes in a cardboard container, so would I leave it in the mug and use one of these methods?
Yes, you can just leave the soap in the container with no problem. Just be sure to tip out any extra water once you are done with your shave and let the soap dry naturally. Toss the cardboard (well, recycle it if you can, of course)!
I’m new to this kind of shaving, and shave soaps, so what do you do with the soap when you’re done? Do you rinse it and close the container? Leave the bubbles and lather there and just screw the lid shut? I’m not sure what to do once I’m done using the soap and it’s still bubbly.
This was very informative, thank you! I've been looking to make the change to a safety razor and I figured I'd go for the whole thing, and start using a brush with cream or soap. Just need to get the materials. I do have a question regarding soaps. If you're using a puck of soap that comes wrapped in paper and doesn't rest prepackaged in a plastic container, how would you go about making your lather? Would it go better in a mug and done dry so that less residue is used and the life can be extended on the soap? Thank you.
Buy soap that comes in a dish that you can reuse. My wife bought me some that came in a really cool wooden dish - www.amazon.co.uk/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Sandalwood/dp/B0007MW2ZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422116766&sr=8-1&keywords=shaving+soap - with this I can just buy another puck it fit the dish from the same manufacturer.
I am still just using a conventional razor. I want to do some more research and watch how women navigate legs before I invest. I think my husband is interested in DE for his scalp but he is hesitant because he can't see what he's shaving.
Here is a good leg shaving video from Casie Maggard of Maggard Razors: ua-cam.com/video/60QrO05EVMg/v-deo.html Your husband will learn to shave by feel, judging by how others seem to shave their heads.
I totally get not wanting to add water to the soap container, so scoop out what you need as you need it and lather in a bowl, or just load in a bowl and face lather. IF you do lather in the container, just leave it out for some hours to dry out and it will be fine, albeit perhaps a bit messy.
Fine tutorial. Dry brush method is superior because the beard growth gets more stimulation resulting in an easier facial shave. Newbies like the idea of making a lather in a mug but they all seem to end up face lathering within months.
I must say I am not a fan of the lathering mug -- it just makes it too hard to get a good lather! Dry brush does work well, but for certain soaps the wet method makes a fantastic lather; it just takes more time and is certainly messier. I just don't have the time in the mornings, but I will sometimes test new soaps with both methods and the wet option often makes a very slick shiny lather too. Face lathering -- the true winner.
Great video, thanks. Most other demos use a bowl to mix lather. Prefer your method, less accouterments required. Why do you lather up on face instead of in a separate bowl?
+Chris Plummer lathering on your face has two benefits: it prepares your beard better for the shave because you have really worked the lather into your beard and it eliminates the need for another thing in the bathroom. Creating a lather in a bowl and then applying that lather to your beard just does not feel as effective at all to me, but others like bowl lathering. I always face lather.
The answer to so many questions and observations. ..dry, razor skipping...and here are the answers in a short, to the point, easy to understand and clearly stated objective of "slick" regardless of coverage or foam amount.
Thank YOU very much
Great instructional lesson on the two methods. You get an A+ on you effective lecture & demonstrations. Most pleased with your time and attention. Keep on keeping! You make the difference.
By far the best tutorial I've seen for creating a great lather.
I find myself hard-pressed to disagree with you (grin)!
Glad you liked it, hope you are getting some great lathers now!!
Daddy wasnt there for me but you were:(
Prince Donko of Punchtania Sorry to hear that, but at least you can take some small solace in these videos!
lmfao. I fucking love it
If lather flying is a good sign then I must be making good lather.
Dude, thanks for this video - i just got a straight razor with soap/etc and when i was looking at the soap I was at a complete loss... now i know what to do lol.
Carl You are very welcome, glad to know the tutorial is helping!
More water! Just what I needed to build the right lather with Mama Bear's soap! Michael very good of you to make this video on the basics. No clutter, just the facts!
Glenn O'Connor Glad to hear this helped!
Thank you Michael! I'm new to wet shaving and my last shave was with a rather dry layer of lather, surprisingly I still got a decent shave but it just didn't seem quite right, so I searched here to find a tutorial on how to get it right. I'll be due again for a shave tomorrow and I'm looking forward to your "wet technique." *THANKS AGAIN!*
I hope it all ended well, nothing worse than a dry pasty lather when all you want is a glorious, wet, shiny, slick lather -- and all it takes is MORE WATER!
Sick of regular razors. Wanting to make a change towards straight razors and I'm looking for a better shaving experience. Thank you for this video. Learned a lot.
+Raggi86 You are welcome, hope it is going well!
i just got a Merkur DE, a puck of Institut Karite, and a Vie Long horse hair brush and wanted a good tutorial. Yours, my friend, is strikes the best balance between thorough and concise. Thank you, sir!
+tacoeatingzebra thank you for the feedback, glad you found the tutorial helpful!
Also, enjoy those tacos...
A truly excellent job displaying your method, call me impressed!
Glad you liked it! Thank you as well for providing us with such excellent products!
sup! i like your nomad aftershave n soap!
Great video! I had heard the "Dry loading" term before and this was the only spot I have found with an explanation. Turns out I have been dry lathering my brush all along and never knew it. Keep up the good work!
Fantastic demonstrations on both the dry and wet lathering methods!
Thank you, really appreciate that!!
I just watch the video and I found it great, thanks for sharing both techniques. Nice work!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it, and very happy to hear it helped!
This guy does and excellent job of explaining and demonstrating the two methods of using the brush, but he could also give Alan Alda (Hawkeye Pierce) lessons on good foam! He is to be congratulated for not foaming his open mouth! I don't think I could have managed that as adeptly as he does. I used a mug and brush years ago, but quit when the suds dried out too easily to comfortably shave well. My new, green plastic, mug ( I dropped the old one!) from Amazon is deeper and foams up very well. I learned the dry brush way - less messy - Yet I still learned from this man that a few drips on the brush can change every thing for the better. Thanks for the great job.
just lathered my Sterling soap with the dry method you showed
WOW! best lather i've made with it yet
adding water slowly made it better
thanks for these two demos
both these styles seem almost foolproof now that i've seen them done properly
BONUS, i get to revisit some of my soaps that didn't do a great job for me in the past
Vince DC, very glad to hear this helped, and yes, totally make another pass through soaps you might have been struggling with before...you might find another favorite rescued from obscurity!
Michael Freedberg
seeing you improve both the dry and wet lathers and working them to the "nice, sleek, smooth, shiny, protective lather" stage has shown me what to strive towards on my face
no more thick and pasty with hard soaps and runny with creams, lathers for me
Excellent video guide! Thanks for clearly explaining proper lather consistency. I was not adding enough water before, but now my shave has improved greatly.
This is truly excellent. I'm a longtime wet shaver, but long out of practice with soaps (as against creams). Ready am I now to tackle a soap again. I pity the 56 lost souls who've voted this down.
good tutorial thanks i'm new to wet shaving and was having issues with an effective shave. giving an improved lather a try.
if you do end up seeing this - i never knew what a "close shave" was until today after getting a good lather. i used a new blade, effective lather and a quality soap and got the best shave i've ever had today and i'm sure it goes up from here. you definitely played a part in that too, so thank you very much. made my week.
Glad to see I've been using the wet brush method right ! I'll try the damp brush method next time.
+GFmanaic let us know how it goes!
Attempted a shave this morning with an incorrect lathering technique and nicked my neck area quite a bit. Attempted the dry method this evening shown in this video with much greater success. Thanks for the lesson
+Dem You are very welcome, glad to hear the video helped you!
What soap or cream are you using?
Proraso Green soap
I just got my first quality soap and didn't wanted to waste it or underload it.
This video helped me, thank you for your efforts.
Thanks a lot. Just tried the first method with arko soap stick and I was surprised of how much soap I charged into the brush. After that lathering was something out of the world using your method. Thank you again
So glad that worked for you! It's funny how often new wetshavers try to use as little soap as possible, but it always ends badly :-)
I hope things are going well for you, enjoy your new lather!!
Thank you sir so very much for this excellent tutorial. My wonderful sister gave me a Crabtree and Evelyn sienna shave soap for my birthday last year. I had to buy a good brush so as to use it. After watching your video I am truly enjoying my old school morning shaves!! Who knew shaving could be so much fun?
Daniel Meyer who knew? ME! I knew!! I have been trying to tell people too (grin)...
Fantastic lesson Mike. All Your tutorials are not only enjoyable but also very clear and up to the point. Great job. I watch Your lesons repeatedly. if possible please give a lesson on shaving trouble spots on the face like chin and jaw lines. Aleays having trouble with that.
+Christopher Achceniak thanks for the suggestion, I will have to add that to the list!
Thanks for this informative video! My wife surprised me with a silvertip badger Xmas present after 30+ years of gilette disposables and aerosol shaving cream. What a delight!
Really helpful video Michael. Thank you. Really enjoy your presentation style. No BS just the straight talking. Looking forward to many more videos. All the best M.R.
You are very welcome, and I hope you are enjoying the intro music (grin)!!
Ha ha - yeah, a Mean Rhythm indeed. Quite James Bond-like if you don't mind me saying so?
Excellent video! One of the best I have viewed!
One of the best tutorial, the first "dry" tecnic is awesome, way better than the "messy" one.
But I build the soap (green Proraso, italian) in a container, not directly on the face.
Thanks for the video, great work!
+Raoul Comoretto Building the lather in the bowl is fine, these same two options will work either way. The wet brush option is kind of fun, but yes, you need to be ok with a bit of a mess :-)
Have you tried the Cella soap yet? If not, and you like the Proraso, give the Cella a try!
It was the very first video that I saw from your channel. After watching this instantly I subscribed. It is amazing how you start with veeeery foamy lather spilled all over the container and magically you suggest MORE WATER to make the lather more dense and creamy. And it worked. Its difficult for a rookie to understand this because he thinks that you already have a wet brush and a thin lather, so adding more water you will vanish it and make it more runny and watery. I prefer this method especially with croaps.
"if you do this, lather may go flying"
Check!
I've started lathering with a brush about 1.5 years ago and I watched this video then. I just came back to it because I switched soaps and have been having trouble getting a good lather. I just had one of the best shaves I've had in a while after watching this again. Thanks!
+Nate Verge lather flying is a good thing! Very glad to hear the video has been of use more than once...what soap did you switch to?
See its vids like this that have drawn me to the traditional shaving method I have asked for alot of shave supplies for Christmas and can't wait to try my have at a safety razor
Anthony, what did you end up getting for Christmas?
A micro touch one and my shaves have been ok I think it's just gonna take some time before I'm able to get a perfect shave cuz I find my self falling on bad habits with it
Awesome video!! I tried both methods a few times and I find that the dry method works best for me.
Beautiful, always great to hear that the video is working for people - makes me smile!
I would like to start off by saying thank you for teaching me the proper way to lather a shaving soap. I was just about to toss my shaving soaps because I could not get a great lather and got horrible shaves. I stumbled a crossed your video tried the dry method and OMG!!! I had purchased artisan shave soaps that I hated, now thanks to your video they are the best in my line up!!!! Thanks to your technique I get the most amazing shaves from my shave soaps and truly love them now. Thanks again for a great tutorial! You saved me!
gogostyle33 Ha ha, very glad to hear you did not give up, nothing more satisfying than a person who steps back from that cliff edge! Enjoy your soaps, and spread the good word...
The best video I've seen about shaving soaps or lathering tutorial.
+Jesus Garcia thank you, really appreciate that!
I really mean it, on this video you show us how actually you move the shaving brush on the soap and how to add more water and other tips, this video is not just about showing how to lather the face.
Thanks for the video Michael, I used to use the wet brush method, but after seeing this I tried the dry brush method, it works great for me and I've never looked back :)
+Dave C Every new soap you get, try each method and see what you get! You may find that one soap that just LOVES the wet brush and you would otherwise never know! Tragedy...
+Michael Freedberg Thanks Michael, you're right, but now I can't get the Bee Gees out of my head :'o(
I almost despaired with the badger hair brush, I just couldn't get a solid foam. Thanks to your video it works perfectly now. Thank you very much, you helped me a lot.
Glad I could help!
I very much appreciate how you teach these videos. Very helpful
You are very welcome, I hope you get the lathers you are looking for! If you are still having issues, just reply to this comment and I will do my best to help.
Awesome video Michael. Really great technique put very simply for noobies like me. Appreciate the tutorial and looking forward to trying this out.
Very perfect video, everything explained in such detail.
Glad you enjoyed it, hopefully you are getting great lathers now!
It's amazing in the second method you did, how you start building the lather on your face and in the beginning it is very foamy and dripping and airy, and when you keep lathering and adding more water it comes together and finally you have enough dense slicky lather for 3 or more passes!
Perhaps you are the king of lathering??!
George
The "wet" method is very similar to the Marco method you often see referenced on Badger & Blade. I know it seems impossible that you need to add water to the already quite wet lather, but the extra water helps to form a denser, more consistent lather *even though it started off very wet*.
I like to lather, I will not lie!
Thanks for teaching me how to do this man, you’re an excellent human👍
Well, that made me smile, thank you!! You are very welcome, and I also have a complete wetshaving tutorial you may find helpful as well!
I've been having problems getting any kind of protection from a new soap (a harder soap than I was using before) and it's left my face in tatters; this video covered so many points where my technique was off, will definitely be using the dry brush this evening, thank you.
Christian, just be sure you are really loading enough soap of you are using a hard soap and then just keep adding water and build that lather you have been looking for!
Hi, i always made the second way, but i am gonna try the first way with the dry brush. Thank you!
Try it and see if it works for you - the key is to keep adding drips of water as you build the lather, and in fact you can add drips of water as you load the brush as well. Hope it works for you!
Thank you very much, i did it that way and i like it, the only thing that doesn`t like is the brush was dropping a lot of hair jeje and if i keep ding that way sooner i have to buy another brush because it is gonna get bold soon jeje but it is a good way to lather. Thank you again!
Can't give this enough likes, my shaving experience was so much better after watching this.
Wow, so glad to hear that!! Check out my shaving tutorial if you get stuck with other aspects of your shave!
THank you!
After viewing this I attempted the wet brush method and obtained a BBS shave with an Isreali blade (from the grocery store) and it was the 3rd use of the blade , 3 passes each shave...not bad, not bad at all.
When I finished it looked like I got mugged by Mr. Bubble. This has made a difference +++.
I've been wet shaving now for 2 months.
You are very welcome, glad one of these two options worked out for you! As you get used to how much water to use, you will find your lather will improve over these first few...keep it up and welcome!
Thanks. Will try this technique. I was doing it too quickly, much as I would with a shaving foam.
Yes, take your time building the lather, it helps to prep your skin *and* your beard, and you will find you can shave just as quickly - just with much better products (and results)!
As I'm about to finally start DE shaving, wet brush method attracts me the most.
Antonio M be prepared for a bit of a mess, but it is well worth it. Make some practice lathers and get a feel for how the lather comes together. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Thanks! This was just what I was looking for. I just started using soap and brush to shave and I wasn’t sure what to do. Great job with the tutorial for newbies.
Glad you found it useful! You may also want to check out my full shaving tutorial, it's a playlist on the channel!
The need of a good lather is very logical,,,good video
+P. Lanz Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video - my technique tends to be a touch wetter than your "dry brush" method, but nothing like as wet as your wet-load technique. I always find (living in a hard-water area of the UK) that your reference to heavily-loading the brush is vital.
Chris Bell, I have hard water as well. Not enough soap loaded in the first place leads to all kinds of issues, and soap is pretty cheap in the scheme of things, so load up!
Thanks for watching!
Agreed - I'm a regular on The Shaving Room forum, and have been saying this to a new member in the last few days.
I have the same issue here in my part of Colorado. I have recently starting loading the brush much more heavily than I have seen others do and it has improved my shaving lather immensely. I am practically almost building my lather in the mug before face lathering.
Definitely the best video on how to do the perfect lather!!? Thx 😌👍
I've been using a Leaf Shave Razor for almost a year now and love it, recently though I thought I'd try a shaving soap as an alternative to my gel, and before I saw your video before my shave today, I couldn't seem to get the soap to lather in my shaving bowl despite my best efforts, but today after watching your video, I got a perfect lather and it didn't dry out rapidly like before too 👍
So thank you for doing this video, you really helped me out 👌
Usually I'm awful at shaving in the Afternoon/evening/night but tonight I actually managed to get a really good shave in the afternoon/evening for once haha 😂
Great video, very true about adding water and a bubbly lather is great. Much more slickness and the lather doesn't dry up as quickly.
Water, more water, and then more water...
Thanks for the video it helped. I got a badger brush from my older sister for Christmas and shaving soap it helped so much thank you for the video.
+Justin Taylor excellent, glad to hear it! What is your current soap of choice?
Michael Freedberg The one my sister got me is Henry Cavendish Himalaya Shaving Soap with Shea Butter & Coconut Oil. Long Lasting 3.8 oz Puck Refill. Himalaya Fragrance.
+Justin Taylor looks like a pretty good soap, and if you like that soap, there are many other options you can investigate!
I did my fist "wet shave" this morning! Thanks for the wonderful video. Very helpful for a rookie like me!
Great tutorial. Thanks very much!
Thanks! Just switched from the canned stuff and was having trouble figuring this out!
Very glad to hear it, another life saved (grin)!
this looks useful. was wondering if you could do a video on making lather in a bowl?
San Fran Sam I did once include a bowl lather in one of my videos, I believe it was the review of the Tcheon Fung Sing soaps. I may come back to do one, but there are already a number of good ones out there. Would mine be better? Maybe :-)
You’re a true veteran shaver fun to watch and learn, even tho I’ve been shaving much longer than you I still learn new ideas. I wish you’d do a SLAM shave again, that’s my favorite DE...if I have any secret it’s in my pre shave routine, as a man ages his face becomes more vulnerable hence fewer passes are required. My pre-shave method almost guarantees me a one pass SLAM plus clean up. A great razor imo.
SLAM shave? Do you mean the SLAB (Shave Like a Boss), or "shave like a man"??
I never bought one, unfortunately, it was a very good razor.
Thanks so much for watching!
Michael Freedberg “shave like a boss” probably my favorite DE ...smooth yet aggressive. You did a side-by-side using one a year ago or longer.
Hi Michael - Just wants to say - a great tutorial. Really changed my way of using brush and soap for DE Safety Racing :-)
+Joergen Hansen very glad to hear this helped!
Thanks for the video tutorial, +Michael Freedberg! I just got a shaving kit and I'm excited to give it a go!
+hypnotix77 I hope it all went well!
Your vid showed me that although I have been wet shaving for about 3 years, I don't use nearly enough water when building my lather. I went from Gillette blades to Feather blades and now I know I need to use more water (using a hard soap). I guess I'm going to be learning this art for some time.
+Ed Stanley that is the beauty of UA-cam, always something new to learn!
Come back in a month and let us know how things are going, hopefully you will be getting some excellent lather out of your hard soap.
I hope so. The Feather blades are pretty unforgiving and I'm thinking about trying a straight razor.
Thank you, very clear and helpful in coaxing that lather out of a soap puck.
Good job. I tend to use the "dry brush" approach, and I go to the bowl from there. I like to be able to see it to decide how much water to add. But I don't like to start with that foamy looking stuff that emerges when the brush is too wet.
Like I said, if you don't like a bit of a mess, the wet brush method may not be for you! It does work well and you may find that it gives you better results depending on the soap you are using. Thanks for watching!
I'm having trouble lathering my TSF soft soap with my omega brush. I'll try out your dry method
Very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to share!
jackinkc1 glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for letting me know! Always happy to help...
I've been making my lather in a bowl and then removing most of the lather from the bush into the bowl. Ends up like a "paint brush" method. I've tried 3 different types of soaps, but never changed the lather technique. I will definitely have to try these two! Thanks for the tutorial!
You are very welcome, I hope one of these two methods helps to improve your lathers!
100% made my shaving experience better. Thank you!
Michael Freedberg I've watched this video a few times since you'd uploaded it. Dozens of people have bought this exact soap based on my written comments and impressions so it's good to link them to videos like this that may help them get the most out of it by actually 'seeing' what I've often tried explaining in plain text. Someone mentioned it today so thought I'd come back for a revisit. Thought I'd toss in my two cents this time just in case it helps like your videos do. Worth a shot.
RazoRock KOTC Essential Oil of Lime was my very first artisan soap. It remains in my top 5 favorites and I've noticed some do not get the most from it simply due to poor brush loading, improper hydration, even trying too hard to make bowl lathers resembling online forum pictures. When it comes to lathering this in particular [as is the case with most soaps used] I've tried everything from the 'dry' brush method to full-bore bowl lathering and it's always a good shaving experience when done right. Perhaps the best results came when I'd poured a couple tablespoons worth of hot water on it, let it soak while washing my face, then after dumping out the water into a brush mug re-wet my presoaked and gently squeeze-'dried brush' with cold water before loading. The hot water softens the soap a bit more, makes loading the brush tips easier, while the cold water in the brush seems to 'temper' the soap just enough for it to hold fast to the brush hairs/bristles until getting a good paste on the skin. Once a layer had been established dipping just the brush tips into the soapy water poured off into the mug, then working the paste on the skin into a slick shiny protective lather is the reward. I've found this method keeps this soap from drying too, where when I used hot towels, hot water, even hot bowl lathers all felt really good at first but this soap can dry rather quickly upon the face especially with overly hot water. I have the HARD puck version of this soap too and that really needs attention to hydration and likes the hot to cold water transitions, hot only and I've had the HARD soap literally dry out half way through a shave making a flurry of tiny white soap flakes swirling around as they'd pop off my skin with the slightest movement of my head and neck [actually kinda cool to watch as they float around, like wispy micro snowfall, at least for me it was kinda cool living in Florida and not seeing a real snowfall in decades. Not recommended for best shaving results obviously]. The soft soap [and HARD] smells like fresh cut limes, not artificial, the ingredients like Argan oil leave my skin feeling soft, smooth, rejuvenated post-shave and doesn't dry out the skin like some soaps can. I have found some strong scented soaps react badly with my facial skin, to the point of serious chemical burns coming close to needing emergency medical care, yet as strong a fresh lime as this has it's been nothing but kind to me. If anyone has had trouble getting a good lather with it I highly recommend these lathering tips and a revisit to this soap, or any they might think they'd otherwise enjoy if only they could get a good lather. These tips work!
New to wet shaving...having a hard time getting a good lather when using Kiss My Face shaving cream [fragrance free]...not sure why...when i tried using a shaving bowl [old ceramic soup bowl] the lather was sooo cold although somewhat thicker than just putting the shave cream directly onto shave brush[synthetic]...would appreciate any suggestions....i do like a hot later to be put onto my face.
I'd never heard lathering broken out into "dry" and "wet" methods. Just sort of added water or more soap/cream as necessary during the process with a damp (but not dripping) brush. Approaching it like this, though, I think I'll be able to evaluate different soap/cream brands better. Good stuff.
It just gives you two different approaches to building the lather. The "dry" method lets you add water up front and slowly, while the wet method lets you start off a bit "sloppy" and bring it all together. Some soaps, like Cella, do very well with the wet method; if you have ever heard of the "Marco" method on Badger & Blade, this is just a variant of that option.
Gotcha. Haven't been on that site in a while, but I just looked up that method, and will try it in the morn. Mainly use assorted RazorRock, TOBS, and a bunch of Arko sticks I've been working through for the past 5 years when I first got into wetshaving and went crazy with creams and soaps, so the different approaches will help. Again, good stuff, Michael! Thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial. I bought the soap and brush almost 2 years ago for my husband (that puck is almost gone). I usually shave his head and face as he looks mutilated if he does it himself, which is actually the reason I bought the soap. But I never got that lather I was hearing about. It still was more slicker and better closer shave than canned stuff but the lather would be gone within minutes. Will definitely work the brush and soap longer.
I would also recommend you make some practice lather in your free hand, just to get a good feel for just how slick you can get the lather.
If you have been using a single puck for two years, you are ABSOLUTELY not using enough soap 🙂
Michael Freedberg he shaves just once a week but yes, I definitely didn't use enough. I didn't know the lather needs to be worked longer. I tried after I posted this and got nice rich thick lather. Not just liquidy with big bubbles like before. Anyway thank, I learned something.
Wonderful, that's great!
Thank you for this video Michael. Informative and to the point.
+Shavemad65 You are very welcome, glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the video! This is great. I made so many mistakes this morning before seeing this.
And? How are things going now? Are you getting better shaves? I hope so!!
It has been great! I haven't had the skin irritation I'd been dealing with from electric and cartridge razors, and I've really started to enjoy shaving!
Thanks for the informative video. I work on ships, and need to fly to most of them, so a shaving soap is easier to carry than a can.
I would look to use a shave stick, then, and you have lots of great options. Very easy to pack, easy to use, and no issues building a great lather with little work.
Good luck, and let me know if you need any recommendations!
This helped a lot. I always make my lather far too thin. Thank you
This is a good tutorial for beginners. I sort of had to learn as I went.
Great video! Helped a lot! Can't wait till 2 days from now so I can have a decent, well informed how shave! Keep up the great work!
You are very welcome, I hope your lathers have improved!!
Wow 😮 very nice at explaining. Thanks
Thanks, glad to hear that helped! Make some practice lathers before your next shave, so you get a good feel of what the lather should feel like: wet, slippery, a bit shiny, and SLICK!
HI,
A very good video a very a good refresher on the art of lathering! thanks
You're having way to much fun doing that. I wish I could have fun.
+KrazIIvan I think you can have fun too..
Brilliant tutorial! Thanks a lot for this!
Glad you enjoyed it, and hopefully it worked for you!
Thumbs up!
At first I thought I was watching Jack Webb showing how to lather! LOL
Great video guy, I needed this as I am a beginner and my very first shave did not lather....now I know why!
Thanks!
That was brilliant. I tried for the first time this morning with brush and soap and it was a DISASTER. So I knew to google it and your video was the first to come up - I needn't go any further. THANK YOU. oh did I yell that.
Very nice tutorial Michael, thank you for posting it.
After discovering Arko (or maybe just shave sticks in general) I knew my lather building with soaps that aren't in stick form needed work. Didn't realise just how much work until I just finished my best shave yet with Proraso Green soap.
+Kirk Jensen Excellent news, very glad to hear it! Such a great feeling when it all comes together!
How do you get such a neat flat soap to work with? When I transfer a handful of soap into a bowl, it's just a hard lump. Perhaps you lather the soap in the products container, although doesn't that dilute what remains for the next shave?
Good information. Thank you sir.
I appreciate this tutorial. Thank you sir.
i95smuggler You are very welcome, glad it helped!
Great explanations--thanks so much for the vid! I've always done something like the dry method. With wet, what is done in the soap dish afterward? Try to take as much lather out as possible when finishing loading the brush... or try to pour out excess water... or just leave it? Does the soap soak up water or is it just fine closed up soaking wet?
Great video, thank you for the explanation. Very succint and down to the point. I just got a straight razor, soap, mug and brush. My soap comes in a cardboard container, so would I leave it in the mug and use one of these methods?
Yes, you can just leave the soap in the container with no problem. Just be sure to tip out any extra water once you are done with your shave and let the soap dry naturally. Toss the cardboard (well, recycle it if you can, of course)!
Michael Freedberg awesome. Thank you for the tip! I love shaving this way now and wonder why I didn't make the switch sooner. Subscription earned!
Better late than never! Now try to convince all your friends to switch too!
I’m new to this kind of shaving, and shave soaps, so what do you do with the soap when you’re done? Do you rinse it and close the container? Leave the bubbles and lather there and just screw the lid shut? I’m not sure what to do once I’m done using the soap and it’s still bubbly.
This was very informative, thank you! I've been looking to make the change to a safety razor and I figured I'd go for the whole thing, and start using a brush with cream or soap. Just need to get the materials.
I do have a question regarding soaps. If you're using a puck of soap that comes wrapped in paper and doesn't rest prepackaged in a plastic container, how would you go about making your lather? Would it go better in a mug and done dry so that less residue is used and the life can be extended on the soap?
Thank you.
Buy soap that comes in a dish that you can reuse. My wife bought me some that came in a really cool wooden dish - www.amazon.co.uk/Taylor-Old-Bond-Street-Sandalwood/dp/B0007MW2ZW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422116766&sr=8-1&keywords=shaving+soap - with this I can just buy another puck it fit the dish from the same manufacturer.
What an awesome tutorial.
So glad you enjoyed it -- and I hope you are now getting the lathers you wanted!
It's perfect. My husband just started shaving his head and this explained everything! Now just to get my own brush for myself. Thanks again. :)
And so it starts :-)
Are you using a DE razor as well?
I am still just using a conventional razor. I want to do some more research and watch how women navigate legs before I invest. I think my husband is interested in DE for his scalp but he is hesitant because he can't see what he's shaving.
Here is a good leg shaving video from Casie Maggard of Maggard Razors:
ua-cam.com/video/60QrO05EVMg/v-deo.html
Your husband will learn to shave by feel, judging by how others seem to shave their heads.
Can you get 2 passes from your loading, or do you shave then reload for the 2nd pass? Cheers useful video. Liked
Very good techniques and showing of it :) Thx.
You are very welcome, hope it helped!
Your hair reminds me of my Kent silvertip. Great advice!!
I'll take it :-)
Thanks so much, I just started using shaving soaps. This should help me, because I haven't been building good lathers.
+Knox Seven and how is it going? Lathers improved?
+Michael Freedberg I'm getting better at it and building thicker lathers...thanks
Nice tutorial video and thanks for sharing. I don't like adding water to my soap jar container. I prefer to mix my lather in a separate bowl.
I totally get not wanting to add water to the soap container, so scoop out what you need as you need it and lather in a bowl, or just load in a bowl and face lather. IF you do lather in the container, just leave it out for some hours to dry out and it will be fine, albeit perhaps a bit messy.
Fine tutorial. Dry brush method is superior because the beard growth gets more stimulation resulting in an easier facial shave. Newbies like the idea of making a lather in a mug but they all seem to end up face lathering within months.
I must say I am not a fan of the lathering mug -- it just makes it too hard to get a good lather!
Dry brush does work well, but for certain soaps the wet method makes a fantastic lather; it just takes more time and is certainly messier. I just don't have the time in the mornings, but I will sometimes test new soaps with both methods and the wet option often makes a very slick shiny lather too.
Face lathering -- the true winner.
Great video, thanks. Most other demos use a bowl to mix lather. Prefer your method, less accouterments required. Why do you lather up on face instead of in a separate bowl?
+Chris Plummer lathering on your face has two benefits: it prepares your beard better for the shave because you have really worked the lather into your beard and it eliminates the need for another thing in the bathroom.
Creating a lather in a bowl and then applying that lather to your beard just does not feel as effective at all to me, but others like bowl lathering. I always face lather.
Thank you for teaching me this =)
Thank you very much, kind sir, for this exquisite video