We love to surf the shaving forums. They’re a great place to connect with all the other shaving enthusiasts who share our passion. And one of the things we see over and over are photographs of brushes with a thick, rich lather. It’s great! But is it necessary? How thick should your shaving lather be?
Myth 1: More lather means a better shave – FALSE
We won’t deny it – sometimes we get carried away. A lot of soaps these days are so easy to lather that it only takes a few seconds to whip up. And the smells are incredible. But all that extra lather is mostly wasted. The purpose of shaving cream lather is to coat and protect your skin. Once you have enough lather to cover all the skin you want to shave, any extra lather is just a waste. Two inches of cream on each cheek won’t protect you any better, so save your creams to shave another day.
Myth 2: Thicker lather means a better shave – TRUE
It’s a slight difference when it’s written down, but it’s huge when you’re out in the world with your brush. While the amount of lather doesn’t really matter, the quality does. When the consistency of your lather is thicker, you’re much more likely to have better results with your shave. Thin, dried-out lathers can’t protect the skin from the harsh effects of shaving in the same way.
Conclusion:
Once you get the hang of building a lather, the process can be contemplative and almost addicting. But there’s no need to get carried away (unless you’re caught up contemplating something important). Thicker on the face doesn’t always mean a better shave – it mostly just means wasted soap. On the other hand, thicker consistency can be a big difference, so spend the time building a better lather, not just more of it.
Thank you for this.
I always maintained that the lather that does not touch your skin does nothing for your shave.
However some thickness is desirable to keep that lather which is on your skin from drying out prematurely.
I always strive for a minimal lather on my face but just enough to be opaque.