Consistently building a slick, stable lather is a key component when wet shaving. A good lather will provide lubrication for the shave and protection for your skin. It can be a little tricky at first but if you follow the steps in our guide you will be well on the way to consistency and better shaves.
What do I need?
- Shaving Brush (Choosing a Shaving Brush)
- Shaving Soap
- Water
- Bowl (optional)
Step 1: Soak the brush in water for a few minutes, this will hydrate and soften the hairs ( I used a synthetic fibre brush for the video which doesn’t require much soaking).
Step 2: Flick excess water from the brush before loading the soap.
Step 3: Load the soap. Use a circular motion to get the soap into the brush, I agitate the soap like this for 30 seconds or so to get a sufficient amount into the brush. Don’t be shy here! soap is cheap so no need to skimp on loading.
Step 4: Put the brush into the bowl and start building the lather. At first the lather will be dry and paste like, after a few rotations with the brush add a few drops of water and continue agitating. You will start to see the volume increase as large bubbles begin to form. Our aim is to work the soap with the brush until these bubbles reduce in size and the lather thickens. You can add water, a few drops at a time, if the lather is looking dry. We are aiming for a thick, silky consistency where the bubbles have decreased in size.
Step 5: Brush the lather onto your skin with a circular motion and shave.