Face vs Bowl vs Hand lathering - which and/or why?

[bald as]

I have done my own experiments. For me the results are different for each method.
Face is convenient. Often difficult to hydrate accurately.
Bowl is ok, hydration is much easier. Often people beat the stuffing out of the lather in a bowl and it is often thin and lacking.
Hand Lathering is messy but surprisingly the results demand continued attention.

 

[Nanook]

Bowl lathering for me. There's no need to whip the stuffing out of it with a good quality bowl. It will only be thin and lacking if your brush is too wet or you add too much water which can happen until you work out what is the best amount to add. It's also the best way if you like to bloom your soaps beforehand as you can bloom it in the bowl and not in the tub which can ruin some soaps after a while.

I've never understood hand lathering, that's what a bowl is for.

Face lathering is ok, but as you have already mentioned, it's hard to get the correct amount of water for a decent lather straight up but it makes more sense than hand lathering.

 

[SpeedyPC]

Whatever floats your boat, whatever is easier for you to create a good hydrate-dense slick lather is also very important.

 

[Gargravarr]

In a way, I don't think it matters much. You could probably lather up on the bathroom mirror or the loo-seat with similar results. That said, I usually use a bowl as it's a convenient way of generating and holding a lot of lather for shaving both face and head. From time to time I do face-lather, especially when I'm in a hurry. Hydration isn't an issue, I do it the same way for both, by adding drops from my fingertips directly into the bristles of the brush.

I don't get palm-lathering. I reckon that ranks with pineapple on pizza. (Let the flames begin...)

 

[SpeedyPC]

 

[SpeedyPC]

@alfredus most deepest favorite lathering youtube

 

[TroyTools]

I bowl lather. Easily controlled introduction of water, and almost always reliably consistent results.

 

[Wilkshire13]

Face latherer. I load heavy, wet the face and scrub/paste it on, dunk the brush in water, and then go to town, adding as much or as little as needed.
Can't seem to get a decent lather out of a bowl at the moment.

 

[silverlifter]

Face. Works every time, no faffing around.

 

[Nonick]

Face. Start dryish- It’s easy to regulate water by dipping your brush tips in water as you go, adding water until you look like Santa Claus.

 

[Holiday]

Now that I have mastered bowl lathering and found synthetics that I like (AP ShaveCo G5C) I'll bow lather a synthetic and face lather a nice scritchy boar or badger.
No preference for either anymore just what works best on teh day. End up tweaking hydration, slickness and cushion on the face anyway.
Using creams has also taught me the minimum consistency I want to achieve in the bowl before applying to the face.

I dont really get palm lathering either - very messy

 

[alfredus]

Lather on the puck...if it comes in a decent size tub (mine all do these days), but if not, I think that's where palm lathering shines (you remember those old animal fat pucks of Haslinger )

Finish on the face for perfect hydration

 

[SpeedyPC]

Lather on the puck...if it comes in a decent size tub (mine all do these days), but if not, I think that's where palm lathering shines (you remember those old animal fat pucks of Haslinger )

Finish on the face for perfect hydration

Do you realise you’re a super shiny lather show off cheeky badger bastard, since I’ve been on this forum.

 

[Holiday]

Lather on the puck...if it comes in a decent size tub (mine all do these days), but if not, I think that's where palm lathering shines (you remember those old animal fat pucks of Haslinger )

Finish on the face for perfect hydration

Is that where you actually hold the puck in the hand while loading?

 

[SpeedyPC]

Is that where you actually hold the puck in the hand while loading?

Not really, I grated three or four pucks of Haslinger into a plastic tub, so I don’t have to hold the small puck into my hand to start lathering.

 

[Holiday]

Not really, I grated three or four pucks of Haslinger into a plastic tub, so I don’t have to hold the small puck into my hand to start lathering.

Thanks @SpeedyPC, I meant if @alfredus comment referred to holding the puck in hand while loading and then palm lathering with the mass of lathery goodness created while loading. Having already covered the palm, forehand, sink, cat, feet and anything else within 1M radius while loading so who cares how messy the palm lather is

Lather on the puck...if it comes in a decent size tub (mine all do these days), but if not, I think that's where palm lathering shines (you remember those old animal fat pucks of Haslinger )

Finish on the face for perfect hydration

 

[Gargravarr]

Thanks @SpeedyPC, I meant if @alfredus comment referred to holding the puck in hand while loading and then palm lathering with the mass of lathery goodness created while loading. Having already covered the palm, forehand, sink, cat, feet and anything else within 1M radius while loading so who cares how messy the palm lather is

Different strokes for different folks. Come to think of it, a handful of nice slick lather might just make some strokes very nice indeed...

 

[SpeedyPC]

handful of nice slick lather might just make some strokes very nice indeed...

Spoiler

 

[Gargravarr]

Spoiler

OK, but the way I said it, no illustration was necessary.

 

[alfredus]

Thanks @SpeedyPC, I meant if @alfredus comment referred to holding the puck in hand while loading and then palm lathering with the mass of lathery goodness created while loading. Having already covered the palm, forehand, sink, cat, feet and anything else within 1M radius while loading so who cares how messy the palm lather is

Yep exactly - hold the puck and load off it...lathering should always be messy...if it ain't flying, it ain't slick enough