ABOUT SHAVING SOAPS AND TYPES
SHAVING SOAPS
Shaving Soaps come in a few different forms with the main ones being i) Hard Shaving Soaps - which can be triple milled and are very solid - these Shave Soaps do not change shape easily and can last a longer time than ii) Soft Shave Soaps - which are still quite firm but you can easily press into them with your fingers & they can be pressed to fit perfectly into different shaped or sized containers easily.
Good quality Shaving Soaps have an all natural ingredients list and are usually applied by swirling a wet Shaving Brush on them until the Brush becomes loaded with Shaving Soap, and then using the loaded Shave Brush i) to create a rich creamy lather in a Shaving / Lathering Bowl and then brushing the creamy lather onto the face or ii) applying the loaded Shaving Brush directly on your face or area to be Shaved using light swirls and paint strokes, occasionally re-wetting the tips of the Shave Brush until a rich lather is formed.
Shaving Soaps also come in a huge variety of scents and scent strengths and using them really can make your Shaving routine more enjoyable.
TO USE HARD SHAVING SOAPS
The general rule for all hard Shave Soaps ( and triple milled Shave Soaps ) is to soften the Shave Soap prior to loading with a Shave Brush. This is a process called blooming which consists of immersing the top layer of the Shaving Soap in warm or cold water ( not hot water as this can destroy some enzymes and natural nutrients in the Shave Soap ) for a number of minutes prior to loading the Shaving Brush. To do this simply open the lid of the Shave Soap container or bowl and add about 2 tablespoons of water on top of the Shave Soap and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes.
This blooming is not necessary when using stiffer Shaving Brushes with most Shave Soaps and perfect lathers can be achieved using only a well-hydrated brush. However, to make loading quicker we recommend blooming when using softer Shave Brushes. If you are going to bloom, it is recommended leaving the soap soaking only for 5-10 minutes, as any longer it would soften too much with the effect of consuming more product than necessary. After loading your Shaving Brush you can either Face Lather or whip up a creamier Lather in a Shaving Bowl.
After using any Hard Shaving Soap, allow it to dry completely before sealing the lid of its container. If you use the same Shave Soap every day there is no need to seal its container at all.
MARCO METHOD - If you are still having problems getting a good lather from a Hard Shave Soap you can try this method : Generally you only have to use a lightly hydrated Shaving Brush and incrementally add small amounts of water to the Brush tips to create rich lathers from Shave Soaps. Some Hard Shaving Soaps require you to start the lathering process by using a soaking wet ( even dripping ) Shave Brush to ensure there is ample water to create a decent amount of Lather. To use this technique, run the completely wet Shave Brush over the Shave Soap in very slow circles ( slow so you dont splash water around ) about 100 times - this technique when done correctly can produce very large amounts of lather.
TO USE SOFT SHAVING SOAPS
Soft Shave Soaps - which are still quite firm but you can easily press into them with your fingers & they can be pressed to fit perfectly into different shaped or sized containers easily. Good quality Shaving Soaps have an all natural ingredients list and are usually applied by swirling a wet Shaving Brush on them until the Brush becomes loaded with Shaving Soap, and then using the loaded Shave Brush i) to create a rich creamy lather in a Shaving / Lathering Bowl and then brush the creamy lather onto the face or ii) applying the loaded Shaving Brush directly on your face or area to be Shaved using light swirls and paint strokes, occasionally re-wetting the tips of the Shave Brush until a rich lather is formed.
After using any Soft Shaving Soap, allow it to dry completely before sealing the lid of its container. If you use the same Shaving Soap every day there is no need to seal its container at all.
TO USE SHAVING CREAMS
Shaving Creams are very much like normal Shaving Soaps except they have the consistency of very soft and smooth creams. Good quality Shaving Creams are specially formulated specifically for preparing the skin for Shaving with a special combination of skin cleaners & moisturizers which thoroughly cleanse, condition, tone and lubricate the skin before a Shave. Good Shave Creams also allow the hair follicles to take in more moisture from the water and soften easier making them much easier to cut. Shaving Creams are very easy to use, being a Cream just apply an almond size dolop of cream to the end of your Shaving Brush and applying the loaded Shaving Brush directly on your face or area to be Shaved using light swirls and paint strokes, occasionally re-wetting the tips of the Shave Brush until a rich lather is formed and then Shave or you can also put a small bit of Shave Cream in your favourite Shaving / Lathering Bowl and whip up an even creamier lather which you then apply directly to the area you are about to Shave.
After using any Shaving Creams, its most important to seal the lid of its container straight after every use.