Lathering Basics Part 2: How to Load Your Shaving Brush

Today we are continuing with our “Lathering Basics” series, and up next in the series is how to load your shaving brush. If you haven’t already read part 1 on how to prep your shaving brush before lathering, please go check it out first. It’s a quick (and simple) read but it’s well worth the time because it can make a big impact.

Today’s post though is all about how to load your shaving brush.

What Does It Mean to “Load” Your Shaving Brush?

Loading a shaving brush simply means loading it up with your shaving cream or soap. There’s nothing else to it. Essentially, you are just filling the brushes bristles up with the right amount of soap or cream you are going to need to lather.

Is There a Difference Between How to Load Your Brush With a Shaving Cream Versus a Shaving Soap?

Shaving soaps and shaving creams can both deliver a great lather -- but they each have to be loaded in a shaving brush differently. Why? Because they have very different physical properties when they come out of their container.

Shaving soaps are hard and solid. They look and feel very similar to a bar of soap that you would wash your hands or face with, hence where they get the name shaving soap. They are usually in the shape of a disc like a hockey puck. They are commonly referred to as a “puck” of soap.

Shaving creams have a physical consistency more like a lotion or cream though. They are much more soft and pliable. Shaving creams are usually sold in a tube like a toothpaste or in a small jar/tub like a lotion or moisturizer.

So because they have such different physical properties, you have to use slightly different methods to load them.

How to Load a Brush with Shaving Soap

Loading a brush with shaving soap is pretty simple, but there are some basic mistakes that a lot of wet shavers make.

• Mistake #1: They don't get there brush soft and wet enough beforehand
• Mistake #2: They don't use enough soap.

As long as you aren’t making either of those 2 mistakes, you can’t really screw up loading a brush with shaving soap. Alright, let’s get to the process of how to load a brush with shaving soap.

Step 1

Before you even think about touching your shaving soap, your brush needs to be hot, soft and hydrated. The best way to do this it to let the brush soak in hot water for about 10 minutes.

Step 2

After it's been soaking for about 10 minutes, take the brush out, hold it upside down and let the excess water drip out over the sink. But do not use your hands to wring out any water from the bristles. Remember, that water extra plays a big part in helping to load (and subsequently lather).

Step 3

Now it’s time to grab your puck of shaving soap. At this point, some wet shavers like to sprinkle a few drops of water on top of the puck, but I’ve never really found it necessary since I soak my brush before and that alone is enough water. But if you find that your brush dries out quickly or you are not pre-soaking it, a few drops of water on top of the puck may be necessary.

Now it’s time to start loading the brush. Hold your soap in one hand and just start painting the top of it with the brush in your other hand. Just glide the bristles on the top of the puck in a circular motion and make sure you are working in both a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. This will help ensure that soap will really fill the brush throughout and get soap in-between all the bristles.

What I’ve noticed is that a little randomness with your brush is good because too much consistency in one direction prevents some areas from getting loaded. You want the whole brush to get loaded, not just parts of it.

Also, don’t be too gentle with your soap and brush. it’s a fine line between being too gentle and too aggressive, but you want to make solid contact on the soap with your brush. Just don’t jam it into the soap like you’re digging for gold. Be firm but gentle.

Step 4

Keep painting the top of your soap puck until it looks likes all of the bristles are coated with soap. When clusters of bristles start clumping together, that’s when you know the brush is loaded with enough soap to develop a good lather on your face. This entire process should only take you 30 seconds or less if you’re doing it right and working hard.

There’s probably going to be quite a few extra suds left on the top of the soap puck when you’re done, and I like to wipe those up with the top of my brush just for a little extra boost.

And that’s it, you’re brush is now loaded and you’re ready to start lathering. My recommendation is to keep your soap puck out though just in case you need some more soap for a second lather or some quick touchups. Worry about cleaning up the soap and the container after you shave when you’re cleaning up everything else.

Just remember, the keys to loading up your brush with shaving soap is to make sure your brush is wet and you use enough soap. Remember that and you should be fine.

How to Load a Brush with Shaving Cream

Loading a brush with shaving cream is different than loading it with a soap because creams and soaps have very different physical properties. Shaving creams are softer and more pliable like a gel while shaving soaps are dry, hard and solid like a rock.

So which product is it easier to load on a shaving brush?

Well it takes slightly more time and effort to load a brush with soap, but it’s then easier to lather afterwards because it’s already been worked into a pretty good lather. Shaving creams are really pretty quick and simple to load.

However, it then takes a little more work to get a cream into a nice, rich lather after it has been loaded. So I don’t recommend picking one or the other based on how easy it is to load, because in the end it takes about the same amount of time to load and lather with both.

Another thing that is different with shaving creams is that there are a few different ways to load it on a shaving brush. Here are the 3 most common ways.

• Deposit an almond-size amount of shaving cream directly in the middle of the brushes bristles

This is my preferred method for loading a brush with shaving cream. Why? Because it’s incredibly simple and easy to replicate. All you have to do is spread the bristles out in the center of your brush and then deposit an almond-size amount of cream at the base.

If you use a cream that comes in a tube, just squeeze it out directly. If you use a cream that comes in a tub or other container, just put it on your index finger and then transfer it to your brush. It’s that simple.

• Deposit an almond-size amount of shaving cream in a bowl and go directly into a bowl lather

The second one is cheating a little bit -- because you’re essentially skipping the “loading” part by combining the loading and lathering into one step. Just simply deposit a small amount of cream into your shaving bowl and start working your brush in a circular motion, both clockwise and counterclockwise.

If you need more detail, just go back and take a look at how we loaded the brush with soap -- this is really similar to that method. Keep working on the cream until the bristles start to clump together and the entire surface is loaded.

• Dip your brush directly into the tub of shaving cream

The third method is to just dip your brush directly into your tub of shaving cream. Just gently rub/dip the top of your shaving brush around on the surface of the cream for about 5 seconds until some cream is on the bristles. Again, once groups of bristles start to clump together, you should have enough for a good lather.

You can really only do this method with tubs of shaving cream since you can’t dip your brush into a tube. Personally, this is my least favorite loading method, and I don’t use it, because it’s impossible to replicate. How much cream are you actually getting on the brush when you just dip it in shaving cream? It’s really tough to distinguish too much from not enough.