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Fogged up...

So,

My question of the day (though it has been a few days since I’ve asked a question) is as follows: Ho do y’all keep your bathroom mirrors from fogging while you shower? I run the exhaust fan in the bathroom while I shower, but I like a really hot shower and I doubt that there are any exhaust fans (short of an industrial fan) capable of dealing with the amount of steam produced by one of my showers. Also, I live in a basement apartment, so I have no window in my bathroom (I know that an open window is effective at preventing mirror-fogging, but this is unfortunately not an option for me). My present approach is to open the bathroom door after I finish my shower and let some moisture escape the room while I prep and whip up some lather. Regrettably, this is not an option when we have company; I just don’t feel like it would be appropriate for me to shave in my “birthday suit” while guests look on (though, for all I know some might enjoy such a show).

Any suggestions?
 
NMMB said:
So,

My question of the day (though it has been a few days since I’ve asked a question) is as follows: Ho do y’all keep your bathroom mirrors from fogging while you shower? I run the exhaust fan in the bathroom while I shower, but I like a really hot shower and I doubt that there are any exhaust fans (short of an industrial fan) capable of dealing with the amount of steam produced by one of my showers. Also, I live in a basement apartment, so I have no window in my bathroom (I know that an open window is effective at preventing mirror-fogging, but this is unfortunately not an option for me). My present approach is to open the bathroom door after I finish my shower and let some moisture escape the room while I prep and whip up some lather. Regrettably, this is not an option when we have company; I just don’t feel like it would be appropriate for me to shave in my “birthday suit” while guests look on (though, for all I know some might enjoy such a show).

Any suggestions?

Shave before you shower? Personally - I get the most enjoyment out of waking up TO shave, as basically once I get up, that is the first thing I do. The motions, scents and feel of the badger brush really wake me up in the morning, and if I happen to really rip myself up that morning - the shower afterwards will really calm/soothe the skin. I know that is the FIRST thing every guide/company/forum will tell you NOT to do... but personally I get the best results, and have the most fun shaving BEFORE I shower. Takes care of the steam problem as well :wink:
 
Well, first off, I shave in the shower (as if you didn't know that already) and in doing so, I don't like a fogged up mirror either. I do two sometimes three things.

First (and second), I put car wax on the mirror or rain-x or sometimes both. The water just runs right off.

Third, when the wax/rain-x washes after about 2 months or so, I use the shampoo on the mirror. I use Neutrogena Clean shampoo and just give it a good wipe across the mirror and it stays unfogged for a few days at least.

I've also heard of people using the canned goo (shaving cream) on their mirrors in the shower and supposedly it works well, but I wouldn't recommend anyone from purchasing from that establishment. There is also a gentleman on another forum that found a mirror that attaches to the piping as a permanent fixture, the water runs thru the housing of the mirror then out the shower head, therefore keeping the mirror the same temp as the water, eliminating the fog competely, but my exhaustive searching, I cannot find the same one or one similar.

Hope this helps.

NMMB said:
So,

My question of the day (though it has been a few days since I’ve asked a question) is as follows: Ho do y’all keep your bathroom mirrors from fogging while you shower? I run the exhaust fan in the bathroom while I shower, but I like a really hot shower and I doubt that there are any exhaust fans (short of an industrial fan) capable of dealing with the amount of steam produced by one of my showers. Also, I live in a basement apartment, so I have no window in my bathroom (I know that an open window is effective at preventing mirror-fogging, but this is unfortunately not an option for me). My present approach is to open the bathroom door after I finish my shower and let some moisture escape the room while I prep and whip up some lather. Regrettably, this is not an option when we have company; I just don’t feel like it would be appropriate for me to shave in my “birthday suit” while guests look on (though, for all I know some might enjoy such a show).

Any suggestions?
 
Well,

I am, without a doubt, a shave-after-my-shower-type of guy, so this precludes the suggestions of shaving prior to or during my shower. However, I wonder if rain-x would keep the fog away the same way that it does with water? Any other suggestions?
 
NMMB said:
Well,

I am, without a doubt, a shave-after-my-shower-type of guy, so this precludes the suggestions of shaving prior to or during my shower. However, I wonder if rain-x would keep the fog away the same way that it does with water? Any other suggestions?

Try it, it might work.
 
joel said:
Shave before you shower? Personally - I get the most enjoyment out of waking up TO shave, as basically once I get up, that is the first thing I do. The motions, scents and feel of the badger brush really wake me up in the morning, and if I happen to really rip myself up that morning - the shower afterwards will really calm/soothe the skin. I know that is the FIRST thing every guide/company/forum will tell you NOT to do... but personally I get the best results, and have the most fun shaving BEFORE I shower. Takes care of the steam problem as well :wink:

Amen, brother. Not to mention, if you happen to get the odd razor nick, by the end of the shower, the blood flow has stopped with no visible scabbing. Also, this allows for extended pampering with a hot towel.
 
Buy a small blow dryer, turn it on high, point it at the mirror, and it'll defog it in about 15 seconds. I learned that trick from my girlfriend.
 
rasiermesserfan said:
Buy a small blow dryer, turn it on high, point it at the mirror, and it'll defog it in about 15 seconds. I learned that trick from my girlfriend.
That works well, but another thing that I find that works is to crack the door to the bathroom open. I find that that helps minimize fogging of my mirror.
 
joel said:
Shave before you shower? Personally - I get the most enjoyment out of waking up TO shave, as basically once I get up, that is the first thing I do. The motions, scents and feel of the badger brush really wake me up in the morning, and if I happen to really rip myself up that morning - the shower afterwards will really calm/soothe the skin. I know that is the FIRST thing every guide/company/forum will tell you NOT to do... but personally I get the best results, and have the most fun shaving BEFORE I shower. Takes care of the steam problem as well :wink:
I was very skeptical of Joel's advice so today I thought I'd give it a go. A couple of thoughts and observations.

First it was a very different experience shaving prior to taking a shower. I'm used to being squeaky clean before lifting a razor. Second, having a good badger brush massage the visage just after waking up was invigorating. Third, the resulting shave was top notch.

Finally it was just weird to shower with a freshly shaven face - I can't remember ever doing so! All-in-all an exceptional experience!
 
Rik said:
I was very skeptical of Joel's advice so today I thought I'd give it a go. A couple of thoughts and observations.

First it was a very different experience shaving prior to taking a shower. I'm used to being squeaky clean before lifting a razor. Second, having a good badger brush massage the visage just after waking up was invigorating. Third, the resulting shave was top notch.

Finally it was just weird to shower with a freshly shaven face - I can't remember ever doing so! All-in-all an exceptional experience!

Convert!:wink:

I think that at least part of this effect can be attributed to not stripping your face of it's natural oils (acid mantle or whatever) before the shave. When I shower first, I am a lot more prone to have razor burn.
 
joel said:
Shave before you shower? Personally - I get the most enjoyment out of waking up TO shave, as basically once I get up, that is the first thing I do. The motions, scents and feel of the badger brush really wake me up in the morning, and if I happen to really rip myself up that morning - the shower afterwards will really calm/soothe the skin. I know that is the FIRST thing every guide/company/forum will tell you NOT to do... but personally I get the best results, and have the most fun shaving BEFORE I shower. Takes care of the steam problem as well :wink:

So, I take it you just warm-water rinse and hot towel the face prior to the shave and then wash the face during the shower afterwards?...will try tomorrow.
 
Technically, you don't even need to pay a whole lot of attention to your face once in the shower. You've already spent the last 20 minutes washing and exfoliating with shave soap and razor.
 
So,

I tried some rain-x (the "regular" stuff) and... well, I was less than impressed with the results. The mirror doesn't get as fogged up, but it is still fogged up. The rain-x, however, did create a new problem; now the condensation runs down the mirror leaving streaks all over the mirror. Now I have a mirror that is still fogged up after my shower, but when it dries off has streaks. Obviously this was not the answer that I was looking for.

I think that I am going to try some of the rain-x anti-fog, if I can locate some, and if this doesn't work, well, looks like I may just have to break out the hair dryer.

Thanks for all the suggestions.
 
Joel, I grew a wild hair and took you suggestion today and shaved BEFORE my shower, yes, at the sink. I got a decent shave, a little irritation and a few nicks but once I took my shower, it all went away. It seemed to make washing my face off in the shower a little different as there as no resistance of my whiskers, it felt strange, but nice and smooth.

Anyway, I don't think I'm going to give up my beloved shower shaves anytime soon, but I will most certainly shave before the shower more often now.

The only drawback is it's messy, when I'm in the shower shaving, anything that falls off the brush or my face washs right down the drain.
 
I take my Irish Spring and slather it on the mirror. Then when it is time to shave I rinse it off. It keeps the condensation off for a while. Still sucks.
 
P

PortsmouthDavid

Personally I think most of this advice is overkill.

I just swipe a towel across the mirror and I'm good to go. If it's VERY foggy (for ex. on an extra-humid day) I may blast the hairdryer for 10 seconds. But it's rarely necessary.

David
 
PortsmouthDavid said:
Personally I think most of this advice is overkill.

I just swipe a towel across the mirror and I'm good to go. If it's VERY foggy (for ex. on an extra-humid day) I may blast the hairdryer for 10 seconds. But it's rarely necessary.

David

If you are lucky enough to just wipe a towel across the mirror and have a clean, fog free mirror, I think thats great.

However, I don't believe it's overkill as you stated if no one can see their reflection in the mirror to shave. Some situations might have a need for different techniques, ie..the mirror is in the same room as the shower and constantly fogs vs being in separate rooms and keeping the steam away from it.

I don't know what your situation is so I'm not going to speculate on why you don't need to go to the same measures everyone else does.
 
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