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Hot Towels

I was thinking about getting a hot towel steamer to use for my shaving prep, I think my weak prep is the main impediment to the truly inspiring results I seek, and there are a huge number of spa style hot towel cabinets available. However, I was recently cautioned that this practice may cause damage to the pores and was wondering if anybody had experience with this type of machine. For those who use hot towels in your prep, how do you warm the towels, and in your opinion how hot is too hot? Does anybody have any negative experiences with this type of practice? I have fairly coarse stubble so I need to be able but to soften my whiskers, but, at the same time I don't want to end up looking like a reject from "Attack of the Killer Tomatoes" either.:mad:
As always your advice is appreciated.
Warmest regards, AS
 
I find that my hands are far more tolerant of heat than my face (esp neck) is. The water I use to soak the towel for my face is colder than the water I use to soak my brush in. I usually try to get my towel so I will see just a bit of steam (but not copious) coming out of the towel.

Perhaps one could do the 'baby milk' test of testing the water to one's wrist to see if the water is too hot.
 
This may seem like an overly simple response, but have you tried shaving after a nice long hot shower? As far as the heat damaging your pores--it is not advisable to put extremely hot water on your skin as the hot water can dehydrate your face, but as long as your face can tolerate the heat, I don't see a problem with it. FWIW, the only time I use hot towels is when I need to shave and I haven't had the opportunity to shower. Try shaving after a shower, it might just be the ticket you need.
 
rschul2 said:
This may seem like an overly simple response, but have you tried shaving after a nice long hot shower? As far as the heat damaging your pores--it is not advisable to put extremely hot water on your skin as the hot water can dehydrate your face, but as long as your face can tolerate the heat, I don't see a problem with it. FWIW, the only time I use hot towels is when I need to shave and I haven't had the opportunity to shower. Try shaving after a shower, it might just be the ticket you need.

As Randy mentioned, excess heat can be counter-productive. It may open up the pores and soften the whiskers, but it also makes the face more sensitive.

Randy
 
So would a towel submerged in shower-temperature water produce the desired effect or does it need to be warmer?
 
Kyle said:
So would a towel submerged in shower-temperature water produce the desired effect or does it need to be warmer?

For soaking my face, nothing hotter than tap water. Your face can actually tolerate a higher temperature than your hands, however, IMO, if the water is burning your hands, it's too hot for the face.

Using heated water to soak your brush is one thing, using it on your face is brutal.

Randy
 
rtaylor61 said:
For soaking my face, nothing hotter than tap water. Your face can actually tolerate a higher temperature than your hands, however, IMO, if the water is burning your hands, it's too hot for the face.

Using heated water to soak your brush is one thing, using it on your face is brutal.

Randy

Cool. I've been using a hand towel soaked in hot tap water for as long as I can remember shaving. I thought that maybe you guys had found a better way.
 
Kyle said:
Cool. I've been using a hand towel soaked in hot tap water for as long as I can remember shaving. I thought that maybe you guys had found a better way.

Some guys microwave their towels...just don't see point. What I do see, or think I would see, are 3rd degree burns!

Randy
 
I used to microwave my towels, this meant I had to wait for them to cool down before I used them. My tap water comes out too hot to use immediately but sooner than microwaved towels so there's not much point in traipsing downstairs to warm them.

My hands can stand a lot more heat than my face.
 
Like I said in one of my first posts, I was always more of a bath person so at my parents house there was no shower (feel kind of stupid about that now, doh) and as for the shower in my student digs, I assume you are all aware of the dangers of bathing in raw sewage, well those showers are slightly less hygenic than that. Luckily my parents have already had a shower fitted for me once I made them aware of the situation, but that really is more of a weekend only thing though.
Has anyone here got a hot towel steamer, or do you think it's an extravagence (then again the number of shaving brushes some people have, I don't really think wetshavers have a good understanding of the concept of excess; it's starting to affect me too, I've already ordered a Kent brush on top of an R.A Rooney one which hasn't even arrived yet, not to mention more tubs of shaving cream than I can get through in the next two- three years.):001_rolle
Regards, AJS
 
I'm glad someone else chimed in with this, it was going to be my first post today after having had my 3rd wet shave with the new equipment.:biggrin:

Currently I'm using what us Brits would refer to as a 'flannel', more commonly called a 'face cloth' here in the USA (yes I'm a displaced Brit living in the US). It's about 10" square I guess and I'm soaking it in the sink with hot tap water along with the brush and the bowl I whip up my lather in. I then wring it out and put it on my face for about 20-30 seconds, soak and repeat to try and get those pores to open and whiskers to soften. I then get on with the lathering and shaving.

What size towels are you all using and is this the best method I am using? :confused:

I've switched to shaving when I get up in the morning as part of my new ritual / routine and don't want to shower first as I work out in the afternooons. Two showers a day would dry out my skin too much.:eek:
 
woodbane said:
I'm glad someone else chimed in with this, it was going to be my first post today after having had my 3rd wet shave with the new equipment.:biggrin:

Currently I'm using what us Brits would refer to as a 'flannel', more commonly called a 'face cloth' here in the USA (yes I'm a displaced Brit living in the US). It's about 10" square I guess and I'm soaking it in the sink with hot tap water along with the brush and the bowl I whip up my lather in. I then wring it out and put it on my face for about 20-30 seconds, soak and repeat to try and get those pores to open and whiskers to soften. I then get on with the lathering and shaving.

What size towels are you all using and is this the best method I am using? :confused:

I've switched to shaving when I get up in the morning as part of my new ritual / routine and don't want to shower first as I work out in the afternooons. Two showers a day would dry out my skin too much.:eek:
You must be peeking through the shades. The flannel, (washcloth), is my steamer of choice. I use it to scrub with some sort of facial scrub or moisturinzing soap and then warm it a bit more to swath my visage while I still have some soap on for a couple of minutes. Feels good, does an adequate job.
 
I use a slightly larger sized towel - like the size of a towel to clean dishes with; so that's about 20 inches long. I like this size better since I wet it with warm water and I can then wrap it around my face and both hands are free to get my cream/soap ready.
 
I used a face cloth at first but it only held the heat for about 30 seconds. After a minute it was pretty much cold. I changed to using a hand towel. It's big enough to double over and still cover from nose to chin and being thicker and fluffier holds the heat in for a few minutes.
I have a proper steaming towel on the way with an order of shaving goodies so I will see how that compares.
 
zacharydz said:
I use a slightly larger sized towel - like the size of a towel to clean dishes with; so that's about 20 inches long. I like this size better since I wet it with warm water and I can then wrap it around my face and both hands are free to get my cream/soap ready.

How the hell can you see? :w00t:

Randy
 
Pics please!:lol:

I'm serious!, I'd like to see how you guys are wrapping the towel around your face, it might give me a better idea of whether I'm doing this right or not.
 
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