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hot vs cold

between hot and cold shower, which one will soften facial hair the most assuming someone is taking a long shower in the morning? would any of you guys know??
 
Hot water will soften the hair better.
Either hot or cold will hydrate the hair.
Cold hydrated hair will be hard but is easily shaved with a sharp blade.
Hair needs to be hydrated but doesn't need to be soft.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
....
Hair needs to be hydrated but doesn't need to be soft.
Yes, indeed. I find soft wiskers are harder to shave. My thoughts are that soft wiskers tend to bend more when the edge first touches them making them more difficult to cut and increasing the tugging. Harder wiskers tend to start cutting as soon as that edge touches them (or sooner 😋).

Hydration is the most important thing in cutting wiskers. Keep your wiskers wet for as long as you can before trying to cut them.

Many decades ago, when my local barber still actually saved men with a straight razor, I asked him why the hot moist towel before the shave. He told me that it was to hydrate the wiskers and it was only warmed as clients did not like a cold towel wrapped over their face. He would have much preferred to use a cooler wetter towel.

Others may differ with regard to soft wiskers. Each to there own.
 
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Fred D

Member of The Illiterati
I remember my grandfather always telling me to use cold water. He used the same US Army issued Gillette open comb razor from 1917 until his passing in 1980, so I guess I will have to go with his advice.
 
I haven't noticed much difference, frankly. Hydration is the key - hot or cold is personal preference, IMO.
 
I shave with warm water, not hot, and the final rinse is cold water. Seems to work fine for me.
 
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rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
Another reason why some may prefer a cold shave is that hot water will tend to dry off quicker than cold. This give the wiskers less time to hydrate.

For me, while my bush is soaking in cold water, I first wash my face vigorously with bath soap and cold water, rinse with cold water and leave wet. I then face lather with cold water and strop. Touch up the face lather and then shave.
 
Hot water seems to get the whiskers hydrated somewhat faster, but the hair will only absorb a certain amount of water. You can switch to cooler water when you start to shave. Cooler water can help reduce skin irritation. I prefer lukewarm water for shaving since it seems more comfortabe.
 

Fred D

Member of The Illiterati
I don't know and there is no way I'm going to find out because I am not going to take a long, cold shower in the morning...or ever.
I don't blame you, but you do not need to take a cold shower to shave with cold water. Simply use cold water to wet your face, and to rinse the blade as you would with hot water.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
I haven't noticed much difference, frankly. Hydration is the key - hot or cold is personal preference, IMO.

This is my experience as well. But some shavers have a better overall experience with cold water shaves. Try both and see which works for you. I assume you mean cool shower - a cold shower in winter would be a special kind of torture.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
.... I assume you mean cool shower - a cold shower in winter would be a special kind of torture.
This is an international forum. Cold water for me in the middle of "winter" is 26deg C (79deg F) out of the faucet first thing in the morning.
 
Hot water seems to get the whiskers hydrated somewhat faster, but the hair will only absorb a certain amount of water.
I use the "hot washcloth" method of hydrating, and thought that the hotter the water, the better, and use the hottest I can endure.

If I didn't have hot water available, can I ever get the same effect with a room temperature washcloth, used for longer?

I always thought the hot washcloth analogy was with cooking spaghetti, and that wouldn't work very well with cold water.
 
I always thought the hot washcloth analogy was with cooking spaghetti, and that wouldn't work very well with cold water.

It doesn't, at least in my experience. Every time I have tried cold water shaving + cold water prep I have experienced immense tugging during the shave. It certainly seems like more effort is required for beard hydration with cold water.
 
Hi,

I do both warm and cold water shaving as the mood or seasons change. I don't think I notice much if any difference in my shaves due to water temps. Though my wife tells me that cold water will make my skin "tighter" with less sag. So maybe cold water might help prevent nicks?

I like warm/hot water in the cold northern Minnesota winters and cool/cold water in the summers as a general rule. But as always YMMV!
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
This is an international forum. Cold water for me in the middle of "winter" is 26deg C (79deg F) out of the faucet first thing in the morning.

Wow. Thank you, that's truly edifying. I have to screw up my courage for the cold water rinse after my shave - which feels like about 40 degrees (although I didn't really check with a thermometer).
 
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