hot water

[razorboi]

If you're willing to suffer cold showers just to benefit your shave, you're a braver man than I!
Some swear by cold shaves, but I find them exceedingly unpleasant and of no value.
In fact, I believe they are counter-productive.
Softening the whiskers is an important step to a comfortable, close, and irritation-free shave.
Cold water simply isn't as effective.
Opening up, or relaxing the pores of the skin is equally important to a close and comfortable shave.
Cold water has the opposite effect.
There's a reason barbers have been using hot towels for generations!
Gents who shave after a hot shower are simply replicating the preparatory steps of the traditional barber.
So, unless warm or hot water somehow proves an irritant to your skin, I think you will find a hot shave beats a cold shave every time.

 

[RayClem]

I think some of the confusion here may be due to what is considered hot water and what is considered cold water.

Hot water does not mean water hot enough for brewing coffee. It means water slightly above skin temperature. That would be something in the 110-120 degree F range. Anything over 125 degrees 52 degrees C is not enough to scald you skin.

Cold water does not mean ice water or even water from your refrigerator. It means cold tap water, something than might be between 50-70 degrees F depending upon the time of year and your locale.

Not only do I take a warm shower (around 110 degrees F), but I make my lather in a lather bowl heated by an electric candle warmer that keeps my lather around 115-120 degrees F . I rinse off with water close to normal body temperature.

 

[ScottChapin]

I think some of the confusion here may be due to what is considered hot water and what is considered cold water.

Hot water does not mean water hot enough for brewing coffee. It means water slightly above skin temperature. That would be something in the 110-120 degree F range. Anything over 125 degrees 52 degrees C is not enough to scald you skin.

Cold water does not mean ice water or even water from your refrigerator. It means cold tap water, something than might be between 50-70 degrees F depending upon the time of year and your locale.

Not only do I take a warm shower (around 110 degrees F), but I make my lather in a lather bowl heated by an electric candle warmer that keeps my lather around 115-120 degrees F . I rinse off with water close to normal body temperature.

I consider 50-70 degrees as cold water for bathing and shaving and it’s miserable. My father wouldn’t let us go swimming until Lake Erie’s temperature reached 68°. If it were any colder than that, my toes would turn blue and I would commence to shiver.

My tankless is set to 125°F and I wish it were higher. I like my lather and shave water to be around 120° and 125° water cools rapidly to being just tepid.


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[MntnMan62]

Ultimately the key is hydration. So, theoretically hot or cold should both work. I think it’s more a matter of what you prefer. I always shave after a hot shower. And in between each of three passes and after some touch up I use cold tap water to rinse off my face.

 

[santamariasteve]

I get less irritation and cuts by avoiding hot water. I don't insist on using cold water for the entire shave, however.

There is no particular reason one must shave with hot water, though, and alot of good reasons to at least use warm water. Hot water, water hotter than human skin temperature, does not generally benefit the skin in any way, nor do I think it really results in a closer shave.

I would focus on whatever is comfortable.

I like the suggestion that water about the temperature of the skin and human body (90 to 100 degrees?) might be the best temperature for shaving. Logical. But is it true? I dunno.

Whatever, warm to slightly hot water does seem to lather soap better, especially if the water is hard.

 

[balesofhay91]

I can use either cold or hot water to shave. I prefer warm water. I used cold water enough times in the military that I can appreciate using warm water. But there is something invigorating and awesome about using cold water with a highly mentholated cream like Ingram or Palmolive.

 

[salman]

Ive never had a cold water shave. Always done a warm ( not hot ) water shave. This stems from the advice my father gave me when i first started shaving “ Warm water gives a more comfortable shave”.

Whether its true or not i have no idea, since i have been unable convince me self that my father’s shaving advice could be questionable.


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[Chandu]

Strictly from a chemistry sense, chemical reactions typically go faster in a warmer environment. Whatever the shaving soap is going to do to your skin will likely happen faster with warm or hot water than cold. I've also found that soap rinses cleaner with warm water than cold. So for rinsing my face, I start with warm water and then once sufficiently free of soap, I switch to cold for a few splashes for a nice refreshing feel.

 

[MTG Jr]

Is there any difference between shaving before or after a shower? If you use an electric razor, you don't need water, do you? If I shave by hand, I need a little water to shave slowly. I like the feeling of shaving by hand very much. Crispy hemp. What I enjoy most when I go to the barber's shop is that the barber shaves me. It's so cool. Therefore, I will buy an electric razor. It's more convenient here because when I have a hairdresser to shave my hair, I don't need to shave by myself. Besides, I can't shake my hands

Well said.

 

[crleftwich]

I think the general consensus is hot water will work the best, but there are some here that claim cold water works best for them. I like to use hot water before and during my shaves. When I rinse, I use cold water. Experiment to see what works best for you.

 

[Chandu]

If you use an electric razor, you don't need water, do you?

Nope. Electric is best done with ZERO beard prep other than some Williams 'Lectric Shave in my opinion. Whenever I've tried an electric after a shower, it sucked. The skin is hydrated and puffy and makes the razor drag. For electric I want thin tight skin and a little bit of oil to make things slide properly.

 

[mumB_L_E]

I think some soaps prefer hot water, others cold, and yet others are indifferent. In my experience, the soap's preference mostly impacts the ease and time required to build optimum lather. My skin prefers warm-ish water for showering and cold water for shaving. Having recently flirted with warm water, I simply find cold lather/rinse water to be more soothing and relaxing--even during New England winters.

 

[emwolf]

I'm a shower shaver. I start with a hot shower, then I lather and do my first pass. I do a quick face and head splash then 2nd and 3rd pass if needed. Finally a cool shower to rinse everything off the face and head, a splash of aftershave and I'm good to go.

 

[147_Grain]

To stir the pot a bit, IME hot water is great if you enjoy sweating during the shave, or if you like making your skin puffy before running the sharpest object in the county over it.

As far as softening the beard goes, the alkaline solution that is lather will get your beard about as soft as it's going to get regardless of temperature, though warm lather may get it there a half minute to a minute faster. For about four years now I've been using cold water exclusively and face-lathering before stropping to give my whiskers some time to soften up, and I get close and irritation-free shaves for the mostpart. Your mileage may vary.

 

[ScottChapin]

To stir the pot a bit, IME hot water is great if you enjoy sweating during the shave, or if you like making your skin puffy before running the sharpest object in the county over it.

As far as softening the beard goes, the alkaline solution that is lather will get your beard about as soft as it's going to get regardless of temperature, though warm lather may get it there a half minute to a minute faster. For about four years now I've been using cold water exclusively and face-lathering before stropping to give my whiskers some time to soften up, and I get close and irritation-free shaves for the mostpart. Your mileage may vary.

I like it puffy, as minuscule as it is, because the whiskers protrude further allowing the shave to be closer. Aside from it feeling great, cold water shaves never seem to be as close for me.


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[never-stop-learning]

I use warm water before, during and after the shave and then a cold water rinse prior to rubbing the Alum bar all over my face.

Seems to maximize results and minimize irritation.

 

[mrlandpirate]

my shave water temp changes with the seasons warmer in the winter cooler in the summer. Can't stand a hot or more then body temp shower in the summer

 

[RayClem]

Is there any difference between shaving before or after a shower? If you use an electric razor, you don't need water, do you? If I shave by hand, I need a little water to shave slowly. I like the feeling of shaving by hand very much. Crispy hemp. What I enjoy most when I go to the barber's shop is that the barber shaves me. It's so cool. Therefore, I will buy an electric razor. It's more convenient here because when I have a hairdresser to shave my hair, I don't need to shave by myself. Besides, I can't shake my hands

It certainly is not necessary to shower before shaving. If you get a shave in a barber shop, the barber does not bathe you ahead of time. However, he will use hot towels and lather to clean, hydrate and soften your beard. When your beard absorbs water, the hair follicles swell and the tensile strength of the structure decreases significantly making it far easier to sever the hairs. If you have ever tried to shave with a dry face, you will realize how uncomfortable that can be. Splashing on cold water will help, but showering or using warm towels will help even more, even if you decide to use cool water during your shave itself.

 

[weizemanner]

Hot water will absorb faster into just about anything including hair. It will also open the pores and make the skin more elastic which can result in a closer shave for some people.

Personally I find that switching to cold water after the initial soak gives less irritation and sometimes a closer shave. The heated skin expands outward and then retracts when it cools down and you put a little witch hazel or alum on it.
If you've ever finished a shave thinking everything is BBS only to find stubble 20 minutes later, you know what I mean.

Interesting fact that hair is relatively unchanged between -300 and 300F, so the difference between 60 degree water and 100 degree water for a few minutes isn't going to have a significant effect on the hair so do what is most comfortable for your skin.

 

[AshleyC]

Warm water seems to be absorbed more readily by facial hair.

For awhile I was an advocate of the "cold water shave". Mind you...it has its benefits. But mostly I was an advicate because I did not realize central Ohio's hard water was destroying the heating elements in my electric water heater.