How Long a Wait After You Get Shaving Cream On...

[RayClem]

If you have time to shower before you shave, you have a chance to thoroughly clean and hydrate your beard in the shower. I get out, dry off everything except my face, lather and shave. If I am using a hard soap, the soap is allowed to bloom while I am in the shower and my shaving brush soaks in hot water.

If you do not have time to shower, then follow the procedure of professional barbers. Use hot towels and lather to soften the beard. Do not rush it. There are several good videos of "luxury shaves" on YouTube that will show you how.

 

[AlbertJohnson]

Thanks for the info Glenn, that's what I was suspecting.

 

[Merle]

heh, I just realized I play with my soap and lathering. I lather and wait, wet hands and rub in, wet hands and rub in while feeling the slickness build, stir in the bowl and lather again painting and such until the lather is tacky and rich. THEN I get my first (WTG) pass on one side of my face. Stir in the bowl, lather that side of the face to get a nice cover on it, retouch the lather which has been on the other side of the face and shave that. Repeat XTG1, XTG2. By this time the lather in the bowl, on the brush, and on my face is thick and rich and full of water too - yep, porn lather... and that's when I decide if I need a full ATG or just touch ups.

ya. some of us never grew up from playing in the mud as children. ...luckly I had rich loamy agricultural mud out in the river just off our pier... great early training for wet shavin!

 

[ackvil]

My routine is wet my face, lather up, put my eyeglasses on, admire the lather on my face, and then shave. Perhaps 20 seconds after I lather up I begin to shave.

 

[RayClem]

. some of us never grew up from playing in the mud as children. ...luckly I had rich loamy agricultural mud out in the river just off our pier... great early training for wet shavin!

Hebrew scripture states that mankind was formed from "adamah", the dust of the ground. The name Adam means red, a reference to both red clay and to "dam", red blood. Thus, Adam was formed from "adamah" and "dam" flowed through his veins. Furthermore, Adam was given the task of cultivating the soil. No wonder that boys and men of all ages still love playing in the mud; it is part of our DNA and our cultural heritage.

When we use steel razors produced from iron ores extracted from the ground and hone those razors on abrasive stones mined from the ground, we are just being true to the very nature of what it means to be a man.

 

[GlennConti]

So, apparently there is a thing called "Hair Porosity". There are 3 grades based on your genetics. High, medium or low. The greater your porosity the lower time you have to wait to for your whiskers to fully absorb water. If you have, for example, low porosity hair, you must wait longer after you lather up.

To test your hair, place a strand of your hair into a glass of water that is the same temperature (water temperature will effect porosity) that you use to wet your beard prior to applying lather. After you put the hair into the glass, time how long it takes for your hair strand to start to sink. This is the amount of time after you wet your face and you have applied the lather, that you will need to wait. If you have low porosity hair, your strand may never sink. If this is the case you should wet your face really well with hotter water and allow the lather to stay on your face longer - but not so long as it would take for the lather to dry.

It would be best to use a facial hair for this test to get the most accurate results. If you use a head hair, get it from your scalp in the place that would most likely approximate your facial hair.

Get it! Got it! Good!

Edit: Surface tension must be overcome so immediately push down on the hair if it is a small one or optimally use a longer heavier hair strand. Also a side burn hair works well. For me the time was about a minute. Also if you use head hair, make sure it is free of any hair products like pomade.

 

[SGWB]

I shave right after showering, so I don't see how waiting would make much difference. However, I use Proraso white pre-shave. Right after showering I put a dollop in my wet hands, make sure it is well liquified, apply it to my face, and that seems to hold the moisture in while I get my razor and brush ready.

 

[MntnMan62]

I also start shaving as soon as I've lathered up. Even though I bowl lather, I really work the lather into my beard with circular motions all over may face. Once I've done that I sort of squeegee the lather out of the brush and paint it all over my face so that I have nice deep layer of slick foam. And then I go to town. Works great for me.

 

[musicman1951]

Most mornings once the lather is on I pick up the razor and just go. I shave right after my shower, so my face and whiskers should be well hydrated for the shave.

+1 If your prep is complete there is no advantage to waiting.

 

[Merle]

Hebrew scripture states that mankind was formed from "adamah", the dust of the ground. The name Adam means red, a reference to both red clay and to "dam", red blood. Thus, Adam was formed from "adamah" and "dam" flowed through his veins. Furthermore, Adam was given the task of cultivating the soil. No wonder that boys and men of all ages still love playing in the mud; it is part of our DNA and our cultural heritage.

When we use steel razors produced from iron ores extracted from the ground and hone those razors on abrasive stones mined from the ground, we are just being true to the very nature of what it means to be a man.

Peace upon you my friend, you and your family. Thank you for your insight. It found a home in this man's heart.

 

[Tokyospike]

I take my time applying and layering the lather. Then, always, I:

1. Dip my hands in the basin of warm water,
2. Dry them on a towel,
3. Take a sip of coffee,
4. Admire the lovely lather,
5. Pick up and admire razor and swish in basin of warm water,
6. Begin shaving.

Elapsed time probably 35 seconds on average.

 

[GlennConti]

My personal experience as a shave first then shower kind of guy, take extra time splashing warm water all over your face, apply the lather, wait from 1 to 1.5 minutes then start shaving. Also, save the upper lip, lower lip and chin for last. For me, those are the toughest whiskers and by doing them last they get the benefit of extra moisturizing time. I've tried it and the extra water and time definitely makes a big difference in my shave.

 

[MntnMan62]

I take my time applying and layering the lather. Then, always, I:

1. Dip my hands in the basin of warm water,
2. Dry them on a towel,
3. Take a sip of coffee,
4. Admire the lovely lather,
5. Pick up and admire razor and swish in basin of warm water,
6. Begin shaving.

Elapsed time probably 35 seconds on average.

I'm with you only in step 3, I take a sip of Lagavulin 16 instead of coffee.

 

[Accionmutante]

Same here. Lather up, shave off.

+2

 

[skibik]

I never timed it but would say within 2 minutes after the brush hits the face. I face lather so I see no need to let the lather sit. Why did I then say two minutes? Since I face lather I spend close to 2 minutes working the lather into the face and building the lather. Once the lather is to where I am ready for the shave then it sits as long as it takes to grab the razor and warm it under the tap. With the amount of time spent to face lather I don't see any further need to let it sit on the face and dry out. I like a thicker lather and I try to take my time shaving but when I am a little too slow shaving the lather does get a little on the thick side before I am done so in my case I need to start once I set the brush down.

 

[Merle]

I'm with you only in step 3, I take a sip of Lagavulin 16 instead of coffee.

I knew there was a way to put a dent into my Scotch stock... all I had to do was work it into something I do nearly every day! Good on ya @MntnMan62. (Although, I'm not really losing out on the coffee, because that necessity of life has its own time scheduled into the day.)

 

[Raissermesser]

Lately I've had good results with three minutes. I wash with soap (Ivory lately), rinse, wash again with soap without rinsing; apply lather and wait three minutes. Why three minutes? That was recommended from a period article posted on B&B some time ago.

Note that this is with the beard dry. If I shaved after showering, I probably wouldn't let the beard soak.

 

[dmatcuk]

It is interesting to see all of the different methods. I shave after a shower and make sure to thoroughly wash my face while showering. I face lather, so it takes me maybe 30 to 45 seconds to get a good lather going. Set my brush down, pick up the straight, and go immediately into shaving. I get nice smooth, comfortable shaves.

 

[BigJoe]

The one common note is we all presoak our beards.

 

[AlbertJohnson]

Seems if you get razor burn, then you oughta wait a minute for the cream to lubricate.