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Recommendations for winter shaving and skin care?

I've just reached the part of year where I turn the furnace on, and the forced air dries out my skin. I counteract it by putting on a good face lotion before bed and I try to do a little exfoliating before my every-other-morning shave (scrubbing with a washcloth as part of my pre-shave hot washcloth treatment) but I'm still getting rougher shaves. Skin scaling up and getting cut, spots where I'm cutting skin but leaving stubble.
If you have any heating-season skin care routines or tips, I'd love to hear them.
 
Personally I would avoid a scrub everyday skin cells need some recovery to maintain its natural moisture and pH balance, I'm a every 2 to 3 day shaver myself and just face wash before the shave and use a nice splash and balm afterwards as for face scrub I only use it twice a month, the days without a shave I use SV Pro victus cream or Nivea hyaluron
 
I've just reached the part of year where I turn the furnace on, and the forced air dries out my skin. I counteract it by putting on a good face lotion before bed and I try to do a little exfoliating before my every-other-morning shave (scrubbing with a washcloth as part of my pre-shave hot washcloth treatment) but I'm still getting rougher shaves. Skin scaling up and getting cut, spots where I'm cutting skin but leaving stubble.
If you have any heating-season skin care routines or tips, I'd love to hear them.
I agree with letting go of the exfoliation routine.

I would also suggest tepid to warm water instead of hot and using a moisturizer, such as CeraVe, in the morning and at night.
 
Ditto on the exfoliating routine. The best advice I can give is being rigorous with using a good moisturizer. You might want to search for hyaluronic acid on the forums, as some members report great success using it.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
For a Pre-shave you suppose to wash the face according to Gillette to clean natural facial oils from the skin + dirt and dead skin flakes.
I worked in environments where I showered daily to clean my hide of dirt and possible trace chemicals.
The best way to prepare your shave is to hydrate your skin & whiskers + I also will drink at least 1 glass of water before the shave.
After experimenting and finding the right soap for my skin I use CeraVe hand bar cleanser. I will wet the face take my dedicated Yaqi 24mm synthetic Cashmere shave brush load for about 5-10 seconds and apply the soap to my face, it's a mild soap and does not bother my eyes to much and wash my whole face and it cleans about perfect for my skin PH level and just rinse the suds off and then I apply a dollop of clear Aloe Vera gel to the cleaned beard area for maximin whisker hydration.
The I apply my regular shave soap with a different brush. I have even shaved with the CeraVe hand bar cleanser soap but with a heavier load and it worked OK.
The CeraVe hand bar cleanser & CeraVe moisturizer has 3 important essential ceramides with Hyaluronic acid that is important for healthy skin IMO.
I have used a balm at the end of shaving over the aftershave for about 4 years and just recently found the CeraVe Moisturizer lotion balm is really good because it has excellent ingredients and is scentless.
The balm will also hydrate the facial skin and does not leave a oily film and will give a real nice post shave feel, you only need a almond size amount at most.
As for the CeraVe hand bar cleanser it lasts me about 9-10 months of daily shaving & we all need to wash our faces and takes less than 2 minutes to wash and rinse my face using a synthetic brush with CeraVe.
I use a synthetic brush because it will dry quicker and leave it in the open air standing upright or bristles down does not make a big difference as long as you towel dry before putting away.
It always takes me longer to type these suggestions then it does to just apply these great products. :a22:
Z-CeraVe shave products .jpg
Z-preshave Aloe Vera gel (2).jpg

Have some great shaves!
 
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I agree with letting go of the exfoliation routine.

I would also suggest tepid to warm water instead of hot and using a moisturizer, such as CeraVe, in the morning and at night.
Interesting. What's the advantage of warm water instead of hot? I use the hot washcloth to soften my bristly stubble but also to loosen things up. I'm not sure the scientific explanation, but more of the hair seems to present itself after hot water.
 
For a Pre-shave you suppose to wash the face according to Gillette to clean natural facial oils from the skin + dirt and dead skin flakes.
I worked in environments where I showered daily to clean my hide of dirt and possible trace chemicals.
The best way to prepare your shave is to hydrate your skin & whiskers + I also will drink at least 1 glass of water before the shave.
After experimenting and finding the right soap for my skin I use CeraVe hand bar cleanser. I will wet the face take my dedicated Yaqi 24mm synthetic Cashmere shave brush load for about 5-10 seconds and apply the soap to my face, it's a mild soap and does not bother my eyes to much and wash my whole face and it cleans about perfect for my skin PH level and just rinse the suds off and then I apply a dollop of clear Aloe Vera gel to the cleaned beard area for maximin whisker hydration.
The I apply my regular shave soap with a different brush. I have even shaved with the CeraVe hand bar cleanser soap but with a heavier load and it worked OK.
The CeraVe has 3 important essential ceramides with Hyaluronic acid that is important for healthy skin IMO.
I have used a balm at the end of shaving over the aftershave for about 4 years and just recently found the CeraVe Moisturizer lotion balm is really good because it has excellent ingredients and is scentless.
The balm will also hydrate the facial skin and does not leave a oily film and will give a real nice post shave feel, you only need a almond size amount.
As for the CeraVe hand bar cleanser it lasts me about 9-10 months of daily shaving & we all need to wash our faces and takes less than 2 minutes to wash and rinse my face using a synthetic brush with CeraVe.
I use a synthetic brush because it will dry quicker and leave it in the open air standing upright or bristles down does not make a big difference as long as you towel dry before putting away.
It always takes me longer to type these suggestions then it does to just apply these great products. :a22:
View attachment 1348612View attachment 1348613
Have some great shaves!
Thanks for taking the time! I hadn't thought of aloe vera pre-shave. I've avoided using lotion right before a shave because (I could be wrong) lotion's job is to act as a barrier to keep moisture in your skin but it could also work to seal moisture out of the hairs themselves.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Thanks for taking the time! I hadn't thought of aloe vera pre-shave. I've avoided using lotion right before a shave because (I could be wrong) lotion's job is to act as a barrier to keep moisture in your skin but it could also work to seal moisture out of the hairs themselves.
You will have to experiment like I had to and others to see what is best for you. The Nice thing about the CeraVe moisturizer lotion it can be used for other dryness areas of the body like hands and the wifey uses it on her legs so I bought her a jug also.
 
Interesting. What's the advantage of warm water instead of hot? I use the hot washcloth to soften my bristly stubble but also to loosen things up. I'm not sure the scientific explanation, but more of the hair seems to present itself after hot water.
Hot water brings blood to the surface of the skin. It can make your skin more prone to irritation from shaving. Warm water will adequately soften your stubble given a few minutes to work.
 
If you have any heating-season skin care routines or tips, I'd love to hear them.
Gently using a facecloth every two days will do no damage but I would drop "hot washcloth treatment"
I use balm aftershave year-round and my face thanks me every morning. I do not use face creams before bed, just a gentle wash.
Before adding anything new to your shaving routine, I would spend some time and identify who is the culprit.
What is the humidity (RH) in your house right now?
 
Gently using a facecloth every two days will do no damage but I would drop "hot washcloth treatment"
I use balm aftershave year-round and my face thanks me every morning. I do not use face creams before bed, just a gentle wash.
Before adding anything new to your shaving routine, I would spend some time and identify who is the culprit.
What is the humidity (RH) in your house right now?
Research! I love it. I’ll give tepid a try.
 
... more of the hair seems to present itself after hot water.
It is the scrub that will release trapped hair.
I forgot to mention the most obvious, permanent solution, if at all possible: control the environment.
Dry air inside home is not only unhealthy (for some) but also damaging to furniture and floors. If you can mitigate this issue during winter you should be able to maintain around 45%RH year-round, with a min of 35%RH and a max of 60%RH.
 
Living in Wisconsin, I feel your struggle. My wife broke down and turned on the heat last week.

I have found that the Proraso preshave does help. I wouldn't say it's a miracle product, or that it increases the slickness/performance of soap, but my skin usually feels better when I use it vs when I don't, at least in the dry winter time. I also have tried using warm water, not hot, and that helps prevent drying out too. Also, in the winter a balm aftershave is sometimes a better alternative to a splash.

I agree with the others here as well, and would drop the exfoliating routine. I'm not a dermatologist, but I have noticed that if I leave my face alone between shaves my skin usually thanks me for it.
 
I've just reached the part of year where I turn the furnace on, and the forced air dries out my skin.
🤔 and you just brought up a point that I hadn't considered. I'm purchasing a house and it has forced hot air as opposed to forced hot water for heating.... This winter will be a new learning curve on the way it affects my skin, skin care and shaving setup.
 
It is the scrub that will release trapped hair.
I forgot to mention the most obvious, permanent solution, if at all possible: control the environment.
Dry air inside home is not only unhealthy (for some) but also damaging to furniture and floors. If you can mitigate this issue during winter you should be able to maintain around 45%RH year-round, with a min of 35%RH and a max of 60%RH.
Yes, I don’t mean freeing trapped hairs but, rather, exposing more of the already free hair shaft. I can cut down to a short stubbble in a shave and then splash on cold water and aftershave and the stubble is gone as the skin tightens back up. Not sure exactly what’s happening here.
 
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