Thread: Great cold water shave!

Switched to using cold water about 5 months ago and can figure out why I didnt try it sooner. Old Spice just tingles now

I'm all new to SR shaving, but I've been shaving with a DE for almost a year now. I've always heard that you "must" use hot water, etc. but I really like the idea of shaving with cold water.

I have two questions though: do you prep differently from when using hot water? And how cold is cold water? Cold from the tap to lather and rinse, or cold shower first or even cold from the freezer?

Thanks!

Welcome!

I prep similar to hot water. Specifically, I wash my face with (for me) Dove Bar Soap, which I rub into my beard with my hands. I then rinse really well with cool (not cold) water and get my face good and wet then start to lather if I'm using a cream by rubbing it into and over my face again with may hands, then going to a wet brush to build a lather into slickness. If I'm using a hard soap, I make one change and re-wet my face after I load the brush with soap. I find starting with a wet face with cold water is important. Than I take the loaded brush to my face. Usually with creams like proraso I have enough residue between my face and the brush to do 3 passes. With soaps, sometimes I have to re-load the brush a little for my 3d, clean-up pass. I find the whole experience grew, especially in the summer here where it is hot and humid. It's also faster for me because when shaving hot, I do the hot towel routine a la Lynn's video. Hope that makes sense and helps.

[QUOTE=I'm all new to SR shaving, but I've been shaving with a DE for almost a year now. I've always heard that you "must" use hot water, etc. but I really like the idea of shaving with cold water.

I have two questions though: do you prep differently from when using hot water? And how cold is cold water? Cold from the tap to lather and rinse, or cold shower first or even cold from the freezer?

Thanks![/QUOTE]

Haroldg48 is on the money. A little clarification. The water can be anything from lukewarm to ice cold, depending on, basically, your mood of the day. I have used that whole range. I've also found, for some reason, that in the Winter I like very cold water and in the warmer weather I prefer lukewarm. I've tried the rub your face with an ice cube before and after shaving and don't like the nub feeling it gives. Even tried making lather in a bowl that had been in the freezer overnight. Yeah, very cold lather on the face - for about a second and then body temperature warms it instantly. So, as usual, your choice(s), YMMV.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

Welcome!

I prep similar to hot water. Specifically, I wash my face with (for me) Dove Bar Soap, which I rub into my beard with my hands. I then rinse really well with cool (not cold) water and get my face good and wet then start to lather if I'm using a cream by rubbing it into and over my face again with may hands, then going to a wet brush to build a lather into slickness. If I'm using a hard soap, I make one change and re-wet my face after I load the brush with soap. I find starting with a wet face with cold water is important. Than I take the loaded brush to my face. Usually with creams like proraso I have enough residue between my face and the brush to do 3 passes. With soaps, sometimes I have to re-load the brush a little for my 3d, clean-up pass. I find the whole experience grew, especially in the summer here where it is hot and humid. It's also faster for me because when shaving hot, I do the hot towel routine a la Lynn's video. Hope that makes sense and helps.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Haroldg48 is on the money. A little clarification. The water can be anything from lukewarm to ice cold, depending on, basically, your mood of the day. I have used that whole range. I've also found, for some reason, that in the Winter I like very cold water and in the warmer weather I prefer lukewarm. I've tried the rub your face with an ice cube before and after shaving and don't like the nub feeling it gives. Even tried making lather in a bowl that had been in the freezer overnight. Yeah, very cold lather on the face - for about a second and then body temperature warms it instantly. So, as usual, your choice(s), YMMV.

Ok, great. Thanks guys! I'll definitely try this for my next shave.

Cold water shave is awesome, first time I tried it, never looked back.

Having said that, cold water splash and some scuttle made steaming hot lather can also be fun once in awhile.

i have always known that cold water is best for skin, but when i stared with wet shaving then i heard its better to shav after a heat shower, but today shaved me with cold water, its was the best shaving i ever had.