Thread: Rinsing between shaving passes bad for you?

I only rinse at the end of my shave--first with warm/hot water to remove the soap residue, then with cold water to reinvigorate my face and close the pores before applying an astringent.

I started rinsing between passes when I began shaving using cold water. I use a good cold water rinse before each pass with the thought that it will help raise the remaining beard even more. So far, I've had good results and have been getting shaves that feel closer than they did without the cold water rinse between passes. Whether it's actually making a difference or not, who knows? I can't imagine how rinsing between passes might be detrimental for your skin, though.

Best of luck!

Larry

I just assumed rinsing between passes was the thing to do. I've never thought about not doing it. Oh well, I guess if it ain't broke, I shouldn't fix it, but I just know curiousity is going to get the best of me and now I'll have to try not rinsing between passes.

Originally Posted by sportsguy002

I have heard a lot about rinsing between passes.......Is it bad for your skin if you rinse between passes? Is it good to rinse between passes? Or does it not make a difference whether you do or don't?

Hello, sportsguy:

I do not rinse between passes, as I find it unnecessary, since my lather has ample moisture. The rinse for me comes after the shave.

Also, I have never known rinsing between passes to be bad for the skin.

Rinsing between passes is a personal choice.

Regards,
Obie

I rinse between passes to massage moisture into the skin and to feel the stubble for touching up. If I had time concerns I would'nt but I shave in the evening to take as much time as I want and get a complete shave with all the pre and post shave rituals. If I shaved when I don't have time for the complete ceremony it would'nt be any fun at all.

I never do more than one natural pass. I rinse after this and then, if I notice a missed spot, I do a water only touch-up.

I think this is another YMMV situation. Myself, I prefer to rinse between passes to feel the remaining stubble and make sure there are no remaining whiskers before applying the next lather application. It’s a personal thing where I like seeing just soap lather on my loaded brush, not left over stubble from an earlier pass.

I rinse mostly to feel the results so far and gauge what I am going to do next. I find I can't tell while the lather is still on my face.

I can't imagine for the life of me how it could damage your skin.

Put me on the "no rinse" group as well. Seems to me that rinsing takes away some of the skin protecting stuff (oils and lanolin) that you're just going to reapply in a few seconds. The only reason I can think of to rinse might be to see what you may have missed on the first pass - but I do that by feel mostly and leftover lather seems to make that "test" easier anyway.

In the end it probably makes little difference though..

So I tried an experiment this morning.

Hardware: Fili Doble Temple 12
Software: Uberlather built with La Toja cream and MWF soap
Process: 1 WTG, 1 XTG, 1 ATG, minor clean up

So here are my findings for me.

Plus Side - the build up of the 3 applications of lather without rinsing feels great, in fact, I think there was more cushion, which gave more comfort. Post shave, my skin feels much more enriched. And, I trimmed a few minutes from my normal shave.

Negative - blade did not glide as well on my skin. There was a slight adheasion between the blade and my skin. I might just need to add a little more water to my lather build.

So, overall, I loved the experience. The positives outweigh the one negative, and I think that with a little more water in my lather and rinsing my blade a few more times to clear the residue, the negative will go away.

I am a convert.

Cheers!
David