Thread: Showering before shaving

Hi I have read on here and a few other sites on the net that recommend showering before shaving to soften the bristles. I tried doing that but find that showering in the bathroom even with the windows open steams up all the mirrors so I cant shave so I have been shaving before showering.

I had a talk with my grandfather and his father used to shave with a straight until he went into hospital where they made him use a safety razor and after that couldn't go back to the straight. Anyway he told me that the consensus in his fathers day was to shave before washing your face or showering as if your face became too wet the skin would take in water and swell slightly so that after you shaved and the skin dried again the shrinking of the skin would reveal more stubble.

Do you think there is any truth in that it does make sense to me?

I have always showered before shaving as taught to me by my Grandfather and father. The hot water and washing of your face works to soften your whiskers more than anything else I know of.
Your Grandfather is correct in telling you that skin absorbs water and causes it to swell. I'm not certain that you are in a shower long enough for that to happen. Next time you shower, check your fingers to see if you have absorbed enough water to make your skin swell like when you take a long bath.

Enjoy!

I don't have too much trouble with steam on the mirrors, but when I do I find that a light application of shaving soap/foam/cream or whatever applied to the mirror cleans it off and prevents further problems, for about a week. I would suggest applying some shaving soap with a paper towel to the mirror before your shower.

I agree that, particularly with a hot shower, there is the potential for swelling. If you shave before a shower there is the potential you will dull out your razor much faster. Luckily in the case of a straight razor that isn't too big a deal. You just re-hone it, but with a cartridge your out a buck and have to buy more soon.

I spoke with a gentleman recently who applies cold water to his face and prefers that.

You'll have to find your own way through this maze.

I personally do find that a straight razor shaves unsoaked whiskers differently that soaked ones. Not better, not worse, just differently. It will shave off different hairs on my face. Some of my whiskers are gray, some are dark.

I myself am not a big fan of the shower before shaving.
I feel that it does not matter whether you're first showering or just wash your face with warm or cold water.
Personally think it better to just wash my face and then shave.

The ultimate result I get this way, it often happens that I sit in a sauna and then a cold shower than 5 minutes to walk home.
Then shave ...... Perfect, but unfortunately not everyone has a sauna nearby.
See for yourself what works best, and proceed as follows

If the bathroom steams up after the shower, make sure if you have an exhaust fan to use it or keep the windows and door open a crack. Also you may want to consider taking cooler showers. If you are worried about the skin swelling cool - cold water actually tightens the skin. I use cold water for all my shaves, I find it leaves me with less irritation as my skin tends to be more sensitive. Well that's what works for me and with straight shaving it's all in what is best for you and your shave. Happy shaving.

William

Originally Posted by thebully

I had a talk with my grandfather and his father used to shave with a straight until he went into hospital where they made him use a safety razor and after that couldn't go back to the straight. Anyway he told me that the consensus in his fathers day was to shave before washing your face or showering as if your face became too wet the skin would take in water and swell slightly so that after you shaved and the skin dried again the shrinking of the skin would reveal more stubble.

I started out showering before shaving and never really liked it, I enjoy the post shower shave better in the case you get some razor burn.

I have heard of shave before shower so your skin does not swell, I read this of all places on my old electric razor that suggested it for better results. I now use a was rag and water before my shave to get the oil and everything off my skin before the shave. then after I have been showering, I have been doing this for about a month and have enjoyed my shaves even more.

It is important for getting a comfortable shave that ones beard is sufficiently softened to make the hairs cut easily without pulling and associated irritation. Whatever means works best for you in practice is OK.

I find it easier to get a close comfortable shave if i wash then shampoo my beard in the shower immediately before shaving. It is important to prevent the beard from drying out before completing the shave, or it will get harder to cut and the risk of irritation increase. I reapply lather or water as needed during shaving to keep my beard soft.

If I cannot take a shower, I wash my face at the sink with warm water at least twice to remove oils and soften my beard and then lather. This does not work as well for me as a preshower, but I can get an OK shave with no or minimal irritation. I have not tried Kyles prep, but i can see where it might better soften a beard then a simple 2x wash with warm water.

It is beneficial to also use a lather that allows the razor to slide easily over your skin and that provides some protection. I like MWF.

One should strive to find a gentile razor and blade combination that, if possible, removes the beard with a minimal number of repeat strokes over the same area. For any given razor/blade combo, the risk of irritation increases with the number of passes over the same area of skin.

There is a balancing act in choosing whether it is better to use a more aggressive blade/razor combo which may reduce the beard with a minimal number of strokes but possibly be more traumatic on the skin verses a mild blade/razor combo which may be less irritating, but requires a greater number of passes over the skin.

There are many variables simultaneously at work during a shave so YMMV. Good luck on your quest to find your ideal prep, blade, and razor combination.

HTH

Without a shower I have a very hard time cutting the whiskers without the razor dragging like crazy. But whatever works for you as all faces are different.

For some reason my whiskers have softened alot since shaving every 2-3 days instead of once a week, and dunking my head in a sink of ice cold water for a minute before shaving.

I could never shave without putting hair conditioner on my face for 15 minutes then having a bath then shaving and I would still sometimes get razor burn.

Now I dunk my head in the sink for a minute, lather up on the face with a nice soft brush for five minutes and shave.

If you stop touching your face with your fingers it'll stop your whiskers hardening from excess grease and dirt.

Try a different routine and see what happens.


regards alex

I've never found that showering before a shave causes the skin to swell, in fact I get my best shaves when I have really soaked the beard with a shower and then a hot towel.

What I usually do is this:

- Shower and rub a load of conditioner into my beard
- After the shower, lather up and strop the razor leaving the lather to sit
- Slap on a piping hot towel
- Re-lather
- Commence the shave

I also reapply the lather to each section of my face as I get to it to make sure that the lather is giving me the maximum glide for each pass. I never shave any area of my face without brand new lather applied to it, and that includes re-applying lather for touch up passes.

After the shave I rinse with hot water, then cold water and pat my face dry with a towel. A dab of Trumpers sandalwood skin food and a splash of cologne on the sides of my neck and I'm done.