How I Prepare My Beard

Gentlemen,

Proper beard preparation is essential to a good shave and each shaver has his own method. Here is the way I do it:

After the hot shower, I face lather with a silvertip brush and a quality soap or cream. The lather is then massaged onto my face, about a minute or so, followed by a 30-second hot towel treatment. I wipe the lather off my face and apply Castle Forbes pre-shave — I don't like oils; Castle Forbes is a water soluble cream that does wonders for the skin. Now I lather once again and proceed to experience a delicious shave. You might want to give method a try.

Agreed, Obie. Beard prep seems the most oft-overlooked things to share about getting a good shave! Everyone has their variations. I shower at night and shave in the morning. I apply vitamin E oil before bed. The oil has soaked-in and mostly dissipated by morning. Really helps me! Before shave next morning, lather-up well and apply a hand-towel sized towel sopping with the hottest water I can get from the tap. I keep it on for a full minute and repeat the towel. Then, lather up and proceed to shave. I have tried skipping it and the shave is not NEARLY as good.
Some sort of prep must be done, esp for us with tough facial hair. ;)

Ya know that I've got to chime in with a contrarian view. I'm a cold water shaver due to sensitive skin and a mild case of Rosacea which is acerbated by heat/hot water. Last thing in the morning shower is a cold (as cold as I can stand it) facial rinse. Then I apply a thin coating of hair conditioner to my face and leave my face wet. After lather building and stropping choice of the day I re-wet my face and rub in a small amount of Cremo or Kiss My Face ATG, then lather and shave to my hearts content. I concur with Obie pre-shave oils don't work. This has been just another stream in the river of life. Shave happy.

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Originally Posted by Razorfeld

Ya know that I've got to chime in with a contrarian view. I'm a cold water shaver due to sensitive skin and a mild case of Rosacea which is acerbated by heat/hot water. Last thing in the morning shower is a cold (as cold as I can stand it) facial rinse. Then I apply a thin coating of hair conditioner to my face and leave my face wet. After lather building and stropping choice of the day I re-wet my face and rub in a small amount of Cremo or Kiss My Face ATG, then lather and shave to my hearts content. I concur with Obie pre-shave oils don't work. This has been just another stream in the river of life. Shave happy.

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The cold water shave business is fascinating. I've wondered how it is that so many (most for sure) SR aficionados swear by the need (not just the preference) for hot water treatment of some kind, along with preshave oils, conditioners, lather/relathers, etc., in order to have a smooth, close shave, while some slap some cold water on their face, lather up, and have a smooth, close shave. Can our skins and whiskers be so different? Maybe so. But I ask you experienced shavers: have you tried the cold water shave without pre-treatment? Was it different? In what way?

I tried cold water shaving after about three months in and have never looked back, it's the only way to fly for me. It's refreshing, and I find I get a much better shave and far less irritation.

Here's a link to a book from 1905 called, "Shaving Made Easy", that puts some context around it. Also, keep in mind that we take hot water for granted these days.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...made-easy.html

I just love hot lather soooooo much!!!!

Me too. But have you had success with a cold water shave? Does the hot water and hot lather, etc., result in a closer shave?

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Originally Posted by Smyth

Me too. But have you had success with a cold water shave? Does the hot water and hot lather, etc., result in a closer shave?

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no, but it feels great, so I don't care about closeness of shave, I started this to spoil myself and my face!

A 'better' shave isn't always dependent on how close it is....

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Originally Posted by Smyth

But I ask you experienced shavers: have you tried the cold water shave without pre-treatment? Was it different? In what way?

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In my case, because of the Rosacea I need any extra glide I can get, hence the Cremo, etc. I'm sure some cold water shavers will chime in, maybe BobH, a very dedicated cold water shaver.

Previous to starting to use straight razors and joining this forum, for decades I simply used to shave with hot water and no beard prep. From this forum I learned about beard prep and tried it using various preshaves which did not make any difference to my shaves. I was also a face latherer but learned of using a scuttle to generate a nice warm lather from this forum. Found that made no difference to my shaves and took a lot of time up to do. I also read of cold water shaving from this forum which I tried and found I was getting as good or better a shave as with using hot water.

The upshot is that I eliminated all that did not work for me. I now use no prep, splash on cold water, face lather and shave. Back to my decades old routine with the exception that I now use cold water instead of hot. Try different ways to see what works and doesn't work for you as everyone is different. There is no standard magical shave routine that works universally for everyone.

Bob

I like a hot lather shave myself, once in awhile I break out all the fixin's and have a shave parade, pre-shave treatment, hot shower and towel, boiling water in the scuttle and some steaming hot lather, fantastic, but it take me an hour to go through that entire routine, so it's a once in awhile thing.

Cold water shave, from start to finish maybe 20 minutes tops.....

Gentlemen,

In Vietnam, I shaved with cold water out of a steel helmet, used Army-issue canned goo for cream and an Army-issue disposable plastic razor. OY! I promised myself that if I ever made it out of the war alive, I would never, EVER, shave with cold water again. I have not, and do not intend to. Some gentlemen swear by the cold water shave. To each his own. For me, as I noted in my original post, a hot shower followed by the proper preparation and plenty of hot water is the magic. After all, my Hollywood face deserves nothing but the best.

I tried the cold water shave. I found I need the hot towel over lather. If I don't do it, my beard is like a wire brush! :eek: Indeed hot towels were the norm for barber's use for a loooong time!
Oh! And it feels so nice!
As has been said, all of our skin and beards are different!

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Originally Posted by ecormier

no, but it feels great, so I don't care about closeness of shave, I started this to spoil myself and my face!

A 'better' shave isn't always dependent on how close it is....

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Yeah, I can't disagree with that. For my years of DE shaving, I felt the same way.

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

I tried the cold water shave. I found I need the hot towel over lather. If I don't do it, my beard is like a wire brush! :eek: Indeed hot towels were the norm for barber's use for a loooong time!
Oh! And it feels so nice!
As has been said, all of our skin and beards are different!

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So you lather up your face, then place a hot damp towel on it for several minutes? Then what? Do you wipe the lather off and reapply? Or just go straight to shaving?

When you rinse your blade during shaving, do you rinse under running water? Hot or cold? Or do you just wipe the blade?

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Originally Posted by Phrank

I tried cold water shaving after about three months in and have never looked back, it's the only way to fly for me. It's refreshing, and I find I get a much better shave and far less irritation.

Here's a link to a book from 1905 called, "Shaving Made Easy", that puts some context around it. Also, keep in mind that we take hot water for granted these days.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/begin...made-easy.html

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I was too lazy to go look at that book the first time you posted it. I just spent some time on it now, and I have to say it is quite solid. Very good information, presented in an easy to understand manner.

Can't bring myself to stick with the cold water shave, tried it and I can certainly see the benefits. It's just not as relaxing of an experience for me, I should give it more of a chance...
A hot towel brings my stress levels down and then I want to take a nap LOL

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Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen,

In Vietnam, I shaved with cold water out of a steel helmet, used Army-issue canned goo for cream and an Army-issue disposable plastic razor. OY! I promised myself that if I ever made it out of the war alive, I would never, EVER, shave with cold water again. I have not, and do not intend to. Some gentlemen swear by the cold water shave. To each his own. For me, as I noted in my original post, a hot shower followed by the proper preparation and plenty of hot water is the magic. After all, my Hollywood face deserves nothing but the best.

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I do not swear by cold water shaves only that it works for me. Everyone has to find out through a bit of experimentation what works/is magic for them. If I had someone else's face and previous experience the magic would quite likely take a different form.

Bob

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Originally Posted by Smyth

So you lather up your face, then place a hot damp towel on it for several minutes? Then what? Do you wipe the lather off and reapply? Or just go straight to shaving?

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I just apply some more lather and go to it!

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Originally Posted by Smyth

When you rinse your blade during shaving, do you rinse under running water? Hot or cold? Or do you just wipe the blade?

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Therin lies the bonus! I take my previously-used handtowel, squeeze out the water, fold it 4 times and lay it beside the sink. I strop the lather off the blade onto the towel as necessary. No running water, no faucet dings! ;)

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Originally Posted by sharptonn

Therin lies the bonus! I take my previously-used handtowel, squeeze out the water, fold it 4 times and lay it beside the sink. I strop the lather off the blade onto the towel as necessary. No running water, no faucet dings! ;)

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I use a damp sponge instead of a folded handtowel for exactly the same reasons, especially to avoid faucet dings.

Bob

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psc0a2b7b4.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g2...psff4c1be0.jpg

I'm on the same page as Tom, washcloth after I've soaked my face then I fold it and wipe my blade, like Obie , I didn't much care for my bush shaves I. The Nam either, so I do a nice shave 90% of the time , but I do a quick shave with just tepid water when I. A rush I just like all the prep and with my stiff beard it does help. Tc

I talk to my beard, tell it everything's going to be all right. It won't hurt a bit....
Then I give my beard a massage, get it nice and relaxed.... Then.... Out of know where WHAM! .......I shave it ;) :beer2:

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Originally Posted by Trimmy72

I talk to my beard, tell it everything's going to be all right. It won't hurt a bit....
Then I give my beard a massage, get it nice and relaxed.... Then.... Out of know where WHAM! .......I shave it ;) :beer2:

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That is hilarious. And good advice.

I said the same thing to that armadillo digging a hole in my yard but then my wife finally showed up with the garden hoe..

I'm a cold water shaver, so I soak the brush in cold water while I shower, then rub some Proraso pre/post after the shower, load the brush with soap, rinse my face with ice cold water (which gets colder from the menthol in the pre/post), face lather, and then shave. Blade is rinsed in cold water. Face is also rinsed in cold water between passes and after the shave.

It's refreshing, and leaves my face smooth and free from irritation.

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Originally Posted by ecormier

no, but it feels great, so I don't care about closeness of shave, I started this to spoil myself and my face!

A 'better' shave isn't always dependent on how close it is....

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Yeah That !!!!!

For me it has always been about a "Comfortable shave" I started using a SR about 34 years ago for the comfort, and especially now that is really what it is all about..

I love the luxury of the shave

ps: Obie my prep is nearly that same as yours, I really stand behind the massaging of the first lather into the beard, and the second hot towel, that was how I was taught 34 years ago and that has never changed... :tu

Glen,

Right you are about the massaging of the first lather onto the skin. For me, with my tough beard, it makes a whole lot of difference. For that reason, I always make plenty of lather. Not only that, but as you note, it is part of the luxury experienced every morning with this form of shaving. Good stuff, my friend.

This is all interesting and I enjoy reading what everyone does. On this topic, I've tried everything, and like someone said, I avoided cold water shaving for a long time because I too had the cold water in a steel pot helmet in a Jeep mirror experience, which was not one of the highlights of my life.

However, After 8 months or so of "by the book" hot shower, warming the scuttle, hot towel, hot lather, another hot towel, another lathering, I tried cold water, because it was hot as hell on a summer day. I have now stuck with my cold water routine 95% of the time. It is much faster and goes like this....I get my face good and wet by splashing it with cool or lukewarm water then washing with Dove soap that I rub in with my fingers, I then rinse really well (and wetly) and apply shaving cream (Proraso Red is my favorite right now) with my fingers, rubbing it in. I then lather it up with a brush until I can see it slickening and glistening and can hear it change consistencies (no I'm not crazy). I then shave adding dribs of water to the brush and refreshing my lather where necessary with the wet (and soapy) brush, which I leave in my empty cold scuttle between passes basking in its soapy drippings. Usually the brush holds enough soap that I can get 2 or 2 1/2 passes (which is the most I ever do). I do the same with soaps, but use a well soaped brush from the puck or bowl to start the routine. My favorite soap at the moment is Maggards Lime and Bergamot which is softish and really slick.

Anyway, I picked up the nerve to try this from reading posts of Phrank, BobH and Razorfeld, which aint bad company!

My face is much happier, the process takes half the time of my full hot shave and the results are better. Could be a coincidence, and certainly, YMMV, as always....but I like it.

How things change and evolve with our shaving habits...as have mine.

Recently I've been experimenting with prep, as certain areas on my neck were just very stubborn, no matter what straight I used, or even if I used a DE. In reading here, especially Obie's post, and having a chat with Valery (The Gentleman's Den), both were fairly adamant that prep was huge.

To quote Valery, "A properly hydrated beard is essential to a good, clean shave." Obie also mentions this.

So for the last two weeks I've been alternating between my usual quick splash of cold water, and a fairly warm water splash, followed by a good rub with a very hot towel on my face, thoroughly softening and hydrating my beard.

Fact is, for me, I am getting closer shaves with this prep than the simple cold splash - I do have very coarse whiskers, and this prep provides the smooth shave I like on my neck area far more consistently.

I'm sure if I upped the prep some more, and actually sat with a hot towel on my face, and lather once as Obie mentioned, the shave would be even better, but I know that I'll never do that kind of prep on a regular basis.

I'm going to get some of the old, blue water based Nivea skin hydrating gel and add that to my prep as well.

Great thing about this hobby, is it's always interesting to change things up and try some new things.

I've always been a hot water man. For me good preparation makes all the difference between an ok shave and a great shave. I too had to cold water shave in the field whilst in the Army. An experience I'd rather forget!
I first wash my face as this removes excess sebum and dead skin cells. Hot water opens up the pores and allows for a closer shave, as stated by Obie and Glen this doesn't always mean a better shave. For me hot water swells my beard follicles more allowing the razor to cut better. I also leave the lather to work its magic for a few minuets to also hydrate and swell my beard. One thing Ive always done is carefully run hot water on the blade, this also seems to help with my experience. Finally I splash my face with hot water then cold water, this closes the pores and helps improve circulation.

Yeah, the face-lathering does wonders. Gotta work that hot lather in! :D Sweet! :y