Thread: Pre-shave Rountine

I have read several thoughts on shaving right after a hot shower or using a hot towel and letting that sit on your face for a few minutes. Does one produce better results than the other or is it simply just a matter of preference? I'm and every day straight razor shaver and also use a pre-shave gel. Was just curious thoughts.

Hot towels = skin irritation for me. I joined the cool/cold water shaving team last year. If your skin isn't prone to redness, get your hot on if it feels good.

I think it is a matter of whatever your skin prefers. Mr Moo is a cold water guy, I am hot. But then I don't care about a little redness either. Cold water on me stops my heart. Rather have bamboo under my finger nail :<0) As for the difference between towel and shower I think they are about the same. Your in the shower "however long" but how much of that time is your face in water ? I started thinking about all that too and wound up using the towel. I mean by the time I dry and get pants on my face is cold again. The towel is hot and now. So my routine now is: get water scalding hot in the basin, wash face with hands, then get the lather going. I pretty much stick to the same 7 day set at that alone adds enough variables that I couldn't tell the difference in either method as far as ease of cutting beard.

I am a two hot towel guy. Hot towel then lather then another hot towel. Shower is ok but I feel better about my shave with the towels plus the mirror is not steamed up. Showering fist is a little quicker.

The key is to properly prep your beard. You want to get the hair moist. Almost everything we do from better soaps and creams to using a brush and in your case the preshave oil helps your beard and skin get ready for the shave.

Just for experiment sake try dropping the preshave oil and do towels one day and a shower the next. See which you prefer. After all, it's your face and you are the ultimate judge of your shave.

I'm a cold water man, like MrMoo. I've done the hot towels, the vigorous face washing in the hot shower and shave afterwards, but I went to cold water shaving a few years ago, and do the prep suggested in the 1905 booklet. Splash of cold water, lather, rub lather in, lather again, shave. Works as well or better than any prep I've ever used. YMMV.

Every shaver is different as to what pre shave routine works for them. When you ask what works you will get many answers. Just try changing something and see if it works better for you. If the change makes no difference to you try something else and so on till you have your preferences pinned down.

Personally, I get by nicely with a splash of cold water, face lather and shave. None of the pre shave routines or using hot water made any improvements to my shave, but I had to try them to find out.

Bob

I also agree with the trial and error. I shower then shave. I use preshave oil before lathering my face. I find that my systems works for my face and beard. But many members here have different routines. I am a pansy and have to use warm/hot water. It also seems to help with my wiskers, so I can make a "manly" excuse for being a pansy.

If we were all cookie cutter shavers, we would use the plastic disposables. We are all after the truly personal, relaxing shave so it will be different for each of us.

Be patient as you find what works well for you. Like the lottery, the right combination is out there. You just have to keep searching for it. You will find the right shave long before the right lottery numbers though

I prefer warm lather (scuttle) in the winter months but I rinse in cold water regardless of the season. Cold water equals less irritation for me. I use Noxzema cleansing cream between each razor pass. I get very close irritation free shaves.

Thanks for the thoughts so far. To this point I have been a hot towel guy but I have read enough to make me want to experiment with cold water as well. Anxious to see if it produces any different results on my end or if I will be sticking with my current routine.

I'm a newbie also, and was wondering what the technique is for the hot towels? I've seen one or two videos on youtube of a barber who does this folding thing where it seems to stay on pretty tight, but how do you guys get them to stay on?