Thread: Everything I thought I knew was wrong! Cold water.

I tried some careful face lathering this morning and my face still feels prickly. And the lather was bad. Then I worked it up in the bowl like I normally do and 'lo and behold, perfect lather and a pretty fine shave. When it's worked up in the bowl, I use only painter's strokes and do it gently enough to barely feel the hairs of the brush. I don't know if that helps lifting the whiskers off my face, but it certainly helps keeping the latter intact.

I think the brush does make a difference when cold water shaving. I face lather with a Horse hair brush, It's softer and does not irritate my face. I've tried experimenting with Badger, and Boar but for some reason Horse hair works the best. Also I read somewhere that hot water shaving brings more blood to the surface of the face causing a possibility for greater irritating in some people. This could be folklore and legend, but speaking from personal experience whenever I shaved with hot water I get irritation, the same exact shave with cold water and I have no irritation. So there must be some truth in there somewhere.

Remember also...Just as Ryan made the jest of scalding hot water, a cold water shave does not have to mean icy. I use a lukewarm temp, but if you like it icy cold then that's your thing. Cold vs. hot can mean warm vs. lukewarm. Just sayin is all.