Seeking tips on reducing irritation w/cold water shaves

Hi,

I've been shaving with hot water for 9 months now, and shaves are normally irritation free. However, i wanted to try cold water shaving, in part to be able to use it for traveling, with a more light weight setup.

Unfortunately, with my shaves, i'm getting MUCH more irritation. So, i'm wondering if it is my preshave prep, dealing w/face lathering and soap vs cream, during shave process, or other.

With my normal routine, I take a hot shower, wash my beard with soap, and apply hair conditioner. After the shower, I create latter using TOBS cream in a heated shuttle, apply preshave cream to face, apply hot towel for 30-60 seconds, rinse, reapply preshave cream, apply soap, and do a pass with straight razor. I then, reapply preshave cream and soap and do the second pass. Overall, three passes, WTG, XTG, and ATG.

Most of the time, I have very little irritation. If I get anal and do extra touch-ups to get really BBS, I'll have moderate irritation.

For cold water, I just wet my face, apply soap (Arko), face lather (get a pretty good lather, but is new to me), and do the same three passes with my straight, same pressure/technique, and reapply soap in-between passes. I'm seeing that I get considerable irritation, almost rash like. I only try this once a week (done about 3 times), on Sunday, so I'm not rushed.

I'm wondering what I should add back into the process, to alleviate the irritation (or whether it's not going to work for me). I'm trying to stay away from using a scuttle, thinking of the travel aspect (for flying, I'll try to limit liquids and use a disposable).

Any tips/ideas I should try? Any concerns that I should be aware of?

Thanks!

Normally, cold water shaving is an irritation reducer. One thing I kept from hot shaving was using hair conditioner as part of my pre shave routine. When ready to lather up I usually add a thin layer of Aveeno Therapeutic Shave Gel (in a can), or generic equivalent, worked in with my finger tips over the conditioner. Over this base I apply the uber lather of the day and shave away. Any irritation I have from that combo is usually neglect from using too much pressure in places.

I'm really confused.

You are not just changing the temperature of the water, but many other things too, so why are you blaming the cold water for the irritation? Why not do exactly the same prep, and preshave cream, and soap, and everything else, and just change the water temperature?

We are all a little different, here is my routine and I hope it helps some. Hot or cold water it is the same. I do my shaves opposite of the weather, hot shave when it is cold and of course cold shave when it is hot. Prep is always Noxema then strop, face lather, shave with attention to the pressure and stretching is not an option. I do a 2 1/2 pass shave. Against the grain except mustache, with the grain mustache only, ears to chin across the grain except lower neck with the grain. It is not truly a real across or against though as the underside of my jaw grows mostly from chin to ear as I am doing my south to north pass that part is actually across and then when I am doing my other pass that part is against. So with grain direction it is never straight forward on my face, but I do my passes like that because it is fast, simple and results in a CCC shave.

The shave routine you are trying out is the shave routine that I use every single day. That is wet face with cold water, load brush and face lather. Then normally 4 passes relathering between passes followed by a rinse with cold water, apply some alum and rinse again with cold water. Normally very little if any irritation.

As you are new face lathering and using a new soap, Arko, could it be possible that your lather is not quite good enough yet? Personally I find Arko makes a fine thick and slick lather.

Bob

When I originally began cold water shaving it was from info in a booklet printed in 1905 or '06. The book said wet face with cold water, lather with cold water. Rub the lather in vigorously with the fingertips. Lather again. Shave.

I don't care what method of prep, or of shaving, straight or DE, more than 2 passes + a touch up here and there, and I get irritation. So maybe cut out the last pass. Another thing to consider is whether you might be using more pressure unconsciously ? Perhaps because of the cold water ?

Did you have the author autograph it for you Jim:)

Maybe stick with the hot shower first; it will soften the hairs more, allowing for an easier shave. Splashing on some cold water is likely insufficient. Using cold water to rinse your face and to build your lather should help to reduce irritation.

I do what Moonshae suggests.
1) Soak brush in water
2) Normal shower to soften follicles and wash off natural oils
3) Cold water for lather and rinsing between passes
4) Very cold water rinse to clean up

You still need to prep your beard. just splashing cold water on you face and lathering doesn't seem to be working for you.

I agree with the shower first idea, also the water doesn't have to be cold just whatever comes out of the tap.

I found my best shaves are right out of the shower, hot or cold water doesn't seem to matter as much. My face is fairly tolerant of basically any method of one pass quick shaving, it's the extra passes that get my skin upset. Why not do a very systematic test with only one change in your variables to see what works best for you? This is what I did and it worked well for me, it also prevents me from second guessing myself!

I've played with immediate cold water shaves. The results are sometimes better and sometimes not.
What I have found is that the soap I use to wash my face is the most important part of any shave before or after shower and any water temperature.
YMMV
~Richard

I used to be rather crazy about prep, used oils and preshaves wet towels hot not so hot etc. I do a funny thing now before I go into the shower I whip up some lather wet face lather up good then jump in the shower with the lather on my face. After rubbing it nicely and eventually washing it of with the rest of me, I go back to the shave den and lather up again then shave. I feel im getting a really good prep this way and even my "not the sharpest razor in the den" works darn good. I havent been suffering from those red irritating areas which I usually associate with rushing a prep or a shave. But who knows I also try to keep razor angles low and not do too many passes.

Thanks for all the comments! I was trying to simulate the "end game" of using cold water, soap, etc. on travel (except for using a straight).

As suggested by several folks, I need to try one variable at a time to try to understand if it is the soap, face lathering, prep differences, using preshave under lather, cold water, or me unconsciously changing technique.

What do you think I should change first?


I think the end goal is to get to using soap (one less liquid, if carry on), no scuttle (so I don't have to pack it), and to eliminate preshave cream, if possible (can still take advantage of conditioner).

It doesn't have to be cold water, but I was thinking along that lines, given I wouldn't have a scuttle or shave bowl. Maybe that assumption is wrong, thought it sounds like cold water shouldn't be an issue, so I'm hoping I can figure out how to make this work.

You could always carry a travel tube of shave cream. Then you can lather with your hands directly on your face, eliminating need for scuttle and brush. Stick with your preshave and postshave routines. Using tap water, hot, warm, or cold will be fine. But a tube of preshave cream, shave cream, and whatever aftershave or balm you use isn't much to carry in addition to a razor and strop.

Take one thing out of your routine at a time. The one causing the problem will show up and you can adjust from there to make your travel more pleasurable.

Personally I hate cold anything in the morning no matter what it is. Let's see, bamboo under the finger nails or cold splash of water. hmmmm no quarter needed, pass the bamboo please :<0)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Geezer

I've played with immediate cold water shaves. The results are sometimes better and sometimes not.
What I have found is that the soap I use to wash my face is the most important part of any shave before or after shower and any water temperature.
YMMV
~Richard

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I agree. Many times I use a shea butter based bath bar that I find makes a wonderful pre shave prep in itself. Soap matters .:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pcm

Thanks for all the comments! I was trying to simulate the "end game" of using cold water, soap, etc. on travel (except for using a straight).

As suggested by several folks, I need to try one variable at a time to try to understand if it is the soap, face lathering, prep differences, using preshave under lather, cold water, or me unconsciously changing technique.

What do you think I should change first?


I think the end goal is to get to using soap (one less liquid, if carry on), no scuttle (so I don't have to pack it), and to eliminate preshave cream, if possible (can still take advantage of conditioner).

It doesn't have to be cold water, but I was thinking along that lines, given I wouldn't have a scuttle or shave bowl. Maybe that assumption is wrong, thought it sounds like cold water shouldn't be an issue, so I'm hoping I can figure out how to make this work.

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Personally I would start with the "fluff", I.e. towels and preshave, pick one and worm from there, then eliminate one other thing at a time until it stops working.
If you want to go with conditioner as a preshave then maybe start there and get that worming like whatever else you may currently be using, if it were me I would just skip it all together.

Just to clarify, I don't use the conditioner as preshave, only apply it after washing my face in the shower to soften beard. Then, when I'm ready to shave, I apply preshave, before each lather application. Currently, using Noxema and glycerin drops. Was using Poraso months ago.

I guess the question is whether to remove a step/item at a time, and then once I find out minimum w/o irritation, try substituting soap/face lather, or to replace cream/scuttle with soap/face lathering, and then try to remove other items/steps one at a time.

I do the same as jimmyhad describes in post #6. I only do 2 passes, Atg xtg.
Maybe try sticking with tobs, you can always scoop out a little and stick in a more travel friendly container.

Another thing to think about, at least for me, is my beard cuts more easily after a shower than with only cold water and no shower, I found that I apply more pressure to cut the whiskers when using cold water. I must be more mindful that the extra pressure is to remove whiskers and not applied more to the skin.

For me cold water shaving is far more enjoyable to me and also much easier on my skin.

Good luck and do whatever feels best, maybe for travel you figure out an abbreviated version of a warm or hot shave so you can cut down on all the stuff to bring, or just get a bigger toiletries bag :shrug:

I have yet to learn how to face lather without giving myself brush burn so I would drop that variable from the equation and bowl lather as you're used to doing.

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Originally Posted by SteveA

I have yet to learn how to face lather without giving myself brush burn so I would drop that variable from the equation and bowl lather as you're used to doing.

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Yea, that can be a problem and usually it means you are being too heavy handed on the brush. It does not take a lot of weight on the brush to generate a good lather face lathering.

Bob

So today I did one very small change from my normal shaving process. Instead of a hot scuttle, I just used it as a bowl, and used cold/cool water. The shave came out well, without much irritation.

It wasn't bad with the cold water? Rinsing inbetween passes, I did like the water to be a little warmer, than pure cold water. Quite different putting on cold lather though, but on a hot day, I could see that as being really nice.

I guess I could try face lathering with the TOBS, and see how that works, and then try same with Arko stick? If that works, then I can see about eliminating preshave cream possibly.

The main goal is to eliminate the scuttle (which I don't want to break), and liquids/creams for travel. Especially if I fly with carry on (and use a disposable).

You might find this vid helpful on face lathering Arko.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z248xt0GciM

Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pcm

So today I did one very small change from my normal shaving process. Instead of a hot scuttle, I just used it as a bowl, and used cold/cool water. The shave came out well, without much irritation.

It wasn't bad with the cold water? Rinsing inbetween passes, I did like the water to be a little warmer, than pure cold water. Quite different putting on cold lather though, but on a hot day, I could see that as being really nice.

I guess I could try face lathering with the TOBS, and see how that works, and then try same with Arko stick? If that works, then I can see about eliminating preshave cream possibly.

The main goal is to eliminate the scuttle (which I don't want to break), and liquids/creams for travel. Especially if I fly with carry on (and use a disposable).

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An alternative to face lathering when travelling is to whip up the lather in your palm. Might be worth a try.

I did another quick experiment today. Without any prep, I wetted my face and face lathered with TOBS cream, and shaved with cool water (no preshave applied at all).

I had quite a bit of irritation. Not as bad as with the Arko, but worse than normal. So...I'm theorizing that it may be a combination of things. One, maybe a lack of skill in getting a good lather using the Arko and face lathering. Two, I may need some preshave to assist with reducing irritation.

I guess I could try a few different things...using preshave under the lather for both TOBS and Arko and see if it improves the shave. Trying to somehow make lather in my palm with the Arko stick, or face lather and then rinse off and add preshave, before each pass. Try eliminating the shower preparations (conditioner), and hot towel treatment before a TOBS shave (though it will save time, but won't move toward my goals).

Will think about it and will consider what to do for Tuesday's shave.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

You might find this vid helpful on face lathering Arko.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z248xt0GciM

Bob

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Thanks! I'll look at this a it later today.