Thread: Traditional Hot Prep vs. Cold Shaving?

I use cold water, but i like to lather up and leave it on for a few minutes before shaving to hydrate the whiskers. Works well for me.

Well I did things a little different today and not for the sake of experimenting. I soaked my brush (boar) in hot water while I had a shower but then I didn't feel like shaving right at that moment so left it. When I decided I would shave, the water had gone cold and when mixed with lather was just like whisking egg whites for a meringue, beautiful and best lather I have made yet. Not sure if it was coz of the cold water or I am just improving my technique but either way it was a great lather.

I still did the hot towel method coz its autumn now so I am too chicken to do a cold shave. Plus to me if you have a cold shave right and the pores are closed, won't that make the hairs retract in a little, thus making you get a BBS shave but then when your face warms up and relaxed a bit the hairs will pop out a again making you look like you shaved with a cartridge?
Thats just my theory anyways.

I gave this a try at it appears that there is something to this cold shave thing.
Sure hot lather may feel more luxurious, but for a week now I've been using cold lather and my shaves are much nicer. They're smoother with less irritation.
And I've grown to really like the feel of a cold brush on my face.

I think as far as pre-shave prep goes, hot water is the way to go (for all the reasons stated by others above), but for the actual shave, I don't think I'll go back to hot brush and hot lather.

Thanks jpritch for sharing your observation.