Conditioner on beard area?

Baloosh · Dec 9, 2006

After seeing the tip on one of Mantic's videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7qae2Wawfo

About putting some hair conditioner on the beard area during the shower, as part of the pre-shave prep, I've tried it out for a couple weeks. Anyone else doing this? If so, what kind of conditioner do you use? From Mantic's video, it looks like he's (possibly) using Suave Coconut conditioner... and I started thinking about the importance of the ingredients in the conditioner, especially after seeing Kyle's latest thread:

http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9745

I've been using the Lemongrass and Citrus conditioner from the free mini-bottles at the Wynn Las Vegas, which I brought back during a trip earlier in the year. Alas, the small bottle doesn't list the ingredients of the conditioner, so I was wondering what brand/type I should be using to make sure I'm getting the proper ingredients listed in Kyle's thread.

So what do you other "conditioner on the beard area" dudes use?

rtaylor61 · Dec 9, 2006

Jason,

I still do this if it has been more than one day since I shaved. Any conditioner will work, just find one with a scent you like. I use Suave because it is cheap, and I had a bottle on hand.

Randy

vespergo · Dec 11, 2006

I rarely skip a day shaving, but when I do I don't change my prep, but I have noticed a difference of shaves when I shampoo my hair versus not shampooing it. Not necessarily better, just different. And I'm talking about shampooing my head not beard area. I guess the shampoo just runs off and strips some of the oils off my beard area.

As far as conditioner goes, I haven't tried it in the beard area because I haven't had any problems with getting the beard to soften up via the normal shower and 2 minute initial lather (guessing that's about how long it takes). One thing I have noticed recently is that when I lather my first pass I'm starting to use my fingers to squeeze the badger hair bristles closer together to make a tighter bunch and makes them stiffer so they seem to work the lather into my beard better.

Jim · Dec 12, 2006

For prep in the shower I use a puck of Mama bears shave soap-
Just as you would use a shave stick- just rub it over the beard and with my hand work it in, I leave it on as long as I can, then rinse when I am about to get out, works great! (I could use any glycerin soap for this.)

TraderJoe · Dec 12, 2006

I don't use conditioner as I don't need any junk on my face, or soaking in for that matter. Also, I've read (Kyle's post) that conditioner toughens or could toughen the hair:

Kyle said:
Since there are several gents here who prescribe to the use of hair conditioner as a pre-shave treatment, I thought it would also be interesting to research what effects the conditioner may be having. The following list of ingredient types are commonly found in hair conditioners, the total makeup depends on the proposed functionality of the product:

The Good:

Moisturizers – These are used to hold moisture in the hair. Typically, moisturizers are humectants which serve to absorb water from the air and force it into the hair.

Oils (EFAs – Essentially Fatty Acids) – these help your hair to become more soft and pliable. EFA’s mimic sebum which is the oil naturally produced by your body and released through your hair follicles.

Surfactants – These are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and they act as an emulsifier which facilitates the blending of unblendable substances (such as oil and water).

The Bad and The Ugly:

Reconstructors – These are used to penetrate the hair and strengthen its structure.

Acidifiers – They keep the pH around 2.5-3.5 which causes the somewhat scaly cuticle to tighten up.

Detanglers, Thermal Protectors, Glossers – These act to again contribute to the acidic environment (tightening the cuticle) and to put a coating layer on the hair.

As you can see, depending on what exactly your hair conditioner contains, it very well could be making your job (shaving) much more difficult than is necessary.

My beard gets softened quite well, employing a good pre-shave routine.

modern man · Dec 12, 2006

I tried this for a while and it really softens my skin but I found it to make my shave tougher.

Baloosh · Dec 12, 2006

Hmmmm... more ambiguous information.

I guess what I'm asking is, are there any conditioners out there that DO have:

* Moisturizers These are used to hold moisture in the hair. Typically, moisturizers are humectants which serve to absorb water from the air and force it into the hair.
* Oils (EFAs Essentially Fatty Acids) these help your hair to become more soft and pliable. EFAs mimic sebum which is the oil naturally produced by your body and released through your hair follicles.
* Surfactants These are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and they act as an emulsifier which facilitates the blending of unblendable substances (such as oil and water).

But do NOT have:
* Reconstructors These are used to penetrate the hair and strengthen its structure.
* Acidifiers They keep the pH around 2.5-3.5 which causes the somewhat scaly cuticle to tighten up.
* Detanglers, Thermal Protectors, Glossers These act to again contribute to the acidic environment (tightening the cuticle) and to put a coating layer on the hair.

TraderJoe · Dec 12, 2006

Jason, are you sure you "need" a conditioner? If so, maybe proraso pre?

Baloosh · Dec 12, 2006

TraderJoe said:
Jason, are you sure you "need" a conditioner? If so, maybe proraso pre?

No, not sure I "need" it.. was just checking it out and thought I might get the opinion of others.

Ltltony · Dec 12, 2006

I have used Aveno rosemary and mint and it seems to add a little to the comfort of my shaves.

John 5 · Dec 12, 2006

I would stay away from using hair conditioners. While the hair will feel softer to the touch after conditioning, if the conditioner did its job, it will also leave you with stronger hair. Our hair is made of keratin, very, very strong stuff, and conditioners are designed to strengthen the keratin even more by tightening the bonds between individual molecules.

What some people fail to understand is that hair conditioner has the complete opposite effect which we wet shavers aim to obtain, which is to hydrate our hair in order to loosen hydrogen molecular bonds - it is the reason we go through all of our pre shave prep. Adding water loosens the hydrogen bonds btween individual keratin molecules and therefore makes our hair softer and easier to cut. Hair conditioners, while making our hair feel softer on the outside, also attempt to acidify the hair in order to tighten said hydrogen bonds. And that is a desirable effect for the hair on our scalps and for those of us sporting goatees or beards, but very undesirable for any area which is to be shaved. Hope this helps.

Take care,
John

galpman · Dec 13, 2006

Wow,

Thanks John for the update.

ratcheer · Dec 13, 2006

I do use conditioner as a pre-shave, usually Pantene Pro V or, yes, Suave coconut.

Tim

dgauvreau · Dec 13, 2006

John 5 said:
I would stay away from using hair conditioners. While the hair will feel softer to the touch after conditioning, if the conditioner did its job, it will also leave you with stronger hair. Our hair is made of keratin, very, very strong stuff, and conditioners are designed to strengthen the keratin even more by tightening the bonds between individual molecules.

What some people fail to understand is that hair conditioner has the complete opposite effect which we wet shavers aim to obtain, which is to hydrate our hair in order to loosen hydrogen molecular bonds - it is the reason we go through all of our pre shave prep. Adding water loosens the hydrogen bonds btween individual keratin molecules and therefore makes our hair softer and easier to cut. Hair conditioners, while making our hair feel softer on the outside, also attempt to acidify the hair in order to tighten said hydrogen bonds. And that is a desirable effect for the hair on our scalps and for those of us sporting goatees or beards, but very undesirable for any area which is to be shaved. Hope this helps.

Take care,
John

Wow, go John just chiming in with "hydrogen bonds" on his 5th post. That sets the expectations pretty high for future posts. I mean like "cold fusion" high. Welcome!
:biggrin:

moses · Dec 13, 2006

John 5 said:
What some people fail to understand is that hair conditioner has the complete opposite effect which we wet shavers aim to obtain, which is to hydrate our hair in order to loosen hydrogen molecular bonds - it is the reason we go through all of our pre shave prep. Adding water loosens the hydrogen bonds btween individual keratin molecules and therefore makes our hair softer and easier to cut. Hair conditioners, while making our hair feel softer on the outside, also attempt to acidify the hair in order to tighten said hydrogen bonds. And that is a desirable effect for the hair on our scalps and for those of us sporting goatees or beards, but very undesirable for any area which is to be shaved. Hope this helps.

John,

That makes a heck of a lot of sense. But what about the empirical evidence that conditioner does in fact help as a pre-shave?

Regardless, I don't use it. In part because it tends to contribute to acne.

-Mo

Kyle · Dec 13, 2006

John 5 said:
I would stay away from using hair conditioners. While the hair will feel softer to the touch after conditioning, if the conditioner did its job, it will also leave you with stronger hair. Our hair is made of keratin, very, very strong stuff, and conditioners are designed to strengthen the keratin even more by tightening the bonds between individual molecules.

What some people fail to understand is that hair conditioner has the complete opposite effect which we wet shavers aim to obtain, which is to hydrate our hair in order to loosen hydrogen molecular bonds - it is the reason we go through all of our pre shave prep. Adding water loosens the hydrogen bonds btween individual keratin molecules and therefore makes our hair softer and easier to cut. Hair conditioners, while making our hair feel softer on the outside, also attempt to acidify the hair in order to tighten said hydrogen bonds. And that is a desirable effect for the hair on our scalps and for those of us sporting goatees or beards, but very undesirable for any area which is to be shaved. Hope this helps.

Take care,
John

Well said, John. :thumbup1:

Muggles · Dec 14, 2006

i always pictured that only guys who have a lot of beard growth would need to use conditioner. like, if it was spring and you were shaving off the winter beard.

that being said, i don't have very burly manly facial hair, but i have tried the conditioner trick and here is what i've found...

i have this lime-smelling Crew shampoo and the matching conditioner, and maybe it's the lime in there but it kinda burns my skin. my wife has this all-organic, leaves-no-residue-behind $15 per bottle stuff and i used that and it worked well, but i can get just as great a shave without it.

so if you do it, be smart about what you put on your face. if you by all these fancy expensive shaving products, why put $2 conditioner into the mix? JM2C

and i think it is really only necessary if you have some rugged-*** beard that breaks razor blades and laughs.

rikrdo · Dec 14, 2006

I'd like to say I quit using conditioner
for the same reasons as John but....

I just stopped it cause I was trying to get my total routine
down to under an hour. :frown:

Ive also cut out the warm water rinses in btwn passes and
am limiting my coiff time to 5 minutes.
45 minutes start to finish aint bad....is it ??
==========================================

Nice job, John and
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