Distilled or Filtered Water vs. Tap Water

[mullard]

Anybody compared distilled or filtered water to tap water when shaving?

[Black Adder]

I can tell you that water quality makes a HUGE difference in how your shave goes. I think we get caught up too much in the "gadgetry" of shaving without thinking of taking care of the basic requirements, and good water is one of them. My apartment's water softener was out for a month, and shaves were an excruciating ordeal. My Vision was skipping like a stone on wet cement, and it took a lot of effort to avoid cuts. I was using jugged distilled water for a time during this period, and the difference was substantial. Nothing I did, pre-shave oils, balms, you name it, made the difference in the shave as when the water softener was back up and running.

That's my take on it. Definitely make sure you've got good water!

Don

[gar1013]

Why waste time and money on distilled water? Further, all it'll do beyond just plain "soft" water is cause your skin to absorb more water, making it harder to get a good shave.

To use a form of water -- distilled -- that doesn't exist in nature is just excessive. Waste of money, waste of resources, etc. If you're using a cream, just try to vary the amount of cream you need with the amount of water you use to the right results. Also, look at the vessel you use -- one the face lathering versus a bowl versus a mug can all have vastly different results.

[Lynchmeister]

By no means am I am expert on the subject, but I agree that water quality has a big impact on the lather. It's pretty well known that soft water lathers better than hard, otherwise people wouldn't be spending all that money on softeners and salt. On the other hand, I don't have one and don't think I would buy distilled water solely for this purpose to use on a regular basis.

[Thebigspendur]

Its true that hard water equals lousy lather. Filtered water does nothing because all it does is absorb the chlorine mainly. You need to use either a water softener or distilled to get the benefits. I live in the S.W and my water is as hard as nails and I do have a softener. I think a gallon of distilled water used to produce good lather will cost you pennies per shave so I think its a wise move. You could buy a distiller but I don't know its worth it unless you use it for other things. They do have countertop models.

[_JP_]

It sounds like the minerals in your water supply affected the lubricity of your lather. Another soap or cream might have worked better in that case.

[Steerpike]

I always lived in an area of VERY hard water (chalk), until I went to Uni up North. I notice no difference in the quality of the lather, perhaps I swirl the brush a bit longer on the soap, but I don't pay much attention. I get excellent shaves either way. Most shaving soaps have sodium chloride (salt) added to improve the lather in hard water anyway. Ever get the feeling that the search for a good shave is going just a teeny bit too far?

[Lynchmeister]

[QUOTE=Steerpike;208694]I always lived in an area of VERY hard water (chalk), until I went to Uni up North. I notice no difference in the quality of the lather, perhaps I swirl the brush a bit longer on the soap, but I don't pay much attention. I get excellent shaves either way. Most shaving soaps have sodium chloride (salt) added to improve the lather in hard water anyway. Ever get the feeling that the search for a good shave is going just a teeny bit too far?[/QUOTE]

Yes, which is why if this next attempt (excluding the whipping in a bowl) doesn't work, I'm going to be bowing out of the soap users club gracefully.