Witch hazel- before or after cold rinse

I currently rinse my face after a shave with hot water, dry, and apply witch hazel. After a little clean-up I wash off with cold water and apply skin food and balm a little later. I know many rinse hot, then cold, then apply WH and balm. Is there a better rationale for one over the other or is it the ubiquitous YMMV?

My thought is that WH should be your first in this whole process, then the skin food, etc. Actually, skin food can be last so as to better moisturize. If WH is first, then it has a better chance to sooth your face and "close" the pores while (somewhat) acting as an anti-bacterial as well.

I do my last rinse with cold water, then apply WH, then apply AS, then lotion if necessary.

*Random thought: What if you kept your WH in the fridge? Then it would be cold WH....

PozzSka said:

I do my last rinse with cold water, then apply WH, then apply AS, then lotion if necessary.

*Random thought: What if you kept your WH in the fridge? Then it would be cold WH....

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+1. My WC is nowhere near my fridge, so my WH is left at room temperature, but chilled WH sounds heavenly, especially for summer.

YMMV. If it feels good, do it. I don't see where it makes any difference if it's working for you. I will alter my routine now and then to see if something works better. I used to do the hot, cold, WH, ASB routine, but the last couple of weeks have changed it to warm, cold, WH and dropped the ASB. Seems to work just as good for me, so I plan on leaving the ASB out for now unless I have major irritation or dryness that calls for it.

My routine: Dip towel in warm water to remove remaining lather. Dip towel or splash face with cool water and then dry. Apply WH on face. Take shower. Apply AS balm. Works great for me.

I want the ASB to act as a moisturizer so I apply last.

JeffM said:

I currently rinse my face after a shave with hot water, dry, and apply witch hazel. After a little clean-up I wash off with cold water and apply skin food and balm a little later. I know many rinse hot, then cold, then apply WH and balm. Is there a better rationale for one over the other or is it the ubiquitous YMMV?

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Cold, followed by witch hazel, followed by aftershave. I do not use balms, milks or skin foods.

My post shave routine - cold rinse till clean, WH let dry, balm, done.

I've changed my routine up a bit recently.
I used to do my warm rinse, then my cold rinse, then the WH, then the aftershave.
The last few weeks I've done my warm rinse, then the WH, let that soap in while I clean my gear, then rinse with cold, then do the aftershave thing.
I'm not sure which way I prefer yet. Both ways seem effective.

I do it after the cold water.

Warm, cold, WH, ASB, for me.

However, I've only been doing this for five months. I may mix it up now and see what happens! Just another variable to add to which razor?, which brush?, which soap/creme?, which ASB? to use today!

JeffM,

For me - Hot rinse, cold rinse, alum block, witch hazel, aftershave

Have fun !

best regards

Russ

PhatMan said:

JeffM,

For me - Hot rinse, cold rinse, alum block, witch hazel, aftershave

Have fun !

best regards

Russ

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Same for me with a cold rinse after the alum has been on for ~1 min. I think WH AND Alum could be overkill, but isn't that the point? I just like the way my skin feels after.

for me:

Hot rinse
WH
Clean Gear
Brush Teeth
Floss
Mouth Wash (listerine of course)

[By this time WH has worked into the skin]

Cold Rinse
AS, ASM, or ASB

Finish it off maybe with an EDT.

1) hot rinse

2) thayers

3) clean up a bit

4) cold rinse

5) alum

6) brush teeth

7) coconut oil in my hair

8) get dressed

9) blue floid

10) if I'm going out, cologne behind my ears

11) act like a gentleman and practice smiling at the pretty ladies.

Rinse with cold water, WH, AS.

I'm with Jeff. Cold water, alum, cold water (after policing the sink, rinsing and drying razor, bowl and shaking out the brush), the WH and an ASB. No rinse between the WH and ASL just wait amfew mins for it to dry.

I want my pores open when applying WH, so I rinse with warm water after shaving, blot dry, then splash on the witch. After it soaks in and dries a bit, I do the cold-water rinse to seal things up, blot dry again, then AS for the finish.

I do the following.
Cold water rinse
wh
osage rub
as milk.
I am thinking of using some aqua velva but not sure where I would use it. In place of the osage rub or in place of the milk.

WH IS my cold rinse.

I wash the lather off with hot water and a mild cleanser, wipe face with a WH soaked cotton pad, let the WH dry while I tidy up, them apply balm.