Why have you not tried cold water shaving?

[ackvil]

It is hard to understand the antagonism against cold water shaving, particularly from folks who have not tried it. I do both warm water and cold water shaving depending on the temperature outside. However, I use my scuttle and have warm lather. Quite honestly I get good shaves from both but cold water shaving takes a lot less time. And, in the hot weather for me it is more enjoyable than using hot water.

[Whilliam]

Been shaving with cold water for about three months now. Found it to be nothing special, so I've switched back to hot, which makes for a much more comfortable experience over all.

[RedRocks]

As unappealing as cold water shaving sounds (I get the shivers just thinking about it!), and the fact that I am totally satisfied with my current method of warm water shaving, what the heck, I'll give it a try! I would not have even tried DE shaving if I didn't think that it might be better than my old twin blade. No guts, no glory!

~Frank

[AverageJoe]

I'm sticking with the traditional hot water shave, thanks! Here's why:

1. Comfort----I find hot water and lather much more comfortable on my face than cold lather.
2. Performance/Quality of Shave----As we all know, hot water softens/swells whiskers faster, if not more completely, than cold water and also opens pores, which seems to me would help with the exfoliating action of using a brush.

The only place in my routine for cold water is the final rinse after the warm water rinse. To each his own though.

[YetiDave]

I'm sticking with the traditional hot water shave, thanks! Here's why:

1. Comfort----I find hot water and lather much more comfortable on my face than cold lather.
2. Performance/Quality of Shave----As we all know, hot water softens/swells whiskers faster, if not more completely, than cold water and also opens pores, which seems to me would help with the exfoliating action of using a brush.

The only place in my routine for cold water is the final rinse after the warm water rinse. To each his own though.

Just to throw a spanner in the works - pores don't open or close, if you cold water shave after a hot shower then your whiskers will be just as soft/hydrated, and if they weren't there's something to the theory that tougher whiskers cut more cleanly as they don't bend under the blade

[Froggy]

I shave with a Braun now so using any degree of water with it could be hazardous to my health.
But when I used DE razors it seemed warm water let the blade glide easier over my face vs cold water. I could see folks that have soft water being able to use cold or hot water for shaving without any issues.

[gus1942]

"But why does it work?"

Simple biology and physics. When things are warm, they expand. When things are cold, they contract. If you cool off your skin you constrict the blood vessels and capillaries, thus reducing the blood flow. Less fluid under the skin causes the skin to pull back a little bit and the skin to tighten some what exposing the hair more and causing it stand up. Think of being outside on a cold day and the hair on your arm raises up. It makes the whiskers a bit more stiff which may reduce blade longevity (though I have read some theories that it makes it last longer). If you were to knick yourself it wouldn't bleed as much because there isn't as much blood there to begin with. A few minutes after your shave, once your skin has warmed back up, you will notice that you have been blessed with a truly remarkable shave.

I can understand many people enjoy warm lather and warm shaving. Every once in a while I will do the same. I also understand that many people have tried it and don't like it, or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Cold shaving has been something that has worked well for me and many others. The purpose of this post is to give someone else something to think about and try, especially if someone is having some of the issues listed above. It may be a technique no one has ever thought about trying. As always YMMV.

I have to disagree with your physiological explanation. Certainly cold water rinse at end of shave promotes peripheral vasoconstriction, decreasing bleeders and weepers.The secret of shaving prep is proper moisturization, not hot water producing soft floppy hair shafts. A hair shaft cuts better when it is moisture laden, and stiff and errect. This is not a function of peripheral vasomotor activity. Cool or cold water directly stimulates the errector plil smooth muscles of the hair follicle producing a errect stiff hair shaft This contracts the adjacent skin producing "goose pimples or flesh". The blade actually then cuts the shaft at it's most proximal juncture to the skin. That is the true basic physiology of the hair shaft and follicle. One does not need extreme temperature, hot or icey cold.

[gus1942]

Just to throw a spanner in the works - pores don't open or close, if you cold water shave after a hot shower then your whiskers will be just as soft/hydrated, and if they weren't there's something to the theory that tougher whiskers cut more cleanly as they don't bend under the blade

You are correct. Pores have nothing to do with shaving. Pores are merely minute openings of sweat glands. Sweat glands have no smooth musculature and do not open or close except with chemical astringents. Sweat glands are most commonly found on the palms, planter surface of feet, arm pits, forehead, and mustache areas.

Gus

[gus1942]

It is hard to understand the antagonism against cold water shaving, particularly from folks who have not tried it. I do both warm water and cold water shaving depending on the temperature outside. However, I use my scuttle and have warm lather. Quite honestly I get good shaves from both but cold water shaving takes a lot less time. And, in the hot weather for me it is more enjoyable than using hot water.

I agree, Jim. I still have one rule of posting. Never make a negative comment about a product or technique unless you have tried it.

Gus

[00Seven]

"Never make a negative comment about a product or technique unless you have tried it."

Sounds like a good rule.

[Viseguy]

Went through a cold-water period back in my cart days. Bottom line was warm water works better for me.

[Theprofessor]

love cold water shaving, Feels great !

[Vickers]

Cold water is not available here.

Love,

Florida

[D.W.B.]

O.K. I gave cold tap water shaving a try. I did my usual warm shower, and my usual prep. I then splashed cold water on before lathering. Hey! I did not mind the shave. I'll give it a go for at least the next few weeks and see if it takes.

[Mspec]

I tried cold water shaving, but found it very uncomfortable. Stuck with what works for me

[chris.hale]

Because it's cold, and I hate being cold. I'm sticking to warm water.

[bortas]

Same here. Gave it a good try when my hot water heater gave up the ghost a few weeks ago. The cold shave results were descent, but nothing better than a hot water shave for me. At least I know that I can continue shaving if I run out of hot water, but I do prefer a hot shaving experience.

Jerome

[njpaddy]

I'm not saying cold water won't work, but it's not for me because:
1. I have no desire to experience deja vu of shaving out of an army helmet outside in winter 40+ years ago at Ft Polk, La.
2. Warm water (not hot) has worked for almost 50 years, I see no reason to change now.
3. I just don't like the feel of cold water on my face. Even my final rinse is with cool, not cold, water.

[dfigz]

I have fair skin, not so much sensitive, but fair. I sun burn very easy, so think what its like dragging a thin piece of metal across it. (feels like taking fine grit sandpaper across the face...every time!)
Finding this website, doing much reading, prep, different blades, razors, pre shaves, creams, soaps and doing a cold water shave made it all fall together for me. My irritation has nearly dissapeared. For me it works.
It feels Fantastic!

[Manning]

Well . . . I tried cold water shaving today for the first time in quite awhile. I remember having an unwanted cold water shave sometime in my college days (we were out of hot water) and it was terrible. Since then, if I didn't have hot water, then I wouldn't shave.

Its been pretty humid and warm lately so today I thought I would revisit this once very unpleasant experience. And. . . it was still fairly unpleasant, but not nearly has bad as I remember. The setup was Proraso Green (new formula) and Feather AC SS nonfolding w/ Super blade.

Positives:
1. Water was cold and this did feel pretty good when combined with the menthol of the Proraso.
2. No nicks or weepers, but this is normal.
3. Maybe less irritation? Hard to tell, but I may give the nod to cold water shaving here. I normally dont have much irritation so its hard to say, but I would say for sure today I have zero irritation, but the closeness of my shave was lacking.

Negatives:
1. Cold water seemed to negatively affect the lather a good bit -- it was thinner and definitely did not have its normal glide. I could have kept the lather warm, but then cold water/hot lather??? Doesn't really make sense to me. Why not just have hot water/hot lather? I might try again with hot lather, who knows.
2. The shave was also not nearly as close -- cant really pin down a reason for that. Less skin elasticity perhaps? Also with the lack of glide, I certainly was not feeling adventurous enough to use more aggressive angles per my norm.
3. I could feel the blade on my face more because the cold water made the metal blade cold. I think this was the worst part. I coud really feel the blade and this made the somewhat harsh Feather even harsher feeling. No post shave repercussions, but it wasn't all that pleasant during the shave.

In sum, it wasn't a particularly enjoyable experience, but it wasn't the nightmare I remember it being. I dont see a switch to cold water shaving, but I could see myself giving it a go again on a particularly hot and humid day.