First Cold Wet Shave - My Thoughts

Messages
24
I have quite sensitive skin. I don't get much by way of irritation, but I am very prone to ingrown hairs on my neck.

I shave usually on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, so I normally have 2 or 3 days of hair growth when I shave

My usual routine that I have gotten into the last few shaves has been:

1- Hot shower. Making sure that the facial hair is nicely soaked and soft.
2 - Face Scrub
3 - Poraso Sensitive Pre-Shave cream.
4 - Wickham's 1912 Cashmere face lathered with a Boar brush.
5 - 1 x WTG pass on my neck. 1 x WTG pass and 1 x XTG pass on my face. Razor used is a Merkur 34C HD loaded with a Perma-Sharp blade.The 1 pass on my neck means I often have an uneven shave on my neck.
6 - Alum block.
7 - Face wash with warm water.
8 - Poraso sensitive post shave balm.

Although I don't get a particularly close shave with the above, I do get a comfortable shave. I am still left with ingrown hairs though. If the ingrown hairs are bad, I'll miss a "shave day" or two before shaving again.

I've read into cold wet shaving recently and found that it helped those who are prone to ingrown hair. I gave it a try tonight.

Steps 1 and 2 were the same. However before step 3, I splashed my face with cold water a few times before moving onto steps 4, 5 and 6. I used a face wash with cold water as well for step 7. Step 8 was normal.

The positives I noticed from my first cold wet shave were:

1 - It was easily my most comfortable shave to date. So comfortable and smooth, that I felt confident enough to do a second WTG pass on my neck to get an even shave.
2 - The post shave felt amazing.
3 - The initial quality of the lather appeared to be better.

There was a couple of big issues that I noticed.

1 - Although the initial quality of the lather appeared to be better, the lather quickly started to kind of solidify and turned quite pastey. Lost a lot of slickness as a result. Had to wash off the lather each time and reapply when it started to go pastey. I couldn't go a full pass without re-applying.

2 - The razor clogged up frequently with the pastey lather.

Are these issues common with cold wet shaving or was it that some soaps don't do well with cold water?

I'll report on whether my issue with ingrown hairs is helped over the next few days.
 
Ironically, a friend of mine who had been using a similar Merkur for more than four years came to me for some advice as he was constantly having irritation and ingrown hairs despite using top tier soaps & blades as well as laborious prep. First, he stopped doing ATG passes and yet the problem persisted and he persevered. :rolleyes: Since he moved away I rarely saw him until recently when he was back for a visit and it was obvious at a glance that his problem persisted and he was ready to "toss in the sponge". It was then I advised him to sell the Merkur and sold him an old Tech and a Feather Popular to try. Less than a week later he called me and was giddier than a Frenchman living next to a government subsidized brothel!!

He told that this had indeed solved his issues in totality. ;)
 
I have been a cold water shaver since June (broken faucet) and I have found it quite enjoyable. For me the water makes little difference and my routine is identical to yours minus step 3.

I don't notice any difference with my lather which I make using cold water in a bowl. I do soak my brushes in warm water from shower whilst I am showering, did you soak your brush in cold water? I find that in cold water my brushes aren't as prepared as when I use warm.

The razors are a little harder to rinse the lather out but it's only a matter of a few seconds. I can't see myself going back to warm water shaving. I do need to fix the tap though!
 
I have tried cold water shaving to see what it was all about. For me, it wasn't about much. Don't like, won't do it again if I don't have to. What I will do in warmer weather is a cold water final rinse (but I don't do it in winter). Ingrowns can be vexing but shaving with three passes daily (W,X,A), it almost never happens with me. No pressure is one of the keys in my mind, especially ATG.
 
I have quite sensitive skin. I don't get much by way of irritation, but I am very prone to ingrown hairs on my neck.

I shave usually on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, so I normally have 2 or 3 days of hair growth when I shave

My usual routine that I have gotten into the last few shaves has been:

1- Hot shower. Making sure that the facial hair is nicely soaked and soft.
2 - Face Scrub
3 - Poraso Sensitive Pre-Shave cream.
4 - Wickham's 1912 Cashmere face lathered with a Boar brush.
5 - 1 x WTG pass on my neck. 1 x WTG pass and 1 x XTG pass on my face. Razor used is a Merkur 34C HD loaded with a Perma-Sharp blade.The 1 pass on my neck means I often have an uneven shave on my neck.
6 - Alum block.
7 - Face wash with warm water.
8 - Poraso sensitive post shave balm.

Although I don't get a particularly close shave with the above, I do get a comfortable shave. I am still left with ingrown hairs though. If the ingrown hairs are bad, I'll miss a "shave day" or two before shaving again.

I've read into cold wet shaving recently and found that it helped those who are prone to ingrown hair. I gave it a try tonight.

Steps 1 and 2 were the same. However before step 3, I splashed my face with cold water a few times before moving onto steps 4, 5 and 6. I used a face wash with cold water as well for step 7. Step 8 was normal.

The positives I noticed from my first cold wet shave were:

1 - It was easily my most comfortable shave to date. So comfortable and smooth, that I felt confident enough to do a second WTG pass on my neck to get an even shave.
2 - The post shave felt amazing.
3 - The initial quality of the lather appeared to be better.

There was a couple of big issues that I noticed.

1 - Although the initial quality of the lather appeared to be better, the lather quickly started to kind of solidify and turned quite pastey. Lost a lot of slickness as a result. Had to wash off the lather each time and reapply when it started to go pastey. I couldn't go a full pass without re-applying.

2 - The razor clogged up frequently with the pastey lather.

Are these issues common with cold wet shaving or was it that some soaps don't do well with cold water?

I'll report on whether my issue with ingrown hairs is helped over the next few days.
My advice would be to skip the face scrub and alum block, and just do two passes, with the grain only. And stop shaving for two or three days, after your ingrown hairs have worked themselves out, start up again.

...and try a different razor. Maybe blades too.
 
Had the same problem, cold water helps but what helped me was a new razor. A DB 89 with a Feather blade made a huge difference.
If you want something cheaper a Gillette tech is also a good option.
 
I also have sensitive skin . I find Proraso pre shave in the red jar wonderful. I agree the Edwin Jagger is excellent.I know members have some wonderful razors but experiment in a year! Do get the angle right with hardly any pressure. Make sure you lather properly. Don't skimp on lather. Work it on your face and This helps soften your beard. Do buy a sample pack of blades. Connaught shaving is good . I find Feather very harsh and Gillette silver blue works best. Finally, if I go for more than a day, shaving is very difficult. Best shave every day, and have patience to let your skin get used to your routine
 
I'm a cold-water convert as well. Have done it for 8 of the 11 months I've been focussing on wet-shaving. Wouldn't go back - in fact, I did for one shave after a shower not too long ago and went 'nope, this confirms it'. If I've had ingrown hairs or too close a shave (usually from a lapse in concentration, equalling too much pressure), I've found face scrubs in the showers following do a good job to remedy the situation.

I've had no differences in lather with cold vs warm. If anything, sticking with cold for a long time has helped me develop the lather into what I see as good, irrespective of water temperature.

Keep up the good work! You're doing the right thing not overdoing it with the passes! :D No pressure...no pressure...no pressure...no pressure...
 
If I've had ingrown hairs or too close a shave (usually from a lapse in concentration, equalling too much pressure), I've found face scrubs in the showers following do a good job to remedy the situation.

I get in growns usually down to applying too much pressure often when the blade has passed it's optimal sharpness.
 
I put it down to tiredness :D I'm a two use and bin kinda guy when it comes to blades. :) too much pressure is definitely a common issue though!

When I have it's generally been down to the blade not being aggressive enough for the razor I paired the blade with and consequently applying more pressure than I should be applying.

Tiredness is always an issue though!
 
My ability to get BBS head shaves with mild razors I thought were inefficient was coincident with my move to full time cold water shaves. Maybe just coincidence but I have no thought of going back.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
I cold water shaved through the summer until recently, noticed no difference in the lather, in fact no real difference in the shave apart from it being more refreshing on the hotter days.
Maybe a change of razor is what you need. I don't suffer from ingrown hairs but do have sensitive skin and have found that less passes with an efficient razor is better than three passes with a mild one.
So maybe pick up a cheap vintage mild razor like a Tech and a more aggressive vintage like an Old Type or a New and see which suits your skin best.
 
Thanks for the tips and advice guys.

Well I must say, I am quite impressed. For the first time ever, I have no ingrown hairs. I'll keep trying the cold water method and see how it treats me in the long run.

I'll try a different soap tonight as see if I have the same issues with it.

Although I haven't tried a significant amount of different blades, I have tried a couple of same packs. My top blades so far have been the Polsilver Super Iridium, Perma-Sharps and Kai. The Perma-Sharps are definitely my favorite out of the bunch.

I have been looking into a new razor, but I'm not entirely sure what to go with. Would something milder be better?
 
Thanks for the tips and advice guys.

Well I must say, I am quite impressed. For the first time ever, I have no ingrown hairs. I'll keep trying the cold water method and see how it treats me in the long run.

I'll try a different soap tonight as see if I have the same issues with it.

Although I haven't tried a significant amount of different blades, I have tried a couple of same packs. My top blades so far have been the Polsilver Super Iridium, Perma-Sharps and Kai. The Perma-Sharps are definitely my favorite out of the bunch.

I have been looking into a new razor, but I'm not entirely sure what to go with. Would something milder be better?
I'm glad cold shaving is helping. As for a mild or aggressive razor, only your skin can tell you which it prefers. That's why I suggested picking up a cheap vintage Tech and a cheap vintage Old or New Type. Then when you find out you can buy a nicer razor of that level of aggressiveness.
 
Back
Top Bottom