How many Shave with Cold Water?

I thought this might be a good topic and we can all learn something. So how many of you shave with cold water and what are the benefits - does it give you a better shave or just feel better? Post your thoughts!

 

When I shaved with cartridges I shaved with cold water. I found it got rid of 95% irritation.

When I switched to DE's I went back to hot water

 

On August 9, I had my first cold water shave on purpose since Viet Nam (1970). I had heard good things about the CWS, but I was afraid to try it. I had been doing the cold water rinse probable for a year or more, so I thought I would give it a try. I have not looked back. So far, I have been able to lather well even with the cold water. I first wash my face with cold water, rinse it with cold water, and then face-lather with cold water. I save on water, electricity, and time. My face is refreshed and less irritated. So now, I am a face-lathering, cold water shaving traditional wet shaver.

 

I've shaved using all three water temps(hot, cold and lukewarm). To me it's a matter of water temp comfort rather than shave closeness or quality. All three give me acceptable shaves. Cold water feels better when it's hot inside or outside, hot and lukewarm water feel better when its cold. Also like @Unis I feel colder water in general does help relieve irritation. My final rinse is always with cold tap water..

 

Richard, I used to primarily be a hot-water DE shaver. When I made the switch about a year ago to straight razors, I preferred a bowl full of cold water vs hot in using the big blade. It's been my standard practice every since, no matter what type of razor I choose to use. Why? I find the cold water more refreshing between passes—particularly if I use a menthol lather; my skin feels 'tauter' when shaving (tautness is desired when SR shaving), and particular during the sultry days of summer, cold water shaving seems appropriate. During the chill of winter, I may reconsider using hot/warm water again and break out the scuttle as well.

 

Let's see how many of you will be shaving with cold water come winter..
I've tried cold water. See no benefit, warm is my choice.

 

Warm water here, never tried cold water but it doesnt sound like anything for me =) i do like to rinse my face with cold water after the shave but thats it for now=)

 

I use cold water shaving fore some reason I get less irritation on my neck both razor burn and razor bumps.

 

There is no such thing as cold tap water in DFW in summer. It comes out at 80-90F.


Warm water for me though. I am not prone to irritation, bumps, etc.

 

DFW?

 

Dallas-Ft.Worth?

 

cold water shaving? I think that's a standard here in Canada

j/k i might have to try a cold water shave since i'm getting a bit of irritation now with my new DE/soap/brush. Going to have to test a couple theorys on what's causing it.

 

This is Great Insight Guys - thank you! Personally I have been experimenting (3xtemp) a hot shower - a warm prep with a warm shave soap - followed by a cold shave and rinse.

 

Since it is a very personal choice — no right or wrong way, so long as you do some prep—wherever you land that is most comfortable for your shaving is the route to take.

 

During the summer, I use the cold water faucet. During the winter, I use warm water.

I get good shaves with either, but using cold water by choice during the dead of winter is dumber than a bag of rocks.

 

Hey there! I found shaving with warm water, then rinsing with cold water, really helped with razor burn and those nasty ingrown hairs I used to get all the time.

 

I'd have thought it'd be natural that lobsters would have a preference for cold water since the alternative usually ends poorly...

 

I shave exclusively with cold water (lather, rinses etc). It was huge factor in terms of eliminating my neck irritation. I also like the refreshing feel of pairing it with a menthol soap.

 

I've tried it and it works. It's hot water for me in general, it helps soften the hairs more.

 

Cold water shaver since 2009. It feels better, and it's so much simpler and quicker than messing around with hot water, hot towels etc. I also don't use any kind of pre-shave oil, just a couple splashes of cold water and then I let the lather set on my face for around 2 minutes before shaving.

I can't help but think that the problems guys experience with irritation isn't all caused by the blade or technique, some of it may be due to using too much water that is way too hot.