Cold shaving lathering

M

markamonaghan

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528
Hi all

Quick question.

I'm getting quite into cold shaving in these warmer days. The issue I have is the some soaps will not lather as easy as with warm water.

I don't bloom the soap (as I think I will reduce its size quicker), I wondered if there was anything I could do to get a better lather.

Neither do I think it's the soap as their generally good ones ( in my opinion).

Or do I just have to use cream when cold shaving??

Thanks in advance.

Mark

Still had a great comfortable shave earlier regardless of the above issue.
 
Thanks
I think your right about not adding enough water.

Regarding the blooming, I've read mixed views on this as some say it does wear the life quicker and othersee suggest it's fine.

I've only done it once will mitchells so the jury is out presently.

Thanks again

Mark
 
markamonaghan said:
...Regarding the blooming, I've read mixed views on this as some say it does wear the life quicker and othersee suggest it's fine...
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You aren't planning on leaving the soap as an inheritance are you? Blooming makes the soap easier to lather as well as releases the scent more easily. ;)


Regarding cold water:

We always recommended that you have a shave immediately after taking a hot shower. This is because the steam and heat opens up the pores and softens the beard. When you have finished shaving you can then use cold or cooler water to close the pores again and shut everything back down, leaving you with a cool face.
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http://www.shaving-shack.com/blog/shaving-myth-5-do-you-need-to-use-hot-or-cold-water-when-shaving/

I agree with the aforementioned, although the pores don't really open per se. Hot water plus a good cleanser strips the dirt & grime easier than with cold water and helps lift the hairs making them easier to be "sliced".
 
Thanks bogeyman

Very helpful, no I'm not planning to leave the soaps as inheritance as my stepson's won't leave their trusted ( !) Bicester and shared foam. ..
Blooming marvellous? As a follow up question, how long would you bloom for?
Thanks again Mark
 
I find the amount of reduction of a soap through blooming to be negligible. In fact, I rinse my soaps and leave them overturned to dry post-use and have found that they don't hold a musty smell as they might have before. I've found loading easier with warm water, naturally. I've not found lathering any easier or more difficult, with the exception of possibly loading less soap when using cold water.
The lather I have is equal regardless of water temperature, in my non-expert opinion. I've also found cold-water shaving preferable and since starting cold-water shaving haven't thought about a warm one. I seem to get less irritation and feel there's some weight to the argument that;
When skin is cold, subcutaneous vasoconstriction occurs to retain heat/remove blood from the surface of the skin. This contracts the skin and causes the hair to 'stand' away from the skin.
In short, YMMV but I've found cold-water shaves to be preferable to the point I haven't warm-water shaved since trying it.
 
My foot was firmly in the hot water shave camp until I don't read a couple of interesting threads about cold water shaving and this particular link http://sharpologist.com/2012/03/cold-water-shaving-2.html
Well, a couple of weeks back in the midst of a mini heatwave I gave it a go and it works for me. If I find it so refreshing in the winter remains to be seen :rolleyes:
As for blooming I personally don't, but if you find it helps, do it.
Shaving, like many things, is finding the best way for you.
 
Bogeyman said:
You aren't planning on leaving the soap as an inheritance are you? Blooming makes the soap easier to lather as well as releases the scent more easily. ;)


Regarding cold water:



http://www.shaving-shack.com/blog/shaving-myth-5-do-you-need-to-use-hot-or-cold-water-when-shaving/

I agree with the aforementioned, although the pores don't really open per se. Hot water plus a good cleanser strips the dirt & grime easier than with cold water and helps lift the hairs making them easier to be "sliced".
Click to expand...
I would have thought cold water lifts the hair more than warm. If you are cold, you get goosebumps which raise the hair up higher - I gather this effect allows more air to be trapped and warm the body. We've lost most of our body hair (cf many animals) via years of evolution, but that reaction remains the same.

So, I would have thought the cold water raises your stubble up higher off the skin than warm water.

Your evolutionary outcomes may vary.
 
Supermangs said:
I would have thought cold water lifts the hair more than warm. If you are cold, you get goosebumps which raise the hair up higher - I gather this effect allows more air to be trapped and warm the body. We've lost most of our body hair (cf many animals) via years of evolution, but that reaction remains the same.

So, I would have thought the cold water raises your stubble up higher off the skin than warm water.

Your evolutionary outcomes may vary.
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I think the idea is softer hair makes is 'easier to lift hair' rather than the focus on temperature lifting the hair. I.e. softer hair will be more influenced by the lather.

I'm in the same boat as you, though. I feel that colder skin = vasoconstriction = raised hairs = easier shaving (for me).
 
Boru62 said:
My foot was firmly in the hot water shave camp until I don't read a couple of interesting threads about cold water shaving and this particular link http://sharpologist.com/2012/03/cold-water-shaving-2.html
...
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From the link:

This method has several benefits, not just for you, but for your gear as well. Take your razor. Nice, shiny, sturdy piece of metal. Feels nice when it's warm. So does the blade. But get this. The hot water used to rinse the blade causes the tiny metal molecules in the blade to expand, making the razor dull after only five shaves. Cold water, on the other hand, causes the molecules to contract, giving the blade a better edge and longer life. Just by using cold water, my current Wilkinson Sword blade is on it's eighth shave.
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AqjsV5e.jpg
 
Boru62 said:
I'm not a metallurgist so whether that statement is factual or not I couldn't say, but the article redirects to another link http://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/03/24/cold-water-shaving/
Like most things, you can only call things from your own experience, and I've found cold water shaving to be refreshing and irritation free.
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I would agree that the statement is BS. Metallurgy aside, molecules won't 'contract' when exposed to cold water. The overall structure may contract slightly but at the edge, where the width is a few microns, there's not going to be a great % difference, furthermore almost certainly not a notable one. The scope of maybe 20°C difference in a structure with a 1400+°C melting point is going to be truly negligible.
I like cold water shaving but won't allow myself to get bogged down with 'this contracts the metal edge giving a sharper, closer shave'.
 
Benz3ne said:
I would agree that the statement is BS. Metallurgy aside, molecules won't 'contract' when exposed to cold water. The overall structure may contract slightly but at the edge, where the width is a few microns, there's not going to be a great % difference, furthermore almost certainly not a notable one. The scope of maybe 20°C difference in a structure with a 1400+°C melting point is going to be truly negligible.
I like cold water shaving but won't allow myself to get bogged down with 'this contracts the metal edge giving a sharper, closer shave'.
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To tell you the truth I hadn't even considered it. The life span of a blade is of little significance to me.
I cold water shave at the moment because it's effective and I enjoy it.
In the winter I may well return to warm water shaving. Horses for courses :)
 
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