Quite by chance I tried a cold water shave this evening and enjoyed it. I have no qualms about using cold water, the brush wasn't too stiff, the lather was just as good as with hot water and the results were certainly no worse. The only real advantages were that I felt no need to hurry whatsoever, so I really took my time, and that my skin felt instantly better afterwards. Normally it takes a while for my skin to calm down and return to normal after shaving, but doing it cold (matron!) was an utterly benign process.
Next I'll try tepid water - I have a feeling I've been using water that's too hot for the preshave. I had thought that the hotter and longer the soak the better, but now I'm not convinced. It might soften the hair better, but it could have been having a negative effect on my skin.
Next I'll try tepid water - I have a feeling I've been using water that's too hot for the preshave. I had thought that the hotter and longer the soak the better, but now I'm not convinced. It might soften the hair better, but it could have been having a negative effect on my skin.
