shower or no shower before shaving?

do you find that you get better shaves before or after showering?

traditionally I've been shaving before showering for probably the majority of the past 5-7 years. I don't know that shaving after showering does all that much for me, though I have been trying to shave after showering these past few days to see if I notice anything different.

I think my biggest issue is switching too many variables while testing. I need to stick with the same gear and only change the showering/not showering to see how it goes..

I have almost always shaved after showering. When I used cartridge razors at times I would shave before and the result never seemed as good. Since I switched to traditional wet shaving I have always showered first.

I agree with all of clint64 comments . To me, it just seems the best way to "prep" my face for the shave.

andrewjs18 , I do have a question for you or anyone else who shaves before their shower. I love the post-shave feel of a lot of the soaps I use. For example, I showered yesterday morning and twelve hours later I still felt like my skin was moisturized (BTW, I did not use a balm after my shave). So my question is, if you are showering after your shave, do you still get that moisturized feeling? My concern is that I would be washing away a lot or some of those elements of the soap.

Lately, because of my exercise schedule, I shower in the afternoon and shave in the morning. I haven't noticed much difference. I think the razor and soap you use plays a bigger role, assuming you spend a few minutes wetting your face before shaving.

If you're looking for a good post-shave feel after you shower, you could always apply your aftershave after you get out of your shower.

No appreciable difference, IME. If I need to shower in the morning, I shave after. Otherwise, I just wash my face with soap and hot water before my morning shave.

I shave after the shower.
Well, I shave in the shower but it's the last thing I do.

If I have to shave in a hurry I'll at minimum wash up my face and neck with a very hot washcloth first.

I have tried shaving before right away with just a minimum amount of prep. Like splash of water on my face before lathering. Every time I ended up with weepers all over and bad irritation on my neck.

It's just what my skin is used to I suppose.

I know a guy I work with says he shaves first thing in the morning before showering and always has. He's a fair skinned red head. So if his face got used to it anyone's can I would think.

I agree with all of clint64 comments . To me, it just seems the best way to "prep" my face for the shave.

andrewjs18 , I do have a question for you or anyone else who shaves before their shower. I love the post-shave feel of a lot of the soaps I use. For example, I showered yesterday morning and twelve hours later I still felt like my skin was moisturized (BTW, I did not use a balm after my shave). So my question is, if you are showering after your shave, do you still get that moisturized feeling? My concern is that I would be washing away a lot or some of those elements of the soap.

The post shave feel and lingering scents are why I shower before. I sometimes shave in the evening with no shower pre or post and have fine shaves, so I'm not sure the shower does much for me.

I shave after the shower. I agree that it is the best way to prep my face.

Put me in the shave after shower bunch. The shower is my "hot towel".

Shower and shaving are two separate source of relaxation for me. So often times they don't go hand in hand. I might shower in the morning and shave in the evening. But if I shower and shave at the same time, I always shower before shave - to me that's the best way to prep my face.