Strange Post Shave Phenomenon

Or, maybe not so strange if I have thought it out correctly.

I do 3 final cold rinses to finish my shave. This, regardless of whether I have done a warm/hot shave or a cold one. When I walk away from the bathroom, the shave is not as smooth as it is an hour later. I theorize the following:

The cold rinses contract the epidermis and dermis of my face allowing the stubble remaining after the shave to protrude more. An hour later, when my face has warmed to ambient temperature, the skin layers expand and rise to a height that is more even with the stubble so the shave feels smoother to the investigating hand. If I go out into colder air, contraction again happens and the stubble is more evident. Come inside, warm up and I'm smooth again!

Anybody else notice this?

I have noticed that, sometimes, a shave will feel smoother 20 minutes to an hour after taking it but I have certainly never analyzed it like that. It's a most intriguing theory and I wonder if anyone knows why that smoother face comes to the fore later on.

I also think that using a brush lifts the hairs up from its roots a bit as well. After the hair settles, it's congrats back into the skin.

When I first started, I was obsessed with getting a bbs shave to the point where I was getting weepers and razor burn. I've since leaned to not obsess as much and still will get a bbs shave.

Yeah, I get the same thing.


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While I am not a cold water shaver, the case is being made here in this thread to give it a try.

beamon, yes I think you are right. This is why I end all of my cold water shaves with a final hot water rinse. My face feels amazing afterwards. Keep in mind that I only cold water shave.

Beamon must be an intellectual.

He uses words like dermis , epidermis, and protrude.

And his avatar is smiling at me.

Beamon must be an intellectual.

He uses words like dermis , epidermis, and protrude.

Heavens no! But, after 58 years of marriage to a now retired RN, some of the language has rubbed off. That, plus I have a fondness for the huge range of synonyms available to us in the English language.

Or, maybe not so strange if I have thought it out correctly.

I do 3 final cold rinses to finish my shave. This, regardless of whether I have done a warm/hot shave or a cold one. When I walk away from the bathroom, the shave is not as smooth as it is an hour later. I theorize the following:

The cold rinses contract the epidermis and dermis of my face allowing the stubble remaining after the shave to protrude more. An hour later, when my face has warmed to ambient temperature, the skin layers expand and rise to a height that is more even with the stubble so the shave feels smoother to the investigating hand. If I go out into colder air, contraction again happens and the stubble is more evident. Come inside, warm up and I'm smooth again!

Anybody else notice this?

I have noticed this a couple of times. I believe it is due to the arrector pili muscle. The muscle is attached to the hair follicles and causes the the hair to stand up when one is cold or moments of fear, and leads to goosebumps. My understanding is that after rinsing with all the cold water the hairs are sticking straight up and as the skin warms up, the muscle relaxes and the hair starts to lay back down.

one of the reasons i prefer normally to cold shave is i feel like the shave is closer afterwards and i get less irritation normally. but i tend to agree with your thoughts