Should You Shave With Cold Water?

Want a closer shave plus healthier skin? Discover the benefits of cold‑water shaving and why you’ll never go back once you start.

How I Discovered Cold-Water Shaving

When I started to take cold showers about a year ago, I found that my soap wouldn’t lather. So I searched the internet for an explanation and came across a couple of forum boards discussing cold-water shaving.

I learned that shaving soap lathers well in cooler temperatures—and that some men shave daily with cold water, enjoying huge benefits.

Until then, I’d never questioned the golden rule that only hot water could give a close, comfortable shave. But how had men shaved before running hot water was readily available? Especially those living in rooming houses with no means of heating water on a stove. Did they visit the barber every day?

Then I remembered the story of an army exercise where my father cleaned his teeth, washed, and shaved with a single mug of cold water. What had been field practice for him could turn out to be good skincare for me.

I decided to put it to the test.

My Shaving Utensils

Cold‑water shaving requires no special equipment. If you’re already a wet shaver, everything you need is in your bathroom.

Here’s what I use:

A Gillette safety razor
A synthetic shaving brush by Kent
An Arko shaving soap stick

How I Shave

There is of course a textbook method for shaving, and cold water doesn’t change this. But we all have our own quirks and variations. This is how I do it:

I wet my brush and face with cold water, apply the soap directly to my beard, then lather up.
First I shave my cheeks with the grain, then my neck against the grain, and lastly my chin with the grain. I don’t shave the upper lip, but that would also be with the grain.
Using my hands, I rinse with cold water while feeling for remaining stubble, which I shave against the grain.

I always shave before showering. This ensures that my face is properly rinsed and completely free of shaving soap.

The First Time I Shaved With Cold Water

I approached my first cold-water shave with caution, expecting discomfort and nicks.

To begin, I changed the blade.

The cold water on my face was no shock—I was already used to cold showers—but the lather was a surprise: dense, rich, and stiffer than usual.

Instead of tugging at my beard, the razor severed the whiskers with the same smoothness as a warm shave. I later learned that water always softens hair, regardless of temperature.

Rinsing off, I noticed the closeness immediately; it was as though I’d been to the barber.

Shaving cream and brush on a brown towel — I didn’t expect cold water to give such a rich lather.

Benefits of Cold-Water Shaving

I was clearly impressed by that first shave, and nothing has changed.

Cold-water shaving isn’t a novelty. In fact, its many benefits make it more viable than warm-water shaving.

➜ Closer Shave

This is the most noticeable benefit.

Cooler temperatures contract the skin, which causes the whiskers to stand more upright. This allows the razor to cut further down the shaft.

As a result, the softer hair of the cheeks and neck needs only one pass instead of two, which saves time.

A closer shave also keeps my fast-growing beard smoother for longer. This eliminates the need for a second shave later in the day if I’m going out in the evening.

It’s true that multi-blade razors offer the same advantages, but they’re also more likely to cause irritation.

➜ Fewer Irritations

Although I’ve never had ingrown hairs in spite of shaving my neck against the grain, I have occasionally experienced razor burn on my cheeks. This eased when I switched from cartridges to a safety razor, and stopped entirely after discovering cold‑water shaving.

Another factor could be the anti-inflammatory effect of cold water.

➜ Healthier-Looking Complexion

Cold water has an immediate tightening effect on the skin, which can reduce morning puffiness and give a more refreshed appearance.

When cold, the body works to retain its core temperature by increasing circulation. During this process, blood vessels constrict so the blood can flow more forcefully, delivering oxygen and nutrients to cells more efficiently.

This is why the skin appears pink after exposure to the cold, which is obviously only temporary. But I’ve noticed that my facial skin seems generally firmer and more toned since showering and shaving with cold water. My pores also appear smaller.

➜ Healthier-Looking Beard

Since shaving cold, my mustache seems thicker and more luxuriant.

Cold water closes the hair cuticle, locking in moisture for a smoother, more lustrous appearance. Hot water does the opposite by opening the cuticle and stripping the hair of its natural oils.

➜ No More Dry Patches

I shave up to the area just below the eye socket, which is where I used to experience tightness and flaky skin, especially after reaching middle age.

I spent years experimenting with shaving oil and moisturizer, but with little effect, and even believed that warm water would “open the pores” to drive creams and lotions deeper into the skin.

In truth, pores cannot open and close. Warm water simply mobilizes sebum. Depending on your skin, this can either help by cleansing the pores if you’re acne‑prone, or make dryness worse by stripping away natural oils.

This, I think, is the basis of the warm shave theory: mobilized sebum provides extra lubrication and softens the beard. But softer hair bends more easily, which means the razor glides over it rather than through it. This is why warm shavers often need more than one pass for smooth results.

➜ Reduced Bleeding

I rarely cut myself, but if I do, the bleeding stops sooner with cold water. This is a blessing if you’re on blood thinners, as I am.

It’s because the cold causes the blood vessels to constrict, which enables faster clotting.

It means no more leaving the house with a bit of toilet paper stuck to my face, nor the powdery residue of an alum block.

➜ Sharper Blades

Hot water can’t warp blades, but it does make the edge slightly more ductile, meaning it’s more likely to bend when it meets stubble. Cold water has the opposite effect: it keeps the metal rigid, so the edge holds its shape. Because a blade feels sharp only as long as its edge geometry remains intact, the extra rigidity from cold water helps it stay sharper for longer.

Cold water also slows oxidation and mineral buildup, both of which can dull the edge or damage the coating.

I use safety blades, which are cheap, but it could save money if you use cartridges.