I’m sure, as you’ve stood in your bathroom with a razor at your neck, dripping wet after just stepping out of the shower, that you’ve given your shower the side eye and wondered just how difficult it would be to start shaving in the shower.
After all, you’d be killing two birds with one stone, right? It’d save time, make preparing your face a whole lot easier, and make clean up so much simpler.
But is shaving in the shower even feasible? And if it is, what’s the best way to do it?
Shaving in the shower. How and why.
Before you ask, yes, I’ve tried it. And yes. It works, and when you do it right, it can work really well. But shaving in the shower presents a few unique issues that you don’t have to deal with when you shave normally.
The good
- Shaving in the shower saves huge amounts of time, because preparing your skin to shave and cleaning up are almost effortless
- When you shave in the shower, you actually get a closer shave. The reason you heat up your face before shaving, whether with a towel or hot water, is to soften the hairs and massage the muscles under your skin, which all contributes to making shaving a whole lot easier. But as soon as you remove that source of heat, these good changes start to revert themselves.
So standing in an area that’s hot and steamy, and which will keep your face and skin primed for shaving, means you end up with a far closer shave. - Because your skin stays moist the entire time, you’re less likely to end up with razor burn, scrapes and cuts.
- If you don’t use a straight razor, then cleaning your razor is made so much simpler.
The bad
- Shower shaving supposedly wastes water. But you can turn your shower flow right down to compensate for this.
- If you don’t have a fog free shaving mirror, seeing yourself can be hard.
- You could drop the razor and hurt yourself. You know, if you’re some sort of ham fisted goon.
Put like this, shaving in the shower seems like a no brainer, right? That’s because it is. Ever since I tried it out, I’ve adopted the practice. But you’re going to have to get the correct gear first.
You can find out what I use after we learn about the method
How to shave in the shower
Once you’re set up, shaving in the shower is actually surprisingly simple.
- First, get yourself set up. And make absolutely sure you have everything before you start. There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through your shave, standing there naked and lathered up, and realizing you need something that you left on the other side of your bathroom. It’s an unfortunate situation.
- The best time to shave is after you’ve finished the rest of your shower routine. This will give your skin time to soften in the heat and moisture. I’ve also found that washing my hair first, then applying my shaving cream and leaving it to soak into my beard for a few minutes while I soap up everything from the neck down results in a much better shaving experience.
- Once you’re ready, start the shaving process. First, set your shaving mirror.
- Then grab your tools, and make sure they’re all within easy reach.
- Lastly, turn the shower down. Not only does this save water, but you’ll stop your mirror from fogging so much, and you won’t splash your face or catch any untimely spray.
- Shave like you normally would. You’ll probably find it’s much easier than normal. You might even find yourself with the urge to start a shower singing session.
- Once you’re done, clean off your shaving gear and yourself like you normally would. Exult in the absolute ease of doing this, now that you’re in the shower.
- Make sure there’s no errant hairs hanging around, and check your shaving kit to make sure it’s all there. If you’re like me, you’ll probably have your shaving gear in a little container that you can easily remove from the shower, so it doesn’t take up excess space.
That’s it. You’re done. You might have noticed that the process for shaving in the shower isn’t much different from shaving out of the shower. It’s an astute observation. What really differs in a shower shave is the gear you use.
Shower shaving gear. The things you need
- A shaving mirror, preferably extendable and easy to maneuver. You’re in the shower. Space might be at a premium, and being able to move it around rather than moving around yourself is always nice. Something like this Jerdon wall mirror is ideal.
- Some way to organize and store your shaving gear. A multilevel corner storage rack like this is perfect. You can slap shaving creams and your razor on lower levels when they’re not in use, and place your bowl for lather on the top section.
- A decent razor. This comes down to personal preference so I won’t give you a recommendation here. As long as it gives a close shave and you’re comfortable using it, then it’s the best product for you.
- Some guys might want a bit of extra stability with a potentially lethal blade in their hands. In which case, grab a shower safety mat. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Something simple like this Gorilla Grip mat would do perfectly.
How to stop a mirror from fogging up
This is the main problem with shaving in the shower. While you can purchase a fog free mirror, they’re damn expensive, and can actually be pretty unreliable.
Instead, if you’ve got a standard shaving mirror, you can polish it with one of several household items to reduce the fog effect.
Use standard soap, shampoo, or for best results, a tiny dab of toothpaste, and polish it as normal. With any luck, you’ll be able to see yourself perfectly.
So would I ever go back to shaving in front of my sink rather than shaving in the shower?
Honestly, no. While I still shave in front of my mirror when I have to, when I want a more luxurious shave, I’ll treat myself to a shave in the shower. Not only does it feel so much better, but the shave I end up with is closer and stays for longer as well.
Why not give it a try. You don’t need much to make it work, and you might just like it!
