Wash face before or after shaving?

Shaving my face is more than just a grooming chore. It's actually an experience I enjoy. The feeling of warm water on my skin, the pleasant fragrance of the shaving cream, the refreshing sensation of the aftershave on my skin, all of it!

There is a non-consensus about various steps in getting the best possible shave. One of these is whether to wash your face before or after your shave. For most people this isn't a big deal and they will probably choose one method simply out of personal preference or habit, rather than any objective difference it makes to the condition of their skin after they shave.

Definitions are important! What do we mean by wash before shaving? With any type of "wet" shaving, you're going to rinse your face with water, before you apply the shaving cream and then put the razor to work. Washing does NOT simply mean splashing warm water on your face but washing with a soap or cleanser product of some sort.

Say NO to IRRITATION!
A good shave is, among many other things, one which doesn't end with razor bumps and/or acne breakouts. If you have sensitive skin (and all of us do to varying degrees), the primary cause of these problems is inflammation, which is what you experience as irritation. Inflammation can occur due to bacterial infection or simply from agitation or abrasion of the skin. Bacterial infection can occur from clogged pores containing dirt, dead skin cells and/or debris which carry bacteria.


REASONS to wash BEFORE shaving:
Firstly, to clear away dirt, debris and dead skin so that it doesn't get rubbed into your skin as you run the razor over your face. This reduces the chances of bacterial infection, and lessens the abrasion as you shave. But most importantly to clear away any oil which can reduce the effectiveness of your shaving cream. You'll notice that shaving cream lather will be denser and last longer on a washed face and this means that it can lubricate your skin better as your razor glides over it. Better lubrication means less irritation.

REASONS to wash AFTER shaving:
When you shave, the razor blade not ONLY cuts your hair, but it also will scrape off a very thin layer from the top of your skin. This, and the abrasion of the razor against your skin can also cause inflammation. Also, any dead skin scraped off in this way can get dragged into your pores, causing infection if it is left there without getting washed away. Aftershaves which have an anti-bacterial effect can solve this for most people, but they can also dry your skin and they don't actually clear away the dead skin, meaning bacteria can grow on it later on.

PROBLEMS with washing BEFORE shaving:
By shaving with an unwashed face, the layer of dirt and dead skin protects the living skin underneath from the razor. This may reduce irritation caused directly by abrasion of the razor against your skin.

What about washing BEFORE AND AFTER:
Washing with a cleanser removes a lot of the moisturising oils from your skin and can make it very dry. The shaving cream can also do this. So what you end up with is three consecutive drying processes to your skin. Moisture starved skin on the surface dies prematurely leading to a faster build-up of dead skin for bacteria to thrive. Also, your skin will end up compensating for dryness with an overproduction of sebum (natural oils) which can end up clogging pores. Keeping your skin moisturised should be part of your regular skin-care regimen anyway. So if you do decide to wash before and after, make sure your skin is moisturised afterwards. Also, make sure you use a very gentle cleanser, and only scrub your face lightly on each wash.


CONCLUSION:
Everybody's skin reacts differently to any of these stimuli. What works best for you will depend on which specific factors inflame your skin the most. Is it the abrasion? Is it dryness? Is it bacterial infection? Is it removal of skin by the razor? You'll have to try each of these methods for several shaves to see what works best for you.

For ME, I choose to wash before and after. This way, I can ensure the best possible lubrication from my shaving cream. After the shave, cleansing clears away remaining dirt, dead skin, bacteria and depilated hair. Finally, I use a mild benzoyl peroxide cream (from acne.org). Benzoyl peroxide (BP) is an anti-bacterial (actually a mild bleach) which can also dry your skin. The particular cream that I use, however, is mildly moisturising and has a very low concentration of BP (2.5%).

After over 15 years of experimenting, I've found that this is what works best for me.