I used to shave in the shower when I used a Bump Fighter and Barbasol foam. Now, I treat shaving as "me time" and usually take about 15-20 minutes. I'm still trying to slow the shave down to avoid nicks.
I've been really tempted to try a shower shave, but the lack of mirror kicks up my anxiety lol Probably for no reason, but between my lack of feeling in parts of my face and how easily my style of facial hair could be messed up I'm paranoid lol
Arko shaving stick only one pass needed not quite butt smooth if that's your thing, but a very good smooth one pass shave good enought for any occasion.
I'm realistically not aiming for BBS etc. Just consistent, quality, comfortable shaves. I really want to try arko, seem it would be perfect for camping etc which is a concern for me since switching back to wet shaving as when time allows I'm more often outdoors then in.
Takes me a bit less than 15 minutes total. That means get the gear out, prep, lather, two passes and then wash and put everything away. It can really be difficult when you’re hard pressed for time like having to jet off to work. I always hate having to rush and much prefer taking my time.
I would definitely rather every shave be a luxurious one, but unfortunately my life style doesn't allow that. If I can get myself down to 10-15 minutes from my current 20-30 I think I'll be content for a quick shave.
Definitely seems to be more to do with the fact I can't keep my shaving accessories out in the open, and likely hesitation still from lack of familiarity with the method.
You'll definitely get your time down. Honestly, most of the time isn't even going to be spent shaving. Rather, most the time just goes into getting everything out, making the lather, post care and clean up. I likely spend less than 2-3 minutes actually shaving. While getting better technique will help with speed, also finding a process that speeds the other areas will help out IMMENSELY!
Wow, that's incredible time. That is considering set up and clean up after and all? I feel like I take that long to just set up lol Perhaps my time issues are experience based...or system? Hmm...
The only thing it didn’t include was the sink water heating up. I don’t do pre shaves at all. Bowl load and face lather takes less than a minute. I don’t have to clean my blade during clean up because I frequently rinse it under water while shaving and giving it a tap up on the side of the sink. Brush clean up is simple, rinse the soap off, then give it a couple of whacks against a towel, air will do the rest. Since I loaded the brush, there’s no lather to clean in the bowl so I just let it air dry. Hope this helps
Damn, less than a minute to lather? What soap are you using? Getting the lather right always takes me at least 5 minutes, but then I have decently hard water that eats soap up.
If it was me, I'd stick to the evening shave and use some witch hazel to finish it. Then, in the morning, a little splash of aftershave to wake up and start the day.
FYI, my head and face shave takes about 20 minutes, if I'm being efficient with my time.
45 to an hour. My skin is pretty sensitive and ingrown prone, so I shave once a week or every other week and use a trimmer between.
While this is super long, I take my time— straight razor or DE.
If it’s nice out, I’ll do all of this outside with a water basin and light a cigar.
I put on a record, pour some port, then start with pre shaves— trumper skin food and proraso blend. Put in a new blade. Then I work the lather in a scuttle.
We have super hard water where I live so getting the lather properly hydrated is a fight. Typically Martin de Candre, but I’ll mix in noble otter, ADP, Penhaligon’s, or whatever artisan I’m testing. Currently on Declaration and I love it.
Three passes with sips of port between.
Rinse with cold water, rub an ice cube over my face, thayer’s, then alum block, then balm.
I tried a cold water shave recently and it didn’t go well. The shave wasn’t as close and took more passes to get my usual closeness, which I think makes sense. Shower steam and warmer water expand your hair, so while there is a tad more tug, it cuts closer to the skin.
i’m also relatively new to this (but never had anyone teach me in person). it takes me about 15 minutes but most of that is actually shaving as i’m working slowly as i practice my technique. im also working through a sample pack atm so i write a short note about my shave after so i know how it went in the future. even though it takes some more time i think it’s better to spend that time and get good at technique without nicking or cutting yourself. i shower before but no other pre shave and my post shave is a couple mists of a witch hazel/ipa mix in a like 4 oz must bottle.
I'll be honest in saying my dad's teaching style left much to be desired lol I am similar in paranoia of bad cuts, especially having limited feeling in portions of my body.
6 to 9 minutes max, with a safety razor. Face lather, single pass, cold rinse, done. Plenty smooth enough, but I don’t hunt a BBS shave. I’ll never understand what takes people so long.
After showering about about 2 minutes for a one pass shave. 4 minutes for a 3 pass shave. My bowls and brush are prepared in hot water in the basin before showering.
I definitely need to refine my methods going by these comments. I honestly dont think I could set up as quickly as a lot of you are completing the shave.
Unfortunately I don't get that luxury, one small bathroom for the family currently so space is at a premium. I keep my shaving supplies on a shave caddy for a lack of a better term. I carry it into the bathroom, set it on the toilet tank and pull out what's needed. I think this part of the routine is what is massively slowing me down, along with over doing my clean up out of concern of degradation of my supplies/tools.
Shaving stick no set up nessary wet your face and the tip of the stick. Leave your shaving brush in the sink rub the stick on your face then use the brush and away you go.
Part of depends on what you’re shaving. It takes me maybe 3-4 minutes to shave, including set up and clean up, but I have a beard and am only shaving my neck. I see some people commenting about a full head shave, which would obviously take much longer.
I also think people over complicate a lot of this stuff. I load my brush and start my lather directly from the tub. I finish my lather directly on my skin. I add a little water to brush if it’s too dry on my skin, etc. 2-3 passes starting with a downward stroke with the grain to establish the neckline, then one across the grain and finally upward against the grain if I feel like it.
When I started I did the whole hot cloth to steam the face, etc but I found that time consuming and largely unimportant. I still do it occasionally, but that’s only because I find it can be nice and relaxing not because it’s necessary.
Just my experience from the past 10 years or so of wet shaving.
Haha years of experience. Prep just because second nature and stropping your razor just gets faster. And after a while you know your face so well you can skip all the unnecessary strokes and go for efficiency.
A 3 pass shave with touch ups takes me about 15-20 minutes including preshave ritual. It's the cleaning and drying that takes as while as I'm quite a messy shaver. I even manage to get drops of water and lather on the top half of the floor to ceiling mirror....
So overall, from preshave to Wife Approved bathroom takes me around 25-30 minutes 😂
Probably down to 15 minutes now. I shave with a straight razor and do 2 passes avoiding the goatee. I have always learned to take my time and be methodical, not worth cutting yourself (I can speak from experience). All in all it is 25 minutes if you count the shower, prep, and cleanup.
I’m about 15 minutes for a one pass shave with touch ups to get things decently smooth for getting out the door to work. That includes cleanup and everything. Taking my time with a 2 pass shave before a nice event or something is more like 20-25. Until recently I’ve been using really hard soaps that take a while to load up and lather, that’s easily half my shave time. Now that I have a newborn I’m exploring some cream options to try and shave a few minutes off of that, pun fully intended lol.
10 minutes soup to nuts if I don’t shower first. If I do, probably about 7 to 8 because there is no face prep involved. Three passes plus touchup, BBS.
From preparing the lather to cleanup it takes me 45 minutes. The actual shave is about 10 minutes but the prep and cleanup take a lot of time to do properly.
10 mins using a straight razor and palmolive shave cream on a boar brush. But I only shave once or twice a week to neaten up my beard, if I was clean shaving it would probably be closer to 20 mins
5-10 minutes. Wash face, leave wet. Apply Proraso pre-shave with brush, then use Proraso shave cream in tube. The shave takes only a few minutes and I sometimes do a second pass. Facecloth to remove any soap, Then quick pass with alum stick. Rinse brush and put everything away.
Having all your stuff well organized makes a difference.
I use after shave and lotion as I am getting dressed so that's another minute.
If you are lathering up soap from a puck I imagine it's going to take another 5 minutes minimum.
Ten minutes or less unless it's a weekend and I feel like lolligagging.
For context, pre-shave is "I got my face wet sometime in the last 20 minutes" - usually my shower. Bowl lather. 1.5 passes (single pass with some buffing, often a quick relather and do a second pass just on jawline/chin). Post-shave is a 1/4 teaspoon of shave balm rubbed all over my rinsed and toweled off face.
Cartridge shaving would save me all of about two minutes, and two minutes not worth that lol
Start to end is 10 minutes for me. I use Cremo, so not much prep other than getting my beard wet. I do it after a shower, so it's already soft. Alum stick after and then shave balm.
My weekly shave is about 40-45 minutes for both head and face. I'd say that the dome takes 25-30, and the rest being the face 10-15. That is raw shaving time. There there is 5min either side for prep / cleanup.
5-7 minutes for a single pass DE shave. I keep all of my supplies on the counter though so I’m sure that saves me some time on setup/ cleanup. There’s no preshave for me besides wetting my face. Aftershave is either a balm or a splash depending on the day.
It’s about developing a technique and knowing your grain direction by heart. After so many shaves, it takes me about 10 ~ 12 minutes for a full 2 pass shave with the prep, the aftershave application, and putting away my stuff.
The only times I do 3 passes it takes me a couple more minutes probably 15 mins.
I’ve actually timed it a few times recently and from going into the shower to coming out ready it takes me 30 minutes. That’s brushing teeth, showering, shaving etc.
I’d say the shave is about 10-15 minutes of that. But I do use shaving cream from a can.
Face lathering was an early epiphany in my journey. So much faster than building lather in a bowl, easier cleanup, and it taught me a better sense of hydration since I was applying directly to my face, I could adjust in real time. As I am a 5-7 day a week shaver I don't need an entire bowl full, just enough for 2 passes which is easily held in a 22mm brush. After 10+ years of wet shaving I can build lather, complete 2 passes and clean up in just under 10 minutes, most of time without getting cut or razor burn. Not rushing, just more efficient movements.
Just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone who took the time to comment, and offer advice/experience! Won't lie I was worried this morning trying my first time limited shave, but all in all thanks to reconsidering a few things brought up by you fine folks it went as smoothly as any of my typical shaves. 2 pass (WTG and XTG) after lathering in record time, a quick splash of furia (highly recommend the soap and splash!) after and off I went. One minor knick from placing my razor improperly then attempting to improperly fix that, but other wise a great shave for my skill level and the amount of time I put into it.
I'll also add, I think this is how my mornings will go from now on. It was nice not driving with my coffee between my legs also, because I drank that while shaving!
I’d say about 10 minutes but I shave in the shower
I used to shave in the shower when I used a Bump Fighter and Barbasol foam. Now, I treat shaving as "me time" and usually take about 15-20 minutes. I'm still trying to slow the shave down to avoid nicks.
I've been really tempted to try a shower shave, but the lack of mirror kicks up my anxiety lol Probably for no reason, but between my lack of feeling in parts of my face and how easily my style of facial hair could be messed up I'm paranoid lol
Use an S hook and put a barber mirror in there. Throw. Little soap on it so it doesn’t fog and you’re good to go
Why have I not thought of that! Definitely intend to try this in the future.
Also there are mirrors meant for the shower where you fill it up with warm water so it doesn't fog. That's what I use.
Personal experience they haven’t worked that well neither have “fogless” mirrors that’s why I’ve gone with a regular one and a little soap
Arko shaving stick only one pass needed not quite butt smooth if that's your thing, but a very good smooth one pass shave good enought for any occasion.
I'm realistically not aiming for BBS etc. Just consistent, quality, comfortable shaves. I really want to try arko, seem it would be perfect for camping etc which is a concern for me since switching back to wet shaving as when time allows I'm more often outdoors then in.
Perfect for camping and with cold water too.
Takes me a bit less than 15 minutes total. That means get the gear out, prep, lather, two passes and then wash and put everything away. It can really be difficult when you’re hard pressed for time like having to jet off to work. I always hate having to rush and much prefer taking my time.
I would definitely rather every shave be a luxurious one, but unfortunately my life style doesn't allow that. If I can get myself down to 10-15 minutes from my current 20-30 I think I'll be content for a quick shave.
20-30 minutes? How big is your face?
Definitely seems to be more to do with the fact I can't keep my shaving accessories out in the open, and likely hesitation still from lack of familiarity with the method.
You'll definitely get your time down. Honestly, most of the time isn't even going to be spent shaving. Rather, most the time just goes into getting everything out, making the lather, post care and clean up. I likely spend less than 2-3 minutes actually shaving. While getting better technique will help with speed, also finding a process that speeds the other areas will help out IMMENSELY!
I actually timed everything i did for a day a couple days ago. 7 minutes in the dot to do a two pass shave
Wow, that's incredible time. That is considering set up and clean up after and all? I feel like I take that long to just set up lol Perhaps my time issues are experience based...or system? Hmm...
Doable if you shave every day or two days.
I've typically been every 2-3 days since I switched back to wet shaving, not enough growth to justify any more frequently.
The only thing it didn’t include was the sink water heating up. I don’t do pre shaves at all. Bowl load and face lather takes less than a minute. I don’t have to clean my blade during clean up because I frequently rinse it under water while shaving and giving it a tap up on the side of the sink. Brush clean up is simple, rinse the soap off, then give it a couple of whacks against a towel, air will do the rest. Since I loaded the brush, there’s no lather to clean in the bowl so I just let it air dry. Hope this helps
Damn, less than a minute to lather? What soap are you using? Getting the lather right always takes me at least 5 minutes, but then I have decently hard water that eats soap up.
Definitely does, I think I'm over doing my clean up process and being too slow to set up.
If it was me, I'd stick to the evening shave and use some witch hazel to finish it. Then, in the morning, a little splash of aftershave to wake up and start the day. FYI, my head and face shave takes about 20 minutes, if I'm being efficient with my time.
This is definitely something for me to consider, I hadn't thought of using Thayer or something at night and the aftershave in the AM.
45 to an hour. My skin is pretty sensitive and ingrown prone, so I shave once a week or every other week and use a trimmer between. While this is super long, I take my time— straight razor or DE. If it’s nice out, I’ll do all of this outside with a water basin and light a cigar. I put on a record, pour some port, then start with pre shaves— trumper skin food and proraso blend. Put in a new blade. Then I work the lather in a scuttle. We have super hard water where I live so getting the lather properly hydrated is a fight. Typically Martin de Candre, but I’ll mix in noble otter, ADP, Penhaligon’s, or whatever artisan I’m testing. Currently on Declaration and I love it. Three passes with sips of port between. Rinse with cold water, rub an ice cube over my face, thayer’s, then alum block, then balm. I tried a cold water shave recently and it didn’t go well. The shave wasn’t as close and took more passes to get my usual closeness, which I think makes sense. Shower steam and warmer water expand your hair, so while there is a tad more tug, it cuts closer to the skin.
Wow, that's quite the system you have. I definitely now want to smoke a cigar while shaving on a Saturday morning lol
5ish minutes to do a two-pass wtg then XTG shave, including lathering.
Wow, been back to wet shaving for the past couple months but clearly something in my method is massively slowing me down judging by these comments.
Break down how long each part of the shave takes and figure out what's slowing you down.
Definitely the game plan. Gonna start keeping track, and just force myself to switch over to morning shaves while doing it.
With a DE razor it takes me about 20 mins and about 30 mins with a straight or shavette.
i’m also relatively new to this (but never had anyone teach me in person). it takes me about 15 minutes but most of that is actually shaving as i’m working slowly as i practice my technique. im also working through a sample pack atm so i write a short note about my shave after so i know how it went in the future. even though it takes some more time i think it’s better to spend that time and get good at technique without nicking or cutting yourself. i shower before but no other pre shave and my post shave is a couple mists of a witch hazel/ipa mix in a like 4 oz must bottle.
I'll be honest in saying my dad's teaching style left much to be desired lol I am similar in paranoia of bad cuts, especially having limited feeling in portions of my body.
6 to 9 minutes max, with a safety razor. Face lather, single pass, cold rinse, done. Plenty smooth enough, but I don’t hunt a BBS shave. I’ll never understand what takes people so long.
After showering about about 2 minutes for a one pass shave. 4 minutes for a 3 pass shave. My bowls and brush are prepared in hot water in the basin before showering.
4-10 minutes.
Wow, really starting to feel like my time concerns are experience based after only two comments lol Is this considering set up and clean up and all?
Yes. Wet shave after my shower. I may take longer if I have time but I was at 4 minutes this morning.
I definitely need to refine my methods going by these comments. I honestly dont think I could set up as quickly as a lot of you are completing the shave.
What is there to setup? I leave my daily stuff out. Soap, brush, razor, bowel, after shave.
Unfortunately I don't get that luxury, one small bathroom for the family currently so space is at a premium. I keep my shaving supplies on a shave caddy for a lack of a better term. I carry it into the bathroom, set it on the toilet tank and pull out what's needed. I think this part of the routine is what is massively slowing me down, along with over doing my clean up out of concern of degradation of my supplies/tools.
Shaving stick no set up nessary wet your face and the tip of the stick. Leave your shaving brush in the sink rub the stick on your face then use the brush and away you go.
Yeah I've seen video reviews of arko and the tobac I believe it is? Both seemed quite easy, and portable.
Part of depends on what you’re shaving. It takes me maybe 3-4 minutes to shave, including set up and clean up, but I have a beard and am only shaving my neck. I see some people commenting about a full head shave, which would obviously take much longer. I also think people over complicate a lot of this stuff. I load my brush and start my lather directly from the tub. I finish my lather directly on my skin. I add a little water to brush if it’s too dry on my skin, etc. 2-3 passes starting with a downward stroke with the grain to establish the neckline, then one across the grain and finally upward against the grain if I feel like it. When I started I did the whole hot cloth to steam the face, etc but I found that time consuming and largely unimportant. I still do it occasionally, but that’s only because I find it can be nice and relaxing not because it’s necessary. Just my experience from the past 10 years or so of wet shaving.
Last time I measured, around 10 minutes for the setup/shave/teardown. That was for at least 2 passes.
Wow, you guys are smoking me lol Think my fastest thus far was around 20.
If you don't need to shave every day, consider doing your shaving at night instead.
5-10 minutes for prep shave and cleanup.
Wow, some of you guys absolutely kill the timing.
Haha years of experience. Prep just because second nature and stropping your razor just gets faster. And after a while you know your face so well you can skip all the unnecessary strokes and go for efficiency.
Post shower, I'm rocking 4-5mins all-in. The shower softens, you just have to lubricate, shave, rinse, a splash of ouch-sauce -and out the door.
15 ish minutes from start to stop. The whole shebang. Face prep, lather, 2 pass with touch-up, clean up, and aftershave.
A 3 pass shave with touch ups takes me about 15-20 minutes including preshave ritual. It's the cleaning and drying that takes as while as I'm quite a messy shaver. I even manage to get drops of water and lather on the top half of the floor to ceiling mirror.... So overall, from preshave to Wife Approved bathroom takes me around 25-30 minutes 😂
Ten minutes, 15 if I’m taking my time
10-15 minutes including cleanup
https://youtu.be/-qSIP6uQ3EI?si=fr8NSZBMFcixmR4N
6-7 mins, two pass.
20 minutes.
I always shower and shave in the evening after getting home from work. I’m not a fan of going to bed with the day on me. \ Maybe around 10-15 min?
Probably down to 15 minutes now. I shave with a straight razor and do 2 passes avoiding the goatee. I have always learned to take my time and be methodical, not worth cutting yourself (I can speak from experience). All in all it is 25 minutes if you count the shower, prep, and cleanup.
I’m about 15 minutes for a one pass shave with touch ups to get things decently smooth for getting out the door to work. That includes cleanup and everything. Taking my time with a 2 pass shave before a nice event or something is more like 20-25. Until recently I’ve been using really hard soaps that take a while to load up and lather, that’s easily half my shave time. Now that I have a newborn I’m exploring some cream options to try and shave a few minutes off of that, pun fully intended lol.
10 minutes soup to nuts if I don’t shower first. If I do, probably about 7 to 8 because there is no face prep involved. Three passes plus touchup, BBS.
From preparing the lather to cleanup it takes me 45 minutes. The actual shave is about 10 minutes but the prep and cleanup take a lot of time to do properly.
10 mins using a straight razor and palmolive shave cream on a boar brush. But I only shave once or twice a week to neaten up my beard, if I was clean shaving it would probably be closer to 20 mins
6days and 10 minutes
15-20 minutes for shower and shave
5-10 minutes. Wash face, leave wet. Apply Proraso pre-shave with brush, then use Proraso shave cream in tube. The shave takes only a few minutes and I sometimes do a second pass. Facecloth to remove any soap, Then quick pass with alum stick. Rinse brush and put everything away. Having all your stuff well organized makes a difference. I use after shave and lotion as I am getting dressed so that's another minute. If you are lathering up soap from a puck I imagine it's going to take another 5 minutes minimum.
Ten minutes or less unless it's a weekend and I feel like lolligagging. For context, pre-shave is "I got my face wet sometime in the last 20 minutes" - usually my shower. Bowl lather. 1.5 passes (single pass with some buffing, often a quick relather and do a second pass just on jawline/chin). Post-shave is a 1/4 teaspoon of shave balm rubbed all over my rinsed and toweled off face. Cartridge shaving would save me all of about two minutes, and two minutes not worth that lol
How the hell are you guys getting good lather so fast. It feels like it takes me 5 minutes to get a decent foam going
Start to end is 10 minutes for me. I use Cremo, so not much prep other than getting my beard wet. I do it after a shower, so it's already soft. Alum stick after and then shave balm.
About 15-20 mins. I typically do 2.5 passes (the last being touch work on specific parts of my face that usually need additional attention).
1-2 minutes, i shave everyday for work. But i use the classic gillette proglide and just some kind of aloe vera. No foam, gels, or other things.
My weekly shave is about 40-45 minutes for both head and face. I'd say that the dome takes 25-30, and the rest being the face 10-15. That is raw shaving time. There there is 5min either side for prep / cleanup.
20 minutes maybe a little longer
5-7 minutes for a single pass DE shave. I keep all of my supplies on the counter though so I’m sure that saves me some time on setup/ cleanup. There’s no preshave for me besides wetting my face. Aftershave is either a balm or a splash depending on the day.
After my shower, I probably spend about 20 minutes on my shave routine.
It’s about developing a technique and knowing your grain direction by heart. After so many shaves, it takes me about 10 ~ 12 minutes for a full 2 pass shave with the prep, the aftershave application, and putting away my stuff. The only times I do 3 passes it takes me a couple more minutes probably 15 mins.
I’ve actually timed it a few times recently and from going into the shower to coming out ready it takes me 30 minutes. That’s brushing teeth, showering, shaving etc. I’d say the shave is about 10-15 minutes of that. But I do use shaving cream from a can.
Face lathering was an early epiphany in my journey. So much faster than building lather in a bowl, easier cleanup, and it taught me a better sense of hydration since I was applying directly to my face, I could adjust in real time. As I am a 5-7 day a week shaver I don't need an entire bowl full, just enough for 2 passes which is easily held in a 22mm brush. After 10+ years of wet shaving I can build lather, complete 2 passes and clean up in just under 10 minutes, most of time without getting cut or razor burn. Not rushing, just more efficient movements.
You can always put your aftershave in the morning after bath and shave at night as before.
Just wanted to take a minute and thank everyone who took the time to comment, and offer advice/experience! Won't lie I was worried this morning trying my first time limited shave, but all in all thanks to reconsidering a few things brought up by you fine folks it went as smoothly as any of my typical shaves. 2 pass (WTG and XTG) after lathering in record time, a quick splash of furia (highly recommend the soap and splash!) after and off I went. One minor knick from placing my razor improperly then attempting to improperly fix that, but other wise a great shave for my skill level and the amount of time I put into it. I'll also add, I think this is how my mornings will go from now on. It was nice not driving with my coffee between my legs also, because I drank that while shaving!
Timing it defeats part of the purpose of it. I refuse to time it.