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title: "Pre-Shave & Post-Shave Routine, Shave Dad, Shave Dad"
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> **Original source:** https://shavedad.com/beginners-path/pre-and-post-shave/

Beginner's Path · #7

What you do in the five minutes before and after the razor matters more than most beginners realize.

![Hero illustration: stylized aftershave splash bottle with droplets, on the Shave Dad branded card.](https://shavedad.com/_astro/07-pre-and-post-shave.B2MnuK8S_Z25C0oJ.webp)

## Pre-shave (≈3 minutes)

The goal is **soft, hydrated, clean stubble**. Hair is keratin, when it’s hydrated it cuts at about half the force of dry hair. That’s the entire reason we wet shave instead of dry shave.

**Step 1. Face wash.** Use a basic face wash. Strip the day’s oil and any sebum off your beard. Don’t use bar soap (alkaline, dries skin), use any mild face wash you’d use otherwise.

**Step 2. Hot water on stubble.** Splash hot tap water on your face for 30-60 seconds, or take your shower first and shave right after. The longer your beard is wet and warm, the easier it cuts.

**Step 3. (Optional) Hot towel or pre-shave oil.** A washcloth wrung out in hot water and held on the face for 30 seconds adds another layer of softening. Pre-shave oil (a thin botanical oil applied before the lather) helps if you have especially coarse hair or sensitive skin. Most shavers don’t need it; not using it is fine.

## Post-shave (≈2 minutes)

The goal here is **calm the skin, close the pores, prevent the trace bacteria from colonizing fresh micro-cuts.**

**Step 1. Cold rinse.** Splash cold water on your face for 20-30 seconds. Closes pores. Tightens the skin. The oldest barbershop trick in the book and one of the most effective.

**Step 2. (Optional) Alum block.** Rub a wet alum block over your face for 5-10 seconds, then rinse. Alum is a mineral salt that’s mildly astringent and antiseptic. It will sting any micro-cuts you didn’t know you had, that sting is feedback that you applied too much pressure or used too steep an angle. After a few weeks of training, the sting fades.

**Step 3. Aftershave splash OR balm.** Choose one based on your skin:

-   **Splash** (alcohol-based): closes pores, antiseptic, scented, leaves a dry finish. Best in summer. Stings briefly.
-   **Balm** (lotion-based): hydrating, soothing, no sting. Best in winter or for sensitive/dry skin.

You can use both, but you don’t have to. A good splash does 80% of what most skin needs.

Want a wider tour of the aftershave shelf before you settle on a bottle? Our [classic aftershave buyer’s guide](https://shavedad.com/classic-aftershaves-buyers-guide/) walks the families worth knowing, from the American drugstore icons and the [Clubman Pinaud](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000053L6Y?tag=shavedad-20&linkCode=ll1) wall to the Italian Proraso lineup and the British heritage houses.

**Step 4. (Optional) Eau de parfum or matching cologne.** Many artisan releases come with a matching EDP. Apply a small amount to neck/wrists. This is a quality-of-life thing, not a skin-care thing.

## Common pre/post mistakes

-   **Skipping the face wash.** Your beard collects oil and skin flakes. Lather sits on top of that and never properly contacts the hair. Wash first.
-   **Cold-water-only.** Hot water hydrates hair; cold water just chills the skin. Pre-shave should always be warm-to-hot.
-   **Skipping the cold rinse.** This single 20-second step prevents most razor burn.
-   **Splash + balm + cologne all at once.** Layering products is fine, but stings and irritations stack. If your face is reacting, drop one product at a time until you find the offender.

**Aftershave splashes, balms, and alum blocks at [The Wet Shaving Store →](https://wetshavingstore.com/collections/post-shave?utm_source=shavedad&utm_medium=guide&utm_campaign=beginners-path)**

[Next: Avoiding Razor Burn →](https://shavedad.com/beginners-path/avoiding-razor-burn/)