Discovering a fine shaving soap that works well is a fun experience for a lot of wet-shavers. As wet-shavers, the quality of our shaves can change based on so many factors. The kind of blades we use, what brand/model of the safety razor, a shaving soap or cream. However, one variable that a lot don’t take into consideration is the water. I know what you are probably thinking, “the kind of water doesn’t make an impact on my overall shave. Water is water at the end of the day, and as long as I can use it to make my lather, it shouldn’t matter.” The truth is it can, lathering with a shaving soap with hard water can impact the kind of lather you get from it, and thus potentially impacting your overall experience. In this blog, we examine how shaving with hard water can make a big difference.
What is Hard Water?
Hard Water is not describing how the water feels but rather the molecular properties of the substance. Hard water contains a higher concentration of minerals; primarily magnesium and calcium. Water becomes hard when it comes into contact and flows through rocks and wells. Soft water, on the other hand, is water that contains fewer minerals. If the water contains magnesium or calcium it doesn’t automatically become hard, rather it works on a spectrum and the more minerals it contains the harder it becomes.
Hard water is more common in rural areas where residence rely heavily on well water. In contrast, residence in urban areas, have their water go through a water treatment process to help clean and bring the water down to the specific mineral standard. Every city or town is slightly different, so it’s worth checking into how your water is maintained.
How does Hard Water impact your shaving soap experience?
The minerals in hard water make it difficult to create a sufficient lather needed for a close shave. The video below shows how soap interacts with hard water versus soft water. Though it’s not ‘shaving soap’, the video still gives you a good idea of the problem.
When your lather is not the best, you’ll feel more of a tug on your facial hard from the blade doing the work. You may experience more irritation, as your skin has not received the necessary lubrication to allow for the blade to ‘glide’ over the skin with ease and trimming at the base of the hairs.
Shaving lather is always tricky and as wet-shavers, you might believe that too thick of lather is not either; as it may clog up the razor. It’s about finding a balance, one of constant experimentation.
Changing Hard Water For Shaving Soap
Do you need to change your hard water system to get a better shave? The answer to that is no. One way you can help reduce the hard water in the home is by getting a hard water filtration system. However, the problem with these systems is that they can get expensive.
One thing to consider is purchasing a system specifically for one bathroom in the home. This way you are cutting down the cost of the entire home; however still able to see the benefits in one specific room.
At the same time, not all shaving soaps are equal. As you try more and more shaving soaps, you learn that some lather better with hard water compared to others. We will have a variety of blog posts coming out at a later date regarding hard water lathers.
You can also consider trying a shaving cream, that may allow for an easier lather experience.
At the end of the day, if you have really bad hard water in the home, we recommend considering a hard water filtration system. Not because of getting a closer or better shave, but because of the health benefits. It’s important to have a good water supply and quality of water in the house for healthy living.
It all depends on how hard the water is, and whether or not you see a need for it.
Leave a comment below, of shaving soaps you have discovered that work well with hard water!
