Is there a difference....

casecracker · Post by **casecracker** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 4:23 pm

Between shaving in the morning and shaving in the afternoon? I've noticed that I tend to get more nicks in the afternoon than if I shave in the morning, even after several days of afternoon shaving. Is there a natural softness to the beard in the morning? Like maybe the oil from your skin after a night's sleep acts as a pre-shave

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 4:49 pm

When you shave at these two times, are you doing equal preparation for either one? (That is, if you're going to shave in the afternoon do you shower first?)

casecracker · Post by **casecracker** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 4:57 pm

notthesharpest wrote:When you shave at these two times, are you doing equal preparation for either one? (That is, if you're going to shave in the afternoon do you shower first?)

Yes, same prep.

jww · Post by **jww** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 6:59 pm

I have personally never noticed a difference in the results between shaving in the am or pm.

merkri · Post by **merkri** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:28 pm

I don't know...

I have fewer nicks in the afternoon, probably because I'm less hurried and disorganized.

I do think I get a smoother shave right out of the shower, but the extra time I get in the afternoon more than makes up for it. Even when I shave in the morning, I don't like to shave as soon as I get out of the shower anyway--I always feel like it's a waste to dry myself off and then lather up right away again.

notthesharpest · Post by **notthesharpest** » Thu Jul 01, 2010 10:38 pm

Well, if you notice a difference, then for you there's a difference.

I think for me skin oil acts as the opposite of a pre-shave - I have to use a pre-shave, or just let my lather soak in, to dissolve at least some of that oil - otherwise my beard doesn't get waterlogged properly.

But something is making a difference; are you in a hurry in the afternoon? Have you had air conditioning on and dried out the air in the house so that your lather dries faster? It could be any one of a lot of things, and maybe not all of them are obvious or expected.

jpq5 · Post by **jpq5** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:56 am

I work third shift so I shave at all times of the day. I've never noticed a difference between 8 am or 6 pm. But its always after a shower whether it's before or after work.

fallingwickets · Post by **fallingwickets** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 5:54 am

afternoons are always a bit rough for me.....no nicks or cuts but not as good as a morning shave.......must be the becks, so: SUI not recommended HHAHAHAHAA

clive

drumana · Post by **drumana** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 6:09 am

I've heard the theory that in the morning the face is puffy from sleep and that later on in the day, when the puffiness goes down, the skin is less sensitive and thus the shaves are better (easier?).

I don't know if I subscribe to this theory though. I mostly shave first thing in the morning but have also shaved in the afternoon and evening. There isn't a notable difference for me.

Seamaster · Post by **Seamaster** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:50 am

I'm a late night shaver. But it's a hangover from the days when I left my face looking like a butcher's slab and had the blood-stained collars to prove it.

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 12:55 pm

Seamaster wrote:I'm a late night shaver. But it's a hangover from the days when I left my face looking like a butcher's slab and had the blood-stained collars to prove it.

Well, as long as it's not because you're actually hungover...

stagger · Post by **stagger** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 1:49 pm

My shave is the same (BBS) no matter what time of day I shave.

paperpundit · Post by **paperpundit** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 2:06 pm

Clive, if you drink nearly as much Becks as you claim, brother, you must look like Butterbean...

I, too, get harsher shaves in the afternoon than in the morning -- I have always blamed it on technique. When I shave in the afternoon or evening, I'm almost always in a hurry.

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 2:16 pm

I have two comments, one logical and the other unexplained.

There is a growth spurt resulting from the surge of adrenocortical steroids at 8am each morning. This is when the majority of daily beard growth occurs. Shave at 9am at a weekend and you'll be very smooth in the evening. Shave at 6am on a weekday and you have five o'clock shadow. There it is.

More strangely, I always am more prone to cuts and irritation if I shave in the evening. This is a shame, as I have more time to shave at bedtime, and it makes little difference to my face during the workday as most growth occurs after I shave in the morning (vide supra).

Chris

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 9:22 pm

Sooo.....THAT'S why my shave holds up so well?....because I always shave after 8am? Damn! I've always put it down to my superior technique ( chuckle ).
Regards,
Gordon

a-cut-above · Post by **a-cut-above** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 10:53 pm

Dr. Moss is correct that a burst of adrenocortical steroids (including testosterone) occurs in the morning but the exact timing is variable. Like all our bodily rhythms, there is natural individual variability; it's not strictly an 8 AM phenomenon in every male. The adrenocortical hormones have other effects so you may figure out when yours occurs, i.e. earlier or later in the morning. If you are a "late buster", shaving early will get you a five o'clock shadow. "Early bursters" will get nice long lasting shaves, but may have a tendency to, ahem, awaken their wives ("annoy" from their point of view?!) earlier in the morning than they prefer.

Racso_MS · Post by **Racso_MS** » Mon Jul 05, 2010 5:49 pm

Since I'm no longer in the military, I no longer shave at 0430 hours (4:30 a.m.). I now shave just before bedtime. Anywhere from 2100 hours (9 p.m.) to 2200 hours (10 p.m.). I find that my shave lasts long enough to carry me through the duty day (0700-1630 daily). I still work for the Department of Defense in a contractor capacity but no longer require a BBS shave as I once did.

I enjoy shaving in the evening because I can shower and shave without being in a hurry and really take my time to "Enjoy My Shave.".

Also, I can't find any difference between shaving in the morning or evening. My beard is coarse, although much grayer, (morning or evening) and I was always rushed in the morning so I didn't enjoy my shave as much as I do now. Unless your job required (as mine did) a smooth shave in the morning, shaving in the evening is acceptable unless you have a fast growing beard.

The wife is also more appreciative of my evening shave. :~)

Morning or evening, if you have the time, ENJOY YOUR SHAVE. :~)