Warm - Don't Cool Before Shaving!
Having recently had some discussion with other shaving enthusiasts about the use of menthol in shaving products, it surprised me really the amount of guys who still use such products pre-shave. Here's my take on it:
Menthol. derived from peppermint oil, when used on the skin prompts the thermal receptors to produce a cooling sensation and for this reason it is often used in skin products that must have a cooling action (IE for muscle strain injuries). However, to prepare properly for a good wet shave, you really need to be warming your face, not cooling it, and here's the reason why.
We have over 30 muscles around the head and face area. What happens to a muscle when it is cold? That's right, it contracts and tenses. Hence the reason why all sportsmen and women 'warm up' prior to engaging in their sport - they don't want to strain, pull or even tear a muscle by exercising it cold!
We too want our facial muscles to be warm, thus relaxed and flexible when shaving. 
That's why all good barbers use 'hot towels' as part of the preparation stage when shaving. Such hot towels serve to soften the beard, open the pores and, importantly, warm and thus relax the facial muscles prior to shaving.
If you were to then apply a menthol or any other heavily minted product onto the face, it would be counter-productive as you would immediately be 'cooling' the face again!
Is ALL Cooling Wrong?
I am not 'anti-menthol' by any means - minted products have local anesthetic and counter-irritant qualities which, when used correctly and at the right time - IE after shaving - serve to relieve and comfort.
Indeed, the therapeutic effects of menthol include germicidal and tonic effects as well as the fact that it reduces itching and tenderness.
However, it is the local anesthetic action that it produces immediately before the actual shaving process that is the most commonly used reason for utilising its use in shaving products. Whilst this may well have been seen as "beneficial" 50 years ago, the use of natural oils has moved on considerably since then. Therefore, it is basically 'tradition' rather than any well founded science that keeps such products alive. 
Local Anesthetic
By the very fact that some would wish to create a 'local anesthetic' effect prior to shaving indicates that they expect to experience some sort of pain as a result of the shaving action - hence the need to 'mask' it. However, when we learn to shave correctly, a close, comfortable experience should be obtained without any pain at all. In fact, if we experience pain at anytime before, during or after shaving, we are doing something wrong. Pain is the brain's mechanism to tell us that something is not as it should be and therefore to stop doing what we're doing. Pain serves to protect us from further damage!
When to Cool
Only after the shave do we want to 'cool' the skin and that's where mildly minted products have a role to play in my opinion. To go from very warm to very cold instantly also has proven benefits to the circulatory system which, in turn, helps replenish the new, young skin cells after shaving. Hence, it is good to always splash your face with cold water immediately after shaving or even wrap a face towel which has been soaking in very cold water around your face! That's the time to cool!
Happy Shaving!
Comments
Your logic seems to make absolute sense to me .By the reverse logic would having a Red Chilli Essence , or one of those Deep Heat Type Essences , warm up the facial muscles and skin . I am not for one minute suggesting any one does this .
Would fennel,which has a fresh taste and aniseedy smell make a possible variant for an oil or soap based shaving product . ?
Thanks for your comment Eddie.
Correct shaving technique is really not that complicated. In order to warm the facial muscles prior to shaving, nothing more than very warm water is required.
I personally wouldn’t use any of the products you’ve mentioned for the simple reason that AFTER the shave you would want to cool the face. The effect of such ‘deep heat’ products would last long after the shave!
As far as fennel is concerned, that has more to do with the ‘essence’ in which case, if that’s the smell you like, then by all means!
An excellent article, with great advice! However, I’m not sure I agree completely with some of your points.
Despite the menthol, mentholated products are not any physically colder than non-mentholated ones. They do not cause any of the physical effects of applying something truly cold, like tightening of the skin or muscles. Menthol affects the way nerves perceive, hence the anesthetic and cooling properties – but, these are just perceptions.
The primary purpose of the pre-shave heat treatment is to soften the beard – the single most important step to prepare for a close, comfortable shave. Relaxing the facial skin and muscles is an unfortunate side effect of softening the beard, as taught skin and muscles help to get a closer shave. This is why the skin is often pulled taught during a shave. But, softening the beard is of utmost importance, and nothing does that job better than moist warmth. Applying a mentholated product does not counter this, as it is not truly cool.
I agree wholeheartedly with some of your other points. Using mentholated products pre-shave for its anesthetic properties is not a great idea. However, cooling down immediately after the shave with cold water or a cold cloth is, as you say, great for the skin and circulatory system.
Post-shave, I usually rinse with warm water, apply alum to the face (for its antiseptic and astringent qualities), leave it there a minute or two as I clean up the shaving gear, then rinse the alum off with cold water. Very refreshing and invigorating!
Keep up the good work, and enjoy your shaves!
Thanks for your great comment CaptainK!
That’s what I love about real shaving – so many opinions on how best to do it!
One of the key functions of any shave I undertake with any of my customers however, is to have them as relaxed and comfortable as possible. Therefore, I would have to disagree with your comment “Relaxing the facial skin and muscles is an unfortunate side effect of softening the beard, as taught skin and muscles help to get a closer shave. This is why the skin is often pulled taught during a shave.”
Warm, therefore soft and pliable facial muscles are far easier to work with and create a far more relaxing experience for the paying customer. Okay, so a little more work is involved in stretching the skin but, for me, that’s a small price to pay for a great shave!
The hubby and I have switched to using an old fnihsoaed DE (double edge) razor. I use a vintage lady Gillette razor. We buy the blades online (west coast shaving) or on ebay. 100 blades yes that is a hundred blades cost about $20 shipped. The hubby gets about 4-5 days out of each blade before he replaces it and I am lazy and replace mine after each use just because I don’t shave my legs daily or even every other day. Then I make shaving soap and shaving cream that we use an old fnihsoaed shaving brush to lather up with. It does take a little bit of an effort to lather up but it’s really worth it! Traditional shaving soap or cream is much easier on the pocket book than the stuff that comes in a can and is much better for your skin. The shave is also much better with a DE than a disposable or cartridge razor. 24 hours after the hubby shaves his face is much smoother than 12 hours after he would use an electric razor. So you can see why the electric razor was thrown away.
Great comment Mithlesh! Glad you and your hubby are enjoying the shaving experience!