Most men shave as part of their morning routine simply out of habit. It’s what their dad taught them to do, and their dad before them. But, have you ever actually sat and wondered, when is the best time to shave your face?

Let’s take a look at some things you may not have considered before, and you why you may want to decide to try shaving at night, and why you may decide you should stick to shaving in the morning.

6 Reasons Why The Best Time To Shave Might Be At Night        

1. There’s No Rush

This is perhaps the best reason. You, dear Sharpologist reader, love shaving. When you shave in the morning, oftentimes you are rushed, and you have to just squeeze it in between showering and getting enough coffee in you to fuel your commute.

When you shave at night, you’re doing it on your time, thus you can enjoy the act of shaving. You can savor the craftsmanship of the tools, the feeling of your badger (or horsehair!) brush in your hand as it lathers your shaving cream, and the tradition of using the safety razor, just as countless men before you have.

When you shave it in the morning, chances are you just doing it as quickly as possible.

2. You Won’t Be Tempted To Cut Corners

Wake up. Quickly shower. Brush your teeth. Shave. Make breakfast. Make coffee to go. Get out the door as quickly as humanly possible. The morning routine can be stressful and is usually condensed to allow you to sleep as much as possible. When this happens, it can be tempting to cut corners wherever possible in order to save time.

Some corners can be cut. The disposable razor was invented because although you and I love shaving, many of the men of our parents and grandparents generation found it to be time-consuming and difficult to do properly. This is a corner that society deemed worthy of being cut.

However, in the morning, you may be tempted to cut corners that will lead to trouble. Not letting shaving cream sit on your face for long enough, using an old blade, scraping your face, improperly shaving against the grain, and more. When this happens, you’re stuck dealing with razor burn and a raw, itchy face.

When you shave at night, you can slow down and properly shave, and do your proper post shave routine.

3. You’ll Get To Sleep More

In the mornings you are crunched for time, and shaving is going to take most men at least ten to fifteen minutes if they have a thick beard. Instead of rushing through your shave, this is an extra fifteen minutes you can spend sleeping in before work.

Many Americans have a significant sleep debt, so even a slight increase in sleep each day can drastically improve the quality of your life, work, and state of mind.

4. You’ll Make Fewer Mistakes

Whether you are a shaving enthusiast with a love for straight razors or just have to shave because your boss demands it, everyone makes mistakes while shaving. We all know how awful of a feeling it is to nick your face while shaving and then walk around all day with little dabs of toilet paper on your face.

According to sleep scientist Daniel Gartenberg, sleep inertia, which is defined by the general sense of malaise and grogginess most people feel in the morning, can last up to two hours. Unfortunately, most of us shave during this time period, which means we’re even more prone to making mistakes.

When you shave at night you’re fully awake, alert, and honed in on perfectly wielding your butterfly razor to get the perfect shave. I’m not saying the best time to shave your face is in the evening because you will never make mistakes shaving at night, but in my experience, it is significantly less likely to happen.

5. You May Experience Less Irritation

A lot of men are expected to be both shaven and wear a collared shirt at their job. Although this can certainly make you look dapper, oftentimes these two things do not go hand-in-hand. Speaking from my own experience, collared shirts and fresh shaves can lead to hours of irritation.

When you shave at night, you are giving your face hours to heal, so when you do put on that suit, you won’t have to deal with any irritation. You will just look sharp.

6. No One Will Notice (Unless Your Beard Grows Quickly)

If you shave at night, chances are by the time you get to work the next morning you will still look smooth. Of course, your five o’clock shadow will come in earlier than usual, so by the afternoon, you may start to have some stubble showing. If your beard grows quickly, this may be problematic if your office is strict.

5 Reasons Why The Best Time To Shave Might Be In The Morning

Now that we’ve taken a deep dive into why you should try shaving at night, let’s take a look at why you should consider shaving in the morning.

1. It’s A Tradition

Millions of men across the world start their day off by shaving and have done so for years. Every time do this you are partaking in this sacred ritual. You may find that even if shaving at night has a variety of benefits, you miss the ritual and the routine of shaving first thing in the morning.

2. Your Beard Grows Back Too Quickly To Shave At Night

For some men, shaving at night is simply impossible because their beard grows back too quickly. Because of this, they have to shave in the morning and there is no real way around it.

If this is you, we recommend learning to enjoy shaving in the morning, and waking up early so you can properly do it.

3. You’re A Morning Person

 

Some people simply wake up more easily than others and do not experience as much grogginess in the morning. If this is you, I recommend taking full advantage of it and having a nice, enjoyable shave first thing in the morning. It is a fantastic way to start the day, especially when you can fully appreciate it.

4. You Enjoy The Smooth-As-Glass Feel

In my opinion, there is something about a fresh morning shave that makes you feel ready to take on the day. This goes hand and hand with that smooth-as-glass feel, which makes me feel confident and ready. You may find that if you shave at night, you lose this confidence and you feel slightly off.

5. You Simply Don’t Have The Time Or Energy To Shave At Night

Look, for some guys, especially those who have high-powered careers or kids, the hours before bed are sacred. We all need relaxation time, and you may not be up for going through the routine of shaving at the end of the day, even if it is something you truly enjoy. You may be exhausted, and all you want to do is unplug. In this case, the better time to shave your face is probably in the morning.

Conclusion

When it comes down to it, the best time to shave your face is a personal decision each man must make for himself. Whether you chose to shave in the morning or at night, the important thing in my eyes is that you do so correctly and take care of yourself. However, I recommend giving shaving a night a shot, because you may find that you really enjoy it and the benefits that come with it.

About The Author:

Jonathon Sanders is the founder of Trust Sleep, a website dedicated to researching sleep products and sleep studies. He loves writing, listening to Bruce Springsteen, and has spent an inordinate amount of time looking for the perfect double edge safety razor.