Top 10 Shaving Tips, Courtesy of Men-U™

Warning - this is the long answer -
but isn’t a couple of minutes of reading worth it? After all, your face is the
first thing they notice……

1. Make Sure Your Beard is Thoroughly Wet
   One of the keys to a great close shave without irritation or skin rash is to
   make sure your beard is thoroughly wet. Facial hair will absorb moisture up
   to 30% of its volume. Hair swollen with water becomes quite weak and
   therefore easier to cut. Showering before shaving is the ideal way to ensure
   you beard is properly moistened. If a shower is not possible, rinse your
   face and then apply a warm moistened towel to your face for at least a
   couple of minutes. This is the technique that barbers use. Never shave cold
   or apply shaving products to a dry face.

2. Use a Quality Shaving Cream
   Use a shaving cream that has a high concentration of
   lubricants (eg silicones) and moisturizers. The best shaving
   creams create a rich creamy lather and do not foam up like the
   cheaper drug store brands. The less "foaming" in the shave cream
   the better, as it is what is in contact with the skin and beard that matters
   - all else is wasted. Less resistance, less irritation and less nicks also
   mean a longer lasting blade! While the primary function of the shaving cream
   is to lubricate your face so that the razor will glide smoothly and
   effortlessly across the surface, it also serves to lock the moisture into
   the whiskers, keeping them soft and upright, primed for the cut. The ideal
   scenario is to leave the shaving cream on your face for at least a
   minute before you begin cutting, so that the beard is as soft and wet as
   possible.
   
   

3. A Shaving Brush is One of the Best Tools
   One of the best tools you can use to achieve the optimum shave is a
   shaving brush (as top barbers do). A shaving
   brush does a couple of things. First, it helps raise the hair so
   that a closer cut is possible. Second, it helps create a rich creamy lather
   with the shaving cream that stays close to the skin. And, finally, it helps
   remove dead skin cells (exfoliation) which reduces the chance of blemishes,
   razor bumps and also helps the skin look and feel smooth and healthy. Always
   look for a shaving brush with bristles that have the right balance
   between softness (to create a rich creamy lather that stays close to the
   skin) and resistance to raise the beard (making a closer cut easier!)

   

4. Apply the shaving cream using the brush in a circular motion
   ending in an upward stroke to help lift the beard up and away from the face.

5. Use a Quality Razor and Change the Blades
   Always use a good quality sharp razor blade. Be sure the blade is sharp.
   You’re not just cutting off hair, you’re also scraping off up to two layers
   of surface skin when you shave. A dull blade is more traumatic to the skin,
   making your face feel scratchy and look blotchy. Depending on the toughness
   of your beard, change the blade somewhere between every three and every ten
   shaves, if you shave every day. Two weeks is too long to go without changing
   blades. Regardless of the number of shaves, if the blade is dulled, ditch
   it.

   As to which brand of razor to use - we think you can’t go wrong with any of
   the Gillette Mach series. Of course there are very high quality and
   expensive razors available at specialty retailers that you may want to try.

   Rinse your blade under hot water before you begin to shave and after every
   few swipes. This removes the accumulated shaving cream, whiskers, and skin
   goop. For a really close shave, remoisten the section you just shaved, by
   spreading a thin layer of lather from another area of your face, and then
   swiping that area again. Keep everything moist. (Note: The use of hot water
   here is to help lubricate, has nothing to do with "killing
   bacteria.")

6. Use the Razor Properly
   Ideally shave in the direction of the beard growth. Start with the sides,
   then the moustache area and last the chin. The chin hairs are the toughest,
   so this allows them the most time to soften under the shave cream.

   Shaving against the direction of hair growth gives a closer shave, but has
   two drawbacks:

   A. It’s a good way to donate blood, and

   B. You run a high risk of cutting off a hair below skin level, causing an
   ingrown hair (razor bumps) - the whisker grows into the surrounding tissue
   instead of out of the pore, resulting in inflammation and possible
   infection.

   To avoid these shaving problems, again, shave
   "with the grain" (that is, in the direction your hair grows). Each
   person’s facial hair has its own growth pattern. If you are unsure of the
   direction of your beard, let it grow for a day or two and you’ll see it.

7. If you want an even Closer Shave
   If you wish to achieve an even closer shave (as many barbers do) apply some
   more lather from your brush (add more cream if necessary) to the areas you
   wish to shave again. This is one of the extra advantages of using a brush.
   For most guys, re-shaving certain areas with the grain should do the job.
   Professional barbers, by the way, usually first shave with the grain, and
   then re-shave going sideways - but they’re trained professionals!

   But, don’t over shave. Too much shaving will cause skin irritation and
   rashes.

   Rinse the blade thoroughly before you put it away. (The water temperature
   isn’t going to have any impact on bacteria; you’re rinsing the blade to get
   rid of hairs, shaving cream, oils, and gunk, not to kill bacteria. You’d
   need to boil the razor for that, which is not necessary.) Do NOT wipe the
   blade with a tissue or towel–that will just dull it faster.

8. Cleanse and Soothe After Shaving
   After shaving, when the skin is most vulnerable, rinse the face with warm
   water and use a
   facial wash that has a high concentration of tea tree oil (a
   natural antiseptic that is ideal to help cleanse and protect from spots and
   shaving rash) and witch hazel (for its soothing, healing and astringent
   properties).

9. Rinse with the coolest water that is comfortable and pat dry
   with a clean towel. (Don’t rub! Just pat)

10. Finish off with an Aftershave Moisturizer.
    Shaving can remove up to two layers of skin. There is no other regular
    activity that does this, which is why it is so important to use a good
    quality moisturizer after shaving. An
    after shave moisturizer, designed as an after shave balm and
    moisturizer in one, is the ideal way to replace lost moisture and
    soothe the skin. And, be sure to use one made just for guys - these formulas
    are designed so that they are not greasy, absorb quickly and dry with a
    matte finish so that your face doesn’t look shiny. Typically moisturizers made for women are too greasy as men tend to have not only thicker skin but
    also oilier skin than women due to men’s larger sebaceous glands. The best
    aftershave moisturizers not only replace lost moisture and soothe, but also
    have ingredients that will cool and refresh the skin.

Following these 10 shaving tips should help you achieve optimum
skin health, avoid shaving problems and help you look and feel your best.

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