Shaving is a fundamental part of every man’s grooming routine. For some it’s a daily pursuit while for others it may be an irregular affair. However, one thing which is true for most of the men is that the shaving is a pure utility and nothing more. But, with a little effort and time, this grooming routine can be transformed into a truly Zen-like experience.
Here is our step by step guide to perfect the art of shaving:
Prior to shaving, wash your face thoroughly with warm water or prepare your skin with a warm wash-cloth. You may also exfoliate the skin using an exfoliating cream, but this is strictly optional. This helps in softening of stubble opens up pore thereby reducing stress of the blade for cutting facial hair.
Use a pre shave oil or scrub generously on the preheated prepped skin. The pre shave oil lubricates the facial skin, thereby improving the glide of the blade which in turn will reduce razor burn and skin irritation.
Don’t ever skimp on using shaving cream or gel as dry shaving is a sure shot way to end up with a razor burn or an irritated skin. Always remember to use a premium quality product with high moisturizing and lather formation ability. Use a shaving brush to work the cream or soap onto the face in a circular motion to create a rich and creamy lather. This will bring the facial hair in an upright position, thereby allowing the blade to easily cut the hair for a closer shave.
Today, men have a wide range of razors to choose from, with moisturizing strips, pivoting technology, and of course, multiple blades. Make sure while choosing a razor, you take into consideration the type of skin you’ve, the toughness of your facial hair and your shave frequency. For a fast and efficient shave, we would recommend to choose from our range of cartridge razors, such as Ring Neck or Magnum shaving razors. If you wish to invest a little more time to your shave, you can choose a double edge safety razor. Whatever your choice is, always make sure you have fresh, sharp blades as the sharper the razor the lesser the drag on the skin. Blunt blades are one of the biggest causes of razor burn and skin irritation, so always make sure that you are using a sharp blade.
For the top section of your beard, shave from the top of the beard to the edge of your jaw-line, working from one sideburn across the face to the other, work your razor in a downward motion in long, even strokes.
Always be careful not to cross the point on your jawline where the facial hair direction changes. You should always stretch the skin with your hands wherever possible as this reduces the chance of you cutting yourself.
For neck and chin as well, in order to get a close shave you will need to stretch or flatten the skin to get a close shave. One way to flatten the skin on the neck is to tilt your head up slightly and when working your way down on the chin, push the chin out slightly. Then shave from the bottom of your neck upwards to prevent any razor burn and ingrown hairs.
To shave your upper lip, stretch it over your front teeth to tighten the skin, and shave your way downwards from nose tip till the upper lip.
Wash off any residual shaving cream from your face, neck or chin with warm water, and look for sections of beard that you may have missed. Wet your razor to shave these remaining sections by following steps as previously mentioned.
The last step of this shaving routine should be a high quality alcohol free after-shave balm. This will help restore the natural moisture levels in your skin and help reduce post shave skin irritation.
Spending a little more time and effort on your shaving routine can really keep you looking younger longer. Using these steps will up your grooming game and help you master this process to achieve a closer shave, without irritation.
