- Tips for a Great Shave!
- By Buck Williams
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.
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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 primiary 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. |
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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 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 (remember, you've just scraped off up to 2
layers of surface skin!), 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 oiler 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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Beauty Secrets of the World
