Skin burning after a shave? Sick of itching every time you decide to shed your bumfluff?
Keeping you chin hair under control can be a pain, but with the right help and advice you can stay well groomed and avoid a nasty shaving rash.
Here are our top tips for a (mostly) pain-free shaving experience. Because you can’t always go to your hairdresser to do it.
Photo via Steve Hodgson/Flickr
Before you shave, check which way your hair grows
The easiest way to avoid shaving rash is to make sure you shave with the grain (at least on the first run through). So before you get the razor out, take a look in the mirror to find out which way all your hair grows, not just for your cheeks, but your neck and any other parts of your body that you want to trim.
Warm your face to open your pores
Shaving rashes and itches come from the shave being such a shock to the skin. You can beat this by warming your face to open up your skin pores before you shave. Try and shave either in the bath or just after a shower, when your skin is already warm.
If you’re shaving separately from bath time, fill a sink with warm water and use flannel on your face to warm it up.
Exfoliate your skin
It’s very important to properly prepare you skin before a shave. Exfoliating your skin helps remove dirt from the surface off the skin, release trapped hair, and also soften up your facial hair for your razor.
So get yourself a good face rub and really get in there before you shave. Especially if you’ve got a beard that you want to trim – give it a proper clean.
Once you’ve exfoliated, use a flannel to keep your face warm, and if you’ve got one, use a pre-shave oil to further soften your hair and give your skin a layer of protection. Not got a pre-shave oil? Get one. Treat yourself to some D R Harris next time your birthday comes along.
Photo via Scott Feldstein/Flickr
Apply your shaving foam with a brush for better results
While most TV adverts and movie scenes show people using their hands to apply their shaving foam, there’s a reason why your hairdresser opts for a brush. A good shaving brush allows you to further release and lift trapped hair on your face, making your shave a lot smoother. Pour your shaving foam into a bowl and then use the brush to work it into your face in small circles for best results.
Don’t currently own a shaving brush? We recommend you try to pick up one with badger hair – looked after properly, they remain in good shape for a long time, reducing your cost per shave.
Finally, time to shave
Here’s the important part – the very first time you shave, make sure you shave WITH the grain of the hair – that’s normally downwards on your cheeks.
Shave with light, gentle strokes – your razor should do most of the grooming here rather than you. If you’re not getting the correct results, have a look if your razor blades are sharp enough. If not, it may be time to invest.
Once you’ve given your face a once over, you can then shave against the grain if you’re looking for a closer shave. You don’t have to, and it just gives it a difference to touch rather than appearance – if you have sensitive skin skip shaving against the grain as that can often give you the shaving rash you’re trying so hard to avoid.
Need any more grooming tips? Let us know at hello@JOE.co.uk, or drop us a message on Facebook.
