Tips for a Great Shave

 

By Jonathon Stewart

Prepare the Face for Shaving

Step one: Preparation. First, make sure your face is wet. Facial hair can absorb moisture up to 30 percent of its volume, and that makes it soft and plump and much easier to cut. A technique barbers use is to rinse your face with warm water and then apply a warm moistened towel to your face for a couple of minutes. Do not shave your face with cold water before shaving, or even worse, shave with a dry face. You might as well rub your face against a tree…

Apply Shaving Cream

Next, use a high quality shaving cream that contains a lot of lubricants and moisturizers. The best ones make a creamy lather, rather than foam up. The main function of this lather is to lubricate your face so your razor glides smoothly across. so you don’t nick yourself. Leave the shaving cream on your face for at least a minute before shaving.

If you really want to go old school, use a shaving brush to apply your shaving cream. It helps raise your facial hair to get a closer cut, and creates a creamy lather that stays close to your skin and exfoliates your face, which reduces the chance of blemishes or razor burn and makes your skin look and feel smooth. And, it does look pretty cool.

Keep a Sharp Blade

Step Two, technique. Use a good, sharp blade. A dull blade traumatizes your skin and will make it feel scratchy and look blotchy. Be sure to change your shaving blades every four or five shaves. Rinse your blade under hot water before you start and after every few swipes.

Shave the Face

The order you want to shave is 1) the sides of your face, 2) your moustache, 3) your chin, and 4) your neck. Never shave your forehead. Be sure to shave in the direction your hair grows, known as shaving “with the grain.” If you’re not sure which way your hair grows, let your beard grow for a day or two and watch it. You don’t have to watch it the whole time, go out and have a life, and check in a few times and you’ll see what I mean. Get those hard to cut hairs by shaving against the grain but be careful, doing this carelessly will cause you to look like you just got out of a knife fight.

Shaving Aftercare

Immediately after you shave is when your skin is most vulnerable. Think of your face as being stuck naked in the middle of the woods on a cold night. Now you want to cover it with a warm blanket and give it some hot cocoa.

Step three, recovery. Rinse your face with warm water and try using a facial wash that contains tea tree oil or witch hazel. Next, rinse your face with cool water and pat your face dry with a towel. Aftershave now is your best friend. Get one that is a balm and a moisturizer and be sure that it’s made specifically for guys. Aftershave will replace moisture, soothe, refresh, and cool your skin.

And that’s how to get a shave so smooth, you might even make a baby jealous.  To learn more, visit us on the Web at style.about.com.

Below is a visual on how to…